What The Blog Reader v0.7 (Beta 3)

Yep all 'pimped out' and looking good in its new Android Ice Cream Sandwich compliant style, checkout beta 3 of What The.....? Blog Reader for android.  Fully backwards compatible for those not yet running Google's latest version Android operating system.

For more detail, checkout  WTB4A's very own page here

As usual, details as follows:

Change log: github

Latest installer (whatthe.apk 34kb): github

- Chris

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Easy Bootable Antivirus CD/USB: UPDATED

Weighing in at fourth place most popular post on this site is Easy Bootable Antivirus CD/USB written in April 2010,  just over two years ago (yes, time does fly!)

Recap:
With the prevalence of Viruses / Rootkits / Spyware and all sorts of other malware these days, quite often I get asked to take a look at machines that are suspected of infestation with one or more of the above "nasties".

Quite often this comes about because the nasties have "grown resistant" to the antivirus tool being used  - that is they do not clean as expected.  Sometimes this can be because the nasty hooks itself deep into the operating system or it locks itself as in use and hence cannot be deleted.

One way around this is to boot the computer from an alternative operating system located on a device such as a CD or USB pen drive.  This will get around both issues, thus making the removal much easier.
/Recap

Many tools have come and gone over the last two years, however luckily for us an even easier  CD/USB based anti-virus tool has been released.  Surprisingly it's written by Microsoft.

Windows Defender Offline
Follows is the process to create and use a Windows Defender Offline (WDO) CD/USB.

Prerequisites:

1. Find out if the infected (or suspected infected) machine is running a 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows.  See Is my PC running the 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows?
2. The infected (or suspected infected) machine must have a minimum of 512Mb memory
3. A blank CD, DVD, or USB flash drive(250Mb minimum)
4. 500Mb free hard disk space to download to and create the CD/USB
5. Download the appropriate version of the WDO creation tool from here (download links are at the bottom of the page)

Prerequisites satisfied, lets get on an use the tool.

Process:
Launch the downloaded executable (mssstool32.exe or mssstool64.exe).  You will be presented withe the following welcome page:

 
Click Next

Choose the media to create, CD or USB or create an ISO image file.  I chose to create an ISO file to burn to CD later. 

Choose the location of the ISO file

The tool will now download the required files from the Microsoft website.  Remember that at this point the WDO creation tool is downloading the latest version of the WDO boot media and the very latest anti-virus definition files for use with WDO.

All done.  Click finish.

I burnt my ISO image onto a CD using the excellent free ISO burning tool ImgBurn

Upon booting the infected (or suspected infected) machine from the WDO CD/USB, you are presented with the following:

 

The tool will boot into a quick scan. This will scan only areas of the computers hard disk that are known to potentially harbor nasties.  

I chose to cancel the quick scan and run a full scan instead.

All being well you will / will not (depending whether you were expecting to) be notified with details of an infection and that WDO has cleaned the infection.... or infections plural!

Shut down, eject the CD / remove the USB, and boot back up as normal.

Final word:
As most nasties spread due to lack of security patching,  upon first boot I would highly recommend a visit to Windows Update to install all missing security patches as soon as possible.

Perhaps even look at running Microsoft Security Essentials anti-virus instead of whatever windows anti-virus application you were running.  

Update:
If you find that your WDO CD/USB is not working as expected, have a look at this post over at Alex Verboon's blog: How to add drivers to the Windows Defender Offline Tool


- Chris

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Fixing Remote Desktop Annoyances

Please don't get me wrong, Microsoft Remote Desktop is a great tool for remote control / administration of Windows Servers and desktops.

However in later versions of the remote desktop client, a couple of 'features' have crept into the tool making it increasingly both annoying to use and slow to connect to remote desktops.

So, object of this post then is to look at the features that I find most annoying and perhaps more importantly, how to FIX THEM!

Firstly, is the ultra annoying prompt for credentials before attempting to connect, each and every time I connect to a remote desktop:

Having to enter the user name and password for the remote computer BEFORE the client will even try to connect is ultra annoying. Having to enter the same credentials each and every time I connect is a killer.  99.999% of the time I'm connecting to a computer on the local area network (or via VPN), so I'm not using a remote desktop gateway.  Because I'm not using a gateway, we can switch this feature off.

