Willott

Have you got user accounts set to unrestricted?

Out of interest - what was the rule that you'd deleted?

Does it refuse connections, or allow connection and then go to blank screen? Do you get anything logged in event log when trying to RDP to it?

From a brief look, it looks like the traffic being blocked on the log is DNS requests to some external servers - determine which internal IPs need to access which external IPs for DNS (I'd guess that you have AD and therefore your DCs probably do internal DNS and have forwarders for external - check IPs there), then I think you need a rule in the OUTSIDE outgoing rules (OUTSIDE_access_out would suggest interface OUTSIDE, on outgoing rules) to allow UDP 53 from your internal IPs requiring access to DNS to the external DNS servers set as forward lookup on your DNS servers. Doing that may then show other blocked packets - presently any web request is generating a DNS request which is being blocked, so any further traffic may be blocked, but difficult to know. If you only deleted one rule, it may have been an allow all external type rule, so now may be an opportune time to lock down. Cheers Will

If the info shows in IE but is not enabled, do you know what's populating it? Something GPO based? Could you do a GPP with the info cleared (or set to new proxy server/port) and disabled maybe rather than script?

OK, so our site team had a "mishap" with one of our fibre cables, knocking a couple of classrooms in a remote building (remote by about 20m) offline - these are our music classes who use youtube/music quite a bit. We have fibre guys coming to quote on monday, but thinking of getting a unifi bridging kit as a temp measure - does anyone know whether we'll need an ofcom license for this? Or can anyone think of a better method? Cheers Will

Just noticed, if you remove optical drive, cost increases (even though it shows reduction)

Check resource monitor/performance monitor on the machine generally, sounds like it may be a high disk load type issue - if not that VM maybe another one is hogging data usage, worth checking in Xencenter

I set up a beast of a test with 3 virtual machines... I'll share in PM shortly - part networking related, part "pretend virus", part windows startup knowledge - gave access to internet for them to be able to show problem solving capabilities (ie so if they didn't know precisely where to set windows shell they could research). Asked them to write notes on the problem solving path they'd taken.

I believe that change has also made a significant difference to us as well. The other interesting thing I found was that if I put just that rule into a category group, it then doesn't show up on any policy wizards - if I add in another rule as well (or add it to an already used category group) it does and applies. May just be something odd with our Smoothy, but wondered if anyone else saw the same thing. (or whether there's a setting somewhere related to [beta] categories)

We have it enabled here - if people complain, I explain to them that having a limited user account reduces the risk of virus infection - for most situations limited user account + UAC means that any fun downloaded files they run can only run with their privileges, reducing the attack surface area (and limiting damage).

In that case, you will need to add either a A or CNAME record with a new hosting provider pointing back to 1 & 1. Unfortunately their DNS is somewhat past crap.

Ah... 1 & 1... you probably pay them purely for domain? Doesn't allow for A records etc. You need to find a DNS provider that you can setup A records and the like on (most LAs do this for the la.sch.uk domains, and should be happy to add another domain to their NS), then in 1 & 1 control panel, you just tell it to use your NS servers and specify them as required (once set up).

Guessing it's a concrete floor? Ground floor or otherwise? Cheers Will

Wordpress vaguely explain your options - may not have the entire correct code etc, but may assist in directing you: Using Permalinks « WordPress Codex

Your need some form of mod_rewrite type thing - depending on your web host depends on what you want - if it's Linux, it's HTACCESS, if Windows there are methods too...

When I've discussed similar with cabling guys, they've used the term "power pole" - maybe what you're looking for, but may be a little large (unless there's a mini version)?

Depends what contract you had with him. Certainly suggest that data recovery by a specialist is attempted on the drive. In terms of the more important part of getting memories, you'll be surprised how many of your guests will have some amazing pictures of it all. Worth sending out a bulk email and sorting out some "dump" space for people to shove photos on (haven't looked into how, but maybe dropbox or something would allow)

Ta, will get that sorted

Hi All, We have a position for a Senior ICT Technician. Looking for someone who is highly motivated, willing to learn and investigate for themselves. Post is Full time, all year round. Full details available at http://www.christtheking.notts.sch.uk (see the vacancies link at the bottom). Any queries, use the info in the advert and we'll get back to you. Cheers Will

Not sure I can help with original issue, I've created a new mandatory profile on the windows 8 machine and login time is now much much quicker. Followed guide here: Howto create a Windows Server 2012 / Windows 8 Mandatory Profile | Jeroen Tielen

No login scripts involved - slow initial login -large profiles - post at the bottom seems to suggest it may be related to metro apps - I haven't uninstalled ours, but very few then show on the start menu. Am currently trying recreation of mandatory profile to see if that helps...

Gah - if I find out what's causing it, I'll let you know (just digging through procmon presently...)

@AndiMarv - did you have any success with tracking this down?

For information - seems that they are having SSL Cert issues. We've had 1 ticket from a teacher so far this morning as Smoothy blocks it for incorrect cert, so prepare yourselves Cheers Will