Saturday 6 September 2014

Getting an "Error Verifying Request Signature or Signing Certificate" message on Windows Server (0x800b0101 (-2146762495))

I went through hours of trying to fix this, without finding anything on Google... I hope this gets rated high on the search results for the terms :0x800b0101 (-2146762495)

The short story is simply, don't try to renew an already expired certificate - just issue a new one in the same name.

You can only renew non-expired certificates, otherwise you get the message:

 “Error Verifying Request Signature or Signing Certificate. A required certificate is not within its validity period when verifying against the current system clock or the timestamp in the signed file. 0x800b0101 (-2146762495).”


... Sorry if you have just had to run through tonnes of useless patching that hasn't fixed it!

Friday 9 May 2014

How to fix Apple Iphone/IOS asking for your password when connecting to ActiveSync (Exchange or Hotmail).

A lot of users at my company appear to be continually asked for their user name and password credentials when trying to retrieve emails (From Exchange) on their iPhones since updating to version 7.1.1

It looks like Apple have somehow screwed something up again!

A three point solution that seems to have fixed the vast majority of these cases within the company:

1) Delete the email account
2) Hold down the power and home button (as if you are taking a screenshot) until the Apple logo comes up (can be a good 10-15 seconds). Let go straight after seeing the Apple logo.
3) When restarted, re add the email account using your correct credentials

Please note from my testing, 50% of phones were fixed after just doing the reset as per step 2. For the ones where this didn't work, I added steps 1 and 3. There are still a few phones that won't save the password - I believe something else is the problem and if I find out, I'll update this post.... It is more than likely this will be stealthy fixed in a future update.

I tested this on:

Iphone 4, 5, 5s
Ios version 7.1.1
Connecting to Microsoft Exchange on premis, Office 365, Outlook.com


Saturday 1 March 2014

How to upgrade Windows 8 volume license to Windows 8.1 from the Windows Store

--------
***Update at the bottom***
--------


After searching for ages, I came up with only complaints online and couldn't actually find a solution... So I thought I would make one!

Remember the days of Windows XP where you could upgrade in so many ways? Windows Update, Slipstream, IT Pro Deployment pack... I really miss how easy Microsoft used to make things!

If you have a volume license edition of Windows 8, you will know that you can't easily upgrade to 8.1 without downloading the 8.1 ISO and performing an upgrade, or upgrading your own deployment infrastructure to support it.

Whilst having your own deployment infrstructure is best for large companies, for smaller companies, this is a real big PITA that you really should try to avoid if you can.

Microsoft have taken the decision that you can't upgrade to 8.1 if you have a volume license edition of Windows. Well... There is a simple solution... Don't use a volume edition!

In order to easily upgrade using the store, open an administrative command prompt, and from there type:

c:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs /ipk V7C3N-3W6CM-PDKR2-KW8DQ-RJMRD

(This is a Microsoft Retail default key used by OEM/System builders to get through setup, it will not activate, but you don't need it to).

Once you have done this, run "wsrest" to delete the windows store cache and restart your computer.

After you have done this, Windows 8.1 will appear on the Windows Store and you can successfully upgrade to it.

Once you are on Windows 8.1, simply change back to a KMS edition via the volume license default codes:

c:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs /ipk GCRJD-8NW9H-F2CDX-CCM8D-9D6T9

Then activate against your KMS host

c:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs /ato


And you are done!



--------
Update: A lot of people are commenting here about activation failing and the key being blocked.

Please note, this is simply meant to be a way to upgrade 8 VLK edition to 8.1 without a reinstall. It is NOT a way to get Windows for free or bypass licensing.

Once you are upgraded, the step I gave above will reapply a default product key that is not able to activate - it is your job to target your KMS (or other) host and activate in the same way as you did before the upgrade. If you do not, Windows will act in an unactivated state (the same as installing without a valid key)
--------


Friday 3 January 2014

Where has the time gone!

Every time I look at my blog, it pains me that it has been so long since my last post.

I wanted to post about my new job... but I have now been working there for over 2 years and it is taking all my time!

We are just starting 2014 and I have so much to vent! .... If in 2015 I read that this was my last blog post, I'm going to be angry with myself, so, I'm going to write something else straight away! :)

Happy 2014 everyone!