“A media usage rights error has occurred. For help fixing this problem, click Web Help. Error Code C00D12F5″

I have received this message a few times after reformatting or moving things around.
Here are the instructions to fix it.

Step 1

Download the DRM reset exe from Microsoft: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink?linkid=105000.

Step 2

Run the exe.

Step 3

Restart your Zune Software. That should fix your issue.

Deleted items folder is unavailable

Below are the steps to fix this problem.

Step 1

Launch Microsoft Outlook 2010.

Step 2

Go up to File, click on Account Settings, and the select “Account Settings”.

Step 3

Make sure your IMAP account is selected if you have multiple email accounts and click “Change.”

Step 4

Click on “More Settings.”

Step 5

Click on the “Deleted Items” tab, click on your Inbox, and make a new folder called “Deleted.”

Step 6

Click “OK”, cancel, and close. Your finished. You can also do the same thing with the “Sent Items” folder.

Zune Pass

I have the x64 Zune software installed on my home computer, work computer, and laptop; so I am using the three total already that you are allowed. The annoyance I had was syncing the new content between all of my computers. Microsoft’s website and support says that you have to manually click the “Restore All” option when you are at a computer with out of date content.

Zune - Restore All

And that works ok… but there is a much better way that syncs everything automatically, without ever having to manually update it.
I am referring to the new Windows Live Mesh software.

Windows Live Mesh

For those of you who might have tried this software earlier and disliked it, try it again as they have improved it a lot. Basically what we are going to do is setup Windows Live Mesh to sync our subscription folder between computers.

Step #1

Install Windows Live Mesh on each computer you have your Zune Software on.
(Download wlsetup-web.exe)

Step #2

Windows Live Mesh is part of Windows Essentials, and if you are like me, you don’t want all of the software. So after you launch wlsetup-web.exe, select “Choose the programs you want to install.”

Windows Essentials

Step #3

Choose Windows Live Mesh, uncheck everything else, and click install.

Windows Live Mesh Selection

Step #4

Login to Windows Live Mesh.

Sign in to Windows Live Mesh

Step #5

Click on “Sync a folder”.

Sync Folder - Windows Live Mesh

Step #6

Browse to your Music folder and click on your “Subscription” folder, then hit sync.

Live Mesh - Subscription

Step #7

Repeat this procedure on your other computers and anytime you download new music, podcasts, etc… they will immediately sync with Windows Live Mesh to your other computers. I have been using this method for about 3 months and it works great!

I have been using the new Internet Explorer 9 in beta and have actually been enjoying it. Looks like Microsoft is finally getting the ball rolling. However, being beta it definitley still has some issues.
A big error I have come across has become a big nuisance. Whenever I go to download something I get this error. (file and website have been removed)

IE9 download error

The one way I have found to fix this is to press CTRL+SHIFT+DELETE and then select delete ‘download history’.

IE9 - Clear Download History

Once you do that, you have to close IE9 and restart it. This works about 80% of the time.

Also, another problem I have had is that Flash will just stop working and I have to reinstall the latest version of Adobe Flash from here.

If anyone else has fixes for the downloading problem, please post! Thank you.

Anti-Virus Applications with Known Issues

• Norton 2009
• McAfee
• AVG
• Avira
• ESET NOD32 4.0 (User reported issues)

Anti-Virus Applications 100% Compatible with Sysprep

• Microsoft Forefront
• Microsoft Security Essentials

And yes, you probably noticed that both applications are made by Microsoft, go figure. If anyone notices any other anti-virus programs that are causing issues with sysprep please comment on here. Or if you have workaround for these anti-virus apps and sysprep working together please comment.

Microsoft Security Essentials - Free Alternative

CHANGES/UPDATES AS OF NOVEMBER 12, 2009

• Added new Windows 7 winpe.bmp wallpaper for WinPE 3.0 Boot Environment, both x32 and x64.
• Added new drivers for WinPE 3.0 environment including some netbooks and HP eCopy machines, x32.
• Added the newest stable version of GimageX v2.0.17, x32 and x64.
• Removed GHOST from packages, x32 and x64.

Also, if you have enjoyed my site or gotten useful information from it; even if I saved you an hour from compiling different information then I have accomplished my goal. However, I am now getting 10-20 emails per day asking questions about sysprepping, Windows 7 deployment, etc. It is getting hard to keep up. And with this increase in traffic comes an increase in bandwidth. If I have helped you in any way please feel free to donate any amount on the right hand side so I can keep this blog going. I have some great new tutorials planned as I jump deep into the Acresso’s AdminStudio 9.5 Repackager for Windows 7 x64.

This is assuming you are already using Microsoft Outlook 2007 for everything.
The first thing I tried with the Droid was syncing my personal IMAP account with the device. Then I realized that wasn’t going to sync my contacts, calendar, etc.
So I removed the IMAP account and then tried syncing my Microsoft Exchange account. This worked great and pulled contacts down, calendar items (buggy), and emails. But then I realized there were still nice little features missing. Because it is Google OS obviously they are wanting you to use Gmail (their product).