Here is how:

1. Close all remote desktop connections and exit the remote desktop client.
2. Click Start, click Run, type notepad, and then click OK.
3. On the File menu, click Open.
4. In the Files of type list, click All Files.
5. In the File name box enter Default.rdp (The full path to this file would be similar to the following: C:\Users\<your username>\Documents\Default.rdp) 
6. A file similar to the following should open:





7. At the bottom of the Default.rdp file, add the following text:

   enablecredsspsupport:i:0

8. Save the file, exit notepad and test remote desktop.  You should no longer be prompted to enter credentials before connecting to remote desktops.

Next up is the also annoying remote identity pop up:

Not quite as annoying, but getting there...  Here we go then:

1. Open your Default.rdp file again (as per steps 1-6 above)
2. Add the following to the bottom of Default.rdp:

   authentication level:i:0

3. Save the file, exit notepad and test remote desktop.  You should no longer be prompted confirm that you do indeed intend to connect.

As a freebie bonus, completing the above tweaks speed up the initial connection.  That is you spend less time looking and waiting at:

and more time getting on with your remote desktop session.  Bonus!

For further reading, have a look at Microsoft KB article: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/941641: Remote Desktop Connection 6.0 prompts you for credentials before you establish a remote desktop connection

Job done.  Remote desktop annoyances dealt with.

- Chris

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vSphere 5.0 Update to Build Number

Once again, continuing series of VMware vSphere update to build number tracking.

As always, it's a simple bit of info, often hard to find.

ESXi 5.0:

• ESXi 5.0 = Build 469512 - Released 24 August 2011
• ESXi 5.0 Update 1 = Build 623860 - Released 15 March 2012

vCenter 5.0:

• vCenter 5.0 = Build 456005 - Released 24 August 2011
• vCenter 5.0 Update 1 = Build 639890 - Released 15 March 2012

For previous versions, see these posts:

ESX / ESXi 3.5 : Here
ESX / ESXi 4.0 : Here
ESXi 4.1 : Here

If you need the vSphere Client see Here

- Chris

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Cloud: What is it? Free Cloud?

OK lets cut the jargon, the buzz words, the  misconceptions, the downright rubbish.  What is this 'cloud' all about?  What exactly is cloud computing (to give it it's correct name) is and is available to me today - for free?

First, what is cloud computing?  Finding the answer to this question is easier than you would have at first thought.  The US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) defines cloud computing in their publication SP 800-145 - A NIST Definition of Cloud Computing (Sept 2011), available here (PDF)

So using the NIST cloud definition document as a basis - specifically the three cloud service models - lets look at cloud and where we can use it for free.

Software as a Service (SaaS)

The capability provided to the consumer is to use the provider’s
applications running on a cloud infrastructure. The applications are accessible from various client devices through either a thin client interface, such as a web browser (e.g., web-based email), or a program interface. The consumer does not manage or control the underlying cloud infrastructure including network, servers, operating systems, storage, or even individual application capabilities, with the possible exception of limited user-specific application configuration settings.

This is perhaps the easiest area to find free services. Free examples include:

• Email = Gmail / Hotmail / Yahoo mail
• Blogging = Blogger / Wordpress.com / Twitter
• Image Hosting = flikr / Picasa / Imgur
• Social Networking = facebook / Myspace

Platform as a Service (PaaS)

The capability provided to the consumer is to deploy onto the cloud infrastructure consumer-created or acquired applications created using programming languages, libraries, services, and tools supported by the provider. The consumer does not manage or control the underlying cloud infrastructure including network, servers, operating systems, or storage, but has control over the deployed applications and possibly configuration settings for the application-hosting environment.

