Saturday, January 15, 2011

Security Update for SQL Server 2000 Service Pack 4 (KB960082) Failed

I've had a re-occurring problem with this issue, but thanks to the blogger that posted the following that I no longer have this issue. Thanks!

http://hpanswers.blogspot.com/2010/01/security-update-for-sql-server-2000.html

Security Update for SQL Server 2000 Service Pack 4 (KB960082) failed With error code 0x2C24 during the installation of windows update which relates to Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Service Pack 4,This update might be downloaded with automatic updates but continues to fail to install repeated times. When you Further look at the issue, windows failed to install the updated with the error code 0x2C24.The simple solution for this problem is Setting MSSQL$SBSMONITORING from Disabled to Manual in the services window, following are the steps to do that.
Click Start
Click Run
Go to services windows by typing "services.msc" in Run
Search for the MSSQL$SBSMONITORING Service
Right Click on MSSQL$SBSMONITORING and click on Properties.
If you have this service (MSSQL$SBSMONITORING) in Disabled mode Change to Manual and click on Ok
Install the Update Security Update for SQL Server 2000 Service Pack 4 (KB960082), it would be successfulI am sure that the above steps resolved my problem quickly and the update was successful.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

iTunes 10.1.1 & Remote Speakers (error -15000)

I recently had a problem with upgrading to iTunes version 10.1.1.4 and playing to my Airport Express for remote speakers.

I spent 3+ hours looking for the resolution until I found it at the below link.

Thanks to you, a lot of people including myself are happy and grateful:

Fix for error -15000 Remote speakers on iTunes / Windows 7


Published on October 22, 2010 in Apple. 46 Comments Tags: , , .
So, just to be clear: this is not about iTunes on MacOSX, it’s only about iTunes 10 on Windows 7. It might work on Windows Vista, but I have no PC with Vista to test. It might help on versions earlier than iTunes 10 (I read the version 8 already had the problem), but I haven’t tested that.

The problem is the following: while it used to be possible (in older versions of iTunes), your iTunes might not stream the music to an Airport Express / Apple TV (the feature they call ‘Airtunes‘), and every time you try, iTunes will come back with an error ‘An error occurred connecting to the remote speaker (…). An unknown error occurred (-15000).‘. What is happening is that the Windows Firewall is blocking the UDP connections for Airtunes (ports 6001-6003 if you’re asking). For some reason the old firewall rules for iTunes don’t work with the new version.
How to fix this: only if you’re not afraid of diving into your PC’s configuration. If you’re a novice or feel unsure, ask someone more knowledgeable to do it for you. Check if the person knows what a firewall is used for. “Security” is a too general answer.
Go to the control panel for Windows Firewall (Start / Control Panel / Security / Windows Firewall)
Go to the ‘Advanced settings’ and look for the ‘Inbound Rules’ (I know, for me iTunes sending music to somewhere else sounds like outbound, but still, it’s the inbound you need).
Look for a rule called “iTunes” (there might be several) and see if it talks about UDP ports, not TCP. The ‘Protocols and Ports’ page should look like this:
Now go to the ‘Advanced’ tab. Your rule will specify only ‘Public’ under the profiles. Also check the ‘Private’ profile. Don’t touch the rest.
Close all your tabs and windows for the Firewall.
Try to connect to the speakers in iTunes. It should work.
How did I find this? I was unnerved enough to look for a while and I checked how the demo version of Airfoil (in short: stream any audio to your Airport Express/AppleTV, not just from iTunes, costs 25$) deals with the Windows firewall.
Hope this helps some people like those writing on various forums.
So, now that I have the music from my laptop playing in my kitchen again, I can continue making my soup. Broccoli, thank for asking.

Sunday, January 2, 2011

How to easily Unprotect/Remove Password from a Protected Excel Worksheet

I found this website to help remove 'Password-Protected' Worksheets within an Excel file:

http://jsbi.blogspot.com/2008/09/how-to-easily-unprotectremove-password.html

You may already know how easy it is to protect Microsoft Office Excel worksheets and workbooks from unauthorized changes with the help of a password. But, what to do if you can’t remember the password you used for protecting OR you downloaded an excel from the internet and would like to have a look at the formula's or the embeded information - but all that data might be inaccessible due to the password protection.I have a very simple method by which you can easily recover the password and also un-protect the worksheet or workbook. Please note : this method will only remove the protection from the excel file and not the password used to open the excel file itself.Open the excel file which is password protected and goto Macro's (I am using Office 2007 so the menu's maybe different View >> Macros). Click on "Record Macro >> OK" and then click on "Stop Recording" from the same menu. Now goto "View Macros", you will find a Macro with a default name E.g. Macro1 - Select the macro name and click on Edit. Now a Visual Basic Editor opens up. Re-place the default code and Paste the below code.

