Alex's questions

I have a DC server that runs a network of about 20 computers. This is also the DC and pushes out the time to all the client computers.

However the time on the server is 10 minutes fast and is causing problems with some syncing applications. So far I have tried the regfix from MS: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/816042

Next I tried to set an external server for time as per this technote: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc784553.aspx

I updated the /manualpeerlist but whenever I run w32tm /resync it fetches the time but its always 10minutes too fast.

I'm stuck for ideas on how to debug this further.

I'm trying to wire up a network in an outbuilding. Unfortunately the engineers have left me bar wires so I need to add plugs and sockets. I have a 1gbps socket in the outbuilding that connects to the main network. From here I have a wire that goes to a socket where a computer is to be installed:

Main socket -> sub-socket -> PC

I have tried to wire this up but I'm getting either a "network cable unplugged" message or a 10mbps connection. If I plug the PC directly into the master socket I get full 1GB connection. The problem is clearly with my connections. At the moment the wire connecting the main socket with the sub socket has connection type 568B. Then the sub socket is connected to the PC using a store bought patch cable. Am I using the right connection, what order or wiring should there be in the sub-socket?

I'm setting up a WIM to image a set of laptops. I have setup a computer which I have sysprep'ed and then captured the image to the WDS server. I have deleted all the local user accounts using the control panel. However when I image a computer from the WIM there are 3 or 4 local user accounts already on the system. How can I get rid of them, or ideally not include them in the image capture in the first place?

I'm setting up WDS to image a set of laptops. The install is done over ethernet, which works fine. However the laptops need to connect to WiFi using the built in card. The drivers aren't installed as part of the setup. When and how is the appropriate way to introduce them? Lots of articles talk about injecting network card drivers into the boot image, but this is in order to connect to the WDS. I don't need to use the WiFi drivers to do the imaging I just need them to be installed as part of the setup.

Whats the best method to add printers for users using GPO? Also is there any way to prevent thjem from adding network printers but allow them to add local printers?

Server is Win 2003 RC2, clients are a mix of XP and Win 7

Theres so much junk in the "All Programs" section of Windows these days. I'm trying to customise it so that it just shows a restricted list of relevant apps to the users. I'm using Server 2003 and Win 7 clients. I'm managed to remove everything using

User Configuration / Policies / Administrative Templates / Start Menu and Taskbar / Remove All Programs List from the start menu

I've then tried to add the shortcust back in using:

Preferences / Windows Settings / Shortcuts / Shortcut (Path: %StartMenuDir%\Application.ink)

However this hasn't worked and the start menu is blank, whats the best way to go about customising the programs in the start menu?

To deploy printers in a XP/Server 2003 environment using GPO should I use:

User Configuration / Policies / Windows Settings / Deployed Printers

or

User Configuration / Policies / Preferences / Control Panel Settings / Printers

Network drives are mapped using GPO, however some of the drives are showing up as "Disconnected Network Drive X:" even though they are connected. The icon shows them as connected and if you click on the drive it connects to the share. Its just the wording of the drive. it causes a lot of problems becuase users report that they can't access their drives, even though they could if they tried. How can I make them show the normal text?

At the moment we have two buildings each with their own LAN's and each with their own internet connection through an ADSL modem, using their own seperate telephone line. Next week we are going to connect up ther buildings using a laser link. The whole company will then be on one LAN.

The only problem is that both buildings have at least 18 month left on the internet contracts. Can I still use both modems on 1 LAN? If so will this give me more bandwidth?

We have a problem with users saving files to the local computer. I'm trying to implement some group policy to limit this. Whats the best way to give users a default folder on the server? Folder Redirection Group Policy, Home Directory in AD? Any other ways?

How can I setup a domain so that it redirects to another address for example;

http://itsupport.home

redirects to: http://www.longdifficult.com/to-remeber/address/1865622

It only needs to be within our network, but the site it redirects to is on the internet. The DNS server is on a Win 2003 Sp2 Maachine.

I'm working on a project with 2 sites connected by a VPN. Site 1 has the main server and there is a secondary server at site 2 which I am trying to replace. The current setup works perfectly however I can't for the life of me get the replacement server at site 2 up and running. I'm trying to replace like for like just upgraded hardware.

I have installed the OS (all Server 2003 Standard SP2) and used exactly the same settings as the old server. I have setup Active Directory, DNS Server, DHCP Server and WINS Server configured. I have used all the same settings as the old server (except IP address and name). I can access the active directory but I can't do anything; add, edit, delete all returns "the directory service is unavaliable". No-one can login on any of the computers on site 2 and the internet is down. Plugging the old server back in and connecting it to the network rectifies the issue (so both new and old are connected at site 2), everyone can login and the internet is back (curious since the modem connects direct to the switch, and even with the new server online I can connect to the router via IP but not the net).

I really don't have much experience but I've been roped into doing this because my company is too cheap to hire a real network admin. Any suggestions of where I can start to troubleshoot this, its driving me crazy and I only have a day before all the users are back on site.

I have a Windows 2003 Server that I want to migrate to new hardware. All the setup and configuration was done by my predecessor. Right now I'm in a real time crunch and I just want to copy all the files and settings to the new machine. Is there an easy way to do this or do I need to manually copy all the files and add all the settings?

Microsoft KB suggests "Automated System Recovery", is this the best way forward?

I'm experimenting with different locations and fans in my server. Whats a good program to monitor temperatures?