A little harder to find.  Free examples include:

• Application hosting = Google apps
• Build your own application  = Yahoo pipes
• ISPs (Some ISPs allow you run your own apps on their platforms as part of your internet subscription)
• Predetermined application hosting = host1free.com

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

The capability provided to the consumer is to provision processing, storage, networks, and other fundamental computing resources where the consumer is able to deploy and run arbitrary software, which can include operating systems and applications. The consumer does not manage or control the underlying cloud infrastructure but has control over operating systems, storage, and deployed applications; and possibly limited control of select networking components (e.g., host firewalls).

Not easy to find - well for free at least!  I couldn't find any free providers of IaaS, which kind of makes sense as I don't believe there are the alternative revenue streams available yet allow the provision of IaaS for free.

So all in all a very quick look into the cloud.  Minus the garbage and the jargon.  Not all that hard to comprehend now is it?

- Chris

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ESXi Command Line Networking Configuration

Ages and ages ago, I posted an article detailing ESX Command Line Networking Configuration, and at the bottom of the post I added the sign off "Next time.... ESXi."  Well, finally here is said ESXi post: How to configure ESXi networking from the command line.

Why?  Because there doesn’t appear to be any single place (that I can find at least) where all of the this is detailed.  So hold onto you hats, again, here we go... Again!

Changing IP Address, Subnet Mask, Default Gateway, Hostname and DNS Settings (All Versions)
Very simple. Use the console configuration tool:

OK, whilst strictly not "command line", why not use the built in configuration tool? It is far simpler!

Word of warning - Whilst not prompted for a reboot when changing the ESXi's Hostname, I would complete a reboot anyway.  I and others have seen spurious issues later on through ESXi configuration when a post rename reboot has not been completed.

Linking and Unlinking Physical Network Cards to Virtual Switches and Network Card Teaming (All Versions)
Again sure you can do this through the console configuration tool for the service console / management vSwitch.  However, what happens if you want to make changes on other vSwitches?

First lets look at how the vSwitch is configured post install.  Screenshot from a VI Client:

If you were to view the same information at the service console command line we would use the following command to list the virtual switches configured:

esxcfg-vswitch -l

To connect a physical adaptor to a virtual switch, you need to Link it, using the following command:

esxcfg-vswitch -L vmnic1 vSwitch0

Where vmnic1 is the physical network card being connected to the virtual switch vSwitch0.

To disconnect a physical adaptor to a virtual switch, you need to Unlink it, using the following command:

esxcfg-vswitch -U vmnic1 vSwitch0

Where vmnic1 is the physical network card being disconnected from the virtual switch vSwitch0.

Basic network card teaming is achieved by having two or more physical adaptors connected to the same virtual switch.  From the VI Client:

 Which in turn looks like this from the console:

Further reading on Linking and Unlinking Physical Network Cards to Virtual Switches: http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1000258

NIC Teaming Policy and Load Balancing (ESXi 4.1 and Earlier)
First lets look at how the vSwitch load balancing configured post install.  Screenshot from a VI Client:

Which in turn looks like this from the console:

To specify the NIC teaming load balancing policy on a vSwitch, run the command:

vim-cmd /hostsvc/net/vswitch_setpolicy --nicteaming-policy='[policy]' vSwitch0

Where [policy] is one of these NIC teaming policies:

• loadbalance_srcid (Route based on the originating virtual switch port ID)
• loadbalance_srcmac (Route based on source MAC hash)
• loadbalance_ip (Route based on IP hash)
• failover_explicit (Use explicit failover order)

For example, to set the NIC teaming policy to route based on IP hash, run the command:

vim-cmd /hostsvc/net/vswitch_setpolicy --nicteaming-policy='loadbalance_ip' vSwitch0

To confirm the setting, run the command:

vim-cmd /hostsvc/net/vswitch_info vSwitch0 | grep policy

When run on console:

NIC Teaming Policy and Load Balancing (ESXi 5.0 and Later)
To specify the NIC teaming load balancing policy on a vSwitch, run the command:

esxcli network vswitch standard policy failover set -l [policy] -v vSwitch0

Where [policy] is one of these NIC teaming policies:

• portid (Route based on the originating virtual switch port ID)
• mac (Route based on source MAC hash)
• iphash (Route based on IP hash)
• explicit (Use explicit failover order)