Sub Macro1()'' Breaks worksheet and workbook structure passwords. Jason S' probably originator of base code algorithm modified for coverage' of workbook structure / windows passwords and for multiple passwords' Jason S http://jsbi.blogspot.com' Reveals hashed passwords NOT original passwordsConst DBLSPACE As String = vbNewLine & vbNewLineConst AUTHORS As String = DBLSPACE & vbNewLine & "Adapted from Bob McCormick base code by" & "Jason S http://jsbi.blogspot.com"Const HEADER As String = "AllInternalPasswords User Message"Const VERSION As String = DBLSPACE & "Version 1.0 8 Sep 2008"Const REPBACK As String = DBLSPACE & "Please report failure to jasonblr@gmail.com "Const ALLCLEAR As String = DBLSPACE & "The workbook should be cleared"Const MSGNOPWORDS1 As String = "There were no passwords on " & AUTHORS & VERSIONConst MSGNOPWORDS2 As String = "There was no protection to " & "workbook structure or windows." & DBLSPACEConst MSGTAKETIME As String = "After pressing OK button this " & "will take some time." & DBLSPACE & "Amount of time " & "depends on how many different passwords, the "Const MSGPWORDFOUND1 As String = "You had a Worksheet " & "Structure or Windows Password set." & DBLSPACE & "The password found was: " & DBLSPACE & "$$" & DBLSPACE & "Note it down for potential future use in other workbooks by " & "the same person who set this password." & DBLSPACE & "Now to check and clear other passwords." & AUTHORS & VERSIONConst MSGPWORDFOUND2 As String = "You had a Worksheet " & "password set." & DBLSPACE & "The password found was: " & DBLSPACE & "$$" & DBLSPACE & "Note it down for potential " & "future use in other workbooks by same person who " & "set this password." & DBLSPACE & "Now to check and clear " & "other passwords." & AUTHORS & VERSIONConst MSGONLYONE As String = "Only structure / windows " & "protected with the password that was just found." & ALLCLEAR & AUTHORS & VERSION & REPBACKDim w1 As Worksheet, w2 As WorksheetDim i As Integer, j As Integer, k As Integer, l As IntegerDim m As Integer, n As Integer, i1 As Integer, i2 As IntegerDim i3 As Integer, i4 As Integer, i5 As Integer, i6 As IntegerDim PWord1 As StringDim ShTag As Boolean, WinTag As BooleanApplication.ScreenUpdating = FalseWith ActiveWorkbookWinTag = .ProtectStructure Or .ProtectWindowsEnd WithShTag = FalseFor Each w1 In WorksheetsShTag = ShTag Or w1.ProtectContentsNext w1If Not ShTag And Not WinTag ThenMsgBox MSGNOPWORDS1, vbInformation, HEADERExit SubEnd IfMsgBox MSGTAKETIME, vbInformation, HEADERIf Not WinTag ThenMsgBox MSGNOPWORDS2, vbInformation, HEADERElseOn Error Resume NextDo 'dummy do loopFor i = 65 To 66: For j = 65 To 66: For k = 65 To 66For l = 65 To 66: For m = 65 To 66: For i1 = 65 To 66For i2 = 65 To 66: For i3 = 65 To 66: For i4 = 65 To 66For i5 = 65 To 66: For i6 = 65 To 66: For n = 32 To 126With ActiveWorkbook.Unprotect Chr(i) & Chr(j) & Chr(k) & Chr(l) & Chr(m) & Chr(i1) & Chr(i2) & Chr(i3) & Chr(i4) & Chr(i5) & Chr(i6) & Chr(n)If .ProtectStructure = False And .ProtectWindows = False ThenPWord1 = Chr(i) & Chr(j) & Chr(k) & Chr(l) & Chr(m) & Chr(i1) & Chr(i2) & Chr(i3) & Chr(i4) & Chr(i5) & Chr(i6) & Chr(n)MsgBox Application.Substitute(MSGPWORDFOUND1, "$$", PWord1), vbInformation, HEADERExit Do 'Bypass all for...nextsEnd IfEnd WithNext: Next: Next: Next: Next: NextNext: Next: Next: Next: Next: NextLoop Until TrueOn Error GoTo 0End IfIf WinTag And Not ShTag ThenMsgBox MSGONLYONE, vbInformation, HEADERExit SubEnd IfOn Error Resume NextFor Each w1 In Worksheets'Attempt clearance with PWord1w1.Unprotect PWord1Next w1On Error GoTo 0ShTag = FalseFor Each w1 In Worksheets'Checks for all clear ShTag triggered to 1 if not.ShTag = ShTag Or w1.ProtectContentsNext w1If ShTag ThenFor Each w1 In WorksheetsWith w1If .ProtectContents ThenOn Error Resume NextDo 'Dummy do loopFor i = 65 To 66: For j = 65 To 66: For k = 65 To 66For l = 65 To 66: For m = 65 To 66: For i1 = 65 To 66For i2 = 65 To 66: For i3 = 65 To 66: For i4 = 65 To 66For i5 = 65 To 66: For i6 = 65 To 66: For n = 32 To 126.Unprotect Chr(i) & Chr(j) & Chr(k) & Chr(l) & Chr(m) & Chr(i1) & Chr(i2) & Chr(i3) & Chr(i4) & Chr(i5) & Chr(i6) & Chr(n)If Not .ProtectContents ThenPWord1 = Chr(i) & Chr(j) & Chr(k) & Chr(l) & Chr(m) & Chr(i1) & Chr(i2) & Chr(i3) & Chr(i4) & Chr(i5) & Chr(i6) & Chr(n)MsgBox Application.Substitute(MSGPWORDFOUND2, "$$", PWord1), vbInformation, HEADER'leverage finding Pword by trying on other sheetsFor Each w2 In Worksheetsw2.Unprotect PWord1Next w2Exit Do 'Bypass all for...nextsEnd IfNext: Next: Next: Next: Next: NextNext: Next: Next: Next: Next: NextLoop Until TrueOn Error GoTo 0End IfEnd WithNext w1End IfMsgBox ALLCLEAR & AUTHORS & VERSION & REPBACK, vbInformation, HEADER'End Sub

Finally, run the Macro(View >> Macros >> View Macros >> Run). You will get the password of the protected workbook and worksheet in Excel. I have tested the above in Microsoft Office Excel XP / 2003 / 2007