Posts made by CharlesHTN

@scottalanmiller said in "Upgrading" a laptop for the Police Department:

We often talk about "lacking support" as being the end all of decision making. But the reality is, most small businesses and governments actually pay no attention to if things are supported or not, and never define "supported". It's simply not a thing that they care about in reality.

By definition, because it uses SQL Server 2005, the application can't be a supported app. For something to logically be supported, its whole stack has to be. So therefore, the app itself doesn't have support. And the agencies are okay with that.

Well, the agencies are stuck with it, as they are forced to use the tools the THP provides (OK, not entirely, but this software is "free", and the alternatives are not). And that leaves THP stuck being the ones providing support for old, broken software that should have been replaced years ago.

@scottalanmiller said in "Upgrading" a laptop for the Police Department:

There are companies that handle that kind of stuff

Yup...and in government, for the most part, low bid wins, so unfortunately the companies that wind up handling it are, well, not always great. That's not so much the fault of the bidding process, as the fact that the ones creating the requirements for the bidding don't understand enough about the "product" to be specific enough in their requirements to weed out bad MSP's.

@scottalanmiller said in "Upgrading" a laptop for the Police Department:

@CharlesHTN said in "Upgrading" a laptop for the Police Department:

I'm hoping the looming W7 EOL is going to force THP to start pressuring the developers of this software to step up

that would make no sense. They already have no support. SQL Server 2005 went out of support in 2016. So it's been an unsupported, unpatched system for years already. So Windows 7 also going out of support would have no effect if support is already deemed of no importance.

Only change would be in the amount of complaining coming from the agencies who are trying to install the software on new machines running Windows 10. In fact, THP finally pulled the very broken installer download (would not install at all on W10) from their support page, and provide a working software install (actually, an OLDER install file) via a file transfer over a screen sharing session :pensive_face: for manual installs. Takes about two hours to transfer across. Of course, I did that once with them, and saved the installer for all the subsequent installs. Once it installs, you have to launch it 3x times for it to run through a series of upgrades to get current.

So really, the pressure on THP's end would come from the fact that installs now cost them a lot in extra tech support calls with agencies needing help due to how manual the install process has become (THP has a support department that is stuck helping agencies with this software...what a miserable job that would be!).

@scottalanmiller said in "Upgrading" a laptop for the Police Department:

@CharlesHTN said in "Upgrading" a laptop for the Police Department:

The SQL thing isn't the local PD's fault...they are stuck with it as they have to use what the HWY Patrol gives them to use. Boggles my mind though that THP's developers are still forcing SQL 2005 though.

Nothing surprising, as long as the clients accept it, no logical reason to change it. The fault goes to those choosing the product and not pressuring the devs to fix it.

Agreed. We have very little voice in the matter as our PD is one step removed from the actual client (THP), who is stuck supporting a whole states worth of agencies. I'm hoping the looming W7 EOL is going to force THP to start pressuring the developers of this software to step up. It's going to be UGLY though, as SQL 2005 will have to be upgraded on EVERY PC at EVERY agency in the state who uses the software, pretty much all at once. I'm sure that challenge is actually a huge part of the problem, as a LOT of the smaller agencies just don't have IT staffing to support a quick rollout of new software at all (the PD is just ONE department I support, along with Fire, Treasury, Court, Mayor's Office, Codes, Event Center, and Parks & Rec), let alone someone who could, oh, I dunno, just rollout a fresh W10 image with the new software.

@Dashrender said in "Upgrading" a laptop for the Police Department:

Why not make an image and use something Clonezilla to blast the image down?
Also, you didn't mention installing updates for Windows - or what version of Windows 10 you're deploying?

Are you using the decrapifier script from SW? I love the one they have there. I've modded it to my own needs.

Also instead of running decrapifier in the first logged in user - I book the computer to audit mode (from the GUI setup of Windows, press Shift + Control + F3), then install any shared software - like Office - and run the decrap script, then finish sysprep, shutdown and image.

