Author: Bob Lin

By design, when a user tries to access a network shared folder on a remote computer running windows, the prompt will popup for entering a credentials. This article shows how to enable unauthenticated (anonymous) access to a shared folders on a Windows . The windows could be a Windows 10 or Windows server that is sharing a folder.

Note: From the security point of view, it is not recommended to enable anonymous network access for a guest account

1.Configure Local Anonymous Access Group Policies to Enable guest account

•Open the Local Group Policy Editor on a Windows, which you want to enable anonymous access to by typing gpedit.

•Click Open.

•With the Local Group Policy open, navigate to Computer Configuration -> Windows Settings -> Security Settings -> Local Policies -> Security Options. •Configure the following policies:

  Accounts: Guest Account Status: Enabled

2. Configure Network access

•With the Local Group Policy open, navigate to Computer Configuration -> Windows Settings -> Security Settings -> Local Policies -> Security Options •Network access: Let Everyone permissions apply to anonymous users: Enabled

* Network access: Do not allow anonymous enumeration of SAM accounts and shares: Disabled

3. Enable network folder sharing in Windows

* Click Settings.

* Click on Network & Internet

* Click on Ethernet

* Click on Change advanced sharing options

* Check both Turn on network discovery and Turn on file and printer sharing

4. Configure a folder for sharing

* Right click on the folder you want to share and select Properties.

• Click on Sharing and then Advanced Sharing.

* Check Share this folder

•Highlight Everyone and check Change and Read

•Click OK

•Highlight Everyone and check Change and Read

•Click OK

* Click Security and click on Edit

* Click on Add

* Enter everyone and click OK

•Now highlight Everyone and check Modify.

•Click OK to save the settings.

•Check the sharing, open command prompt

•Type net share and press enter

Please view this step by step video:

Q: What I try to open up the attached PDF, I get a message that says, “There was an error opening this document.  An updated version of Acrobat is needed in order to open this document.”  How do I fix this problem?

Resolution: Install latest Adobe Reader Version and set it as default app.

1. Go to https://get.adobe.com/reader/ to download Adobe Acrobat Reader DC.

2. Click on Download Acrobat Reader.

Note: you may want to uncheck OPTION OFFERS McAfee and GET MORE OUT OF ACROBAT.

3. Click Open file from the downloaded file.

Or click Run when you receive this popup

4. Click Yes in Adobe Acrobat Reader DC Installer.

5. Click on Finish to close the installation. 

6. Setup or make sure Adobe Reader as default app

•Right click on one of PDF file.

•Click on Properties.

• Make sure Open with is Adobe Acrobat Reader. Otherwise, click Change to select the Adobe Acrobat Reader as default app and cock OK to save the settings.

Now, you should be able to open the PDF file.

Please view this step b ystep video:

Situation: The animal hospital has DVMax. Sometimes, when they attached a scanned PDF file in DVMax. Other computers can’t see it.

Troubleshooting:

When we attach a scanned PDF file on DVMax, it saves to network sharng folder called Imges. The problem, sometimes we can’t see the scanned/attached PFD is because of mapping Images folder doesn’t work. Even worst is when we attempt to attach a PDF, it doesn’t give the message if we attach or not. Also, sometimes Windows update resets to the default security or add more security so that the Images mapping doesn’t work. To prevent that happens again, these are our suggestions.

1. Make sure Images mapping always work, especially those two receptions workstations that scan and attach files. If we see Images folder is red x. Double click on it. In most cases it wakes it up and will work. If it is popup for the login, use administrator to login. Also check Remember so that you don’t need to re-login again.
2. We have created and shared a folder named ScanAchive. We can map it on two reception workstations. After attaching a scanned PDF file from Dropbox, move the file into ScanAchine. ScanAchive have a lot space. It can keep those scanned files for many years.  

When Office 365 admin attempts to use office phone extension (x###) for Microsoft Office 365 MFA, you may receive this message: Invalid phone number format. This video shows how to setup authentication method using office phone extension.

The user should do it (not admin)

1. Click on this link:

Or https://aka.ms/mfasetup

To access Office 365 Additional security verification page

2. If the Sign in page popup, login using your Office 365 credentials.

• Select your email address.
• Enter your password and click Sign in.

3. In Additional security verification page, you will have these options: Authentication phone (normally it is your smart phone) , Office phone (you can have extension here), Alternative authentication phone and Authentication app or Token. Choose how you want to do your verification.

4. Click Save to save the settings.

Note: 1.Although all options are listed, your admin may not make them all available; you’ll get a message if you choose an option your admin didn’t enable. 2.You also have an option to restore multi-factor authentication on previously trust devices.

Please view this step by step video:

The client has a problem to use Microsoft XPS Document Writer on his Windows 10 computer. When he tries to re-install it, he doesn’t have Microsoft XPS Document Writer listed in Add printers & scanners.

Troubleshooting: 1.Select xps (Local Port) ●

* Under Choose a printer port, check Use an existing port and then xps (Local Port).

If the xps (Local Port) is not show up, continue next step.

2 .Install Windows update and restart the computer.

● Click Settings icon.

• Click Update & Security.

* Check or install any Windows updates you have

•If there is not Windows Updates or the Update doesn’t fix the problem, continue next step.

3. Run SFC (System File Checker)

• Type CMD in the Search bar. Click on Run as administrator.

* Click Yes on Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device?

* Type sfc /scannow and press Enter

4. Re-install XPS driver
* You can download the Microsoft XPS Document Writer driver from this link:

http://www.chicagotech.net/XPS-Document-Writer.zip

* Unzipped and copy these files to a temp folder.

* Go to Settings>Devices

* Click on Printer & scanners.

