The Weekly Geek » E-Mail Issues

ESET and SBS 2008 Issues, Part 3

Kent — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 20:42:27 +0000

In the first two parts of this article I have gone over some issues with Windows Small Business Server 2008 and the Server / Exchange version of ESET, let’s pickup where we left off.

Within the next 15 minutes I arrive at the customer’s site, power had come on about 10 minutes before I had arrived. I fired up the SBS server and found and installed the ESET removal tool. Unfortunately that still did not allow the computers to connect to the server.

By this time another tech showed up to lend a hand, praise the Lord! Since the customer had the new router I quickly swapped to it and made sure the router settings allowed DHCP. This prevented me from trying to change the Cisco ASA 5500 settings and it also allowed the customers computers to get on the internet for their cloud based program.

This however did not allow access to email, which was setup to go through Exchange on the SBS machine, they also could not access to their local programs. It turns out that the inexpensive Cisco / Linksys had installed Pure Networks, Network Magic, a program I used to see with AOL (AO Hell for most of us). This program of course would not uninstall in normal or safe mode, possibly because it is junk or maybe due to the canceled install by the previous technician. Revo uninstaller saved the day!

BUT… (Don’t you just hate that word) the network became really instable, machines dropping off the network, locking up all kinds of mischief. Fortunately I just happened to look at the gigabit switch and boy-oh-boy were the lights blinking in a frenzy. One by one I unplugged LAN cables at the switch until the lights went back to the normal blinking pattern. Ok, it was LAN plug 38, now to trace that throughout the building. As luck would have it in the next room was a Ricoh copier / printer / FAX and it was connected to port 38. The yellow NIC light was blinking at a billion and one miles per second and the green NIC light was off. Hmmm, ok, the NIC is upset with all that has been going on. Turn off the copier, wait 3 minutes, turn it back on, SOP (Standard Operating Procedure). No luck, the NIC immediately went back into its conniption fit. Fine, be that way, I just won’t connect it to the network.

Well, the network was stable again, that was good news. The SBS server was still not allowing access, that was the bad news. After delving into the settings John found that the NIC and some network settings were screwy and that was the ugly. After some research it was concluded that the ESET security software had “manipulated” some settings and not released them. Then apparently Network Magic had “manipulated” some other settings and “adjusted” the NIC. He had to manually delete both sets of those settings, remove the NIC from the hardware list, reboot the server and then reconfigure the NIC and some network settings, reboot the server again and presto, it was back on the network and internet.

So we are back to where the customer was 30 hours ago, no anti-virus security on the server but the network was up and running, programs and email could be accessed and work could be performed.

ESET and SBS 2008 Issues, Part 2

Kent — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 13:17:17 +0000

In our continuing saga of a quack that had gone to the dogs, we pick up where we left off last.

Since the customer had been using POP email, the inability to use Exchange was a problem but not critical.
After 2 months of ESET not being able to solve the issue we ramped up our complaints asking for higher level techs, our (my business) was never responded to and the customer rarely heard from ESET. The growing problem was instability on the network. Finally ESET plainly stated “not our problem”. This was exceptionally frustrating for us, a company that is an authorized dealer, and that ESET had been so good for so long in the past with service…

We luckily found an ESET removal tool (yes, like the Norton removal tool) on their site, yet their tech support apparently did not know about it. Once we used it the server and network became stable and Exchange started working (with some configuration changes). Our concern was that this was an active Exchange server, and that viruses Trojans et al could, and would, infect the system.

Since the customer had bought a 2 year license for ESET and with security a concern the customer wanted to reinstall ESET. The problem was now ESET tech support was responding with junk answers and questions and only responding once a week. Another 2 plus months later, with everything stable and much fussing at ESET the customer’s in house computer person convinced ESET to help out. ESET employees remoted in to the SBS 2008 server and installed their software.

While on the phone with the customer, the ESET technician claimed that they had not been quick to respond because they knew of a SBS 2008 issue, yet they never told us or our customer, who had been constantly attempting to contact them, about a known issue. Why not? More crappy service from ESET tech support?

That evening, after ESET installed their “new” version of the software, the customer installed the two latest Microsoft updates and rebooted the server. This was done remotely since it was late at night and some people actually want to go home.

The next morning all heck broke loose, no computers could get to the internet or the server. Since ESET was installed the customer called ESET and they recommended removing it again. The customer’s in house person did uninstall ESET but it did not solve the issue. Once again, ESET tech support did not tell the customer that they needed to run a removal tool. With the network down ESET had only one recommendation, “it must be your router”, a call to our tech support and the customer’s failure to tell of the ESET reinstall let to the same conclusion. This is why complete information is so necessary. The customer went off to Staples to buy a $70 Linksys router, can you say “oh crud!” After returning, the customer installs the new routers included disk into the server (double- oh crud!!).

