Windows Server

IPSEC fails to start with Error 2: The system cannot find the file specified

One of our VMware guest servers started to behave strangely. After the restart machine could be pinged successfully but during the "Apply Computer settings" phase, machine looses ping with the message that one of the services failed to start.

I have checked event log and there was a huge number of error events with the following information:

IPSec, Event ID 4292

The IPSec driver has entered Block mode. IPSec will discard all inbound and outbound TCP/IP network trafic that is not permitted by boot-time IPSec Policy exemptions. User Action: To resotre ull unsecured TCP/IP connectivity, disable the IPSec services, and then restart the computer.

When you try to start IPSec service manually, you will receive the following error message:

Could not start the IPSEC Services service on Local Computer. Error 2: The system cannot find the file specified."

Last Updated on Thursday, 18 October 2012 11:01

Windows Server 2008 R2 network printers displayed as offline

Couple of months ago we started with slow migration of our printers from Windows Server 2003 to Windows 2008 R2 Server.

At first, everything was working well, but recently we started to experience issues with printers going offline on clients and on the Windows Server 2008 R2 print server.

We are using Windows XP and Windows 7 workstations in our environment where both experience the same issues.

To be able to fix that I had to clear the print spooler on the server and then restart print spooler service on the server. Along with few refreshes of the printers screen, I was able to get the printer status back online.

Last Updated on Thursday, 12 July 2012 19:41

Printer installation failed. Error 0x00000490

I had a strange error today when I tried to install a new Ricoh Multi-Functional printer on Windows 2008 R2 Server x64.

Printer was installed by selecting the Add a TCP/IP or Web Services Printer by IP address or hostname radio button | Type of device: Autodetect

With this setup I have received the following error message:

Printer installation failed. Operation could not be completed (error 0x00000490)

Last Updated on Friday, 06 July 2012 08:36

Installation of WSUS fails with the 'update could not be found' error

When you try to install WSUS to a Windows Server 2008 by adding a WSUS role you might receive the following error message:

The update could not be found. Either the update is not applicable to this computer or the update no longer exists....

To solve this error please do the following:

Open registry editor (regedit.exe)

Last Updated on Sunday, 08 April 2012 07:51

How to speed up domain logon process

If you are using a domain environment with roaming profiles or home directories that are located on remote machines (servers) and experience slow log-on process this is probably because Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 are configured not to detect to which Windows Domain Controller they belong to by default.

Here's how to speed up the logon process on Windows 7 machine. (Probably will apply to Windows XP too).