Setup your Log on to Domain automatically

One thing that really annoys me about windows is that when you add a machine to a domain the log on to domain defaults to “MachineName (This computer)”. This means that you then need to log into the machine under a domain account and then log off again if you don’t want to get a phone call from your users saying that their domain passwords dont work. This also occurs when you log into a machine using a local account to do some administration. Its such a time waster to have to login just to log out, especially if you are setting up multiple machines at a time.

By presetting the following key via a group policy object within active directory and assigning it to your computer Organisational Unit your computers always have domain name as default:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\DefaultDomainName (REG_SZ)

To do this you will need to setup a startup script under the computer policy section.

On your Computer Organisational Unit create a New Group Policy and call it DefaultDomainName.

Under Windows Settings -> Scripts, Right click on Startup and select Properties.

Click Show Files.

Now create the following two files within this folder.

A “DefaultDomainName.bat” containing:

%systemroot%regedit /s defaultDomainName.reg

A “DefaultDomainName.reg” file containing:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

“DefaultDomainName”=”YOURDOMAINNAME”

Close the folder and click Add on the Startup Properties window.

Click Browse and select the DefaultDomainName.bat file.

Click Ok -> Ok. Then close out of the Group Policy Editor.

When your computers under that Organisational Unit restart that policy should now be applied.

TVtSched.exe Slowing down Lenovo Machines

I’ve discovered that Tvtsched.exe is sometimes using greater than 70% CPU in task manager on alot of Lenovo PC’s I manage. This software tends to really slow down the machines and they appear to lock up. The program causing this is is called ThinkVantage System Update.

To uninstall this:

Goto Add/Remove Programs and find ThinkVantage System Update and click remove.

When asked to remove other files click Yes.

While you are here also uninstall the ThinkVantage System Update  Toolbar Button for IE.

Note: You can also stop the service called TVT Scheduler in Control panel-> Administrative tools -> Services and mark it is disabled at startup if you cannot get to all your machines in person. Pushing this disabled setting out via group policy might be better if you have many machines and are time short.

Error While loading Sibeleus – Installation Folder is not writable.

After installing sibelius 5 we were getting the following error when loading it as a normal user.

—————————
Native Instruments
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Installation folder is not writable. Please select a folder now

After clicking on Ok we would see the window below then get the error if the user were to cancel out of the browse for folder. This would happen for every user thereafter also.

To fix this permanently without giving the users admin permission, login as an administrator and navigate to the C:\program files folder and select the folders “Native Instruments”, “Neuratron Photoscore” & “Sibelius Software” by Ctrl+Left Clicking them.

Right Click and select Properties.

Select Yes to the Dialogue if it shows below.

Select Users from the list of usernames and tick the Modify permission and click on Ok