By then one of our techs gets there and cancels the Cisco/Linksys software installation. Again, without knowing ESET had been reinstalled and removed, the tech spends about an hour trying to configure the SBS server to connect via Microsoft’s tools when “bam” there is a loud “pop” and all power goes out. After about 10 minutes of no power the tech updates the customer and leaves. Once out the front door, he connects with me where we spend about 45 minutes going over the status of the job. As I query him about ESET he lets me know he was not informed about the install and or uninstall.

ESET and SBS 2008 Issues, Part 1

Kent — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 03:47:54 +0000

As many of you know I really like ESET for computer security. As a result, I have used and recommended ESET for the server as well. Lately I have been dealing with issues regarding ESET’s Exchange version on Windows Small Business Server (SBS) 2008.
ESET was installed and running on SBS 2003 without any issues however, due to updated program needs and RAM constraints (SBS 2003 maxes out at 4GB RAM) this customer needed to get a new server. Based on their wants, for now, and the immediate future (next 12 months) together we chose to install a new SBS 2008 server.
BTW, the original network was defiantly designed by a cool-aid drinking Microsoft tech. Though I prefer and only support Microsoft operating systems, I still have not completely bought their recommendations. This SBS server was the DHCP, DNS and router, if anything hickuped on the server, the entire network and internet and email went down, everything (just as designed by Microsoft).
Last Christmas (2009) we began the migration from the old server to a brand new one. We were using Microsoft’s how-to documents, 3 days later it the domain and network were still in shambles. It turned out that the server had crashed the January before (which we did know about) and had been restored from a Ghost image (which we did not know about). Well we found out the hard way, you cannot migrate if the drive being migrated from is a recovery, let alone a Ghosted recovery.
Due to the type of work our customer did, we rolled back the customers server and put the network back as it was until this summer when work their work would slow down again.
Now May comes along and we begin again, this time with dozens more documents and ways of attack. Using two men, plus multiple Microsoft critical incident techs, three days of 16 hours per day per person, later the SBS system and network were up and running. At that time we installed ESET for Exchange Server. Almost immediately the network became flaky. Exchange services could be manually started but they would just shut off. A couple of Outlook OST files would not connect and one would not even open. Multiple attempts to contact ESET support (phone and Email) went ignored.
We decided it was best to uninstall ESET and the one major problem remained. The Exchange Services would start for about 30 to 45 seconds and then just shut off. Two more days during the workweek went by with research, different approached from three different technicians and still Exchange would not continue to run. At that point, the customer decided to have their in house person attack this issue with ESET.
At first ESET responded to emails quickly (same day) and their low level techs had the customer re-do many of the things we had done. There was normally a day delay in getting back to the 2nd email if it was sent at the end of the business day. Each time they sent questions or repairs after they were tried emails were sent which basically said that ESET’s recommendations, did not work. Multiple logs were sent to ESET per their request during this time also.

Internet, Phone and Mail Scams

Kent — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 18:51:02 +0000

I grew up in a wonderful home. I had all I needed and more. I was taught to work and save and work some more. Unfortunately not everyone learned that. With the downturn in the economy and stock market many baby boomers are getting scared and wondering where the money is going to come from so more and more are falling prey to internet, mail and phone scams.

Now, this is not going to be a financial column, if you need wise advice go to Dave Ramsey or Crown Financial Ministries. It is my desire today is to keep you from ending up like the family in the article below. They lost all savings, have 2 mortgages on the house and $200,000 in credit card debt all thanks to one person believing in the ability to make lots of money quickly.

The story is here http://blogs.zdnet.com/Foremski/?p=499&tag=nl.e019

What happened to this lady and family “could never happen to me” you think. Yes, this really could happen to you. We always feel that we are invulnerable. The wife lost everything in desperation for money that would solve all her families problems. Folks, that is just not how money works.

My primary desire here is for you to remember, there is no such thing as easy money, don’t get desperate in these times, if you deleted or blocked the Nigerian type scam in the past, continue to do so now. Talk with your parents and in-laws about these scams, bring it up somehow so they know they are out there and can and will hopefully avoid them.

If someone you know has been “hit” help them break the cycle, just as in the story above, the scammers will continue to prey on the victims, they don’t just make a onetime attempt and walk away.

Snopes has a good article from 2003 here http://www.snopes.com/crime/fraud/nigeria.asp

You can report these emails or betterr yet help someone by getting them get in contact with United States Secret Service, Financial Crimes Division, 419 Task Force, 950 H Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001-4518 or telephone (202) 406-5850 fax: (202) 406-8203, (202) 406-6390

Until we meet again, have a virus free week.

Backing up Outlook Express

Kent — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:20:25 +0000

Over the last few months I have had several customers lose data in Outlook Express and the misery caused by that loss is just plain avoidable. Backing up their data would have solved all of that. If you have created a regular backup such as those I have written about before, you most likely have that data backed up, if not then oops.

I started to write just an article on what to do but then I wanted to add screen shots. This ended up way to long so I made it another FREE downloadable PDF for you.

Backing up Outlook Express