For example, to set the NIC teaming policy to route based on originating switch port ID, run the command:

esxcli network vswitch standard policy failover set -l portid -v vSwitch0

To confirm the setting, run the command:

esxcli network vswitch standard policy failover get -v vSwitch0

When run on console:

Further reading on NIC Teaming Policy and Load Balancing: http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1011520

VLAN Tagging (All Versions)
Use the following command to assign a VLAN to a console port / port group

esxcfg-vswitch -v [VLANID] -p "Management Network" vSwitch0

Where [VLANID] is the VLAN number, "Management Network" is the console port / port group name and vSwitch0 is the virtual switch the console port / port group is connected to.  A zero [VLANID] here specifies no VLAN.

Further reading on VLAN Tagging: http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1000258

Overview
In this post we looked at how to configure the following, all from the ESXi console, no VI client required!

• Changing IP Address, Subnet Mask, Default Gateway, Hostname and DNS Server Settings
• Linking and Unlinking Physical Network Cards to Virtual Switches and Network Card Teaming
• NIC Teaming Policy and Load Balancing
• VLAN Tagging

- Chris

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Chris' Better Jam Cams

No one likes to get stuck in a traffic jam.  Much less one that could be avoided.  Even more annoying is the 'jam out of the blue' on what is usually a clear piece of road...

Short of pulling an 'Italian Job 1969' (original and best!!) and driving through shopping arcades, up on roofs, across weirs etc what can you do to avoid such jams?

Luckily we can spot traffic issues for ourselves from the comfort of our own homes using the excellent UK Highways Agency / BBC Jam Cameras site.

That said however, there is just one slight annoyance with this site; namely you can only view one camera at a time.

This is where Chris' Jam Cams page comes in!  OH YES!

An all in one dashboard showing all the Jam Cams you are interested in, plus a frame detailing traffic conditions in your area.  Whats more, you too can follow what I've done here and create your very own Jam Cams page.  Dead easy.

So how is it done? It is really quite easy.  What follows looks a minefield but it isn't all that complex.  I promise.

The golden rule here is SIMPLICITY: I want to be able to do all of this using just one html file.  Whilst I am positive that there are cleverer ways of achieving the same results,  I'm purely after something dead simple to write, understand and maintain as and when required (in other words, please don't laugh at my html code!!)

Grab Your Copy
First step, grab a copy of Chris' Jam Cams from Github:

Chris' Jam Cams - Original.  Should work in any browser on any platform 
Chris' Jam Cams Mobile - Includes a couple of layout tweaks to make it easier for mobile viewing

Cut and paste a copy into a text editor of your choice.  (Notepad on Windows is just fine).

Traffic Images
First step is to define your images. Dead simple, just make sure each image has a unique id.  For example, I've used the motorway and junction number.  You need one img statement per traffic image.

img border="0" height="261" width="320" src="#" id="M20J7" alt="M20 J7"

Now for the picture handling.  Load up the BBC Travel News page and select the area you are interested in.

Next, click on the "Traffic Jam Cameras" button, just above the map.

Lastly find a motorway junction camera that you are interested in right-click the link and choose "Copy Link Location" (firefox) or "Copy Shortcut" (IE).  Open a text editor (eg notepad) and paste the text in.

You should have a piece of text that looks something like this:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/travelnews/kent/trafficcameras/highwaysagency
/16588?epoch=1234567890&enabled=1&asset=16588.jpg

From this you are only interested in two pieces of information:

1. The region (kent in the example above)
2. The camera asset number (16588 in the example above)

Enter the region and camera asset number into the 'document.getElementById' statement towards the bottom of the Jam Cams html page (I suggest copying, pasting and editing the example given in the github file):

script type="text/javascript"
var d1 = new Date(); 
var eptime = parseInt(d1.getTime()/1000);

document.getElementById('M20J7').src="http://www.bbc.co.uk/travelnews
/kent/trafficcameras/highwaysagency/16588/image?epoch="+eptime+
"&enabled=1&cachebuster="+eptime;

document.write("Page Last Refreshed: "+d1);
/script

Lastly update the img id to match the id you chose earlier ('M20J7' in the example above).
Save your Jam Cams page and test.

