Windows 8 Forums will follow the development of Windows 8 from the alpha stage, through the beta and RC stage all the way to RTM. Winodws 8 is rumored to hit RTM sometime in 2012 which means the early alphas should start to appear any time now. At Windows 8 Forums we will post any build information complete with links to official downloads.

Why not register today and let us know what you would like to see in Windows 8.

My access to download was restored by Matt. I don’t know why it took so long to resolve this issue, but, I am glad it is over. I will continue to do business with them in the future. I have also terminated the dispute I had at Paypal.

It took a while and numerous PM’s and emails, but, in the end I got access to what I paid for and that makes me happy.

I have bought a few vbulletin skins from CompleteVB. CompleteVB has top quality designers. Unfortunately Matt the owner of CompleteVB doesn’t know how to conduct business in an honest way. I had been warned before I bought my first skin from them that CompleteVB was not to be trusted. I live by the rule once bitten, twice shy so I decided to go ahead and purchase from CompleteVB. I got what I paid for, cheap nice looking skins for my communities. Too bad all the skins still use many of the default vbulletin icons. Other than that they do look good once you correct the bugs in them.

I was looking for a dark skin for Just BS. CompleteVB had just released a new dark style. I decided to purchase it. I logged into the members area at CompleteVB and purchased the skin. This is when the nightmare began. After purchase I received the confirmation email. I clicked the link to activate the skin. I read about the new phone activation and filled in the form as required. My phone rang and I was supposed to get an activation number to put in the form. I got nothing. I tried it again. Again my phone rang and again no code. I tried one last time. This time the auto bot didn’t call. I sent a PM to Matt at CompleteVB to resolve the issue. Matt at CompleteVB told me I was a scammer and was using a proxy to bypass the activation. Matt at CompleteVB said it was my fault that I can’t download what I paid for and that it’s not his problem. He insisted I am a scammer and don’t deserve a refund or access to the download. Matt at CompleteVB went on to remove my access to the other skins I previously purchased. So in effect I lost much more than the price of the one skin.

First off Matt at CompleteVB I have never used a proxy. I have never scammed anyone. I have a reputable reputation as being an honest and forthright person. I paid in good faith and instead of giving me what I purchased or a refund you told me my dispute at Paypal would be approved. This tells me, Matt at CompleteVB, that you have been down this road before screwing customers.

I have copies of the PM conversations to back up my claims. I won’t post them because they were private between me and Matt at CompleteVB. I unlike Matt at CompleteVB am an honest and reputable person.

Be warned do not do business with CompleteVB unless you want to be scammed.

The first community to join the network is Illinois Forum. It is a community for people that live in Illinois, people planning to move to Illinois or people that used to live in Illinois to communicate and share ideas. Even if you don’t live in Illinois you’re still welcome at Illinois Forum. We are a friendly bunch.

The second community I added to the network is the Scribble Board. Scribble Board is a place to post your thoughts or ideas to share with others. No matter what the topic you’re welcome to post. It is easy to navigate and post if you’re in a hurry to get your thoughts out. No multiple forums to confuse you. You’ll never post in the wrong forum again. So why not visit Scribble Board and scribble your thoughts today?

When Windows Server 2008 is adopted by more people I will combine Admin Reports Forum into the new forum to make a one stop shop for all your Windows Server needs.

Be one of the first to register at the new Windows Server 2008 Forum.

Also coming soon will be a Windows Server 2008 forum

In the upcoming days I will be adding articles about my experience setting up and configuring Windows Server 2008. Many tasks that I used to make my life easier are already included and only have to be installed and turned on. For one backing up the servers will be much easier.

For now I’ll post a screenshot of Windows Server 2008. This was taken after the initial install. This is a large screenshot, 1920×1200, so be aware of that before you open it.

Look for more articles, tutorials, screenshots, tips and tricks in the near future. I will document each step of the way as I upgrade all my servers to Windows Server 2008.

Read on to determine if RPC over HTTP is installed and if it is how to secure your server against any attack that exploits this vulnerability.

The DCOM exploits present in Windows Server 2003, referenced in Microsoft Security Bulletin MS03-039 and CERT Advisory CA-2003-19, are also present in the RPC over HTTP interface.

This interface is not installed by default, but can be added using the Add / Remove Programs control panel applet.

To determine if RPC over HTTP is installed:

1. In Control Panel, click Add / Remove Programs.
2. Click Add / Remove Windows Components.
3. Click Networking Services, then click Details.
4. If the RPC over HTTP Proxy box is checked, then RPC over HTTP is installed on the server.