* Then + icon Add a printer & scanner.

* Click on The printer that I want isn’t listed.

* Check Add a local printer or network printer with manual settings.

* Check on Create a new port and then Local Port.

* Enter xps in the port name. Then OK.

* Click Have Disk. Then Next. 

* Click Browse and then OK.

* Browse to the location where you save these downloaded files. Select prnms001.inf and click Open.

* Click OK to continue.

* Microsoft XPS Document Writer will show up. Click Next.

* Click Next to install the Microsoft XPS Document Writer.  

Please view step by step video:

Situation: The client has a problem to use Microsoft XPS Document Writer on his Windows 10 computer. When he tries to re-install it, he gets Error Code: 0x800F0922 as shown next page.

Troubleshooting:

1.Install Windows update and restart the computer.

● Click Settings icon.

• Click Update & Security.

* Check or install any Windows updates you have

•If there is not Windows Updates or the Update doesn’t fix the problem, continue next step.

2. Run SFC (System File Checker)

• Type CMD in the Search bar. Click on Run as administrator.

* Click Yes on Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device?

* Type sfc /scannow and press Enter

3. Re-install XPS driver
* You can download the Microsoft XPS Document Writer driver from this link:

http://www.chicagotech.net/XPS-Document-Writer.zip

* Unzipped and copy these files to a temp folder.

* Go to Settings>Devices

* Click on Printer & scanners.

* Then + icon Add a printer & scanner.

* Click on The printer that I want isn’t listed.

* Check Add a local printer or network printer with manual settings.

* Check on Create a new port and then Local Port.

* Enter xps in the port name. Then OK.

* Click Have Disk. Then Next. 

* Click Browse and then OK.

* Browse to the location where you save these downloaded files. Select prnms001.inf and click Open.

* Click OK to continue.

* Microsoft XPS Document Writer will show up. Click Next.

* Click Next to install the Microsoft XPS Document Writer.  

Please view step by step video:

Situation: One of workstations doesn’t connect to the Internet. Both WiFi and Wired show No Internet.

Troubleshooting:

1. ipconfig command shows 169.254.x.x IP, which is auto IP addresse.

2. Ipconfig /renew gets this message:

No operation can be performed on Local Area Connection while it has its media disconnected.

3. We find an Event error: Event ID 1041 – The DHCP service is not servicing any clients because none of the active network interfaces have statically configured IP addresses or there are no active interfaces.

Based on our database, http://www.chicagotech.net/wineventid2.htm#Event%20ID%201041%20-%20The%20DHCP%20service

This event causes:

1. Bad NIC.

2. Incorrect NIC hardware settings.

3. Incorrect TCP/IP settings.

Resolution: Microsoft recommends to enable IPv6 on all Windows even you don’t use it.

To fix the problem, go to Network and Sharing Center on the DHCP server. Double click on Connects  (NIC2 in our example).

Click on Properties.

Check the and click all OKs to save the settings. Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IP)

Restart the DHCP service.

That should fix the problem. You can confirm it by checking the Event Viewer and run ipconfig /renew on problematical computers.

Note: for troubleshooting, we can set IP address manually on the client to test the internet connection.

Please view this step by step video:

Situation: One of workstations doesn’t connect to the Internet. Both WiFi and Wired show No Internet.

Troubleshooting:

1. ipconfig command shows 169.254.x.x IP, which is auto IP addresse.

2. Ipconfig /renew gets this message:

No operation can be performed on Local Area Connection while it has its media disconnected.

3. We find an Event error: Event ID 1041 – The DHCP service is not servicing any clients because none of the active network interfaces have statically configured IP addresses or there are no active interfaces.

Based on our database, http://www.chicagotech.net/wineventid2.htm#Event%20ID%201041%20-%20The%20DHCP%20service

This event causes:

1. Bad NIC.

2. Incorrect NIC hardware settings.

3. Incorrect TCP/IP settings.

Resolution: Microsoft recommends to enable IPv6 on all Windows even you don’t use it.

To fix the problem, go to Network and Sharing Center on the DHCP server. Double click on Connects  (NIC2 in our example).

Click on Properties.

Check the and click all OKs to save the settings. Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IP)

Restart the DHCP service.

That should fix the problem. You can confirm it by checking the Event Viewer and run ipconfig /renew on problematical computers.

Note: for troubleshooting, we can set IP address manually on the client to test the internet connection.

Please view this step by step video:

Situation: After a Microsoft update, you may receive this message when running Outlook: Outlook detected a COM add-in problem.

Troubleshooting: 1. Click on Always enable this add-in.

2. Fixing it from Manage COM Add-ins

* Click File in Outlook.

* Click on Manage COM Add-ins – Slow and Disable COM Add-ins. 

* Find the Add-in you want to fix, and then Options, For example Microsoft Teams.

* Check Always enable this add-in and then Apply.

* Close and test the add-in again. 

Please view this step by step video:

Fixing Outlook detected a COM add-in problem

Situation: When the client tries to repair or Uninstall Office 365, he can’t see it in Control Panel>Programs & Features as show next page.

Troubleshooting: We did similar problem  after a Microsoft Update. To repair or uninstall Office 365, go to Settings>Apps>Apps & Features. Double click on Microsoft Office Desktop Apps. To uninstall click Uninstall.

In popup, click Uninstall again.

To repair, click on Advanced options. 

You will have these options: Set default apps, Terminate, Repair, Reset and Uninstall.

In the bottom, you have options to uninstall induvial apps.

Or type office in the Search bar, the click on App settings.

In Office page, move down. You will have Repair, Reset and Uninstall options.

Please view this Video:

No option on Control Panel to repair or uninstall Office 365