Traffic News
The travel news is pulled from BBC mobile site using a simple iframe:

iframe height=750 width=600 align=right src="http://www.bbc.co.uk
/mobile/travelnews/search/process/page/1/filter/road/q/kent"

Replace 'Kent' in the src tag as required.  (Suggest using the Traffic Images region found above)

Jam Cams Mobile
As mentioned above, this file is a slightly tweaked version of Chris Jam Cams.htm that hopefully renders slightly better on smaller screens.  Update with your own Jam Cams in the same as the non-mobile version:

DO NOT USE THIS WHILST DRIVING!
(Goes without saying really)

Job done.  I usually save the htm file on my desktop.

Jam Cam images copyright? OK:

Highways Agency Traffic Cameras Standard Terms and Conditions
Reproduction for Private Use
The traffic images are Crown Copyright protected and may be reproduced free of charge in any format or medium as long as it is for non-commercial research, private study - subject to the material being reproduced accurately and not used in a misleading context.

No problems there then.

As I say, The golden rule here is SIMPLICITY: all done using just one html file.

Enjoy.

- Chris

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Access VM Consoles From Linux

So you want to access the consoles of your VMware virtual machines, yet your chosen administration client is running Linux?

No problem.

Sure VMware provide the vSphere 5 Web Client, that can be used from a Linux client (or Mac or whatever) however to use this you have to install the vSphere 5 Web Client Server on your Virtual Center server in order to be able to use the client.

Not all vSphere implementations need or run a Virtual Center server - let alone a dedicated web client server.

Here is how is how to access your VMware VM consoles from a Linux client using the VMware Remote Console Plug-in application, and how to create a launcher so the application runs happily, even under Gnome 3.

• In your home folder create a new folder called vmware and navigate to it:

mkdir ~/vmware
cd ~/vmware

• Grab the VMware remote client from here: vmware-vmrc-linux-x86 (21.3Mb, from my dropbox account) [see below for alternatives] and download it into the vmware created above.
 
• Extract the downloaded zip. Use the following command:

unzip vmware-vmrc-linux-x86.zip

• Navigate to the plugins folder created by unziping the downloaded file:

cd plugins

• Create and edit a new file called vmware-vmrc2.  Use the following command:

gedit vmware-vmrc2

• Paste the following into vmware-vmrc2 and change the $PATH_TO_VMRC variable (currently "/home/chris/vmware/plugins") so it points to the folder plugins you've extracted earlier:

#!/bin/bash

# Please define this variable with the path to the plugins folder
PATH_TO_VMRC="/home/chris/vmware/plugins"

export VMWARE_USE_SHIPPED_GTK=yes
cd $PATH_TO_VMRC
./vmware-vmrc > /dev/null 2>&1 &
cd - > /dev/null 2>&1

• Change the text highlighted in blue to match the location of your vmware folder created in step 1.

• Save and close the file and then change it to be executable:

sudo chmod +x vmware-vmrc2

• Launch the VMware remote client using the following command:

./vmware-vmrc2

You should be presented with the following (after accepting any security prompts):

Enter the details of your VMware ESX / ESXi server  and hit connect.

Job done!

I especially like the VM menu the client provides upon successful connection.  Something like this:

Pick a VM and go for it:

Grab your own install
Alternatively if you do have access to a Virtual Center server, you can grab the file from "C:\Program Files\VMware\Infrastructure\tomcat\webapps\ui\plugin" Also available in this folder are 64bit Linux and Windows versions of the remote client.

The file linked to in the process above is a v3.0.0 build-418557 client with the extension renamed from .xpi to .zip to stop Firefox trying to install rather than download.  As .xpi files are .zip files in disguise, the process above will remain the same.

If you don't have access to a Virtual Center server and you don't want to use the client linked to above, a third place to grab the client is here: https://github.com/vmware/rvc/downloads

Thanks should goto Joel Bastos for this workaround, originally posted here

- Chris

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Disable IE Enhanced Security

Another one to file in the "Yes, done that before, but I can't remember how" pile. Probably because it is so easy to do has some bearing on not being able to remember how...  Anyway, here is how to disable Internet Explorer Enhanced Security Configuration (aka IE ESC) on Windows 2003 and 2008 Servers.

