Delete Recent File List In Windows Media PLayer

This tip requires a change to the Windows Registry. Please see the MSFN Guide "Backup Your Registry" if you are new to the Windows Registry.

Windows Media Player (WMP) is a built-in application that allows you to play multimedia files. Like many other applications, WMP remembers the most recently played files and displays them in the Recent File List under the File menu. This feature is useful if you regularly play certain files, but you may want to clear the list if you share the computer and a user account or create archives and CDs.

There are two ways you can clear the list:

I. The ClearMRU.exe Utility is available for free in the Windows Media Player Bonus Pack from Microsoft, but Microsoft does not support this tool.

II. You can also manually delete the list through the Windows Registry:

1. Start the Windows Registry Editor, regedit.exe, by typing regedit in the Windows Run Command Line.

2. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Player\RecentFileList.

3. Delete the RecentFileList subkey.

4. If you've also streamed content from the Internet, you can delete the RecentURLList subkey.

5. Exit the Registry Editor.

6. Restart the computer.

To keep certain files in the list, don't delete the entire key. Deleting individual entries within the key will get rid of the files that you no longer want in the Recent File List.

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Changing IP and VLAN on host - no VM downtime

It is possible to change the service console (COS) IP and VLAN id for hosts in a cluster without having VM downtime (see this post for changing hostname). The trick is to change the COS IP first on all hosts and then wait with the changing of the vMotion IP until all COS IP's have been changed. This way, you will be able to put the hosts into maintenance mode one by one and vMotion will still work with the old IP even though COS IP's will differ in range and VLAN id.

NB. It may be neccesary to disable HA for the cluster before you begin as the HA agent will not be able to configure on the hosts when IP's don't match for all hosts.

1. Enter maintenance mode
2. Update the DNS entry on the DNS server
3. Log on to the vCenter server and flush the DNS: ipconfig /flushdns
4. Go to ILO, DRAC or something similar for the host (you will loose remote network connection when changing the IP) and change the IP (use this KB article for inspiration): 
5. [root@server root]# esxcfg-vswif -i a.b.c.d -n w.x.y.z vswif0 , where a.b.c.d is the IP address and w.x.y.z is the subnet mask.
6. Change the VLAN id (in this case VLAN 12): esxcfg-vswitch -v 12 -p 'Service Console' vSwitch0
7. Change gateway: nano /etc/sysconfig/network
8. Change DNS servers: nano /etc/resolv.conf
9. Restart network: service network restart
10. Ensure that gateway can be pinged
11. Update the NTP server from the vSphere client if needed.
12. Continue the process with next host in the cluster

When all COS IP's have been changed, go to the vSphere client and change all vMotion IP addresses and VLAN id's. This will not require any downtime. And then test that vMotion works.

Done.

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Changing hostname from the service console

The easiest way to change the hostname is via the vSphere client (see this post for changing IP address and VLAN IP). If, however, this is not an option for some reason, the hostname can be changed from the service console the following way:

This KB article actually explains most of the proces which includes:

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1. Open the /etc/hosts file with a text editor and modify it so that it reflects the correct hostname.

2. To change the default gateway address and the hostname, edit the /etc/sysconfig/network file and change the GATEWAY and HOSTNAME parameters to the proper values.

3. For the changes to take place, reboot the host or restart the network service with the command:
[root@server root]# service network restart
Note: This command breaks any current network connections to the Service Console, but virtual machines continue to have network connection.

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I have experienced that after a reboot, the changes are reset and the hostname is changed back to the original one. To avoid this, there is one more step to be performed (before reboot):

Change the /adv/Misc/HostName parameter in /etc/vmware/esx.conf file (see screendump)

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Cant See Secure Sites

Fix the problem with seeing them secure sites (banks or online stores) i found this very useful to me at my work (

Any way... what u need to do is make a new notepad file and write in it the following DLL's.. just copy-paste these

regsvr32 SOFTPUB.DLL

regsvr32 WINTRUST.DLL

regsvr32 INITPKI.DLL

regsvr32 dssenh.dll

regsvr32 Rsaenh.dll

regsvr32 gpkcsp.dll

regsvr32 sccbase.dll

regsvr32 slbcsp.dll

regsvr32 Cryptdlg.dll

and save it as > all file types, and make it something like securefix.bat.

then just run the file and ur problem should be gone.

