One or more users currently use a mailbox store on this server

While uninstalling one of my Microsoft Exchange 2003 servers, I came across this very odd error due to which the uninstall would not proceed "One or more users currently use a mailbox store on this server""

Lucky for Google, I found a blog post which helped me rectify this issue.

The error occurs for multiple reasons, as listed below:

1. There is a user account for which the mailbox was never created because it was not activated ie. user never logged in or no mail was sent to it.

2. There is a user who has Exchange attributes but no mailbox referencing this server.


Resolution:

1. Start Active Directory Users and Computers and right click to get Find

2. Click Custom Search in the drop down selection box

3. Click the Advanced tab

4. In LDAP field type:


(msExchHomeServerName=/O=myexchangeorgname/
OU=myorgname/CN=Configuration/CN=Servers/CN=myexchangeserver)
(objectClass=User)

myexchangeorgname,myorgname,myexchangeserver can all be obtained by using ADSIEdit and opening a user account and looking for the value of msExchHomeServerName

[the above was obtained from http://msexchangetips.blogspot.com/2008/04/exchange-one-or-more-users-currently.html ]

Hope this helps.

Android on a PC?

is taking over the world, inch by inch. Released in 2007, almost 10 months after Apple's release of its first generation iPhone, Android has steadily increased its presence, first in the mobile sector and now in tablet pcs. Android, a Google product, though suffering from fragmentation, is still an OS to reckon with. With updates coming almost every few months, it has kept abreast with the markets needs. Apple has got a very capable competitor and in years to come, who knows, it might be the leading operating system in both the mobile and tablet space.

As with many good things in life, you do not have to rush out and get them in order to test drive them. For those that own an HTC Vogue (Okta Touch), you can refer to my previous post How to Install Android 2.1 [Eclair] on HTC Vogue [Telecom NZ Okta Touch to install Android on this Windows Mobile phone.

For those wanting to try out Android on your PC, worry not. I found two projects that will let you do just that.

BlueStacks - this software allows you to run Android Apps on your pc. It does this by installing a virtual layer on your Windows pc, in which it runs Android. I tried downloading this software to try it out but at present the website is not taking any new registrations. I will keep you all posted on how it goes with this software when I manage to download a copy.

Android-X86 - a very impressive project that allows you to run Android on netbooks and most notebooks. At present there are a few models that you can install it on but the list seems to be growing every few weeks. Also, you can install it as a virtual machine using VMware. Once running, it looks really impressive.

Give these a try and post your reviews. It would be nice to compare our mileage.

Dropbox - Sync Files with different devices

Do you find yourself bound to your usb pen drive like a kid is to his/her lollypop? Do you lose focus when you misplace it or forget it at home? If you answered Yes to any of this, then Dropbox is for you. Dropbox is a nifty service that allows you to store your files in the Cloud and access it over numerous devices. These range from desktop pcs to mobile devices. They have got apps for iPhone, iPad, Android and Blackberry. Their desktop client is available for Windows, Mac, Linux. Should you not want to install the client, you can easily get all the features using their web access.

When you join, you get 2GB of free storage space. With each successful referral, you receive an additional 250MB of storage space. If you find yourself running out of space,you can increase your storage allocation to either 50GB or 100GB by signing up to a monthly subscription.

Another great thing about DropBox is that it enables you to share files with others. This is done by emailing them a secured URL which they can use to access the file.

I absolutely love DropBox. I do not have to worry about carrying a portable drive anymore. I just upload my file and then I download it on the machine that I want to use it.

Give this a try and see if it changes the way you do things.

IPTV over wireless

Nowadays almost all ISPs provide their users with IPTV. IPTV For those that are not too familiar with IPTV, this is basically watching tv broadcasts over your broadband service. The channels you can receive are not necessarily those that you get over free-to-air tv. IPTV channels are provided by your ISP, so they decide these. Most of the times, you get almost all free-to-air channels plus some bonus channels. IPTV can use up alot of data and due to this most of the ISPs do not charge this towards your monthly allocation.

My ISP, TPG, provides free IPTV service to all its users, if their exchange supports it, and as you would have it, I was connected to an exchange that did ;)

One issue with routers and IPTV is that you cannot watch IPTV over wireless. You have to have a wired connection. This is to do with IPTV itself. IPTV is a multicast and most of the routers dont push this over wireless. I found a way to get this service working over wireless (after searching all over google).

Here are the settings.


1. Create a wan profile with the following
VPI/VCI: 0/35
Encapsulation: LLC/Bridging
2. MTU : 1472
3. IGMP Snooping: Disable
IGMP Proxy: Disable
4. Make your wireless only transmit over 802.11g or n (do not enable it for a or b)
5. First access IPTV using a wired connection to ensure your settings are correct. Once you have confirmed that it is working over this, then try it over the wireless.

I noticed that over wireless, the picture was a bit jittery but after a while it settled down and the quality was better.

Happy IPTV'ing