I was surprised when - after my previous success with it - the installation routine didn't find a driver for my Microsoft keyboard with fingerprint reader when I attached it to the USB port.

But no problem, I'll just go to www.microsoft.com and search on "keyboard drivers Vista".

That looked promising at first - after selecting keyboards I got a drop-down and there it was "Microsoft keyboard with fingerprint reader." So I selected it and was asked for my Operating system.

XPPro was listed which was a bit odd given the search I'd made, but Vista was listed too. So no worries, then ?

Well actually, yes, all they provide for their own (expensive - less than 2 years ago) keyboard was a 32-bit Vista driver.

Thanks a lot, guys. Wonderful support.

(and I hope you can really hear the sarcasm oozing out in that comment - I may be a Microsoft MVP but I'm an MVP with a portable keyboard that is driving me mad because my text keeps jumping lines because my hand goes over the over-sensitive mouse pad at times [and I can't turn that down because - sing it all with me - there isn't a Vista 64-bit driver for it] and now the lack of a 64-bit Vista driver for Microsoft's own product means I can't even attach another keyboard. I'd go out and buy another (cheaper) one, but first I'll have to see if there's a 64-bit driver for that too (and I bet there isn't!).)

P.S. There's a solution for this but it's not that obvious.

First you download the 64-bit driver for any (probably any, I chose the Digital Media Pro) keyboard that has a 64-bit Vista driver. Then you install it.

Now here's the joke. Halfway through the install there's a list of "which keyboard do you have?" and guess what, on the list is my "Keyboard with Fingerprint Reader" ! 

Microsoft's mistake is that they could have listed a 64-bit Vista driver in that original list BUT said "keyboard only". They could also find the keyboard only driver too (but they don't). So there is a driver; it does work; but Microsoft's web sites (and hunting for driver routines) aren't up to the task of finding a keyboard driver only (for a keyboard) but insist on saying there isn't one if the keyboard also has a fingerprint reader (for which there truly isn't one [by which I mean there isn't suitable *software* for 64-bit Vista]).

The point is I *never* use the fingerprint reader so I couldn't care less. I DO care about getting the keyboard to work though and I wish Microsoft put their priorities on that aspect of the keyboard rather than concentrating on the fingerprint software. [It's like saying to a small boy "here's a football, but we'll only let you kick it if you wear the full Manchester United strip and we're sold out of them".] I.e. get the essentials (working kyboard) right rather than bothering over much with the fancy bits.

All the rest (of the Vista 64-bit upgrades from the MS download center's RSS feed) namely require that I install the "Genuine Windows Validation Component" and keep on requiring that I do so after I have done so.

So that and Adobe Flash Reader update are so far the two major stumbling blocks to my Vista 64-bit happiness - they all install fine (so I have many copies of each) and then up comes the pop-up again telling me to install them.

The biggest joke of all though with this latest Vista one is that despite Microsoft harping on about how secure it is, the only upgrade it allowed me to do was the Media Viewer one - the security ones it won't allow me to do (and this IS a genuine paid-for absolutely full copy of Vista Ultimate).

P.S. If you are keeping score, today's match (vista or not vista) is tied at 1-1.

P.P.S. I could actually get this to work by using the "alternative authentication method" (same page), so Vista takes the lead at 2-1 and Adobe is still the only major offender (no alternative method available there :) )

P.P.P.S. It made me do the alternative authentication method FOUR times for six updates. (3-2)

 

I made what could easily have been a blunder and bought a cheap USB stick with DVB-T (Digital TV using normal signals rather than cabel - DVB-C - or Satellite DVB-S (?)). It was on offer at the main Finnish department store during their "mad days" and I'd checked it out a bit to make sure that Teletext worked as that is often a problem. [A-Link]

Of course it was only when I got it home that I realised that I hadn't bothered to check if it would work with Vista. Maybe next time that will be automatic. Maybe.

Anyway I still have the XPPro side of this dual boot portable so I thought it would be a good to check out if the hardware was OK first by installing it there. XPPro recognized the USB thing as a common-or-garden USB thing (only) and Windows Explorer wouldn't work with the CD in the drive (it was probably loading but I am a very impatient user) so I gave up the idea of trying it out on XPPro and went for broke.

This time I started with the CD. No problems with that on Vista (where I don't have it set to CD autostart). I could install the Media software (ArcSoft Total Media) OK under Vista. I then put the device itself in the USB port I'd tried under XPPro. Again it was recognized as a USB device and loaded drivers for that but this time it wanted my permission to look for another driver so I tried automatic (rather than putting the CD in the drive again as I reckoned its driver might not be for Vista). Automatic took a *long* time looking for a suitable driver (saying all the while that that was what it was doing) but then switched to saying that it was installing a driver (which also took a fair time).

Then it was just the question of running the automatic search program to find TV channels which found all the free ones that I knew to be available. It also found some that cost money so now I'm wondering how to get rid of them from the list.

Anyway there you have it. Within a short time I had digital TV on the Portable in quite good quality and I discovered that I can also schedule recordings to the hard disk and that works too.

But I'm still going to make sure in advance that future buys work under Vista ....

