ExchangeOAB Folder is Empty!

Hey guys, El Di Pablo back at ya with another Microsoft Exchange 2007 gotcha! So just when I thought everything was working perfectly with Exchange, my partner in crime was working on some Microsoft OCS stuff, and he noticed some errors in the event log on one of our Exchange servers.

WTF! I just got everything running in perfect harmony with the universe, and all the planets were aligned. Out of no where we start getting OALGen errors like a mutha! Here are some of the errors we were seeing:

Event ID: 9328

OALGen encountered file error 80070005 (internal ID 5050221) while generating the offline address list for address list '\Global Address List'. Make sure there is enough disk space available.
- Default OAB

Event ID: 9373

OALGen detected that the file '\\SERVER\ExchangeOAB\e52e0abd-8188-477e-8340-ef04a15dd47f\3ef5ce35-2ff4-440e-b523-f1f24a759788-data-1.lzx' is corrupted or missing. This indicates data tampering or disk problems. Restore files in this folder from the recent backup or clean up folder content and force a full OAB generation.
- Default OAB

Event ID: 9328

OALGen encountered file error ffffffff (internal ID 505026d) while generating the offline address list for address list '\Global Address List'. Make sure there is enough disk space available.
- Default OAB

Event ID: 9371

OALGen encountered an error while generating the differential downloads of address list '\Global Address List'. The offline address list has not been updated so clients will not be able to download the current set of changes. Check other logged events to find the cause of this error.

I thought no problem, maybe there is a problem with the current Offline Address Book, so I created a new one. When I went to update it, I got the subdirectory with the GUID, but the folder was EMPTY! Again I say… WTF?!?!

I finally got this fixed, and since it was kind of hard to find the solution, I’ll share with you what I did.

On both Exchange 2007 servers I went into \Exchange Server\ and renamed the ExchangeOAB directory to ExchangeOAB_OLD, then I created a new share with the following permissions:

Share Permissions:

• Administrators – Owner
• System – Owner
• Exchange Servers – Reader

NTFS Permissions:

• Administrators – Full Control
• System – Full Control
• Exchange Servers – Read

After that I restarted the Microsoft Exchange System Attendant service, and then updated the OAB again. Bam! Fixed! If that doesn’t fix it for you, then your problem is probably a little more advanced, and is most likely related to improper Active Directory container permissions.

Before you do the following, make sure you have good System State backups of your domain controllers! I accept no responsibility if you hose up your Active Directory environment because you accidentally deleted the wrong thing!

Go into ADSI Edit on your Global Catalog server, and connect to the Configuration Naming Context, and do the following:

• Browse to CN=Services>CN=Microsoft Exchange>CN=Company>CN=Address Lists Container
• Delete the “All Address Lists” and “Offline Address Lists” containers
• Force replication to the other Domain Controllers
• On your Exchange server, pop in the Exchange Install Disk
• Open The Command Prompt as Administrator
• Run Setup /prepareSchema
• Run Setup /prepareAD
• Run Setup /prepareDomain
• Wait about 15 minutes, then reboot your Global Catalog servers one at a time, waiting for each one to come back up before bouncing the next one.
• After all GC servers are rebooted, reboot your Exchange Servers

If that doesn’t fix your issue, then it is time to tuck tail and call Microsoft because your environment has issues! If you have to call Microsoft, I would love to hear what your fix was in the comments :-)

If one of these tips does fix your issue, I want to know as well. Let your voice be heard below!

Technorati Tags: exchange 2007,windows server 2008,OALGen,OAB,Offline Address Book,Errors,Not generating,Empty Directory,Fix,How-to

Read more »

Speed HD-8TZ Review

My new company is a Microsoft partner, and with that we were asked to be a part of the Office 2010 review. Pretty cool right? I am sure many of you techno-thusiasts are on that program too. Well with that, good old Microsoft asked us to take a small HD camera and video our users using Office 2010 for some kind of Microsoft marketing campaign!

They told my company they would reimburse us for a camera up to $200 and suggested the Flip-Mino HD camera. Well, I know that camera sucks so I looked for an alternative. I found this “el-cheapo” Speed HD-8TZ camera on Amazon for $195, just a little cheaper than the Flip-Mino, and with better resolution.

