Needle in the haystack

IIS Server message on starting a website - "The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process"

2009-10-20T15:01:00.001-04:00

ERROR MESSAGE: "The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process"

EVENT LOG ENTRY: "Unable to bind to the underlying transport for 0.0.0.0:80. The IP Listen-Only list may contain a reference to an interface which may not exist on this machine. The data field contains the error number."

PROBLEM: I ran into this issue where I was trying to connect to my Virtual Server Administration Website and all I would get is the "Page not found" error. I opened the IIS MMC snap in and it showed my Default Website as Stopped. On trying to start the website, I would get the following error: "The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process".

I have the following system configuration:

Windows XP x64 as the Host Operating System
IIS 6.0 running on the Host Operating System
Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2 SP1
Windows 2003 32-bit as the Guest Operating System
Skype running on my Host Operating System

SOLUTION: Here is a Microsoft KB article that describes why the problem is occurring and suggests some fixes. However, even before I tempered with the registry, I was curious to find out what running application may be using the port 80. As I checked the list of my running processes from the Task Monitor, I saw skype. I went in the advanced settings of Skype (Tools -> Options -> Skype) and realized that I had checked the option to allow Skype to listed on port 80 & 443. I shut down skype, restarted the http service and IIS service and the problem was gone.

If you need a domain name, first prove your self - That's what netfirms.com say

2008-02-25T04:00:00.000-05:00

I have been a regular (not ver often, but I am not a newbie either) at getting myself domain names, but registering one with Netfirms was a bit of an annoying experience. After quiet a bit of googling I found that their's was the cheapest, so I went ahead with them and registered my wedding website domain name www.moizandarwa.com with them.
When I checked after two days, the domain was active and the typing www.moizandarwa.com took me the default page setup.

But to my surprise, my inbox contained an email from Netfirms that made my head turn around, and the thought that I had given my credit card information to some fraudulent internet firm (a burnt child dreads the fire) ran through my nerves.

The email is as below:
===================================================================
From: Netfirms Billing Team
Subject: Netfirms - moizandarwa.com - Follow-up required!
Dear Moiz Tankiwala,
To finalize your order we require proof of ownership of the credit card. Please send a fax or scan of the front and back of the credit card used for this purchase showing only the last four digits of the credit card number.
As orders are time-sensitive, this request must be received within the next 2 days at:
Fascimile number: 416-661-0700 or via e-mail at billing [-at-] netfirms [-dot-] com
Thank you,
Netfirms Billing Team billing [-at-] netfirms [-dot-] com
===================================================================

Though I can understand Netfirm's concern to prevent fraudulent transactions from getting through (which may result in losses for them), I have never come across any online firms that I have dealt with previously that wanted a proof of ownership of credit cards. I am not sure how foolproof is their method either, a thief can still scan the copy of a stolen/lost/misplaced credit card.

I have a friend working in the anti-fraud department of America's biggest online store and what I have understood is that they have better ways of detecting fraud rather than asking customers to scan their credit cards and send it to them!
Netfirms definitely needs to improve on their fraud detection mechanisms.

The error code is 2869

2007-02-26T05:54:00.000-05:00

Guidance Automation Extension Technology Preview installation failure

Are you looking for a solution to this error message with no clue to what this error message means? You are at the right place.

The complete error message reads: The installer has encountered an unexpected error installing this package. This may indicate a problem with this package. The error code is 2869.

I faced this issue while installing the Guidance Automation Extensions Technology Preview (June 2006 Release for Visual Studio 2005) on Windows Vista.

Don Smith's blog seems to explain why this error occurs and there may be some time until it gets fixed. It also suggests a solution to the problem. However one step is missing in the solution.

You need to make sure that there is no instance of devenv.exe is running when you are invoking the GuidanceAutomationExtensions.msi under an Administrator context.

An alternate solution to Don Smith's blog of invoking the msi under Administrator privilege is outlined below:

Create a .bat file with the following command in it: msiexec /i "absolute path of msi" (Note: Relative path will not work with the msiexec command).

Run this batch file as administrator by right clicking the batch file and selecting "Run as administrator".

Hope this solution helps. Good luck!

Is your Microsoft Office Picture Manager slow?

2006-06-22T00:08:00.000-04:00

I had a tough time viewing images on my PC. The Microsoft Office Picture Manager would just hang every time I clicked on an image.

It took me a while until I stumbled on the solution at http://techblog.johnner.com/2005/11/microsoft-office-picture-manager-opens.html#comments

Followed the solution posted here, and zup, no more hang ups.