Bluetooth Audio Streaming from Windows Server 2003 to LG FB163

I've recent got a sexy little LG FB-163 Micro HIFI System that comes with Bluetooth. Unfortunately, the Bluetooth is only used to stream audio, and not for file transfer or sharing as I had originally hoped for.

After a lot of procrastination, I finally got around to try out the Bluetooth function. After a lot of experimentation, I got it working with the following configuration:
OS: Windows Server 2003
BT Stack: BlueSoleil version 6.2.227.11 (Demo)
BT Dongle: D-Link DBT-120 rev B4 

At first, I was using a hacked Windows XP Bluetooth stack with a D-Link DBT-120 rev B4 dongle as Windows 2003 do not come with a Bluetooth stack, but I couldn't get my PC to pair with the FB-163.

As the FB-163 uses the newer A2DP Bluetooth profile, I went out and bought a newer dongle (unbranded model ES-389), thinking that it is a hardware problem. The ES-389 was detected as a "Silicon Wave" bluetooth device by Windows, but couldn't pair with the FB-163 either.
So I thought, maybe I need a newer Bluetooth stack. Thus I installed BlueSoleil version 6.2.227.11 as I had downloaded the demo version previously.Unfortunately, when I tried to pair ES-389 with the FB-163, it couldn't even get FB-163's device name. The error message was "Refreshing device name is not successful".



After a lot of troubleshooting, I replaced the ES-389 with my older DBT-120 as I remembered that the D-Link dongle could at least get the device name from FB-163. 

The short version is that it worked, and here are the steps I took:

1. In the start screen, the FB-163 is identified by a "Headset" icon with its MAC address.
   
2. When I right-clicked the "Headset" icon and chose "Get Device Name", it worked and got the "LG_AUDIO" device name.
   
   
3. I right-clicked the Headset icon and chose "Pair". The passkey dialog box appeared and I entered the default PIN "0000" (Why do everyone seem to use the same PIN?).
   
   
4. The DBT-120 and FB-163 are now paired.
   
   
5. Finally, I right-clicked the Headset icon and chose "Connect Bluetooth Advance Audio". The DBT-120 and FB-163 are now connected.

I fired up my music player and the music streaming worked perfectly.

Windows Update IE Frame Recursion/Loop Problem when Selecting "Optional" Updates

I've been having problems performing the "Windows Update" with the Internet Explorer on one of my Windows Server 2003 system, which is used as a software testing workstation.

From IE6 to IE8, the whole "Windows Update" process goes on normally until I try to select the "Software, Optional" option on the side frame. IEjust loads another "Windows Update" process in the center frame.

Prior to IE8, the recursive process just cascades deeper and deeper, with more frames within frame. But since IE8, the process is now a loop. When I try to continue the "Windows Update" process in the sub-frame window, the sub-frame just goes back to the original "High Priority" option sub-frame.

The funny thing is that it only happens to one of my machines. Usually, I just use CTupdate to update this machine and forget about it; but I thought I'll fix it since I have some free time now.

After a little googling, I found a link to this page: 
http://www.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/en-us/default.aspx?dg=microsoft.public.windowsupdate&mid=bcd4ec08-55d3-4ee5-8daa-56dcd25f5311 
The forum poster found out that it was the "BitComet Helper" add-on from his BitComet 0.84 that was affecting his Windows XP system.
I checked and I found that I have an old BitComet 0.7 in my system that I have totally forgotten about, so I went on to disable the add-on. 

In IE8, I went to "Tools -> Manage Add-ons", and disabled the "BitComet Helper" add-on.


Problem solved and my "Windows Update" is now working fine.

Installing Windows Live Messenger 2009 on Windows Server 2003

When I tried to install the new Windows Live Messenger 2009 on my Windows Server 2003 machine, I got the "Couldn't install programs" error message, and the detail is "os_check: 0x8028004".