If you are about to install MOSS 2007 using SQL Server 2005 on a single server and have not yet received your copy of the Administrator's Guide from Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/dp/0735622825?tag=heme0f), then you are no doubt studying the Microsoft paper "Deployment for Office SharePoint Server" which has  just been issued in a new downloadable version here http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=79589

Your first problem will be that the single server installation scenario assumes everyone installing on a single server will be running the built-in database system. Given that, unlike the built-in database system used for a Basic standalone WSS 3.0 installation, that database system has a database size limit of 4GB, that here is a fairly stupid assumption.

So you have a look at the server farm installation scenario which mostly says that you need at least two servers but sometimes doesn't (!) and you find that when you install SQL Server you need to go to the "Plan for administrative and service accounts (Office SharePoint Server)".

Only there isn't such a section.

Finally you find a reference that says that that section is in the "Planning and architecture for Office SharePoint Server 2007" paper so you find the downloads for that  (part1: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=79552, Part 2: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=85548) and you think this is such a basic element that it will be in Part 1.

It's not of course, you have to go to close to the end of Part 2 (page 332 in fact) to find this section.

So, Microsoft really make you jump through hoops to find "the accounts that are used to configure Microsoft SQL Server and to install Office SharePoint Server 2007" (quote from page 332). Is it any wonder I wish I already had access to the MOSS installation chapter in the MSPress SharePoint ... Administrator's Companion [Bill English & Co] ?

P.S. Even after all that searching, that section wasn't much use. OK it says which accounts you need to specify. But not which accounts to specify them as. Surely it's not too much to ask for a few alternatives?

Here's a quote

"Sales of Vista during the first month that the newest Windows operating system was available to consumers were more than double the sales that Windows XP racked up in twice the time, Microsoft Corp. said."

Even if this is true (and it very much depends if Microsoft are comparing like with like - i.e. is this total sales including OEM copies in which case there was probably a bigger built-up demand in a short period of time because of the number of PCs sold earlier with a free upgrade and even if those weren't included then that built-up demand led to a number of new upgraded (especially) portable models with Vista rather than XP Pro / Media Edition)) then it still means less sales than for XPPro.

How come ?

There are (it was reported the other day) five times as many PCs out there as there were when XPPro came out.

Yet Microsoft have sold (according to that quote) twice as many copies in twice the time.

Which makes 4 times.

So FIVE times as many PCs but FOUR times as many copies of Vista.

You do the Maths ....

P.S.I don't actually think that is the point. The point is that Vista is regarded as the new (coming) standard. People will get it on new PCs anyway because the PC manufacturers think that it will enable them to sell new PCs.

They are probably right if only because you can get a PC for 1000 that includes an OEM of an operating system that for an existing PC costs 250 (taking Home Premium) and note that this time there is NO disadvantage in having an OEM copy coupled to a particular PC because Microsoft won't let you move your non-OEM copy to a second PC anyway.

As most of the usual companies that provided 3-6 months free anti-virus support for XPPro aren't providing free anti-virus support for Vista, I asked some other MVPs what they recommended to buy and finally installed NOD32.

You may have seen their ads

"Just set it and forget it"

"NOD32 proactively protects against viruses, spyware, rootkits and other malware."

"..its high-performance engine won't slow your system down".


Well I've installed it and it isn't driving me mad by continually asking me if I want to allow something or not as it is never asking me anything; I've also not noticed any slowing down of Vista (but as i virtually simultaneously upgrade the portable's memory from 1.5Gb to 2GB that would be difficult).

But, apart from a regular message telling me it has updated itself when I turn on the portable (which has never slowed down the start-up noticeably), I 've seen nothing to show that it's doing anything at all.


So I'm beginning to wonder if this is just too good to be true and in fact all I've installed is a program which on Start pops up a window saying that it has updated itself (and that my computer is in fact wide-open).

I don't really believe that of course (all those MVPs who recommended it can't surely have been fooled) but it would be nice to have a weekly pop-up telling how many attempts it has foiled. Just to put my mind at rest ...

Note: All of the addresses of the KB / Articles - 2007 Products / MS / Non-MS Articles below were valid at the time I added them to the WSS FAQ site and to this file. I can't guarantee that they still are.

(This is also posted to the WSS newsgroup at microsoft.public.sharepoint.windowsservices - web access via http://www.microsoft.com/technet/community/newsgroups/server/sharepoint.mspx)

(Items are added to the WSS FAQ throughout the week so you will find new items more quickly by checking at wss.collutions.com or www.wssfaq.com daily.)

From 19th - 25th March 2007

I 2007 KB Articles    (*now only one section for WSS and MOSS*)

New

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;555858

How to upgrade custom SharePoint Portal Server 2003 areas to Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007

21st March 2007

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;932917

Description of the SharePoint Server 2007 hotfix package: February 26, 2007 (the second KB article with the same name -this IS different)

20th March 2007

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;932901

Complex remote links are not crawled when the links are in the same SharePoint Server 2007 portal

20th March 2007

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;932918

A URL that contains an extra slash mark may take longer to open on a server that is running SharePoint Server 2007

20th March 2007

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;933586

Description of the SharePoint Server 2007 hotfix package: March 3, 2007

16th March 2007

Modified

None

II. Articles - 2007 Products  (no longer with all links to articles for other Office 2007 and other 2007 Products)

New

A. Office 2007 Server Products

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=b055e82d-b96a-475a-b5b8-dc4c4f3800a6&displaylang=en&tm

