Vista Error - You can't save here. Please choose another location.

While working on some screenshots, there was a need to figure out what folder the current screenshot needed to be saved in.

In Windows Vista, the top right corner of the Save As dialogue box has the search function built in.

Once a keyword was punched into the search to verify that the right folder was selected, there were a lot of screenshots in the folder, the Save button was clicked on.

This is the error that came up:

Save As
You can't save here. Please choose another location

That was a pretty puzzling one at first.

After clicking the "X" to the right of the search term to eliminate the search results and clicking the Save button again and it worked.

A bit of a strange hang up, but it looks as though the search results eliminate any reference to the current folder the search was initiated in.

This hiccup happens in both the Save and Save As dialogue boxes on Windows Vista for any application that offers the search box in the top left corner and a search was initiated with the results showing.

Philip Elder
MPECS Inc.
Microsoft Small Business Specialists

*All Mac on SBS posts are posted on our in-house iMac via the Safari Web browser.

Vista Tip: A quick way to logoff or lock your workstation

That Start Button on the keyboard is pretty handy!

Whether you use the mouse, or your keyboard, here is a really quick way to logoff your Windows Vista machine:

1. Click the Start Button or hit the Start key on your keyboard.
2. Type: Logoff [Enter]
3. Done.

Nice and simple eh?

Oh, need to walk away from the system? One quick way to lock your workstation is to CTRL+ALT+DEL --> [Enter].

An even quicker way:

1. Hold the Start button on your keyboard and hit the L key.

Yes, this key stroke series works with Windows XP as well. :)

Philip Elder
MPECS Inc.
Microsoft Small Business Specialists

*All Mac on SBS posts are posted on our in-house iMac via the Safari Web browser.

Books: Group Policy and Creating the Secure Managed Desktop by Jeremy Moskowitz

One of the first things we discover when we are searching about for answers on any Group Policy related issues is the name Jeremy Moskowitz. Jeremy is a Group Policy MVP, runs GPAnswers.com, and does a lot of in-person training on Group Policy. He knows his stuff!

Keeping up to date on the changes in Group Policy (GP) from RTM/Gold products through Service Packs can be a challenge. Structuring our OUs and GPs appropriately can also be a challenge, especially for the new GP structures introduced with Windows Vista and now Server 2008.

There are two fantastic book resources by Jeremy Moskowitz available to us:

1. Group Policy: Fundamentals, Security, and Troubleshooting
2. Creating the Secure Managed Desktop Using Group Policy, SoftGrid, Microsoft Deployment, and Other Management Tools

A nice touch for those who order from his Web site is they come autographed.

Given that we are currently in a major learning mode for Small Business Server 2008 and Essential Business Server 2008, picking these books up to facilitate our knowledge building on the new Group Policy structures is a good idea.

They are well written with a plethora of real world examples. Whenever a new edition of the books is available we make a point of picking them up. They are really that good.

For us, providing a secure and properly structured Group Policy setup is mandatory for our clients. Thus we make a point of learning the GP guidelines that are available to us.

From securing Terminal Servers to setting up OUs with computers or users with specific GPs defined for them, we need to understand how the various policy settings affect those OUs and any OUs nested within them. Jeremy's books provide one of the better ways to do so.

Also, the GPAnswers.com Web site is another great resource. There is a user community of very helpful folks to work with when it comes to Group Policy related questions and issues. Check it out, it will be well worth your time.

Philip Elder
MPECS Inc.
Microsoft Small Business Specialists

*All Mac on SBS posts are posted on our in-house iMac via the Safari Web browser.

Windows Vista - BitLocker caveat - Or maybe not?

Looking forward to incorporating full encryption via the new Windows Vista BitLocker Drive Encryption? We are, and so are our clients who have a huge exposure with client data on all of their laptops.

EFS was not a foolproof option. BitLocker is.

However, a little beforehand research is in order.

One needs to have at least two (2) volumes created before installing Windows Vista.

At least that is how it reads until about the middle of the Help article where it states that if you only have one volume, you can use the BitLocker Drive Preparation Tool to "help get your system ready for BitLocker by creating the required second partition".

From the Windows Vista Help for BitLocker:

Set up your hard disk for BitLocker Drive Encryption

Before you can turn on BitLocker Drive Encryption you need to make sure that your computer's hard disk has the following:

At least two volumes. If you create a new volume after you have already installed Windows, you will have to reinstall Windows before turning on BitLocker [emphasis ours].

One volume is for the operating system drive (typically drive C) that BitLocker will encrypt, and one is for the active volume, which must remain unencrypted to start the computer. The size of the active volume must be at least 1.5 gigabytes (GB). Both partitions must be formatted with the NTFS file system.

Note

The terms partition and volume are often used interchangeably. On most computers, they are the same: one partition equals one volume. On larger computer systems, however, it is possible to have a single volume span several partitions. BitLocker installs on a simple volume, where one volume equals one partition.

If you do not already have two partitions, you can use the BitLocker Drive Preparation Tool to help get your system ready for BitLocker by creating the required second partition [emphasis ours].

If you are using Windows Vista Ultimate, you can download and install the BitLocker drive preparation tool from Ultimate Extras. Download and install the Ultimate extra called BitLocker and EFS enhancements. After you have installed this tool, type BitLocker into the Start menu search box, and then double-click BitLocker Drive Preparation Tool to run the tool. After the tool runs, you must restart your computer before turning on BitLocker.