Yep, the SW decrapifier script. That thing has been awesome, at least since I finally read the instructions and figured out I was actively killing OneDrive with it, which was not my intent. LOL Helps when you RTM.

I actually was using WDS a few years ago to deploy Windows 7, but struggled with getting it to work with a Windows 10 image that was decrapified. Kept getting errors either capturing or deploying the image and I'll admit I finally gave up. This was back around 1607 or 1703, and I haven't tried it again lately. Been a long time since I used Clonezilla as we started using WDS at a previous job in 2013 as we started migrating off XP to W7 and I liked it so well. I need to give it a go again. WDS is great when you are setting up machines in batches, but I tend to just do a small number at a time now, so I tend to just setup 3-4 on my bench and use a checklist to do the installs. I've been getting new PCs in one or two at a time a lot lately, and Dell doesn't seem to clutter them up as much as they used to, so I generally just do the initial boot, decrapify, then join to the domain and install the software. I did five at once a month or so ago. Absolutely hilarious when five copies of Siri all start talking at once.

My process isn't quite as manual as it sounds, but no where near as automated as it could be. On first boot, I plug in a thumb drive with an "IT" folder. Copy it to the drive, and pull the thumb drive. That folder contains the decrapifier script, with a text document I just copy/paste into powershell to launch the script. It also contains a script that I run after I join the PC to the domain that launches (mostly silent) installers (located in a network share) of all my standard software and cleans up the desktop and start menu. So I copy folder, decrapify, reboot, join domain, reboot, move to appropriate OU, login as a domain admin, run the SuperAutoAppInstallScript, reboot, run Windows updates (failed to mention that before...I maintain a WSUS server to deploy the updates). For the PD computers, I then have the annoying custom software to install.

It's one of those unfortunate things when you get too busy to actually setup a tool that will ultimately save a lot of time. If you already had the tool in place, you wouldn't be too busy to set it up, but you wouldn't need to, because you already did. LOL So yeah, I need to start doing imaging again. Especially for these PD machines.

EDIT: As to version - I'm currently installing Windows 10 Pro 1809 from volume media. We bought a single W10 Pro open license so we have imaging rights, but the machines are individually licensed utilizing the OEM license of the machine (either a W10 OEM license, or a W7/W8 OEM license with the free W10 claimed during the 1year free upgrade period).

@DustinB3403

The SQL thing isn't the local PD's fault...they are stuck with it as they have to use what the HWY Patrol gives them to use. Boggles my mind though that THP's developers are still forcing SQL 2005 though. It's not like it was replaced in 2008, then again in 2012, then again in 2014, then again in 2016...

Oh, wait, never mind. Yes, it was. The last OS that Microsoft officially supported SQL 2005 on was Windows XP SP2...

So here's the fun I'm having lately. Our PD just got some "new" software, so it was a good time to get their Windows 7 laptops moved over to Windows 10 (already licensed for it) and speed things up with an SSD.

So here's the process:

• Copy off any files (should be ZERO on it, but I check anyway)
• Remove from domain
• Replace spinning rust with 240Gb SanDisk SSD (<$35 on Amazon)
• Install Windows 10 Pro
• Run Windows 10 Decrapifier
• Rename and Join Domain, correct OU, etc.
• Install O365 and other standard software.

So far so good...

Now to install software the THP requires they use. Oh look, it's installing SQL 2005. Click ignore on the "hey dummy, this old version of SQL has no business being on W10" a couple of times and glare angrily at screen.

Now to install the NEW software package they just got. Oh look, MS Access 2000 Runtime SR1. Doh! And MS Office 2k SP3.

Banging head now...At least They don't need IE6 I suppose.