Delivering Collaborative Application Services as a Hosted Service Offering (MS customer report)

23rd March 2007

http://blogs.technet.com/josebda/archive/2007/03/23/site-directory-in-moss-2007-via-a-custom-search-scope.aspx

Site Directory in MOSS 2007 via a custom Search Scope (Blog - Jose Barreto)

23rd March 2007

http://blogs.msdn.com/sharepoint/archive/2007/03/22/customizing-moss-2007-my-sites-within-the-enterprise.aspx

Customizing MOSS 2007 My Sites within the enterprise (MS Team Blog - Steve Peschka)

22nd March 2007

http://blogs.technet.com/josebda/archive/2007/03/22/complete-reference-of-all-stsadm-commands-with-options-in-moss-2007.aspx

Complete reference of all STSADM operations (with parameters) in MOSS 2007 (Blog - Jose Barreto)

22nd March 2007

http://weblogs.asp.net/bsimser/archive/2006/02/09/437788.aspx

The Big Dummies Guide to Setting up your SharePoint Virtual Development Environment (Blog - Bil Simser) (old but detailed)

22nd March 2007 (date added)

http://sharepointblogs.com/vandest/archive/2007/03/21/sharepoint-2007-programmatically-change-spview-of-listviewwebpart.aspx

SharePoint 2007: Programmatically change SPView of ListViewWebPart (Blog - Steven Van de Craen)

21st March 2007

http://blogs.msdn.com/harsh/archive/2007/03/21/single-signon-error-codes-and-what-they-mean.aspx

Single SignOn Error codes and what they mean (MS Blog - HarshC)

21st March 2007

http://www.sharepointblogs.com/wirkus/archive/2007/03/19/bertragen-einer-moss-installation-auf-einen-anderen-server.aspx

Übertragen einer MOSS-Installation auf einen anderen Server (in German) (Blog - Oliver) (Transfer of a MOSS installation to another server)

19th March 2007

http://www.cjvandyk.com/blog/Lists/Posts/Post.aspx?List=744536f4%2D127e%2D4c4a%2Dbcff%2Db85408e7e7e5&ID=85

How do I? – How I built this blog (Part 1 of 3)... Install SQL Server Express 2005 (Blog - Cornelius J. van Dyk)

19th March 2007

http://blogs.msdn.com/sharepoint/archive/2007/03/19/what-every-sharepoint-administrator-needs-to-know-about-alternate-access-mappings-part-2-of-3.aspx

What every SharePoint administrator needs to know about Alternate Access Mappings (Part 2 of 3) (MSBlog - Troy Starr)

19th March 2007

http://www.sharepointblogs.com/tonstegeman/archive/2007/03/18/using-analysis-services-data-in-excel-services-part-4-using-windows-2003-server-constrained-delegation.aspx

Using Analysis Services data in Excel Services part 4 - Using Windows 2003 Server constrained delegation (Blog - Ton Stgeman)

18th March 2007

https://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/WebCastRegistrationConfirmation.aspx?culture=en-US&RegistrationID=1289119170

TechNet Webcast: Upgrading and Migrating Windows SharePoint Services and SharePoint Portal Server (Level 300) (Ferla Geckin, Dino Dato-on)

16th March 2007

http://www.sharepointblogs.com/mattg/pages/attaching-content-db-s-in-moss-wss3.aspx

Attaching Content DB's in MOSS/WSS3 (Blog - Matt Groves)

15th March 2007

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=19f21e5e-b715-4f0c-b959-8c6dcbdc1057&displaylang=en

Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 Tools: Visual Studio 2005 Extensions (ver 1.0)

15th March 2007

https://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/WebCastRegistrationConfirmation.aspx?culture=en-US&RegistrationID=1289119283

TechNet Webcast: Installing and Configuring Basic Search with SharePoint Server 2007 for Search (Level 300) (Karl Kuhnhausen, Allin Consulting)

14th March 2007

https://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/WebCastRegistrationConfirmation.aspx?culture=en-US&RegistrationID=1289119374

Microsoft Webcast: Infrastructure Optimization (Part 05 of 11): Improving Workflow and Enterprise Content Management Within Your Organization (Aaron Duggal and Sandy Sharma, Advaiya)

14th March 2007

B. Other Office 2007 products (selected few only since 1.1.2007)

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=6ab9f430-efcf-4ad1-ac83-2fe94a6fde6f&displaylang=en&tm

Project Portfolio Server 2007 Document: Optimizer User Manual

21st March 2007

C. Other New 2006/2007 Products  (selected few only since 1.1.2007)

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=72d6aa49-787d-4118-ba5f-4f30fe913628&displaylang=en&tm

XML Notepad 2007

23rd March 2007 (date added)

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=ff6467e6-5bba-4bf5-b562-9199be864d29&displaylang=en&tm

Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit Update for Windows Vista (ver 6.0) (added to get it in the SDK section - *and* because I'm running Vista :) )

22nd March 2007

Modified

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=79600

Planning and architecture for Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 technology, part 1 (Downloadable version - revised March 15 2007)

