Problem with Lenovo EDGE 13’3 Wi-Fi and Windows 8

It seems that Lenovo have big fail with Windows 8 drivers

Few days ago I decide to reinstall my laptop from scratch. First I backed up all data on, and then I reformate my HDD and install Windows 8 x64 Enterprise. Everything seems to be fine except one thing. I couldn’t start my Wireless Network Card.

I checked in device manager and drivers was OK. No exclamation marks or similar failures. But I couldn’t connect to my Wi-Fi network.

As far as we all know, Lenovo have hardware switch on some models. On EDGE there is no switch but you must start (enable) your Wi-Fi card by pressing Fn+F9. You are unable to do this if you don’t have Lenovo software installed. But Lenovo still didn’t write proper drivers for Windows 8.

Currently Lenovo have Beta drivers for Windows 8 @ Lenovo. Why for God’s sake they have Beta drivers? Windows 8 is out for more then three months.

Here is what you must do if you don’t want to install Beta drivers on your laptop (you will must to install just one)

1. ThinkPad Power Management Driver, v1.66 beta, download (Windows 8 x86, x64)
2. ThinkPad Power Manager, v6.32, download (Windows 7)
3. Hotkey Features Integration, v3.80, download (Windows 7)
4. Communications Utility, v2.09, download (Windows 7) – this one is needed to have Fn+F6 bring up properties for webcam, etc.

Yes, you must use Windows 7 drivers!

If some of this applications don’t want to install you will have to use compatibility mode.

After this you are able to get response after pressing Fn+F9., and you have possibility to enable your Wi-Fi card.

For some Lenovo models you can use Base Utility Package for Windows 8.

Configuring VPN connection on server 2008 R2 using RRAS and configuring clients

One colleague ask me to help him with detailed steps how to configure VPN on server 2008 R2 and how to configure Windows XP and Windows 7 clients. So here it is.

Configuring VPN on server 2008 R2

Configuring VPN start with adding server role for RRAS.

Just follow next two pictures what to choose

Wait for wizard to finish, and then you will get this picture

Now you have role installed. You must configure and enable RRAS

When you click on option Configure and Enable RRAS new wizard will start. Just follow the wizard in next 5 pictures.

NOTE: You MUST have two NIC configured, one for internal use (LAN) and one for external use (WWW)

I prefer to choose IP address range and number of possible connecting clients son next picture will shown how to do that

If you have AD infrastructure configure your RRAS like this

After this you will get this picture and click Finish

Now your Server have successfully configured RRAS.

Configuring client on Windows 7  for VPN access

Go to network and sharing center and choose option set up a new connection or network

Choose option Connect to a workplace

For previously described configuration of RRAS option Use my Internet connection (VPN) will be right choice.

Type your DNS name of RRAS server or public IP address, and follow steps in next three pictures.

Additional option as authentication protocols can be founded in properties of your VPN connection. Most commonly used is already checked.

Configuring client on Windows XP for VPN access

On Windows XP go to Network Connections and click Create a new connection

A wizard will start. Follow next three pictures.

Choose name for your VPN connection

Type DNS name or public IP address of your previously configured RRAS (VPN) server

Well done you are configure client for VPN access. Now you need to type your username and password before connect.

Steps for configuring additional authentication protocols (if needed) is described in next two pictures. At first you must click Properties.

I hope that this is helpful

BR

D.

How to delete EISA recovery partition from Windows

 

I had problem with deleting EISA partition on several old disks from IBM/LENOVO computers. Usually solutions was to contact manufacturer for some tools but I found this solution on www.mydigitallife.info

Solution is for Windows Vista but it also works on Windows XP.

Here is quotation of solution:

Here’s the trick to delete and remove the EISA recovery or diagnostic partition in Vista. Before proceeding with the deletion action, make sure that at least a set of Recovery Disc Media has been created. Else, you won’t be able to restore your computer to working and factory default condition when any problem on PC requires reinstallation.

1. Open a command prompt as administrator.  (On Windows XP just open Command Prompt)
2. Run Diskpart application by typing Diskpart in the command prompt.
3. In the “Diskpart” prompt, enter rescan command and press Enter key to re-scan all partitions, volumes and drives available.
4. Then type in list disk and press Enter key to show all hard disk drive available.
5. Select the disk that contains the partition you want to remove. Normally, with just 1 hard disk, it will be disk 0. So the command will be:

   select disk 0

   Finish by Enter key.

6. Type list partition and press Enter key to show all available and created partition in the disk selected.
7. Select the partition that wanted to be deleted by using the following command, followed by Enter key:

   select partition x

   where x is the number of the EISA based recovery partition to be removed and unlocked its space. Be careful with the number of this partition, as wrong number may get data wipes off.

8. Finally, type in delete partition override and press Enter key.

Once the partition has been deleted, exit from Diskpart, and now users can use the much familiar and much easier Disk Management tool in Windows (diskmgmt.msc) to manipulate the freed unallocated partition. Users can create a new volume (partition) with this space, or simply merge it to existing partition by extending the size of the existing partition.

 

And here is picture of diskpart

Windows 7 and iPhone tethering

It seems that iPhone and Windows 7 have problems with tethering over Bluetooth on Lenovo notebook.

When you try to connect your iPhone with notebook using Bluetooth you will receive driver error for “Bluetooth peripheral device”. Of course you can control everything on your iPhone but you couldn’t connect to internet using tethering.

I don’t know why is this happened but solution is simple.

You must go to Control Panel – Devices and Printers. Right click on your iPhone then Properties – Services

Uncheck option Wireless iAP

Click OK

Now right click on your iPhone again

Then Connect Using – Access Point

And now you are connected to internet using Bluetooth on your iPhone

SCCM Client won’t show device is server console

Usually when You install SCCM 2012 client after few minutes device appear in console view. But what if device wont show after couple restarts? (couple days)

I don’t know why this error occurred but, this is steps for resolving problem.

At first, you must check connectivity to SCCM 2012 server. If connectivity is ok and you can reach server by its name do this.go to tab SITE

go to tab SITE

Write number of assigned site and press Find Site

You will receive notification that Configuration Manager has successfully find site to manage this client

Check General tab again now it looks like this

Notify that you still don’t have “Client certificate” and “Connection Type”

But after few minutes everything is fine

Your client is now visible in your SCCM console and you can manage it.

Installing Hyper-V 2008 R2 SP1 on IBM X346 with ADAPTEC SCSI u320 controller

It could be pretty tricky to install Hyper-V 2008 R2 SP1 on IBM x346 with Adaptec controller. If didn’t want to throw away my old server so I decided to install Hyper-V on it to create testing environment.

I do this with colleague of mine, and we faced with problem. Hyper-V wont install on IBM x346. Why? Server asked for driver….

I think that driver is so old that Hyper-V don’t have it in its drivers database, and You can’t install it using ServerGuide CD.

What were we do.

After spending hours trying to install Hyper-V on IBM x346 with Adaptec u320 SCSI controller, finally we have solution.

My colleague Luka Gros spend finds x64 driver for Adaptec SCSI controller. He found it on this link.

After downloading, you must extract this driver and burn it on CD

Steps what we are do after that is:

booting from Hyper-V 2008 R2 SP1 and starting installation

when asked for driver change CD to one with driver and click Browse

find driver on CD and click Next

change CD to installation CD again and finish your installation

Hyper-V is installed and running fine now

P.S.

If You need to manipulate with physical HDD on your Hyper-V, MMC console will return error “RPC server unavailable”.

To avoid this run this command with elevated privileges:

netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group=”Remote Volume Management” new enable=yes

Thanks to Luka Gros