Volume icon is not displayed in the notification area, and you receive an error message when you try to add it

SYMPTOMS:
On a Windows XP-based computer, you may experience one or both of the following behaviors:

1)The Volume icon is no longer displayed in the notification area at the far right of the taskbar.

2)When you try to add the volume control icon to the notification area (in the Sounds and Audio Devices utility in Control Panel, click to select the Place volume icon in the taskbar check box on the Volume tab), you receive the following error message:
Windows cannot display the volume control on the taskbar because the Volume Control program has not been installed. To install it use Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel.

As a result, you cannot start the Volume Control program and adjust the volume and sound level settings of your computer.

CAUSE:

This behavior can occur if the Sndvol32.exe file is damaged or missing.

RESOLUTION:

To resolve this issue, extract a new copy of Sndvol32.exe from the Windows XP compact disc to the system_root\System32 folder on your computer's hard disk. To do this, follow these steps:

1)Insert the Windows XP CD-ROM into your computer's CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive. Press and hold down the SHIFT key as you insert the CD-ROM to prevent it from starting automatically.
2)Click Start, and then click Run.
3)In the Open box, type cmd, and then click OK.
4)Type the following lines at the command prompt, pressing ENTER after each line, where CD-ROM drive is the drive letter of the computer's CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive that contains the Windows XP CD-ROM, and system_root is the path and folder name where the Windows system files are located (generally C:\Windows):
CD-ROM drive:
cd i386
expand sndvol32.ex_ system_root\system32\sndvol32.exe

Note that there is a space between "ex_" and "system_root" in this command.

For example, if your computer's CD-ROM drive is drive E, and the folder that contains the Windows system files is C:\Windows, type the following lines at the command prompt (pressing ENTER after each line):

e:
cd i386
expand sndvol32.ex_ c:\windows\system32\sndvol32.exe

5)Type exit to quit the command prompt.

6)Verify that you can start Volume Control and that the Volume icon is displayed in the notification area (if you selected this option).

Windows 2003 Network Lab

If you're serious about attaining your MCSA or MCSE certification, you need hands-on experience with Windows Server 2003 software in a network environment. The MCSA/MCSE Windows Server 2003 Network Simulator from Sybex gives you everything you need to accomplish this, and more! Get the skills you need to approach the Windows 2003 exams with confidence by practicing on labs that cover key topics for exams 70-290, 70-291, 70-293, and 70-294. An affordable alternative to products and courses costing hundreds, even thousands, of dollars, this Simulator allows you to work at your own pace, on your own time, so you get the most out of your exam preparation efforts. Includes 160 lab exercises designed to sharpen the skills needed for the four core Windows 2003 exams:

* 70-290: Managing and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment
* 70-291: Implementing, Managing, and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure
* 70-293: Planning and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure* 70-294: Planning, Implementing, and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Active Directory Infrastructure
Download
http://rapidshare.com/files/95885028/Windows_Server_2003_Network_Simulator.rar
Thanks to:kalil

How to stop Windows from asking you to restart after an update

After successfully updating Windows, the operating system will almost always require a restart. This required restart is presented to you in the form of a dialog box that has no close button! This can be extremely annoying especially if you plan to restart at a later time

Luckily with a simple command we can disable this dialog box. Here's how:

*Click -> Run (This opens the Run dialog box)
*cmd and press Enter (This brings up the Command Prompt window)
* the command sc stop wuauserv

This command stops the service responsible for the popup that asks if you want to restart now or later.

A list of Useful Windows Commands and Tools

Here is a very helpful list of Windows 2000/XP commands.

at (windows XP/2000)
Scheduling utility.

bootcfg (XP only)
This utility allows you to set up your boot options, such as your default OS and other loading options.

cacls (XP, 2000, & NT4.0)
Changes the ACLs (security Settings) of files and folders. Very similar to chmod in Linux.

comp (XP & 2000)
This utility is very similar to diff in Linux. Use the /? switch to get examples of command usage.

contig (works with NT4.0 and newer)
A great defrag utility for NTFS partitions.

control (XP only) - unpublished!
Allows you to launch control panel applets from the command line. control userpasswords2, for example will launch a helpful local user admin utility.

defrag (XP only - NT4.0 and Win2k use contig)
Yes, XP comes with a command line disk defrag utility. If you are running Win2k or NT4.0 there is still hope. Contig is a free defrag program that I describe on the defrag page.

diskpart (XP only)
Use this command to manage your disk partitions. This is the text version for the GUI Disk Manager.

driverquery (XP only)
Produces a list of drivers, their properties, and their versions. Great for computer documentation.

eudcedit(XP only) - unpublished!
Private Character editor. Yes with this program built into Windows XP you can create your own font!

findstr
Find String - similar to Linux's Grep.

fsutil (XP only) - unpublished!
This is a utility with a lot of capability. Come back soon for great examples.

