How to reset the RDP server 120-day grace period

I was surprised to find this on the Dell support site.

Instructions

The Remote Desktop Services (RDS) role in Windows server requires appropriate client access licenses (CALs) to be installed in order to function properly, but there is a 120-day licensing grace period which begins when the role is installed. During this grace period, RDS will function without any CALs having been installed. This is to allow an organization to configure and test its RDS environment to ensure that everything works as expected before purchasing and installing CALs.

It is possible to reset this grace period, but please note: resetting the licensing grace period is not a substitute for purchasing and installing the required Remote Desktop CALs. The following steps should not be performed on a server that is in production.

To reset the RDS licensing grace period, perform the following steps:

1. On the RD session host, launch Registry Editor (regedit) as an administrator.
2. In regedit, browse to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\RCM\GracePeriod.
3. Within this registry key is a REG_BINARY entry whose name begins with the string L$RTMTIMEBOMB. (This is likely the only entry in this key.) The default permissions on this entry do not allow it to be modified or deleted; therefore, these permissions must be changed
4. Right-click the GracePeriod folder in the left pane of regedit and select Permissions.
5. In the permissions window that appears, select Administrators and assign this group Full Control permissions. Click OK to close the window.
6. Right-click the L$RTMTIMEBOMB... registry entry and select Delete. Click Yes to confirm the deletion.
7. Exit regedit.
8. Reboot the RD session host server in order for the registry change to take effect.

You may confirm that the procedure was successful by using the RD Licensing Diagnoser tool from the Tools menu of Server Manager. Clients should now be able to connect to this session host without the applicable CALs. Again, this procedure is not intended to be a substitute for purchasing and installing Remote Desktop CALs and should only be performed in a non-production (i.e., test/lab) environment.

Block ipv6 on Mikrotik RouterOS

Block ipv6 on Mikrotik RouterOS

Enable the ipv6 package if you've disabled it.  Disabling the package doesn't stop ipv6.  You must enable the package then add the firewall rules here.

/ipv6 firewall raw
add chain=prerouting action=drop
add chain=output action=drop
/ipv6 firewall filter
remove [find]
add chain=input action=drop
add chain=forward action=drop
add chain=output action=drop

Installing VirtualBox 7 on Windows

If you try to install Virtualbox 7 you may get this message:

 If you do, click 'No' to cancel the installation and do the following.

Step 1

    Download and install the latest Python from here: https://www.python.org/downloads/

Step 2

    Open a cmd prompt and cd to the location of pip.exe (example:) 

        cd C:\Users\paul\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python311\Scripts

Step 3

    Run this pip command:

        pip install pywin32

Step 4

    Run the Virtualbox installer again.  You shouldn't get the above warning.

 

FastCopy

Many copy programs out there, like Teracopy or Robocopy.  Here's one from Japan called Fastcopy.

https://fastcopy.jp/

Postfix relay mail for different domains to different hosts

Postfix relay mail for different domains to different hosts

(can specify alternate ports too)

Something isn't quite right about this, it doesn't work.  

In main.cf:

relayhost = relayhost1.domain.com:25, 111.222.333.444:26

relay_domains = domain1.vu, domain2.co.nz, domain3.com.au, domain4.com, domain5.to

smtp_sender_dependent_authentication = yes

sender_dependent_relayhost_maps = hash:/etc/postfix/relaymap

In /etc/postfix/relaymap:

@domain1.vu    relayhost1.domain.com:25

@domain2.co.nz   relayhost1.domain.com:25

@domain3.com.au   111.222.333.444:26

@domain4.com   111.222.333.444:26

@domain5.to   relayhost1.domain.com:25

Then compile the relaymap txt file to a hash db so Postfix can use it:

postmap /etc/postfix/relaymap

Reload postfix config

postfix check && postfix reload

Enable F8 safe mode boot on Windows 11

Run this at an admin cmd prompt:

bcdedit /set {default} bootmenupolicy legacy

Kera Desktop

It is a web-based desktop environment that syncs to the cloud.

"An easy, pleasant, speedy, and exciting way to use your favorite OS"

https://desktop.kerahq.com/

 

Code Writer

ActiPro makes an alternative to Notepad called Code Writer.

https://www.actiprosoftware.com/products/apps/codewriter

I've been using Notepad++ for a long time, but I'm always on the lookout for a good text editor.  Worth a look.