15th March 2007

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=85553

Planning and architecture for Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 technology, part 2 (Downloadable version - revised March 15 2007)

15th March 2007

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=79602

Deployment for Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 technology (Downloadable version - revised March 15 2007)

15th March 2007

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=85554

Upgrading to Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 technology (Downloadable version - revised March 15 2007)

15th March 2007

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=79552

Planning and architecture for Office SharePoint Server, part 1 (Downloadable version - revised March 15 2007)

15th March 2007

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=85548

Planning and architecture for Office SharePoint Server, part 2 (Downloadable version - revised March 15 2007)

15th March 2007

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=79589

Deployment for Office SharePoint Server (Downloadable version - revised March 15 2007)

15th March 2007

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=85556

Upgrading to Office SharePoint Server 2007 (Downloadable version - revised March 15 2007)

15th March 2007

http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/WebCastEventDetails.aspx?EventID=1032334608&EventCategory=3&culture=en-US&CountryCode=US

Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services Installation and Configuration Virtual Lab

15th March 2007

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=79598

Planning and architecture for Office Project Server 2007 (Downloadable version - revised March 15 2007)

15th March 2007

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=79599

Deployment for Office Project Server 2007 (Downloadable version - revised March 15 2007)

15th March 2007

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=85679

Migration for Project Server 2007 (Downloadable version - revised March 15 2007)

15th March 2007

Deleted

Various Beta2 Deployment papers; the older versions of the above Deployment, Planning, Migration/Upgrading papers (listed above in Modified)

III WSS v3 FAQ

New

http://www.asaris.de/sites/walsh/Lists/WSSv3%20FAQ/DispForm.aspx?ID=1010

III.02.09 Limits: Is there a good paper from within Microsoft for other "Maximum" limits of things connected in some way with the Sharepoint v3 products ?

http://www.asaris.de/sites/walsh/Lists/WSSv3%20FAQ/DispForm.aspx?ID=1012

III.36.05 Backups: When do you use stsadm and when do you use SQL Server backups ?

http://www.asaris.de/sites/walsh/Lists/WSSv3%20FAQ/DispForm.aspx?ID=1011

III.54.05 Templates: Is there a list of the IDs for List Templates?

http://www.asaris.de/sites/walsh/Lists/WSSv3%20FAQ/DispForm.aspx?ID=1007

III.77.05 Applications Templates: A web page is showing US dates despite me having changed regional settings. How can I correct this?

http://www.asaris.de/sites/walsh/Lists/WSSv3%20FAQ/DispForm.aspx?ID=1006

III.90 Why can I upload multiple documents but not multiple pictures?

http://www.asaris.de/sites/walsh/Lists/WSSv3%20FAQ/DispForm.aspx?ID=1009

III.91 Blogs: How do I disable the blog template?

http://www.asaris.de/sites/walsh/Lists/WSSv3%20FAQ/DispForm.aspx?ID=1014

III.92 stsadm - where can I see which options are available with stsadm?

http://www.asaris.de/sites/walsh/Lists/WSSv3%20FAQ/DispForm.aspx?ID=1005

VI.19 BDC Meta Man Professional Version

http://www.asaris.de/sites/walsh/Lists/WSSv3%20FAQ/DispForm.aspx?ID=1013

VI.20 List And Library Migration Manager for SharePoint (commercial - Metalogix)

http://www.asaris.de/sites/walsh/Lists/WSSv3%20FAQ/DispForm.aspx?ID=1008

IX.10 New Horizons (worldwide?)

Modified

http://www.asaris.de/sites/walsh/Lists/WSSv3%20FAQ/DispForm.aspx?ID=884

I.29.07 What are the differences between SPS 2003 and MOSS 2007?

http://www.asaris.de/sites/walsh/Lists/WSSv3%20FAQ/DispForm.aspx?ID=958

I.31.01 What issues are fixed in fix packs to MOSS 2007?

Deleted

None

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

IV WSSv2 KB Articles (plus SPS 2003 Hot fixes)

New

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=933738

An update is available that addresses an issue in which items that use the Date and Time fields are off by one hour in Windows SharePoint Services (ver 2.0)

9th March 2007

Modified

None

V. MS Articles for WSSv2

New

None

Modified

None

VI Non-MS Articles for WSSv2

New

None

Modified

None

VII WSSv2 FAQ

New

None

Modified

http://www.asaris.de/sites/walsh/Lists/WSS%20FAQ/DispForm.aspx?ID=517

VI.05.67 WSS Products - PointFire™ Multilingual User Interface (MUI)

http://www.asaris.de/sites/walsh/Lists/WSS%20FAQ/DispForm.aspx?ID=189

III.55.1 Alerts aren't working even if the Timer Service is running. What might be wrong?

http://www.asaris.de/sites/walsh/Lists/WSS%20FAQ/DispForm.aspx?ID=304

IV.23 How do I remove the *headings* in Quick Launch?

I'm used to VM Workstation 5.5 where when I start a VM I either have already told it where the .iso file is that I want it to use or it has recognized a DVD/CD drive containing the OS.

I'm very happy with VM Workstation 5.x especially when I compare its networking with the messing about I had to do with (admittedly early) versions of Virtual PC and Virtual Server so the only reason I even thought of changing was that VM Workstation doesn't have a version that works under Vista and even the Beta for VM Workstation 6.x which does have Vista support doesn't have a 64-bit version.