Apparently, Windows 2003/2008 and 64bit XP systems are not supported by the new Live Messenger.

Thank goodness I came across the following site:
http://www.gtalkme.com/development/install-windows-live-wave3-on-windows2003-or-2008.html
It's about "Windows Live Wave 3" and it's in Chinese, but the hack is identical.

1. Download the messenger wlsetup-custom.exe.
2. Open it with Resource Hacker.
3. Open the resource tree to "CONFIG -> CONFIG0 -> 0".
   
4. Find the XML tag: workstation" />

Change "workstation" to "server" and recompile the script in the Resource Hacker.

Remember to save the modified installer file.

The installer should work properly on the Win2003 system now.

Difference Between Windows 2003 and Windows 2008 Server?

1.2008 is combination of vista and windows 2003r2.

2. RODC one new domain controller introduced in it.[Read-only Domain Controllers.]

3.WDS (windows deployment services) instead of RIS in 2003 server

4. Shadow copy for each and every folders

5.Boot sequence is changed

5.Installation is 32 bit where as 2003 it is 16 bit as well as 32 bit, that’s why installation of 2008 is faster

6. Services are known as role in it

7. Group policy editor is a separate option in ads.

8. The main difference between 2003 and 2008 is Virtualization, management..

9.2008 has more inbuilt components and updated third party drivers Microsoft introduces new feature with 2k8 that is Hyper-V Windows Server 2008 introduces Hyper-V (V for Virtualization) but only on 64bit     versions.

10.In Windows Server 2008, Microsoft is introducing new features and technologies, some of which were not available in Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 (SP1), that will help to reduce the power consumption of server and client operating systems, minimize environmental byproducts, and increase server efficiency.

11.Microsoft Windows Server 2008 has been designed with energy efficiency in mind, to provide customers with ready and convenient access to a number of new power-saving features. It includes updated support for Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) processor power management (PPM) features, including support for processor performance states (P-states) and processor idle sleep states on multiprocessor systems. These features simplify power management in Windows Server 2008 (WS08) and can be managed easily across servers and clients using Group Policies.

12. Many features are updated - as security, IIS and RODC.In security it enable outbound firewall as well as inbound, IIS 7 release, Read only Domain controllers.

13.Virtualization

14.Server Core provides the minimum installation required to carry out a specific server role, such as for a DHCP, DNS or print server.

15.Boot sequence is changed

16.Role-based installation or, services are known as role in it

17.Better security

18.Enhanced terminal services

19.Network Access Protection

20. Microsoft's system for ensuring that clients connecting to Server 2008 are patched, running a firewall and in compliance with corporate security policies.

21.PowerShell

22. IIS

23. Bitlocker

24.System drive encryption can be a sensible security measure for servers located in remote branch offices.More and more companies are seeing this as a way of reducing hardware costs by running several 'virtual' servers on one physical machine. If you like this exciting technology, make sure that you buy an edition of Windows Server 2008 that includes Hyper-V, then launch the Server Manger, add Roles.

Windows Server 2008, formerly codenamed Longhorn, is no leas than 45 times faster than its predecessor, Windows Server 2003, in terms of network transfer speeds. Now whatever the perspective is on Microsoft's last 32-bit server operating system, the fact of the matter is that faster transfer speeds for of up to 45 times is quite an evolution compared to Windows Server 2003

25. Windows Aero

26.we can install windows 2008 server either in full version(install all services& applications) or server core(only install minimal required services), but in 2003 we can only install fully O.S.

27.Windows server 2008 use Hyper-V application & Roles concept for better productivity but server 2003 does not have such features.

28. Windows Server 2008, Active Directory has been renamed to Active Directory DomainServices (AD DS). AD DS retains the tools, architectural design, and structure that were introduced in Windows 2000 Server and Windows Server 2003, with some added improvements.

29.2003 was made to control XP networks.

30.2008 is made to control Vista networks.

31.The group policy and active directory schemas have been altered to include Vista polices.