Friday, May 29, 2015

HOW TO - Move all the log files to zip file

q: A customer called today to ask how they could zip all the log files in all the folders and sub-folders into a zip file.

a: Here is the steps we suggested:

  1. Install Izarc 4.1.6 - http://www.filehippo.com/download_izarc/9368/
  2. Install Izarc Command Line - http://www.izarc.org/download/IZArcCL.exe
  3. Add the Izarc folder to the path
  4. Create d:\temp & confirm account running the task has writes to this folder.
  5. IZARCC.exe -m -r -P D:\Download\201505_logs.zip d:\ex*.log -$d:\temp\
  6. This runs the the command line version of Izarc, creates a zip file at the path of d:\download\ filled with all the files on the D drive that start with ex and end with .log and it uses the d:\download folder as the temp folder.  Note that last part is nice, because by default it would create the temp file on the C Drive then have to move it back.
  7. Don't forget, this moves the log files to the Recycle Bin.  Add this to the bottom of the script and it will delete the Recycle Bin before it gets too big.
  8. rd /q /s d:\recycler


HOW TO - Stop SEP from CLI

q: How do you stop Symantec Endpoint Protection client (SEP) from batch or CLI?

a: Usually you can just click START - RUN and type "smc -stop" and then it will prompt you for the password.  On this desktop that didn't work so we found you had to run this command from an elevated command prompt.

  1. Find the "Command Prompt" shortcut
  2. Right click and select "Run as Administrator"
  3. Navigate to this folder C:\Program Files (x86)\Symantec\Symantec Endpoint Protection\
  4. Run this commadn 'smc -stop -p symantec "
  5. Where symantec is the password.  By default that is the password.

Synology issues with Active Directory

q: A customer called today about their Synology.  It seems they can no longer authenticate to the shared folders using active directory credentials.
a: After a reboot didn't fix it, we reviewed the Domain/LDAP settings in Control Panel.  It seems a recent update may have changed some of the settings.

  1. They are running DSM 5.2-5565 Update 1
  2. We checked the box "Advanced domain options (Required only under specific network environment)." 
  3. Then we stepped through the wizard of joining the Synology to the domain again.
  4. For Domain NetBIOS name, we used the NetBIOS name of our domain (the domain without the .local in most cases).
  5. For Domain FQDN, we used the full domain name (including the .local or other suffix).
  6. For Update user/group list: we set this to Daily and Every 12 hours because their AD structure does not change that frequently. 
  7. After that completed, drive mapping worked again.


Thursday, May 14, 2015

Maintain permissions while migrating to a new server


q: What's the best way to copy all the files from an old server to a new one while maintaining permissions?

a: We've found robocopy is the best to accomplish that.  Here is a sample format we have used repeatedly with success.

robocopy \\fileserver\users D:\ServerFolders\Users /E /DCOPY:T /SEC /MT /V /TEE /NP /LOG:20150514_Ddrive.log

Avaya DHCP Settings Option 242 Server 2012

q: The customer called about new Avaya phones that will only display “Waiting for LLDP” which apparently means they cannot lease an IP from the DHCP server.

a: It was directed to us to add the following setting using the IP of the IP Office Avaya server but their new Windows Server 2012 DHCP Server didn't have that option.  The following details how to add it. Part One describes how to Create the Option, Part two describes how to assign it a value and enable it.

242 16xxOptions MCIPADD=192.168.1.10,MCPORT=1719,HTTPSERVER=192.168.1.10

NOTE: This assumes you're using the same VLAN for voice and data.


  1. Open DHCP / Expand DHCP Server
  2. Right click on IPv4
  3. Click "Set Predefined Options"
  4. Click Add
  5. Use these values for the Option Type:
  6. Click OK to Create the Option.
  7. With the new Option Name selected, enter the Avaya String: MCIPADD=192.168.1.10,MCPORT=1719,HTTPSERVER=192.168.1.10
  8. Click OK
  9. Expand IPv4
  10. Expand Scope
  11. Right click on "Scope Options"
  12. Click "Configure Options"
  13. Scroll to the bottom and check/enable your new 242 option (The value should be pre-populated from step 10.
  14. Click OK
  15. Then reboot your phones to test.