Powering multiple USB devices

Posted on April 16, 2017 by Thomas.Marcussen

Powering devices trough USB is getting more and more common.
If you, like me, have multiple devices like Raspberry PI, Thinker Board, mfi etc etc.

You might want to use one single device to power them all, but what to use?
I’ve tried a few now, some of the devices not delivering the needed effect to the devices, unfortunately.

I ended up with a 50W 10 Ports USB Power supply.

Specifications:

Output: 5.0v-10A (each 2,4 max)
Input: 100-240VV -1.4A 50Hz-60Hz)
Model: XBX09L

its most commonly referred to as a traveling adapter, but works like a charm in your home “datacenter” or for charging multiple devices in your household.

My Setup:

I’m powering 5 Raspberry Pi’s (RPI3), 1 Tinker Board and 1 mFi Port.
For now its been running for 2 months with no issues or power cycles needed.

The Device:

The OEM model is £10 off ebay.

Also available on Amazon

Plug: EU/UK/US/AU
Color: Black/White

MCT Program Update: Office365

Posted on February 28, 2017 by Thomas.Marcussen

We are super excited to announce that MCT Software & Services subscription now includes a non-trial version of Office 365 Enterprise Developer. Many of you have been waiting for this for a long time and we have made it happen for you. Office 365 is no longer a one year free trial version. This is effective immediately.

Office 365 Enterprise Developer includes:
• Exchange Online
• Flow for Office 365
• Microsoft Planner, Microsoft Teams
• Mobile Device Management for Office 365
• Office 365 ProPlus
• Office Online for Developer
• PowerApps for Office 365
• SharePoint Online for Developer
• Skype for Business Online

Unable to create REFS file system on storage space with 3 drives

Posted on February 4, 2017 by Thomas.Marcussen

So it was time for a reinstallation, time to cleanup and maybe rethink a few things. I installed Windows 10 1607 Enterprise x64.

I had my old storage space running, but wanted to add an additional disk.

I had to move some disks around, hence the disks was required to have the same block-size. When running the storage space wizard, I marked the disks to add and create the new pool from

I wanted to go for ReFS this time (some comparison here: http://thesolving.com/storage/refs-vs-ntfs-comparison/)

When trying to format the storage spage, it would switch to deleting storage space and show the following error: The parameter is incorrect: (0x00000057)

I recall having seen a similar error in Windows 8, the solution was then to create a registry key, to allow for formatning over non mirrored volumes, specifically for ReFS.

Funny think, it was still needed.

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\MiniNT]
“AllowRefsFormatOverNonmirrorVolume”=dword:00000001

Download RegFile

Add the key, reboot and retry.

Activation tool to use Windows OEM Key from BIOS

Posted on September 18, 2016 by Thomas.Marcussen

A simple tool to extract and use the Windows activation key from BIOS.
The tool will extract the key Windows Management Instrumentation Command-line.
The key extracted will be install and activated using Windows Software Licensing Management Tool.

Tool is command-line based.

Can be used with your favorite client management tool

https://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/Activate-using-Windows-OEM-db93ca97

HTTP Error 500.0 – The FastCGI process exited unexpectedly

Link

Came across this error today:

HTTP Error 500.0 – Internal Server Error C:\PHP\php-cgi.exe – The FastCGI process exited unexpectedly

I was working on a Windows Server 2012 R2 with IIS installed.

After installing PHP 5.6 the error occured when trying to access any php files.
So apparently you need VC++ 11 runtime for PHP 5.5 or newer.
the solution was quick, download, install and iisreset (http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=30679)

Make sure you download and install the x86 version (vcredist_x86.exe), PHP on Windows isn’t 64 bit yet.

If you’re running PHP 5.4.x then you need to install the VC++9 runtime (http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=5582)

Remove dependency for msvcr120.dll/msvcp120.dll in release versions

Posted on December 28, 2015 by Thomas.Marcussen

I know that there are some questions about, how to include msvcr120.dll/msvcp120.dll into your project.

If you want to drop that dependency. If you compile the program in release version, in Visual Studio 2013/2015 and do not depend on any VS-specific commands (#pragma etc.) or precompiled headers etc.

If you want to compile it to one single release .exe and provide it to user WITHOUT demanding enduser to install VC++ Redistributes for VS

You can statically link the runtime to your project by setting the /MT flag. You can find this option in Visual Studio 2013/2015 under Project > [ProjectName] Properties… > Configuration Properties > C/C++ > Code Generation > Runtime Library. Make sure to only set it for the Release configuration.

Looking for funny (and creative) fake names?

Posted on October 12, 2015 by Thomas.Marcussen

Getting tired of the John and Jane doe testing account names?
Here some funny and creative ones — let me know if you got some to add 🙂

General Lectric
Private Keepout
Nosmo King
Patty O’furniture
Owa Tegyu Siam
Minny Tonka
Tennis “E”
Ida Ho
A.Blinkin
Itza Bird
Itzu Perman
Chick Innees
Chuck U Farley
Robin Steele
Yuda Mann
Solomon I. Lands
Burr Palishus
Loo King Good
Florida Keyes
Hey Zeus
Hung Low
Sum Dum Chum
So Soo Mee
Bill Payre
Kisme U. Fool
E Bonnicks
Woz Upp
Auntie Upp
Wazzapp Nindood
Jail Enno
Tillit Hertz
Harry Palms
L Bowgrees
Lee Deway
Shirley Ujest
Phil D Basket
Memm Brzonly
Wysso Glumm
Ock Kewpannt
Rezzi Dent

Should you install Office 2016 32-bit or 64-bit?