DCOM is a protocol than can be used oon top of RPC over HTTP. By default, any server with RPC over HTTP installed will accept DCOM requests using this protocol. Accepted DCOM requests are then sent to TCP port 593.

Security best practices demand the disabling or removal of all non-essential components and services. DCOM support within RPC over HTTP can be removed by modifying the registry.

To remove DCOM support within RPC over HTTP:

1. Use a registry editing tool to navigate to the following key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Rpc\RpcProxy
2. Locate the ValidPorts value.
3. By default, the value will contain the following entry: :100-5000This allows RPC over HTTP to use TCP ports 100 through 5000. As DCOM uses TCP port 593, we can disable it as follows:
4. Edit the ValidPorts value to contain the following: :100-592;:594-5000
5. Remove or amend any other entries that contain reference to TCP port 593 or port ranges spanning TCP port 593 in the manner demonstrated above.

When you remove entries for port 593, you prevent DCOM from being used through the RPC over HTTP protocol, but RPC programs (like the Outlook 2003 client) are permitted to connect to the RPC server (Exchange 2003 Server) through RPC over HTTP. More information on RPC over HTTP can be found on the Microsoft website.

Use it when you move to another Windows server. You can even use it to load a new website so you don’t have to configure PHP or any other extensions or loadable modules. Keep in mind if you do want to load a new website to duplicate the configuration you’ll have to change the host headers and IP address assigned to the new site in Windows Server IIS manager.

Let’s get started.

First thing to do is start IIS manager. Start > Administrative Tools > Internet Information Services(IIS) Manager.

Once you have it open right click Websites and select New > New website from file. A browse to box will popup and you can browse to the location you saved the site configuration to.

Once you browse to the file click Read. In the bottom box some text will scroll and it will say successful if it imported correctly. If it didn’t it will tell you the errors. You can manually edit the xml file to correct the errors if you wish.

If you used this to create a new website with the same configuration as an existing site then right click the new website and change host headers and IP address.

Thats’ it. If you have any questions post a comment to this article. If you need one on one help visit Admin Reports Forum.

A network is two or more computers linked together in order to share data. From a security standpoint, the problem with networks is that unauthorized individuals might also be able to access that data. Network security is a term that encompasses your overall system for keeping your network as impenetrable as possible, be it hardware, software, or company policies.

Whether your network consists of two computers or two hundred computers, there are certain basic security measures you should have in place. Most of these measures aren’t complicated or expensive, and they don’t require any particular expertise in networking or computer security.

One of the most basic steps for securing your network is to have anti-virus software in place. Anti-virus software periodically sweeps your computer looking for known viruses. You can also choose to run a anti-virus test at any time. Once run, the software generates a report that lists the viruses detected. You are then able to select which, if any, of the viruses detected you want quarantined and removed. It’s more important that you keep your software up to date because new viruses are created and released every day.

Next, make sure you have a firewall in place. A firewall is like a gatekeeper. It’s a hardware/software combination that allows you to decide what goes in and out of your network. You determine the “trust level” to which your firewall is set. The trust level dictates which network connections will be automatically allowed and which will require specific permission. Firewalls come with a “default” setting which is unlikely to be stringent enough to meet your security needs. For optimum security, you should always manually set the trust settings to a higher degree of scrutiny.

Firewalls and anti-virus software are essential for another very important reason: they help protect your system from adware and spyware. Adware and spyware range from annoying to very dangerous. Adware slows down your system, and generates irritating pop-up ads that interfere with your work. Spyware is much more serious. It tracks your computer usage habits, and basically opens up a door to your network that allows hackers to penetrate your system without your knowing it.

Another simple measure is to regularly download patches for your software. Computer programs are tested for vulnerabilities and possible exploits before they are distributed to the public. However, it’s impossible to detect every single vulnerability in advance. As new exploits are discovered, companies “patch” their programs and software to prevent the exploitation of that vulnerability. Without these patches, the software and programs on your computer remain vulnerable.

Network security also depends on common sense. Weak passwords can cause big problems, but are easily avoided. Never use easy-to-guess passwords like your last name, phone number, or birth date. Always use a combination of letters and numbers. Your best bet is to avoid real words altogether and use a string of numbers and letters that stand for a saying or phrase you can easily remember.