So I decided to give the GOOGLE APPS a test trial run, accompanied by Google App Sync. And let me just say, it is amazing!!!!

Functions working:

• Microsoft Outlook 2007 is syncing flawlessly with my DROID
  (Email, Email folders, Contacts, Calendar Items)
• Using my own business email account (brian@innovativepixels.com) for all gmail functions (requires changing MX records over to GMAIL). Not using @gmail.com for anything. This means that all masking of email is fixed.
• A plus with using GMAIL as app on the DROID over standard email client is that I can now use an email signature from the phone, such as (Sent from my DROID).
• The Google App Sync will export and import automatically all of your current Outlook information into your newly hosted GMAIL email account. Basically it asks you for Outlook Profile to use for your new account and then it takes a couple minutes and migrates all your data over. No manual migration necessary.
• Another plus with using GMAIL app on DROID is that my emails are now stacked in conversations, like they are in GMAIL web client. Saves space on DROID for viewing.
• Everything just seems to work faster and better when going through Google Apps. Also calendar is not buggy anymore.
• Ability to see all my folders/cabinet and then be able to move emails to them when I receive them on my DROID. Your Outlook folders are converted into “LABELS” on your DROID. They still work the same as folders, but are just called something different. All changes sync to my Microsoft Outlook 2007 and to online Gmail.

The Google APPs costs $50 per user per year but it is worth every penny for me. My entire Microsoft Outlook 2007 is now syncing flawlessly with my DROID, very fast, with all the functions and features of GMAIL but without the GMAIL branding. You definitely want to give it a try. 30 day trial is free and they don’t bill you for first 30 days.

VERIZON WIRELESS DROID

Step #1

Unplug your Zune from USB and close your Zune software.

Step #2

Go to your control panel.

Zune Control Panel

Step #3

Click on Clock, Language, and Region

Zune Region Settings

Step #4

Click on “change location”.

Zune Change Location

Step #5

Change your location to “United Kingdom”.

Zune UK

Step #6

Now plug your Zune back in and launch the Zune software. Go to settings at top right and then to “Player Update” on left hand side.

Zune Player Update

Step #7

It should now ask you to upgrade player to 4.3. Select “Upgrade”. This will take a minute or two.

Step #8

You should now see a confirmation screen saying your player is fully up to date.

Zune Player 4.3

Step #9

You can now go back to control panel and change your region back to US.

Windows 7 Resource Kit

Here is the layout of the book:

Chapter 1: Overview of Windows 7 Improvements
Chapter 2: Security in Windows 7
Chapter 3: Deployment Platform
Chapter 4: Planning Deployment
Chapter 5: Testing Application Compatibility
Chapter 6: Developing Disk Images
Chapter 7: Migrating User State Data
Chapter 8: Deploying Applications
Chapter 9: Preparing Windows PE
Chapter 10: Configuring Windows Deployment Services
Chapter 11: Using Volume Activation
Chapter 12: Deploying with Microsoft Deployment Toolkit
Chapter 13: Overview of Management Tools
Chapter 14: Managing the Desktop Environment
Chapter 15: Managing Users and User Data
Chapter 16: Managing Disks and File Systems
Chapter 17: Managing Devices and Services
Chapter 18: Managing Printing
Chapter 19: Managing Search
Chapter 20: Managing Windows Internet Explorer
Chapter 21: Maintaining Desktop Health
Chapter 22: Supporting Users with Remote Assistance
Chapter 23: Managing Software Updates
Chapter 24: Managing Client Protection
Chapter 25: Configuring Windows Networking
Chapter 26: Configuring Windows Firewall and IPsec
Chapter 27: Connecting Remote Users and Networks
Chapter 28: Deploying IPv6
Chapter 29: Configuring Startup and Troubleshooting Startup Issues
Chapter 30: Troubleshooting Hardware, Driver, and Disk Issues
Chapter 31: Troubleshooting Network Issues
Chapter 32: Troubleshooting Stop Messages

In my opinion this book could be priced a lot higher for all the information it has in it. If you are nerdy enough this would make a great stocking stuffer

If you are like me you have probably run into the following error when trying to run powershell scripts. This becomes very annoying and tedious if you are running different scripts on a regular basis.

“Security Warning – Run only scripts that you trust. While scripts from the Internet can be useful, this script can potentially harm your computer. Do you want to run –.ps1? [D] Do not run [R] Run once [S] Suspend [?] Help (default is “D”):

Step #1

The first thing you need to do is launch Windows Powershell.

Step #2

Then enter the following commands:

get-executionpolicy

set-executionpolicy bypass

Powershell Trust Scripts

Now launch your script and enjoy not seeing that annoying message come up.