So I tried Virtual PC 7.0. It's released; it's supposed to run under Vista and there's a 64-bit version too.

The only problem is I can't get it to install an Operating system from my MSDN disks.

I can't specify where the .iso files are which knocks out using the DVD disks with the .iso file of Windows Server 2003 R2.

So I put the DVD disk in the drive with the full version of Windows Server 2003 R2 and the Virtual PC VM doesn't even start trying to install the operating system from that.

Or in other words what in VM Workstation is a doddle, isn't only more difficult in Virtual PC 7.0, it's ****** impossible.

(and this before I even got to the Networking).

Now no doubt there will be a comment here about how easy it is ("you do this and then that and it works") but from where I'm looking at it now it might well in the end be easy but it's not by any stretch of the imagination "straightforward" or else I'd be installing WSS on top of a Virtual PC VM running Windows Server 2003 R2 by now instead of spending time writing this blog item while downloading *32-bit* VM Workstation 6.0 beta (without much hope).

My portable has two memory slots. Both naturally had 512MB in them when I got it (unlike Dell or was it Apple there was no "pay a bit more and get 1x1GB" option) so I paid about 10% on top to have the supplier replace one of them with a 1GB memory board as I knew I'd be needing more than 1GB in total to run a VM domain. Even 1.5GB was pushing it as far as that VM domain went but paying even that 10% extra was painful so I wasn't going to pay another 10% extra to get 2GB.

Move on a year and I start seeing portables at prices that aren't too extreme that come with 2GB. Now of course some of them could contain 4GB but they are naturally being supplied with 2x1GB. Some things never change.

One thing that has changed is the cost of 1GB memory boards. They are now half the price they were just over a year ago when I bought my portable. So (and seeing this as a way to solve the problem of which new portable do I buy - i.e. the answer now is None!) I bought a 1GB memory board.

I then (i.e. with the new memory still in its wrapping but already paid for) had a look at the memory space at the back of the portable. Ouch. Instead of seeing two memory boards, there was one over the top of the other one meaning I'd have to take out the first one (and by the look of it the entire unit around it too) before accessing the lower one. This needs a bit a research ...

Research didn't bring much. No picture of one memory board over another.

I put off the evil day and think about taking the Portable in for an "expert" to add it. Kept putting that off too because a) it was a hassle and b) surely I could do it myself.

Suddenly a blinding piece of inspiration. I have a Dell hanging around that only works if you press the keyboard in  particular way (for ever) so I can use that. See a similar clip holding the memory in to that of the Acer and can now (knowing it doesn't matter if I break anything) easily open the click and pull the memory out.

Over to the Acer. I use the same technique to get out the top memory board knowing full well that that will be the one with 1GB so I'll need to then look at how to get the lower memory board out.

Just in case though I check that top memory board. Wonder of wonders, it's the 512MB board, so I pop in my new 1GB board; put back the portable's battery and boot. Vista's Welcome Center now shows 2GB - the Acer as it said in the manual spots the extra memory itself; I don't need to go fiddling with the BIOS.

So, with many thanks to that unknown Finnish guy who went the extra cm (!) for me just over a year ago when he put in that first 1GB memory board, I can now see if that extra 512MB means that Vista speeds up. I'm already speeding up via a 4GB drive on a USB port.

Mainly though I can start thinking again of a VM domain. This time based on Virtual PC which works with Vista. (As far as I know VM Workstation doesn't yet)

 

I read a lot of the blogs written by SharePoint people and add only a small percentage of them as links in the "Articles - 2007 Products" section of the WSS FAQ sites.

The ones I select tend to deal with a subject in more than a few lines; use either a set of suitable screen shots or include a good piece of code; and are original work and not just a foreign language translation of someone else's work (or indeed someone else's work with a couple of diagrams added). Hopefully too they add something new to the mass of information out there. Some people (Ton Stegeman and Liam Cleary come to mind) provide that sort of quality stuff in virtually all their blog articles whereas for others only a fraction (or none at all) make it through my sieve.

Occasionally there is an article that matches all or most of the above critieria and yet I still don't link to it. One such I came across today.

Readers of this blog may remember an earlier comment about a recently issued book that in the view of one person had good content spoiled by an all too geeky; joking style.

In the case of today's rejected blog, the blog was by a Microsoft support guy and he hit all the wrong buttons for me by starting off with "OK, boys and girls"; carrying on with "my good buddy" and mentioning that Microsoft-intern favourite "TLC" (for those non Microsoft employees new to the term it means "Tender Loving Care") along with a generally over-friendly style. All entirely sickening and well out of place in a serious blog item.

I couldn't in good conscience put WSS FAQ readers through the agonies of reading this thing, so out (from the list of links to be added to the WSS FAQ) it went.

 

Note: All of the addresses of the KB / Articles - 2007 Products / MS / Non-MS Articles below were valid at the time I added them to the WSS FAQ site and to this file. I can't guarantee that they still are.

(This is also posted to the WSS newsgroup at microsoft.public.sharepoint.windowsservices - web access via http://www.microsoft.com/technet/community/newsgroups/server/sharepoint.mspx)

(Items are added to the WSS FAQ throughout the week so you will find new items more quickly by checking at wss.collutions.com or www.wssfaq.com daily.)

