the Zen of Communication.

Installed cacti from the “easy” installer – http://forums.cacti.net/about14946-0-asc-0.html – which does simplify a lot, but there are a lot of other hacks i’ve had to implement to make it work.

First and foremost, any time the poller runs i was getting “Cannot find module (IP-MIB): At line 0 in (none)”

Repeat about a dozen times for various mibs, and you obviously have a problem.

Under System Properties, Advanced, Environment Variables, there’s a new variable called MIBDIRS .  It’s pointed to c:\php\extras\mibs which in my case, after running the installer, was empty.

TO FIX: Either update this to point to your actual mib directory (mine was c:\usr\mibs , i’ve also seen d:\usr\mibs) or copy your populated mib directory (with IP-Mib and about a dozen others) to c:\php\extras\mibs .  Presto, the poller now runs as it should.

Loaded MRTG, followed as many how-tos as I could get my hands on, configured a WMI script, and all I get was:

C:\Program Files\mrtg-2.16.0\bin>perl mrtg mrtgwmi.cfg
Daemonizing MRTG …
Do Not close this window. Or MRTG will die
2009-12-17 13:06:38: ERROR: Target[my.monitor][_IN_] ‘cscript //nologo mymonitor.vbs myserver’ (kill): Search pattern not terminated at (eval 18) line 1.
2009-12-17 13:06:38: ERROR: Target[my.monitor][_OUT_] ‘cscript //nologo mymonitor.vbs myserver’ (kill): Search pattern not terminated at (eval 19) line 1.
Terminating on signal SIGINT(2)

Turns out in my config, the line calling the script:
cscript //nologo “c:\program files\mrtg-2.16.0\scripts\mymonitor.vbs” myserver

I wasn’t wrapping it in the right apostrophe. The line should read:

Target[my.monitor]: `cscript //nologo “c:\program files\mrtg-2.16.0\scripts\mymonitor.vbs” myserver`

Using the apostrophe left of the 1 (`) and NOT the apostrophe next to the return key (‘) . I love perl, really.

Setting up a new pool (persistent linked clone, in this instance) for VMWare View 4. Had the template built, took a snapshot, then tried to create the pool. Got all the way through setup to select the template and snapshot, but voila. Snapshot wasn’t there.

VMWare View templates require the snapshot to be taken WITHOUT the VM memory state. If the memory state is taken with the snap, the snapshot isn’t available – except it won’t tell you why.

VMWare also highly recommends/suggests that the VM template be powered off. This makes a lot of sense, and you really should, but I had two snaps taken with the system powered on which I built VDI Persistent Linked Pools from, and 10 desktops worked fine.

Warranty service required on a PowerEdge (m600 specifically, but pick your poison). Replacement motherboard shipped, with no service tag burned in. Requires “asset.com” (DOS .com file).

Note: Some people have reported Asset.com running in a dos box under Windows.  All I know is it doesn’t work under x64.

How to update the service tag:
- Download the Dell Diagnostics CD (R212797 – Extracts to an exe which then makes an ISO or USB stick.  http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/driverslist.aspx?os=LIN45&catid=13&dateid=-1&impid=-1&osl=EN&servicetag=&SystemID=PWE_2900&hidos=NW&hidlang=EN&TabIndex=).
- Create the ISO. Load up your DRAC/iDRAC interface. Mount the ISO as the virtual CD ROM drive.  (Path will be different, wherever it expanded to.  I moved mine.)

- Reboot your server. From the console (iDRAC or physical) hit the boot menu, select Virtual CD. It will boot to the diagnostics.

> ALTERNATIVELY: Burn the ISO to a CD, boot your CD from that instead.

- Once booted, Pick option 4 – quit. Drops you to a D:> dos prompt.

- change to C:, cd to UTIL . dir should reveal asset.com

- Run asset.com to see your service tag number (or if it’s blank).

- Run asset.com /s AB12345 to update the service tag number (AB12345 will be the number you want to burn in).

- Run asset.com to check that the change has taken. If so, reboot your machine, disconnect your Diags ISO, and walk away from a job well done.

Ta da.

In most other versions of XP, the instructions at http://www.jakeludington.com/windows_xp/20060219_change_xp_boot_screen.html for changing the boot screen work fine. For XP Embedded (or Embedded Standard 2009, whatever you want to call it), you have to change number 1, not number 5.

Conversely, on the HP Thin Clis, there are two kernels – ntoskrnl.exe and ntkrnlpa.exe . I’m not sure which one made the change, as I edited both of them.

16 color bitmaps look like crap. When is Win7 Embedded coming?

In lieu of not updating for the next few months (50 – 60 hrs working weeks don’t leave lots of time for creative writing), I’m going to start putting up brief outlines of things I’ve run into, and problems I’ve managed to figure out. Hopefully it will be enough for you, dear reader, to follow my train of thought. If not, leave a comment – I’ll respond as soon as I can.

First – Windows Update error 80070490
or 0×80070490
Vista x86 (same will probably be true of XP and Win7, x86 and x64)

stop windows update service
delete c:\windows\softwaredistribution
reboot
start windows update
download and install updates

This worked for me (for a couple of reboots) but the problem seems to have returned. Anyone have any ideas beyond a reinstall/repair install as Msft unhelpfully recommends?