If you are using Windows Vista Enterprise, you can get the BitLocker drive preparation tool through these standard support channels:

Microsoft Volume Licensing Services

Microsoft Services Premier Support

Additional information about the BitLocker drive preparation tool is available in Knowledge base article KB# 930063.

If your computer meets these requirements, you can turn on BitLocker.

To turn on BitLocker
Click to open BitLocker.‌ If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

Click Turn on BitLocker.

Follow the instructions in the BitLocker Setup wizard.

From the above mentioned Knowledge base article:

How to obtain the BitLocker Drive Preparation Tool

Windows Vista Ultimate

If you are using Windows Vista Ultimate, follow these steps to obtain the tool:

1. Click Start, type Windows Update in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
2. Click Check for updates.
3. Click View available Extras.
4. Click to select the BitLocker and EFS enhancements check box, and then click Install.

We don't have a free system with a TPM at the moment. So, we won't be able to run through the setup procedure to figure out just what is up.

To the Windows Vista team that wrote this particular Help item, please clarify whether we need to have two partitions/volumes before we install the OS or not. The above Help article certainly, at least in our opinion, doesn't make things clear.

Philip Elder
MPECS Inc.
Microsoft Small Business Specialists

*All Mac on SBS posts are posted on our in-house iMac via the Safari Web browser.

Virtual Vista - Blue Screen STOP 0x000000D1

DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

I was doing some tweaking on our two virtual Vista Business installations. They were both rebooted at the same time, with one BSOD as above.

The system is a new SR2300 with dual 2.8 GHz. Xeons and 6 GB of RAM. Drives are a pair of Seagate SCSIs mirrored by the host OS.

The funny thing is, the other instance just kept trucking. A "reboot" of the virtual machine allowed the instance to boot with no issues.

There is no virtualization tech on this particular machine. So, there could be any number of reasons why it happened. One is an attempt to hit a spot in memory that was already occupied, another being something with the hardware itself.

Some further testing will be in order. Though, in this case the Vista machines are for testing purposes only. We also have two XP Pro SP2 instances on it that are running quite stable. So, time will tell as we tear Vista apart, and put it back together again!

I like that ability with the virtualized OS: Kill it, then kill it again, then kill it again...As long as my original VHD copy is around, I am good to go!

The machines are virtualized on Microsoft's Virtual Server 2005 R2 Enterprise Edition.

Microsoft's take on it: KB 293077 Error Message: STOP 0x000000D1 DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL.

UPDATE 2009-04-01: The above link is now a dud. Here is a link for a search for the stop error on Microsoft's support site: 0x000000D1 Search.

Philip Elder
MPECS Inc.
Microsoft Small Business Specialists

System Builder Tips: Windows Vista Feature: During install ... USB drive live!

I am sure that there are a lot of people who have been caught in "floppy hell" when it comes to installing operating systems with some sort of special controller card or on board controller.

I am installing Vista Ultimate onto one of our small form factor Pentium D machines along with Office 2007 to take with me to client's locations for demonstrations.

This particular box has a 2 port SATA RAID controller in it.

Vista could not find any drivers and requested some. The demo box has no built in optical or floppy drive. There is an optical drive connected via USB for the install only.

I connected a USB floppy with the driver in it, and Vista scanned it, pulled the driver, and the installation now continues. No reboot for a drive to be connected!

To me, that is a pretty neat feature. I don't know how many times I have been caught by an OS that requested a driver from a floppy only!

It gives me the impression that I can now keep a USB flash drive with the requisite drivers that can be used with future Vista and hopefully Longhorn installs!

Philip Elder
MPECS Inc.
Microsoft Small Business Specialists

Vista - Telnet Client not Installed by Default

I went to test a POP3 server connection from one of our Vista remote clients, and discovered that the Telnet client was not installed by default.

In the Vista default view:


Click on the green Programs Link. You will be taken to the following page:


The link with the shield, Turn Windows features on or off, is the next one to click on.

You will be greeted with the now famous UAC (User Access Control):


From there, you can choose to install whatever Vista feature you are looking for:


Then, you will be done.

If you are a bit of a traditionalist, as I am, then you can switch to the Classic View, and click on the icon!


Now, off to find the source of my POP3 problem!

Windows Vista User Access Control on TechNet:

• User Access Control


• Windows Vista User Account Control Step by Step Guide

And, Microsoft's Windows Vista homepage.

Philip Elder
MPECS Inc.
Microsoft Small Business Specialists

Supporting Windows Vista - Mark Minasi Audio CDs

I am pretty excited!


Did I say that, "I am pretty excited!"?


OH YEAH! :D

I ordered Mark Minasi's Supporting Windows Vista audio CDs when I saw mention of them on Susan Bradley's Blog.

I can remember reading Mr. Minasi's books way back when I first started out into this industry and I was a voracious reader - I had the time then! ;)

They just arrived today! And, other than UPS gouging me for 20% of the value for their freakin no permission asked for brokerage fees, I am very excited about it.

I am looking forward to learning a lot about Vista and it's abilities through this very intelligent and talented man.

Thank you Mr. Minasi for sharing your wealth of knowledge!

You too can obtain your copy on Mark's Web Site. That is at Minasi.com and not markminasi.com as that is currently occupied what looks to be domain squatters?

Philip Elder
MPECS Inc.
Microsoft Small Business Specialists