From 12th - 18th March 2007

I 2007 KB Articles    (*now only one section for WSS and MOSS*)

New

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;932919

Description of the SharePoint Server 2007 hotfix package: February 26, 2007

15th March 2007

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=931497

Description of the SharePoint Server 2007 hotfix package: January 25, 2007 (ver 1.1)

6th March 2007

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=928626

The Web front-end server that is running Excel Services in SharePoint Server 2007 encounters a System.Threading.ThreadAbortException exception (ver 1.1)

2nd March

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=832809

Icons are not displayed for Adobe PDF documents that are listed in the search results when you search your portal site in SharePoint Portal Server 2003 and in SharePoint Server 2007 (ver 2.0)

26th February 2007

Modified

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=926284

Changes that you make to the "List View" Web Part are not retained after you save the site as a template in Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 (ver 3.0)

28th February 2007

II. Articles - 2007 Products  (no longer with all links to articles for other Office 2007 and other 2007 Products)

New

A. Office 2007 Server Products

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=2447426b-8689-4768-bff0-cbb511599a45&displaylang=en&tm

SharePoint Server 2007 Language Pack (Note: English only 15.3.07)

15th March 2007

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=76098910-ead4-4772-bfb0-aedd7248647a&displaylang=en&tm

SharePoint Server 2007 Web Parts Learn More (PowerPoint)

15th March 2007

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=a3306ab4-9576-4b9e-9dbe-01cae7523ead&displaylang=en&tm

Collaborating with SharePoint Server 2007 Overview (PowerPoint)

15th March 2007

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=bb9e02a9-7eab-4699-b3c7-3cd6dcdf4253&displaylang=en&tm

SharePoint Server 2007 My Sites Get Started (PowerPoint)

15th March 2007

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=83ccc429-fddc-4b68-bf63-b49565f3a52c&displaylang=en&tm

Customizing a SharePoint Server 2007 Site Get Started (PowerPoint)

15th March 2007

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=920032f7-33d9-409e-ad97-4dbbe7c7af3d&displaylang=en&tm

SharePoint Server 2007 Site Access and Storage Learn More (Power Point)

15th March 2007

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=5e9bf2af-7019-4723-b8d9-6d2a376d302e&displaylang=en&tm

Using InfoPath 2007 Forms on a SharePoint Server 2007 Site (Power Point)

15th March 2007

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=76098910-ead4-4772-bfb0-aedd7248647a&displaylang=en&tm

SharePoint Server 2007 Web Parts Learn More (Power Point)

15th March 2007

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=5e9bf2af-7019-4723-b8d9-6d2a376d302e&displaylang=en&tm

Using InfoPath 2007 Forms on a SharePoint Server 2007 Site (Power Point)

15th March 2007

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=8626ec5d-115a-431a-a8b0-dd4b91b1821a&displaylang=en&tm

SharePoint Server 2007 Surveys Get Started (Power Point)

15th March 2007

http://technet2.microsoft.com/Office/en-us/library/bacce8ce-02cb-439e-83a7-275200c920611033.mspx

Comparison of key features [Note: between SPS 2003 and MOSS 2007]

14th March 2007 (date added)

http://technet2.microsoft.com/Office/en-us/library/16e0141a-a423-4f15-9a63-5971f854d28d1033.mspx

Upgrade from an Office SharePoint Server 2007 Standard CAL to an Enterprise CAL

14th March 2007 (date added)

https://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/WebCastRegistrationConfirmation.aspx?culture=en-US&RegistrationID=1288999504

TechNet Webcast: SharePoint Server 2007 Search Technical Drilldown (Level 200) (Matt Hester)

13th March 2007

http://blogs.technet.com/wbaer/archive/2007/03/13/planning-for-disaster-microsoft-office-sharepoint-server-2007-search.aspx

Planning for Disaster - Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 Search [backing it up] (Blog - William Baer)

13th March 2007

http://www.sharepointblogs.com/tonstegeman/archive/2007/03/13/using-analysis-services-data-in-excel-services-part-3-create-and-test-an-excel-sheet.aspx

Using Analysis Services data in Excel Services part 3 - Create and test an Excel sheet (Blog - Ton Stegeman)

13th March 2007

http://www.sharepointblogs.com/bobbyhabib/archive/2007/03/13/extending-the-sharepoint-page-behaviour-using-the-content-editor-web-part.aspx

Extending the SharePoint Page Behaviour using the Content Editor Web Part (Blog - Bobby Habib) [Note: Code for opening Power Point presentations in Power Point itself and not in the PPt Slide Show]

13th March 2007

http://www.codeproject.com/spoint/ExtendingSPS.asp

Extending SharePoint Server 2007 by using Features (Blog/Code Project - Syed Adnan Ahmed)

12th March 2007

http://www.sharepointblogs.com/tonstegeman/archive/2007/03/12/using-analysis-services-data-in-excel-services-part-2-preparing-the-moss-server.aspx

Using Analysis Services data in Excel Services part 2 - Preparing the MOSS server (Blog - Ton Stegeman)