getmac (XP & 2000)
This command gets the Media Access Control (MAC) address of your network cards.


gpresult (XP & 2000)
This generates a summary of the user settings and computer group policy settings.

gpupdate (XP only)
Use this utility to manually apply computer and user policy from your windows 2000 (or newer) domain.

ipconfig (XP, 2000 & NT4.0)
This handy tool displays IP settings of the current computer and much more.

mmc (XP, 2000 & NT4.0) - Microsoft Management Console
This is the master tool for Windows, it is the main interface in which all other tools use starting primarily in Windows 2000 and newer systems.

more
Utility used to display text output one screen at a time. Ex. more c:\windows\win.ini

msconfig (XP only)
The ultimate tool to change the services and utilities that start when your Windows machine boots up. You can also copy the executable from XP and use it in Win2k.

msinfo32 (XP &smp; 2000)
An awesome diagnostic tool. With it you can get a list of running processes, including the residing path of the executable (great for manually removing malware) and get detailed information about hardware and system diagnostics.

narrator (XP only)
Turns on the system narrator (can also be found in accessibility options in control panel). Will will allow your computer to dictate text to you.

netsh (XP & 2000)
A network configuration tool console. At the 'netsh>' prompt, use the '?' to list the available commands and type "exit" to get back to a command prompt.

netstat (XP)
A local network port tool - try netstat -ano.

nslookup (all)
A DNS name resolution tool.

openfiles (XP Only)
Allows an administrator to display or disconnect open files in XP professional. Type "openfiles /?" for a list of possible parameters.

pathping (XP & 2000)
A cross between the ping and traceroute utilities. Who needs Neotrace when you can use this? Type "pathping " and watch it go.

recover (XP & 2000)
This command can recover readable information from a damaged disk and is very easy to use.

reg (XP & 2000)
A console registry tool, great for scripting Registry edits.

sc (XP & 2000)
A command line utility called the Service Controller. A power tool to make service changes via a logon/logoff or startup/shutdown script.

schtasks (XP only)
A newer version of the AT command. This allows an administrator to schedule and manage scheduled tasks on a local and remote machines.

secedit (XP & 2000)
Use this utility to manually apply computer and user policy from your windows 2000 (or newer) domain. Example to update the machine policy: secedit /refreshpolicy machine_policy /enforce
To view help on this, just type secedit.
NOTE: In Windows XP SP1 and news, this command is superceded by: gpupdate /force

sfc (XP & 2000)
The system file checker scans important system files and replaces the ones you (or your applications) hacked beyond repair with the real, official Microsoft versions.

shutdown (XP & 2000)
With this tool, You can shut down or restart your own computer, or an administrator can shut down or restart a remote computer.

sigverif (XP only)
Microsoft has created driver signatures. A signed driver is Microsoft tested and approved. With the sigverif tool you can have all driver files analyzed to verify that they are digitally signed. Just type 'sigverif' at the command prompt.

systeminfo (XP only)
Basic system configuration information, such as the system type, the processor type, time zone, virtual memory settings, system uptime, and much more. This program is great for creating an inventory of computers on your network.

sysedit (XP/2000)
System Configuration File Editor. An old tool that was very handy for the Windows 9X days. msconfig is what you want to use now.

tasklist (XP pro only)
Tasklist is the command console equivalent to the task manager in windows. It is a must have when fighting scumware and viruses. Try the command:
tasklist /svc
to view the memory resources your services take up.

taskkill (XP only)
Taskkill contains the rest of the task manager functionality. It allows you to kill those unneeded or locked up applications.

tree (XP & 2000)
An amazing experience everyone should try! This command will provide a 'family tree' style display of the drive/folder you specify.

WMIC (XP & 2000)
Windows Management Instrumentation Command tool. This allows you to pull an amazing amount of low-level system information from a command line scripting interface.

How to convert a basic disk to a dynamic disk in Windows Vista

Dynamic disks allow for better administration. You can span a volume across multiple dynamic disks or stripe multiple dynamic disks. Dynamic disks also allow you to repair data without the need for restarting the computer.

Note:
* Only Windows Vista Enterprise and Windows Vista Ultimate editions support dynamic disks.
* Disks on laptop computers cannot be converted to dynamic.

You can enable dynamic disks on a drive by performing the following steps.

- Click Start button, right-click Computer, and click Manage.

- Expand the plus sign next to Storage under Computer Management.

- Click Disk Management.

- Right-click the disk you wish to convert, and the click Convert to Dynamic Disk...

How to list all shared drives and folders from the command line in Windows XP, Vista, 2003

Use this quick and very simple way to list all your shared drives and folders using the command line. This works on Windows XP, Vista, Server 2003, Server 2008 across all versions. Here's how you do it:

- Click Start -> Run

-Type cmd and press Enter (This launches the command prompt)

- Type the following code in the command prompt window:

wmic share get caption,name,path