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Error during upgrade: The system call API checksum doesn’t match

Today, I got an error during upgrade from vSphere 4.0 to 4.1 stating something like:

The system call API checksum doesn’t match

There was a lot of similar lines filling the console. I was a bit worried that the upgrade had gone wrong even though I had done three similar upgrades before this one with no errors - and that I would have to reinstall in stead.

Luckily, I found this error description in the 4.1 release notes stating that a reboot will fix the issue. So I waited for a while to be sure that the upgrade finished, rebooted, and everything looks fine:

Link to release notes:

"ESX service console displays error messages when upgrading from ESX 4.0 or ESX 4.1 to ESX 4.1 Update 1

When you upgrade from ESX 4.0 or ESX 4.1 release to ESX 4.1 Update 1, the service console might display error messages similar to the following:
On the ESX 4.0 host: Error during version check: The system call API checksum doesn’t match"
On the ESX 4.1 host: Vmkctl & VMkernel Mismatch,Signature mismatch between Vmkctl & Vmkernel

You can ignore the messages.

Workaround: Reboot the ESX 4.1 Update 1 host. "

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Add open cmd prompt here to context menus

Copy following to notepad and save as cmd here.reg

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell\cmd]
@="Command Prompt"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell\cmd\command]
@="cmd.exe /k \"cd %L\""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\cmd]
@="Command Prompt"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\cmd\command]
@="cmd.exe /k \"cd %L\""

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\shell\cmd]
@="Command Prompt"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\shell\cmd\command]
@="cmd.exe /k \"cd %L\""

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Computer Matinence

You may not realize it, but your computer and your car have something in common: they both need regular maintenance. No, you don't need to change your computer's oil. But you should be updating your software, keeping your antivirus subscription up to date, and checking for spyware. Read on to learn what you can do to help improve your computer's security.

Getting started

Here are some basics maintenance tasks you can do today to start improving your computer's security. Be sure you make these part of your ongoing maintenance as well.

* Sign up for software update e-mail notices. Many software companies will send you e-mail whenever a software update is available. This is particularly important for your operating system (e.g., Microsoft VV!|VD0VV$® or Macintosh), your antivirus program, and your firewall.

* Register your software. If you still have registration forms for existing software, send them in. And be sure to register new software in the future. This is another way for the software manufacturer to alert you when new updates are available.

* Install software updates immediately.

When you get an update notice, download the update immediately and install it. (Remember, downloading and installing are two separate tasks.)

An ounce of prevention

A few simple steps will help you keep your files safe and clean.

* Step 1: Update your software

* Step 2: Backup your files

* Step 3: Use antivirus software and keep it updated

* Step 4: Change your passwords

Developing ongoing maintenance practices

Now that you've done some ground work, it's time to start moving into longer term maintenance tasks. These are all tasks that you should do today (or as soon as possible) to get started. But for best results, make these a part of a regular maintenance schedule. We recommend setting aside time each week to help keep your computer secure.

* Back up your files. Backing up your files simply means creating a copy of your computer files that you can use in the event the originals are lost. (Accidents can happen.) To learn more read our tips for backing up information.

* Scan your files with up to date antivirus software. Use your antivirus scan tool regularly to search for potential computer viruses and worms. Also, check your antivirus program's user manual to see if you can schedule an automatic scan of your computer. To learn more, read our tips for reducing your virus risk

.

* Change your passwords. Using the same password increases the odds that someone else will discover it. Change all of your passwords regularly (we recommend monthly) to reduce your risk. Also, choose your passwords carefully. To learn more, read our tips for creating stronger passwords

.

Making a schedule

One of the best ways to help protect your computer is to perform maintenance regularly. To help you keep track, we suggest making a regular "appointment" with your computer. Treat it like you would any other appointment. Record it in your datebook or online calendar, and if you cannot make it, reschedule. Remember, you are not only helping to improve your computer, you are also helping to protect your personal information.

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