12th March 2007

http://www.sharepointblogs.com/tonstegeman/archive/2007/03/11/using-analysis-services-data-in-excel-services-part-1-preparing-the-ad-for-kerberos.aspx

Using Analysis Services data in Excel Services part 1 - Preparing the AD for Kerberos (Blog - Ton Stegeman)

11th March 2007

http://wm.microsoft.com/ms/gsd/mikegannotti/addflash.wmv

Adding Flash Animation To SharePoint (wmv file - Mike Gannotti)

11th March 2007 (date added)

http://soapbox.msn.com/video.aspx?vid=1048aa25-b902-423e-8bc2-706ff7616b8c

Creating A Training Portal With SharePoint 2007 (Andrea Kalli)

11th March 2007 (date added)

http://blogs.msdn.com/sharepointdesigner/archive/2007/03/10/training-site-template-part-1-introduction.aspx

Training Site Template - Part 1: Introduction (MS TeamBlog - Sean Gabriel)

10th March 2007

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=2751D5CD-8690-44B5-AE5C-D2769B227929&displaylang=en

SharePoint Server 2007 Presentations: Enterprise Search Deep Dives [includes links to six videos in .exe form]

9th March 2007

http://blogs.msdn.com/joelo/archive/2007/03/09/sharepoint-backup-restore-high-availability-and-disaster-recovery.aspx

SharePoint Backup Restore, High Availability, and Disaster Recovery (MS Blog - Joel Oleson)

9th March 2007

http://www.sharepointblogs.com/tbaginski/archive/2007/03/08/HOW-TO_3A00_-Create-a-custom-Windows-Workflow-Activity-and-make-it-available-in-SharePoint-Designer.aspx

HOW TO: Create a custom Windows Workflow Activity and make it available in SharePoint Designer (Blog - Todd Baginski)

8th March 2007

http://www.sharepointblogs.com/mossman/archive/2007/03/08/css-friendly-control-adapters-in-sharepoint-2007-a-walk-through.aspx

CSS Friendly Control Adapters in SharePoint 2007 (A Walk-Through) (Blog -John Ross)

8th March 2007

http://blogs.msdn.com/ecm/archive/2007/03/07/building-a-real-world-extranet-application-with-moss-2007-part-2-of-3.aspx

Building a real world extranet application with MOSS 2007 (Part 2 of 3) (ECM Team Blog - Shane Perran, Jared Rypkema [Infotech Canada]

7th March 2007

http://blogs.technet.com/josebda/archive/2007/03/05/the-case-for-sharepoint-applications.aspx

The Case for SharePoint Applications [as opposed to using pure ASP.NET] (MS Blog - Jose Barreto)

5th March 2007

http://blogs.msdn.com/ecm/archive/2007/02/17/building-a-real-world-extranet-application-with-moss-2007-part-1-of-3.aspx

Building a real world extranet application with MOSS 2007 (Part 1 of 3) (ECM Team Blog - Shane Perran, Jared Rypkema [Infotech Canada]

17th February 2007

http://blogs.msdn.com/bwelcker/archive/2007/02/04/wincing-the-night-away-tips-for-ssrs-in-sharepoint-mode.aspx

Tips for Sql Server 2005 Reporting Services in SharePoint Mode (Blog - Brian Welcker)

4th February 2007

http://blogs.msdn.com/bimusings/archive/2007/01/26/reporting-services-and-moss-wss-integration-in-a-farm-deployment.aspx

Reporting Services and MOSS/WSS integration in a farm deployment (Blog - Russell Christopher)

26th January 2007

http://www.sharepoint-tips.com/2007/01/teach-content-query-web-part-how-to.html

Teach the Content Query Web Part how to display a link list (Blog - Ishai Sagi)

24th January 2007

http://spsdreamjob.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!D0B14C6B969D7501!131.entry

SharePoint vs. File Shares (Blog - Piotr ?)

23rd January 2007

http://blogs.msdn.com/bimusings/archive/2007/01/16/publishing-reporting-services-reports-to-moss.aspx

Publishing Reporting Services reports to MOSS (Blog - Russell Christopher)

16th January 2007

http://blogs.technet.com/josebda/archive/2006/11/07/installing-rtm.aspx

Steps to Configure a basic MOSS 2007 Farm (RTM) (MS Blog - Jose Barreto)

7th November 2006

http://blogs.technet.com/josebda/archive/2006/10/03/Renaming-a-Site-Collection.aspx

Changing a Site Collection URL (MS Blog - Jose Barreto)

3rd October 2006

B. Other Office 2007 products (selected few only since 1.1.2007)

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=b3169275-c9fd-4871-b0d9-3c0bab319ed5&displaylang=en&tm

InfoPath 2007 Forms Get Started (Power Point)

15th March 2007

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=5b071afe-996f-4d56-8ab5-7013c90bc8be&displaylang=en&tm

Groove 2007 Get Started (PowerPoint)

15th March 2007

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb294378.aspx

Guide to InfoPath 2007 Developer Documentation

15th March 2007 (date added - date of document February 2007)

C. Other New 2006/2007 Products  (selected few only since 1.1.2007)

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=90E2942D-3AD1-4873-A2EE-4ACC0AACE5B6&displaylang=en