Yes I know, IE ESC is a security feature there to protect the user and it should never be disabled etc etc etc. However most of the time it is 'a right royal PITA'.  So here goes then.


Windows 2003
Control Panel, Add or Remove Programs, Add/Remove Windows Components:

Disable or enable as you please.

Windows 2008 / Windows 2008R2
Run the following:

servermanager.msc

Check current status and / or make the required changes here:

On clicking Configure IE ESC:

Disable or enable as you please.

So there you have it.  One less pain to deal with.

- Chris

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Build it Again

Lego.

Hate it when stepping barefoot on a stray piece left hanging around or love it for keeping the kids quiet for hours... and hours.

What other toy gives you the freedom to design and build absolutely anything your heart desires?

Car? No problem.  Aeroplane? No problem.  Rocket to the moon? No problem.  Luna delta spaceship? Again, no problem.

Until a couple of years ago, a box of my childhood Lego resided in the attic, unplayed with but by no means forgotten.  I prefer to think of it "on hiatus", to be played with again at some point in the future.  That is until one day I retrieved it from the attic and introduced my youngest son to the world of Lego.  Could he be trusted?  Would it all disappear up the vacuum cleaner?

At the time I remember him almost saying, "hmm what is this pile of blocks for?  Where do the batteries go?  What you mean you have to build something?"

Of course after buying him some new sets and helping him build those he got the idea.  The big box of Lego from the attic were suddenly additional cars / houses / spaceships / whatever just waiting to be built.

So here we are a couple of years later and he is well onto Lego Techninc, and we are both still having a great time our Lego building.  For example, last weekend we spent just over 6 (yes SIX) hours* building this:

Here is it in full animated glory.  Winch, motorised tilting / lowering flatbed and wheel lift:

During the build the question "Daddy do you still have the instructions for any of your Lego?" was asked.  Unfortunately no I didn't... not any more.  I used to have build instuctions for houses, cars, trucks and space Lego - lots of space Lego (very popular in the 1980's!)

I still have the parts, but the knowledge to rebuild has long since passed.

Of course, me being me; some days later being presented with a empty Google search box (other search engines are available) and having forgotten what I was originally going to look for, I punched in "Lego instructions".  I was amazed when the results came back.

It turns out there are several simply excellent Lego instruction library sites out there, providing scanned instruction manuals for download.  That was it.  An hour spent in the quest to find all those long lost build instructions for as much of my Lego from the attic as I could.

By way of saying thank you to some of those library sites, here is a (by no means an exhaustive or ordered) list of the sites that have provided the Lego instructions from my childhood so that my sons may also enjoy building my Lego again:

• Worldbricks.com - PDF downloadable instructions. Sometimes a bit slow, but well worth the wait. 
 
• Letsbuilditagain.com - Online instructions.  Find your set and hit the blue arrow to view the instructions.
 
• Brickfactory.info - Online instructions. More of a basic site, however still plenty there!
 
• Brickset.com - No instructions, however good listing of newer sets, links to purchase sets on ebay and set barcodes (scan with Android barcode scanner to get best prices? ;))
 
• Official Lego Site (direct link to instructions portal) - PDF downloadable instructions.  Of course, no list would be complete without mentioning this site!
 
• Official Lego Technic Site (direct link to instructions portal) - PDF downloadable instructions.  As above, except for Lego Technic

If you don't own any Lego sets with perhaps some of the more specific pieces, then no need to worry.  These sites are still a great source of inspiration.  Look for the 1960 / 1970 / early 1980's instructions.   Some, if not most, of the realy early sets are made up of the more standard square brick variety meaning that anyone should be able to build them using whatever parts they have.

That should keep your little ones quiet for a while.  Perhaps you too.  Welcome to the world of Lego.... again!

- Chris

 *6 hours to build a flatbed truck?  Have a look at the three instruction booklets for yourself!

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