Windows Vista - error messages, solutions and how-to's

Windows Vista, even in its Release Candidate (RC) versions, still remains a Beta product; and, as such, no formal product support is available from Microsoft for it. However, Microsoft have included in their Knowledge Base a number of articles (which, by the way, are provided by Microsoft strictly on an as-is basis) that deal with Windows Vista issues. This article contains an inventory of aforementioned resources and references.


I. ERROR MESSAGES

SUBJECT: Activation fails when you try to activate Windows Vista or Windows Longhorn Server over the Internet
PROBLEM: Activation fails with error code 0x8004FE33 and/or you view either of the following errors recorded in the Application event log:

SOLUTION: Directions on how to configure your proxy server are provided, and if this fails the only alternative is activating Vista by using the automated phone system in the Windows Activation Wizard.

SUBJECT: In a dual-boot configuration, Windows XP does not start if you subsequently format or delete the partition on which Windows Vista is installed
PROBLEM: Describes an issue that occurs if you format the active partition when Windows XP is installed in a dual-boot configuration. Specifically, Windows XP no longer starts in this scenario.
SOLUTION: A workaround is provided, but this article is currently under revision.


II. PROGRAMS NOT WORKING

SUBJECT: Microsoft Office Word 2003 may stop responding
PROBLEM: When you try to select text in Microsoft Word 2003 in a Windows Vista RC1 or Windows Code Name "Longhorn" Server Beta 2 computer, MS Word 2003 stops responding.
SOLUTION: Microsoft provides a specific update for download (KB925028 x86 32-bit, KB925028 x64)

SUBJECT: Applications that are installed by using Microsoft Windows Installer stop responding or fail
PROBLEM: An application that is installed by using Windows Installer in a Windows Vista RC1 or Windows Code Name "Longhorn" Server Beta 2 computer and that creates a Windows NT service-based Component Object Model (COM) server may fail.
SOLUTION: Microsoft provides a specific update for download (KB925029 x86 32-bit, KB925029 x64, KB925029 Itanium)

SUBJECT: The "Program Compatibility Assistant" dialog box appears when you try to install or run Symantec Antivirus Enterprise Edition 10.0.1.622 in Windows Vista Beta 2 or in Windows Code Name "Longhorn"
PROBLEM: You cannot install or run Symantec Antivirus Enterprise Edition if you are running the 32-bit x86 editions of Windows Vista Beta 2 and Server Code Name "Longhorn" Beta 2.
SOLUTION: Microsoft provides a specific update for download, with the following files: Aclayers.dll (6.0.5384.20), Acxtrnal.dll (6.0.5384.20), Drvmain.sdb (KB920143 x86 32-bit)


III. FEATURES NOT WORKING

SUBJECT: Multiple users cannot print from 32-bit applications on a 64-bit operating system by using the "runas" command
PROBLEM: You cannot use the runas command with different user accounts to print from 32-bit applications on a same computer that has the 64-bit Microsoft Windows operating system installed.
SOLUTION: A workaround is provided, by using the Registry Editor.

SUBJECT: Security auditing settings are not applied to Windows Vista client computers when you deploy a domain-based policy
PROBLEM: You run the Resultant Set of Policy (RSoP) tool on one of the Windows Vista client computers in an Active Directory directory service domain, and it indicates that the policy is being applied. However, the policy is not actually applied to one or more Windows Vista client computers.
SOLUTION: Two alternative workarounds are provided, one by using the Group Policy Object Editor and the other by using the Registry Editor.

SUBJECT: You cannot create files when alternate data streams are present on a computer that is using the NTFS file system
PROBLEM: When you try to create, copy, or move a file from two logical units, you cannot copy or move some files by using specific security settings, when these files have alternate data streams linked to them.
SOLUTION: This behavior is by design; the only workaround is to lower / turn off specific security settings (provided but not recommended).


IV. "HOW TO" GUIDES

SUBJECT: How to make hibernation unavailable on a computer that is running Windows Vista
DESCRIPTION: This article describes how to make hibernation unavailable on a computer that is running Microsoft Windows Vista. The need for this article stems from the fact that hibernation is not made unavailable when one sets the value of the Hibernate after setting to Never by using the Power Options item in Control Panel. A specific workaround is provided.

SUBJECT: How to use Group Policy to configure detailed security auditing settings for Windows Vista client computers in a Windows Server 2003 domain or in a Windows 2000 domain
DESCRIPTION: Learn how to use Group Policy to configure detailed security auditing settings for Windows Vista client computers in a Windows Server 2003 or Windows 2000 domain. In Vista, you have more control over individual audit policy subcategories than you have in earlier versions of Windows. The individual audit policy subcategories that are available in Windows Vista are not exposed in the interface of Group Policy tools. The article describes a procedure that administrators can use to deploy a custom audit policy that applies detailed security auditing settings for Windows Vista client computers.

SUBJECT: How to use Certificate Services Web enrollment pages together with Windows Vista
DESCRIPTION: The Windows Server 2003 Certificate Services Web enrollment functionality relies on an ActiveX control that is named Xenroll, and has been available since Windows 2000. However, Xenroll has been deprecated in Windows Vista. This article discusses how to use Certificate Services Web enrollment pages in Server 2003 or "Longhorn", together with Microsoft Windows Vista.

SUBJECT: How to configure virtual private network enforcement for Network Access Protection in Windows Vista and in Windows Server "Longhorn" Beta 2
DESCRIPTION: This Support WebCast outlines the configuration steps required to set up VPN enforcement for NAP by using the Windows VPN client on Windows Vista and by using Routing and Remote Access and Network Policy Server (NPS) on Windows Server "Longhorn" Beta 2

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