Posted on October 4, 2015 by Thomas.Marcussen

There seems to be some doubt about Office 2016 when to install 64-bit version of office vs 32-bit

Limitations of the 64-bit version of Office

The 64-bit version of Office may perform better in some cases, but there are limitations:

Solutions using ActiveX controls library, ComCtl controls won’t work.
Third-party ActiveX controls and add-ins won’t work.
Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) that contain Declare statements won’t work in the 64-bit version of Office without being updated.
Compiled Access databases, like .MDE and .ACCDE files, won’t work unless they’re specifically written for the 64-bit version of Office.
In SharePoint, the list view won’t be available.

If you have specific add-ins that you use in the 32-bit version of Office, they may not work in 64-bit Office, and vice versa. If you’re concerned, check your current version of Office before installing the new one. Considering testing the add-in with 64-bit Office, or finding out if a 64-bit version of the add-in is available from the developer.

The 64-bit version of Office has some limitations, but is the right choice when:

You work with extremely large data sets, like enterprise-scale Excel workbooks with complex calculations, many PivotTables, connections to external databases, PowerPivot, PowerMap, or PowerView. The 64-bit version of Office may perform better for you.
You work with extremely large pictures, videos, or animations in PowerPoint. The 64-bit version of Office may be better suited to handle these complex slide decks.
You work with extremely large Word documents. The 64-bit version of Office may be better suited to handle Word documents with large tables, graphics, or other objects.
You’re working with files over 2GB in Project, especially if the project has many subprojects.
You want to keep the 64-bit version of Office that you’re already using. The 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Office programs aren’t compatible, so you can’t install both on the same computer.
You’re developing in-house Office solutions, like add-ins or document-level customizations.
Your organization requires Hardware Data Execution Prevention (DEP) be enforced for Office applications. DEP is a set of hardware and software technologies that some organizations use to enhance security.

Synology NAS Recovery password (telnet)

Posted on September 20, 2015 by Thomas.Marcussen

Synology’s “secret” telnet password….

If you ever had to recover a Synology nas box in recovery-mode, pre DiskStation installation or after a failed DiskStation install….. Then you would need the “secret” telnet password for admin (or in some cases root)

In case you don’t want to contact Synology here is how it’s generated

1st character = month in hexadecimal, lower case (1=Jan, … , a=Oct, b=Nov, c=Dec)
2-3 = month in decimal, zero padded and starting in 1 (01, 02, 03, …, 11, 12)
4 = dash
5-6 = day of the month in hex (01, 02 .., 0A, .., 1F)
7-8 = greatest common divisor between month and day, zero padded. This is always a number between 01 and 12.

So, let’s say today is October 15, the password would be: a10-0f05 (a = month in hex, 10 = month in dec, 0f = day in hex, 05 = greatest divisor between 10 and 15).

In some cases the clock is also set to factory default… then try the password: 101-0101

Based on the original correct_password.c source,here is a short snippet to generate the daily password.

#include <stdlib.h> 
#include <time.h> 
#include <stdio.h> 

void main()
{
    struct timeval tvTime;
    struct tm tmOutput;

    gettimeofday(&tvTime, 0);
    localtime_r(&(tvTime.tv_sec), &tmOutput);

    tmOutput.tm_mon += 1;
    printf("password for today is: %x%02d-%02x%02d\n\n",
        tmOutput.tm_mon, tmOutput.tm_mon, tmOutput.tm_mday,
        gcd(tmOutput.tm_mon, tmOutput.tm_mday));
}

int gcd(int a, int b)
{
    return (b?gcd(b,a%b):a);
}

Using a 3.Party IM Client with Office 365 or Lync?

Posted on August 24, 2015 by Thomas.Marcussen

Of course!

I’ve been using Pidgin for ages…

In Pidgin I’m able to run the following protocols

-XMPP (facebook)
Office Communicator (for Lync and O365)
Skype
Skype for Business
ICQ
….. and lots more.. see the full list at Pidgin Thirdparty plugins

You should try it, if you like me prefer to keep your conversation history’s together and sorted.

One thing i’ve noticed, for some reason Office 365 (Lync or now Skype for Business) requires me to use a specific user agent(!) so….having problems getting it to work? Maybe you see:

Connection refused with error message
“You are currently not using the recommended version of the client”
“You have been rejected by the server: https://portal.microsoftonline.com/download/lync.aspx”

Cry no more!

Here is a list of user agents and versions you can emulate, and it works great! Just modify your connection profile, under advanced, type one of the following user agent values..

Version / Product	User Agent values (as seen in the wild)

Lync 2013 and Office 365	`UCCAPI/15.0.4481.1000 OC/15.0.4481.1000 (Microsoft Lync)` `UCCAPI/15.0.4420.1017 OC/15.0.4420.1017 (Microsoft Lync)`
Lync 2010 and Office 365	`UCCAPI/4.0.7577.314 OC/4.0.7577.314 (Microsoft Lync 2010)` `UCCAPI/4.0.7577.256 OC/4.0.7577.280 (Microsoft Lync 2010)`
Office Communicator 2007 R2	`UCCAPI/3.5.6907.206 OC/3.5.6907.206 (Microsoft Office Communicator 2007 R2)` `UCCAPI/3.5.6907.0 OC/3.5.6907.0 (Microsoft Office Communicator 2007 R2)`
Office Communicator 2007	`UCCP/2.0.6362.111 OC/2.0.6362.111 (Microsoft Office Communicator)` `UCCP/2.0.6362.97 OC/2.0.6362.97 (Microsoft Office Communicator)`
Office Communicator 2005	`LCC/1.3.5371 (Microsoft Office Communicator 2005 1.0.559.0)` `LCC/1.3.5371 (Microsoft Office Communicator 2005 1.0.559.232)`

Thomas Marcussen

Everything System Center Professional with a passion for technology

Category Archives: Misc