Thursday, June 27, 2013

Disk Management refresher

In Windows Server 2012, disk management is arguably defeated by server manager, powershell, and storage spaces. However, not every business (small, medium, or large) is going to make a quick move to Server 2012. What that means is that the IT pro needs to know the basics.

I found this great post at TechNet on implementing disk management. In it the reader will learn disk terms and how to use disk management for creating and managing basic and dynamic disks, software RAID, enabling quotas, and enabling encryption.

Enjoy!

Implementing Disk Management

Monday, June 3, 2013

Fun with Windows update errors 80246007 and 80070002

*yes it has been a while since I've blogged. I've been very busy with life and studying for MCSA 70410*


 At work recently, I've had trouble with a Windows 7 pro 64 bit machine dedicated to running our remote check scanner device and software. The machine has never given me trouble until today. I was doing my morning "thang" checking out security stuff on our network. I discovered that the remotescanner machine had failed update install errors. I RDP into the machine to get a closer look. The specific errors surrounded in large, scary, red-ness were: 80246007 and 80070002. The machine hasn't been installing the latest updates for the past few days.

Looking into the errors I found that there was a 'fix-it' option. I took that option because, hey, usually that is the efficient way to take. Guess what? Fix-it didn't fix it! That's unusual for my 'fix-it experience. I even ran fix-it again only to find that it still didn't work. Tackling the errors myself I was able to solve the problem following *some* of the steps. At first, I restarted the BITS service, restarted the machine, checked for updates, downloaded the updates and then the updates actually installed. Upon reboot and logging into Windows, I was told by Update that more updates needed to be installed so I ran the install and all the updated installed successfully (yes, the updates that failed these past few days). I checked for more but there weren't any to download. So, the machine is now nice, green, and updated.

I'm confused though. Restarting the BITS is the solution for 80246007, not for 80070002. Why are Windows Updates now installing instead of failing? Whatever the answer, I'm glad the machine is working properly now, but I do wonder why two errors were the culprit for failed updates only to be fixed by the solution for one of the errors?