Another common sense security measure is to delete suspicious-looking email. More importantly, never open or download an attachment from an email address you don’t recognize. Doing so could be inviting a virus right into your computer. When in doubt, follow this simple rule: delete without opening.

If your business, you should also put in place security policies to govern the behavior of authorized users. Even authorized users can pose a serious security risk, sometimes without realizing it. For instance, “I love to dance, I love to sing” could be “1L2D1L2S,” with the number 1 replacing the letter I.

Here are a few elements of a solid network security policy:

• Require your employees to change their passwords every 3 months.
• Do not allow employees to post their passwords on their desk or cubicle
• Immediately terminate a departing employee’s access to your network.
• Operate on the computer network equivalent to the “need to know” basis. Only allow an employee access to the programs and data that are essential to his or her job.
• Put all of your security guidelines down in writing, and post them where all of your employees can see them.

You want your network security policy to be tight, but not completely rigid. That is, if a given security measure is proving to be unworkable or a serious inconvenience, be willing to adjust. You can often achieve the same result through different means.

Last, but certainly not least, review your network security on a regular basis. A network that’s secure today may not be secure a few months down the road. Hackers are smart and are constantly developing ways to bypass security measures. Be smarter than the hackers by staying on the cutting edge of network security technology.

About the author

By: Paul Walsh

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Paul Walsh www.protocolsolutions.co.uk

Search engine optimization is the art and science of making web pages appear attractive to the search engines. The better optimized a website is, the higher the ranking it will receive from a search engines web crawlers, the higher its ranking the more traffic your website will have, the more traffic your website has the more profit your website will generate. The key is good internet search engine optimization.

Why is having a receiving a high ranking so important to the future success of your online business? Studies have shown that consumers seldom look at websites that don’t rank a spot on of the first two pages the search engines displays. Websites that receive a ranking that places them on the third page (or any other pages after that) see a significantly lower amount of traffic at their websites then one that is ranked on the second page. There is even a staggering difference between the first and second page. In the world of e-commerce ranking and strong search engine optimization is everything.

At first search engine optimization may feel like trying to rappel down the Grand Canyon, a huge scary world full of big words like web crawlers, PageRank, Meta tags, and algorithms. You’ve never heard of any of these things. A quick internet search of the world algorithm doesn’t help; all you got was a printout of strange symbols and numbers arranged in complex algebraic equations.

Sit back, take a deep breath, and try to relax. Search engine optimization is a lot simpler then you might think. First things first.

Algorithms really are every bit as complex as they look. Simply defined they are a finite set of carefully defined instructions. Most, if not all, computer programs are designed with strict algorithms.

PageRank is simply the program Google designed to search, index, and rank it registered webpage’s. PageRank operates on a link analysis algorithm. PageRank is credited for Google incredible success.

Web crawlers are tools search engines use to browse the World Wide Web in a methodical, automated manner. When web crawlers are browsing websites they are looking for algorithms.

Meta tags are special HTML tags that provide information to about a web page. Meta tags are written directly into the title tag and are only visible to the search engine.

The reality of search engine optimization is that you can start to optimize your website without any knowledge at all of the technical stuff involved in search engine optimization. Simply stated the very first step in designing a website that is going to be well ranked by the search engines is to create a content rich site. What this means is that you must cram as much information about your product into your website as you possibly can.

The third step to search engine optimization is to fill your site with keywords that will attract the web crawler’s attention. The final step in a wonderfully optimized website is to submit it to the search engine that will compliment it.

By: alexi

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

About the author

alex has been writing articles for site fantasticfreesite.com . To contact alex send email to alexhamish@yahoo.com. You are welcome to add this article to your site,blog,ezine,or anywhere else only requirement is author bio and link back to site fantasticfreesite.com

Let’s get started.

Open up IIS Manager, Start > Internet Information Services(IIS) Manager.

Once you have IIS manager started right click the website and select all tasks > save configuration to file.

A box will popup that you can fill in to save the file.

You’ll want to fill in the file name. I use site-name.xml since the file is an XML formatted document. Then you’ll want to browse to the directory where you want to save the file. Make it a place you can easily remember so you can send the file to your backup server.

You can also password protect the file so no one can access it except the person that knows the password. Set a password if you choose. I never set this option since I am the only one with access to the servers.

That’s it. You now have a backup of your site meta data. If you move servers or the data gets corrupted you can easily restore it using the file you just created.

If you find this info helpful or have any questions post a comment to this article. If you need one on one help start a thread on the forum.