Visual Studio 2005 Service Pack 1 Update for Windows Vista

6th March 2007

https://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/WebCastRegistrationConfirmation.aspx?culture=en-US&RegistrationID=1288952480

TechNet Webcast: Best Practices for Maintaining Windows Rights Management Services (RMS) (Level 100) (Tim Upton, Titus)

1st March 2007

https://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/WebCastRegistrationConfirmation.aspx?culture=en-US&RegistrationID=1288952518

TechNet Webcast: Planning for and Deploying Search in SharePoint Server 2007 (Level 300) (Karl Kuhnhausen, Allin Consulting)

28th February 2007

 

Modified

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=19f21e5e-b715-4f0c-b959-8c6dcbdc1057&displaylang=en&tm

Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 Tools: Visual Studio 2005 Extensions (ver 1.0)

15th March 2007

Deleted

None

III WSS v3 FAQ

New

http://www.asaris.de/sites/walsh/Lists/WSSv3%20FAQ/DispForm.aspx?ID=1001

I.35 How can I add Charts to WSS 3.0 and MOSS 2007?

http://www.asaris.de/sites/walsh/Lists/WSSv3%20FAQ/DispForm.aspx?ID=999

III.49.14 Search: I'm getting "this web site is not assigned to any indexing module". Any ideas?

http://www.asaris.de/sites/walsh/Lists/WSSv3%20FAQ/DispForm.aspx?ID=995

III.67.02 How do I use the SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services web parts with WSS 3.0 / MOSS 2007 ?

http://www.asaris.de/sites/walsh/Lists/WSSv3%20FAQ/DispForm.aspx?ID=1000

III.88.01 Indexing: How do I index DWG files (Autocad)?

http://www.asaris.de/sites/walsh/Lists/WSSv3%20FAQ/DispForm.aspx?ID=1002

III.89 How do I connect SQL 2005 Express Management Studio to the "Windows Internal Database" used by a Basic Installation?

http://www.asaris.de/sites/walsh/Lists/WSSv3%20FAQ/DispForm.aspx?ID=998

VI.17 Ontolica Search for MOSS 2007 (commercial - Mondosoft)

http://www.asaris.de/sites/walsh/Lists/WSSv3%20FAQ/DispForm.aspx?ID=1003

VI.18 Workplace Suite for SharePoint 2007 (commercial - CorasWorks)

http://www.asaris.de/sites/walsh/Lists/WSSv3%20FAQ/DispForm.aspx?ID=1004

X.14 MOSS 2007 and WSS v3 Backup Script (free - Jerry Rasmussen)

http://www.asaris.de/sites/walsh/Lists/WSSv3%20FAQ/DispForm.aspx?ID=997

X.19 Ontolica Wildcard for MOSS 2007 (free limited version - Ontolica)

http://www.asaris.de/sites/walsh/Lists/WSSv3%20FAQ/DispForm.aspx?ID=996

X.28 SharePoint 2007 Minimal Publishing site (free - Scot Hillier)

Modified

http://www.asaris.de/sites/walsh/Lists/WSSv3%20FAQ/DispForm.aspx?ID=958

I.31.01 What issues are fixed in fix packs to MOSS 2007?

http://www.asaris.de/sites/walsh/Lists/WSSv3%20FAQ/DispForm.aspx?ID=976

III.77.03 Application Templates: Do you have a batch file handy for installing the second lot of WSS 3.0 Application Templates?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

IV WSSv2 KB Articles (plus SPS 2003 Hot fixes)

New

None

Modified

None

V. MS Articles for WSSv2

New

None

Modified

None

VI Non-MS Articles for WSSv2

New

None

Modified

None

VII WSSv2 FAQ

New

None

Modified

None

Over the past couple of days at work I've been installing the application templates. Not before time you might think - and you'd be right.

The first twenty were easy of course as they were stp files but for the second 20 I had a WSS FAQ item with a full batch file (http://www.asaris.de/sites/walsh/Lists/WSSv3%20FAQ/EditForm.aspx?ID=976) so I couldn't go wrong, could I? (and in any case that item also had a link to Dustin Miller's blog item on the same thing).

Well it's a good job that I "ate my own dogfood" because that batch file was flawed. Firstly my system (at least) refused to accept that c:\program (followed of course by files\common files\ etc.) was a valid executable file, so I had to use stsadm either from within BIN or set my path to include BIN. But worse than that was the fact that that batch file had two lines each for each of the application templates, but *didn't* have the two lines for the Core template which is needed for any of the application templates to work.

That's now fixed at least. In fact both of them are, but I'm wondering whether or not the later blog item from Syed Adnan Ahmed here http://www.sharepointblogs.com/adnan/archive/2007/03/05/20426.aspx isn't a better article to refer to than Dustin's which I found a bit confusing. For one you don't need to install the Core stuff first at all as he says - you can first install all the application templates as I did by mistake; then try to create a site using one; fail; find you haven't got the core template installed and only then install the core template. Even in that order you can later create sites using an application template.

However I don't think I will refer to that article because it's main feature is a batch file very much (but not the same and of course one batch file looks much like another batch file) like the one I have so if I added a link to that blog item we'd be in a sort of having a tratoria called La Tratoria (Film: Mickey Blue Eyes).