Good news is, these 4 year old laptops run a LOT faster with the SSD's. Hopefully I can take the old drives out to the range sometime soon. I wonder if I can expense some 9mm hollow points as "secure data destruction"? LOL Actually, my experience says 9mm HP's are overkill for 2.5" drives (you can shatter a glass platter 2.5" with a BB gun!), but wholly inadequate for 3.5" drives, especially enterprise drives that tend to be well built. 45 HP's do better there, but I think the PD may have some even better options. :smiling_face_with_horns: Not sure if they'll give me a shot to use them though (pardon the pun!).

@scottalanmiller said in Bits and Bytes (1983):

The Amiga 1000 in 1983 was handling 4,096 colours and 640x480 displays, too! Which seems silly now, but displaying colours and doing 3D rendering was unheard of back then.

Did Amiga sell a monitor that was capable of 640x480 at that time? That's a year before IBM had EGA, which was only 640x350, and four years before they finally got to 640x480 with VGA.

I've used Logitech trackballs for over 20 years now. Been using the M570 both at work and at home for quite a while.

As for keyboards, I've also used various ergonomic keyboards (mostly logitech and MS) for the past 20 years. For the past 10+ years, my keyboard of choice is an Adesso PCK-208B...definitely not compatible with a tight workspace, but it works well for me. Initially bought it because, well, I'm cheap, and so was it.

Awesome thing about having a ergo keyboard plus trackball at home:
Visitor: Can I use your computer?
Me: Sure, help yourself
Visitor (looks puzzled staring at keyboard/trackball combo): Nevermind
Me (Grinning): Suit yourself

My parents bought us a TI 99/4A around 1983. I know some of the local schools had the TI's at the time as my parents actually bought a couple more 2-3 years later from a school that was getting rid of them. I don't remember having the TI's in class though. I do remember having three Apple IIe's in my eighth grade classroom (87-88). I distinctly remember trying to spell out an acronym like this:
M - Multi
L - Letter
A - Acronym

Lined up perfect on the screen, but was all messed up when it got printed. That was my first introduction to the need for WYSIWYG (the young'uns probably never heard of that acronym!).

At Tennessee Tech as a freshman in 1992, I got introduced to the VAX system, which was already quite dated. Not long afterwards, they got a lab of brand-new 386 PC's that booted to a menu, from which you could pick the application you wanted to run (choices included Word Perfect 5.1, Lotus 1-2-3, and Quattro Pro). A couple of years later, we had a lab with NT 3.5. I think there may have been a Windows 95 lab before I left, but by then I wasn't living on campus, and had my own PC I had built.

@JaredBusch said in Bits and Bytes (1983):

Clickable URL for everyone..
http://hatchermangohill.com/About Us.html

Sorry, didn't notice the URL broke. I did notice the space, but I thought the %20 copied over when I pasted it. LOL

Don't be too hard on that FrontPage web site, I think my great-aunt maintains it (Marilyn in the lower picture on that page), and she's in her 80's. I'm just happy that she was able to put it together. She still runs the place, so if any of you are ever down that way, drop in and see her. The Hatcher mango is SOOO good! OK, I'll admit some bias.

I've been really wanting to get down to south Florida to visit family. Haven't been there in 20 years. Really want my son to see the Mango Hill.

@DustinB3403 said in Miscellaneous Tech News:

@CharlesHTN said in Miscellaneous Tech News:

important things.

Because the important things to them is to have the shiny things in life.

https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/4e7f4aa8-a901-4d5b-9439-f779323ee4ec

https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/b8d67b5d-75e3-4f4a-8e9b-2e24ce7f0557

@Obsolesce said in Miscellaneous Tech News:

@CharlesHTN said in Miscellaneous Tech News:

@DustinB3403 said in Miscellaneous Tech News:

Yeah, sure like they'd ever be able to afford it. College, rent, food, car.

Isn't that what Credit Cards are for? :face_with_stuck-out_tongue_winking_eye:

Uh, I'm a Millenial and I wouldn't buy Beats, or a $14k TV, and could buy a ton of each in cash... (but don't want to)

So stop with Millenial bashing.