My boss came to me knowing I like to make videos for Bauer-Power and asked if I wanted to take the lead on this project. In return I get to keep the camera. What? Free camera? Hells yeah!

My expectation wasn’t very high because the camera was a virtual no-name (Who has heard of Speed electronics anyway) and it was a low-cost camera. It turns out this thing is actually pretty good! Here is some video I shot with it:

For you technical types, here are the specs:

• 12.0 MegaPixel (Max) / 5M Sensor
• 20X Zoom
• 3" TFT LCD
• Resolution: QVGA(30fps), WVGA(60fps), HD 720P(60fps), HD 1080P(30fps)
• HDMI Output
• Support SDHC Card up to 16GB
• White Balance: Auto / Sunny / Cloudy / Tungsten / Fluorescent

Definitely not a bad camera. Much better quality than my Kodak ZI6 I think, and certainly better resolution. I also like that it records fairly well in the dark, which is more than I can say with my ZI6, or my previous HD camera. One thing I don’t like, but is standard in cheap HD cameras, is lack of image stability making a tripod a must!

Do you have a HD-8TZ? Like it? Dislike it? Ever hear of Speed electronics? Hit me up in the comments!

Technorati Tags: speed,hd-8tz,review

Read more »

Who Wants a Google Voice Invite?

I got my Google Voice a couple of months ago, and I love it! I get my own personal “vanity” number, I can set up calling rules. It will ring to any phone I want it to (i.e. Work, Home, Cell etc), and I can send texts from my computer. I even read somewhere that you can now use one of your current numbers (i.e. your home number) as your Google voice number!

I just logged on last week, and found out that I have three invitations that I can give out. So you know what came to mind? CONTEST! That’s right, I will hold another Twitter contest! So how do you enter? Simple, you have to do both to get an entry into the contest:

• Follow Me On Twitter
• Retweet about this contest!

MAKE SURE YOU CLICK THE RETWEET LINK ABOVE TO GET CREDIT FOR TWEETING!

If you want an additional entry in the contest, subscribe to my RSS feed, take a screen shot of Bauer-Power in your RSS reader, post the picture online somewhere and post the link in the comments. This will DOUBLE your chances of winning!

I will enter all my Twitter followers that have retweeted about the contest into an Excel spread sheet (Those of you subscribing to RSS will get an additional entry), then I will use a random number generator to pick the winners! Once the winners have been picked, I will announce it via Twitter!

I will be choosing THREE winners this time, so don’t be shy! If you need a Google voice invite, enter! If your friends need a Google Voice invite, tell them about this contest!

The winners will be announced via Twitter on Monday, November 30th at 2:00PM Pacific time!

Contest for U.S. Residents Only

Oh yeah, please don't lock down your Twitter profiles. If I can't see your retweet, you will not get an entry into the contest!

Technorati Tags: google,voice,invite,contest,twitter

Read more »

Did You Know You Can Create Disk Images With Windows 7?

While at work the other day, one of my company's principals came to me saying his computer was acting up. My boss and I went to investigate and we found that his hard drive was making some, what us professionals say, funky noises. You know, the sound a hard drive starts to make shortly before it finally kicks the proverbial bucket?

We knew we had to act quickly, so we grabbed a hard drive from a similar laptop, then using trust PING, we tried to create a quick image of his failing hard drive to put on the new drive. Well, as I found out later, PING didn’t quite mix well with Windows 7 for some reason. The image was successful, but after restarting, the laptop wouldn’t boot up. CRAP!

I remembered there being a feature built into Windows 7 that let you create a disk image. So I decided to boot up his laptop, then I went into the control panel and selected Backup and Restore, and there it was, an option to Create a system image!

I selected that option, and followed the Wizard to backup the system image to an external USB hard drive I had. To restore it is just as easy! You boot up using a Windows 7 DVD and select the option to Repair your computer.

On the next screen, you select the option to Restore your computer using a system image you created earlier and follow the wizard!

