Windows Server Backups with Synology

We have had a problem performing backups of our Server 2008 R2 servers to our Synology Diskstation. For once, Windows actually had some good information on the problem.

Windows Server Backup failed with error "The version does not support this version of the file format" - Microsoft Reduce Customer Effort Center - Site Home - TechNet Blogs:

'via Blog this'

For those not familiar with Synology, it is a NAS device that basically runs on a pre-installed flavor of Linux and has a web-based desktop you can log into.

To apply the fix suggested by Microsoft:

1. Login to the Synology box via Putty (login is as root)
2. Copy smb.conf prior to making any changes
1. cp /usr/syno/etc/smb.conf /usr/syno/etc/smb.conf.sav
3. Edit the smb.conf file
1. vi /usr/syno/etc/smb.conf
2. Press i to enter insert mode
3. Enter strict allocate = yes to the end of the [global] section
4. Press Esc to exit insert mode
5. Enter :x to save your changes
4. Restart Samba
1. Enter /usr/syno/etc/rc.d/S80samba.sh restart
5. Run a test backup

References: Microsoft error, Synology Forum, Synology Commands

Goodman NAS is running Ubuntu Server 12.10

Just finished doing some upgrades on the Dell Poweredge SC1425 I bought a few weeks back. Threw in an extra 2 TB and 500 GB hard drive I had lying around. It's tough only having one Internet connection in this place (the new house will be all wired-up), so I am at a stopping point for now.

The next thing to do is upgrade the BIOS, which is currently 2 versions behind. This will allow me to put in up to 16GB of RAM when it is done. After that, I'll turn on the Webmin and do some other boring stuff. Eventually all my movies will be put on this thing.

For anyone who is interested, I will be following this guide when upgrading the BIOS: http://bigbrovar.wordpress.com/2008/12/07/upgrade-downgrade-your-dell-bios-on-ubuntu/

UPDATE: used this guide http://www.ducea.com/2007/08/27/dell-bios-firmware-updates-on-debian/

and this one as well: http://www.naveoss.com/site/141/tutorials/linux/how-to-update-dell-bios-from-ubuntu

The BIOS upgrade for an SC1425 (version A03) is located here: http://linux.dell.com/repo/firmware/bios-hdrs/system_bios_ven_0x1028_dev_0x019a_version_a03/

Adding Hyper-V Powershell cmdlets

I'm brand-new to the virtualization game and this is a great step-by-step for enabling the Powershell cmdlets for Hyper-V.

Virtualization Admin

Powering-up The PowerShell

I have never, ever...ever-ever-ever used PowerShell before as I tend to hate all things programming. I've created basic batch files to delete backups, but those are relatively straightforward. For the task I was trying to tackle today, we need to download the differential backup files for one of our databases, unzip them, and then load them into SQL. I wrote this PowerShell script to do everything except the last part (loading into SQL), but tomorrow is a new day. Just a quick note beforehand- you have to use a program like 7-Zip for .bak files because the built-in extractor will not work (trust me, I tried). This is being done on Windows Server 2008 R2 using the latest version of PowerShell. &lf; > I am sure there is a prettier way to do this, but it works and I've got time to refine if it need be.


I have never, ever...ever-ever-ever used PowerShell before as I tend to hate all things programming. I've created basic batch files to delete backups, but those are relatively straightforward.

For the task I was trying to tackle today, we need to download the differential backup files for one of our databases, unzip them, and then load them into SQL. I wrote this PowerShell script to do everything except the last part (loading into SQL), but tomorrow is a new day.

Just a quick note beforehand- you have to use a program like 7-Zip for .bak files because the built-in extractor will not work (trust me, I tried). This is being done on Windows Server 2008 R2 using the latest version of PowerShell.


Set-Location -Path E:\folder\$dtoday

$dToday = Get-Date -Format "yyyyMMdd"

New-Item E:\folder\$dtoday -type directory -Force

$WebClient = New-Object System.Net.Webclient

$source = "http://www.SiteIWantToDownloadFrom.com"

$destination = "E:\folder\$dtoday\Diff.zip"

$WebClient.Credentials = New-Object System.Net.NetworkCredential("username","password")

$WebClient.DownloadFile($source,$destination)

$shell=new-object -com shell.application

$CurrentLocation=get-location

$CurrentPath=$CurrentLocation.path

$Location=$shell.namespace($CurrentPath)

C:\7z.exe x $destination -pMy7zipPassword -oE:\folder\$dtoday </script>

I am sure there is a prettier way to do this, but it works and I've got time to refine if it need be.

Lenovo Computers & Recent Microsoft Updates

Our laptops, desktops, etc. are all Lenovo products and one of the recent Windows 7 Updates (KB2647753) has been causing all sorts of problems (the machine will reboot, attempt to configure the updates, fail at about 15%, revert the changes, and reboot again). Not exactly sure how Microsoft releases an update that is supposed to fix a problem, but ends up causing another one...oh wait, that's right- because it's Microsoft!

To get around this, install KB2647753 by itself, reboot the machine, and proceed to install your remaining updates.

Microsoft's Answer

Introduction

Well, this is my first post of this blog and it probably best to begin with an introduction and why I decided to start this blog. My name is Daniel Goodman, I'm 27 years old, married, no kids (yet), and just moved to the Dallas-Fort Worth area. My wife, Joanna, and I have been married for 5 years. I was in the Air Force from 2003-2010 and split-up my time between a 3C0X1 (Computer Systems Operator) and a 8R000 (Enlisted Recruiter). I bounced around from Lackland AFB, Keesler AFB, Lajes Field AB, Langley AFB, and Peekskill, NY. I currently work as the IT Manager at an automotive finance company in Irving, TX and am attending Texas A&M Commerce for my second Masters in Management.

I decided to start a blog to highlight the various things I'm into- weightlifting, technology, sports, movies, etc.- because I find there are a lot of little projects I get involved in where I have to pool a lot of resources in order to accomplish whatever it is I'm working on. I hope some other people will stumble upon this looking for the same information I was looking for and can use it to their advantage. Here goes nothing!