Compact a Dynamic VHDX with DiskPart
VHDX files can take up a lot of unnecessary disk-space, especially if the disk is used for a lot of writes. A dynamic vdisk expands, but does not automatically compacts again.
Extract various archives with PowerShell
Nowadays, instead of using .zip, .rar or .7z files, I find myself using virtual harddrives (.vhdx) more and more as it’s so much more convenient. However, extracting large amounts of compressed files, can be a very time consuming endeavor. Here…
Installing BicBucStriim on Synology DSM 6 and DSM 7
What is BicBucStriim and why use it? BicBucStriim is a lightweight PHP web application that turns an existing Calibre library stored on a NAS into a browsable ebook catalogue. It reads the library’s Calibre metadata and makes books available through…
Play Command & Conquer in DOSBox: Modern Setup Guide
Install and run the original DOS version of Command & Conquer with DOSBox Staging, direct CD-image mounts, disc swapping and a clean per-game configuration.
Disable the Download Maps Manager Service
The Download Maps Manager (MapsBroker) service is not started and is causing alerts in the Server Dashboard. This service just starts on demand and is normally not running. There are various ways to disable the service, as on a server…
Ubuntu displays print_req_error: I/O error, dev fd0, sector 0
With a new install as a virtual server, Ubuntu repeatedly displays the error: print_req_error: I/O error, dev fd0, sector 0 The reason is the virtual server does not have a floppy drive. To resolve: # sudo rmmod floppy # echo…
Windows 10 1809 (October) update – SNMP missing
SNMP is still available, but now it can be found under: “Start” –> “Settings” –> “Apps” –> “Apps & Features” –> “Manage optional Features” –> “Add a Feature”
Report on BlueScreen (BSOD) events and stop codes with PowerShell
A PowerShell script to report on all BlueScreen events and stop codes from the Windows Event Log on a specific server can be a useful tool for system administrators to troubleshoot and prevent future system crashes. This script will query…
Windows 10: Set search results default to detail view
For some reason Microsoft seems to think that “Content” view for search results is the best view. This goes for “generic” folders in general, but me for content view is a view that I’d rather see go completely from Windows.…
Modern DOSBox Setup: Folders, Mounts and Configuration
A practical DOSBox setup using an isolated host folder, reliable mounts, per-game configurations and sensible defaults for DOSBox Staging and DOSBox-X.
Active Directory Domain Naming Best Practices
Choose a safe Active Directory DNS namespace using a registered domain, internal subdomain, verified UPN suffix and current Microsoft guidance.
Caesar IV Runtime Error: Windows 10 Fix and Windows 11 Guidance
Fix the Caesar IV runtime error on Windows 10 with legacy DirectX components, DLL registration and compatibility settings, with careful Windows 11 guidance.