It's not just Millenials...I'm 45, live in a nice modest home that was just under $100k, drive a 1994 truck, and make over $60k/year. Bought my wife a nice, late model used car last year for $13.4k, so we have a car payment. I pay my bills, but I'm certainly not getting ahead. Then I see others my age and younger who have a $300k house, two brand new cars, and three kids that they store in day care because they are busy working all the time to pay the bills. I hate to imagine their debt, and I don't understand the desire to have all this "stuff", and no time to enjoy the important things.

@DustinB3403 said in Miscellaneous Tech News:

Yeah, sure like they'd ever be able to afford it. College, rent, food, car.

Isn't that what Credit Cards are for? :face_with_stuck-out_tongue_winking_eye:

@dbeato said in Install Dell OpenManage Server Administrator on Hyper-V Server 2012 R2:

They are much better and do have Storage Information. Idrac 9 is all HTML5 now.

I dunno. I kind of prefer the old, clunky interfaces that require a Java install from 2012 to work...LOL (But seriously, I do keep a Latitude D620 with XP and ancient Java around for the occasional "what's this old piece of junk and how do I get in it moments". Airgapped, of course. Used it to get into an old EMC SAN, as well as some old Motorola WAP's.)

Our new host (R730xd) came with iDRAC 8 Enterprise. I can get to it's console without Java, so I'm happy. I seldom need remote console access anymore since my office is 30 feet from the server, but it's nice to have the option if I'm out of the office (I loaded the OS remotely on it from 30 feet away just because). At my prior job, we had HP's with ILO and installed OS'es on servers that were 30 miles away, so it was a huge plus. Of course, back then, it was Java all the way.

Always fun when you run into an iDRAC in the wild whose password is still "calvin". That's why I always change it to "hobbes"!

@travisdh1

I'm about 50 miles north of there. I used to go down there every few months when I worked for FNB before they were bought by UCBI. I really like that town. I don't get to make it to Shane's very often anymore.

I'm Charles from East TN. Been getting paid to pretend to know how to work on PC's for nearly 19 years now. Worked at a DoE site, two banks, and now in local government.

I see a lot of names on here I know from SW, which is where I usually hang out. Finally decided to register here and see what else is out there.

If anyone is from south Florida, and knows about the Hatcher Mango, it's named after my great-grandparents who pioneered it. Not really an IT fact, but it seemed relevant for this site. LOL

Thanks for posting this three years ago. It helped me on Friday to get better insight into a degraded RAID on a 9.5 year old R710 that is running Hyper V Server 2016. Wouldn't have been a disaster if I'd lost the array as this host doesn't run any VM's (it just holds Veeam Replicas), but I was glad to not have to build it again.

I'm so glad iDRAC on newer PowerEdge servers lets us see the RAID, unlike the iDRAC6 Enterprise on this old R710. OMSA fills that gap for me though, so I'm quite happy.

FWIW, I downloaded OMSA 9.3 under the Server 2012 R2 listings on Dell's download page for the R710. Not surprisingly, they don't list Server 2016 or Hyper V 2016 under the OS choices), but it installed just fine.

@scottalanmiller said in Bits and Bytes (1983):

@Scott said in Bits and Bytes (1983):

Had a TI 99/4A and an IBM PCjr.

Ha! "Had", past tense. Lame.

Ha! "a", singlular. Lame.

I have three.

Really need to pull them out and try connecting to my 49" LCD TV in the living room. My 13 year old son has never seen what these look like.

I have one of the expansion boxes, complete with the MASSIVE 32k Memory upgrade! Plus dual 5.25" single sided floppies. Not sure if we still have the original TI cassette recorder or not, but hopefully, we at least have the cable.

LOL...weird first post, eh? I've come across this site from time to time, but mostly hang out on that other spicy site. Don't know why I never came here, given my pedigree. These are my Great-Grandparents: http://hatchermangohill.com/About Us.html (John and Pearl, the ones in front of the first Hatcher Mango tree).