It is that simple people! I have been a big fan of system images for a long time. For home use I have used Ghost 9, Ghost 12, PING, DriveImage XML, you name it. Now, I don’t need to any more! I can get my computer the way I want it, and create my base image using the tools built into Windows! Not to mention, it saved the principal’s computer right?

A couple of things I want to note is that if the image was created using the 32 bit version of Windows 7, you have to use the 32 bit install disk to restore. Likewise for 64 bit. Also, when creating the image, Windows gives you the option of creating a restore disk so you don't have to carry around a Windows 7 install disk. Options, options, options. I like that!

Have you tried the Windows 7 system image yet? Like it? Dislike it? Problems? Success stories? Hit us up in the comments!

Technorati Tags: windows 7,ghost,built-in,system image,disk image

Read more »

Make your own Engrish

We’ve all seen Engrish.com where Japanese or other countries have some Epic Fails when it comes to English translations. Like the Computer Gaming system “Game in Home Computer. Lets Play Game. Everybody gets off.” or the plastic bag that says “Keep the reach out of children. Do not put the plastic bag in your head to prevent from suffocating.”

Now I know that Engrish.com has a Create your own Engrish. But all it does is tell you to go to babblefish and do it all manually. Who wants to do things manually these days? Not me that’s for sure. So I came across Translation Party.

At Translation Party you just type in any English Phrase and click the button and watch it go. For example it took the phrase You’re about to leave? and turned it into “if so, why stay in this hotel?” the best part is when you randomly start talking to someone completely in Engrish. Of course don’t tell them what you’re doing and sit back and let the laughs come rolling out of your own mouth.

Disclaimer: Laughing by yourself loudly in your office all alone and speaking to people in Engrish may make people think you’re crazy.

By TheEpicChocobo of Make Me A Sammich

Read more »

Firebug in IE or on the Go

Yes folks. One of the best Add-Ons for Firefox has an On The Go version. That is Firebug Lite!!! So I’ve actually known about this for quite some time but I’m just finally now getting around to talking about it. The nice thing about Firebug Lite is that you can just set a bookmarklet in any browser and bam, you got Firebug. They have tested this in IE, Opera and Safari.

Now of course it’s not as good as the original Firefox Add-On so by no means is this meant to be a replacement, but does help especially for any of you that are forced to be stuck on IE6 or to making sure that websites still look good in IE6 this is a must.

With some of the latest updates to Firebug Lite it can now support all of the basic commands of Firebug. So all those useful firebug console commands are yours on the go too.

They also offer the source available for download and to embed where needed. You can also update and add your own CSS files, so you can add your own Firebug Lite “dark version” or whatever to your own site for people to use.

Now just as a quick shout out. I actually found this out because of my wife. She is also a geeky techy gamer like myself.

By TheEpicChocobo of Make Me A Sammich

Read more »

Outlook 2007 Search Stopped Working. Now What?

I love when you make a change on the network, then immediately afterward every little problem comes up and people want to know if it was because of the change you did. Sometimes it most definitely is, but other times it is completely unrelated. I just finished a project with Exchange 2007, and right afterward , amazingly, one of our executives lost his ability to search using Outlook 2007.

Most often, this is caused when an Office 2003 product, like Front page for instance, gets installed after Office 2007. The 2003 Office install breaks the Windows desktop search component that Outlook 2007 uses. So how do you fix it when you need both Office 2007, and the one 2003 Office product? Actually, it is pretty easy, just time consuming.

• First, close out of all Office Applications
• Do a repair on Office 2007 by going to Start > Control Panel> Add/Remove Programs (Or Programs and Features in Vista and Windows 7), find Office 2007 and select Change, then Repair.
• Once the repair is done, rebuild your index by going to Start > Control Panel> Indexing Options > Advanced> and clicking on Rebuild.

Once you do both of those steps, your search should start working again in Outlook. If this doesn't correct the issue, then you probably will have to re-create the user's Outlook profile.

Did this tip work for you? Did you have to do something else? Let us know about your results in the comments!

Technorati Tags: outlook 2007,desktop,search,not generating,stopped,working,indexing,rebuild

Read more »