Rollback to previous package version after upgrade

Say that you find that an app. no longer works due to a problem with an upgraded package. As long as the previous version of the package is still in the cache, you can roll back.

The following will show all the versions of the package in the cache
Code:   

apt-cache show [package name] | fgrep Version:

   
The following will install (roll back) an older version of the package
Code:   

apt-get install [package name]=[version]

  

Another way may be possible via Synaptic.

Open Synaptic and find your package then, right click on it and there should be some menu option like "force downgrade".

Spotify for Linux

Spotify is a proprietary peer-to-peer music streaming service and application software from a Swedish based company. It allows instant listening to specific tracks or albums, with virtually no buffering delay.

Finally, they are developing a linux desktop version, packaging the first release as Debian Squeeze/Ubuntu 10.04 package.

http://www.spotify.com/int/blog/archives/2010/07/12/linux/

Sadly on Kubuntu KDE 9.10 I get a 'Segmentation fault' so, I must upgrade to 10.04 soon.

How to prevent Windows Server from storing weak LM hashes

How to prevent Windows Server from storing a LAN manager hash of your password.

Instead of storing your user account password in clear-text, Windows generates and stores user account passwords by using two different password representations, generally known as "hashes." When you set or change the password for a user account to a password that contains fewer than 15 characters, Windows generates both a LAN Manager hash (LM hash) and a Windows NT hash (NT hash) of the password. These hashes are stored in the local Security Accounts Manager (SAM) database or in Active Directory.

The LM hash is relatively weak compared to the NT hash, and it is therefore prone to fast brute force attack. Therefore, you may want to prevent Windows from storing an LM hash of your password. The Microsoft support article describes how to do this so that Windows only stores the stronger NT hash of your password.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/299656


Categories: How-To, Microsoft, OS
Tags: Microsoft, Server, 2000, 2003, weak, password, authentication, NT hash, SAM

Server 2003 - Cannot delete file / folder

User had copied or created a file / folder on a mapped drive and that file / folder now cannot be renamed / deleted / accessed by anyone. Not even administrators, upon the server.

An overnight Backup Exec backup had failed to access this folder also. I therefore needed this fixed.

Microsoft's offered solutions ( http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=320081 ) did not help.

Viewing 'Open Files' in Computer Management application showed a user still had the parent and this directory open. I checked with the user and they had not so, I simply forced a 'Close Open File' in Computer management and then I was able to successfully delete the folder.

TIP: Upgrading RAM in VMware Player

You can either change the memsize setting within the *.vmx file or, change it whilst running VMWare.

Edit file.
Look for a *.vmx file in the directory that your VM is stored in and open it in your favourite text editor.

Look for a line that looks like this: memsize = “64″. Change the number to equal the amount of RAM that you want in your VM. Typically half of your full (linux) memory should be sufficient. For example, I have upgraded my RAM to 2GB and so I increase memsize to 1024Mb (memsize = “1024″).

Start the VM and enjoy your new RAM

Alternatively.
An alternative method of changing the memsize is to start VMWare Player and click on the 'VMWare Player" menu then select, "Troubleshoot". SElect, "Change memory allocation". There it graphically shows your memory setting, the recommended setting and finally, the maximum recommended setting.

TIP: What version of KDE am I running?

GUI:

Click on the Kicker icon and go to Applications -> Help. Then selcct the 'Help' drop-down menu and click, 'About KDE'.

Alternatively from the command prompt:

KDE3 runtime:
Code:   

kde-config --version

   


KDE4 runtime:
Code:   

kde4-config --version

   

TIP: Grabbing video content from webpage

Two words: browser cache

You don't need any utility software to grab webpage video content and what software is on offer is probably infected! Avoid sites offering 'Free Youtube Downloader' or whatever.

There are Firefox add-ons to grab video content but I haven't tried any of these yet. Hmm, the add-ons would be useful for M$ users though!

When you view video on your linux system with Firefox ([K]ubuntu at least) the video clip is cached into a temporary directory. Wait until the video clip has fully loaded and you will find the file in your user's ~/tmp/ ( or /tmp/) directory. Simply copy it to somewhere else before you close the webpage. Because, as soon as you close or navigate away from that webpage, the cached file is deleted. So far I have seen filenames starting with 'Flash' but, just look for a recently created file.

On my Kubuntu 9.10, I play back the content quite happily using Xine.

Now, most YouTube stuff plays OK but some have garbled / distorted audio. Mainly U.S. content. I seem to have a codec missing. I'll post here if I fix this. 


* UPDATE *


 Hmm,

I seem to have forgotten that I had previously installed a firefox add-on called '1-Click YouTube Video Downloader'. Quite easy to use, it adds some extra links in the page, just under the Video window.

It allows you to download YouTube Videos in FLV and MP4 (both High Definition and iPod High-Quality) in a single click.


Categories: Linux, OS
Tags: Kubuntu, Linux, video, grab, grabbing