Tips - How to easily sign .PDF using Chrome

 There is an easy way to sign PDF using Chrome, about other browser you can follow this article:

https://employees.brooklyn.edu/base/sign-pdf/

1. Open a new tab in Google Chrome.
2. Drag and drop your PDF into the tab, or press Ctrl+O to select and open your file.
3. Click the Draw (pencil/scribble icon) in the top toolbar.
   
   
   
   
   
4. Select your pen color and thickness in the right-side menu.
   
   
   
   
   
5. Use your mouse, trackpad, or touchscreen to draw your signature. (remember to zoom to better sign)
6. Click Download (down arrow icon) at the top right. 
   
   
   
   
   
7. Save the file to keep your changes.

Tips - Certificate Checker

If you need to check entirely certificate chain you can use below links:

1. https://www.geocerts.com/ssl-checker
2. https://www.digicert.com/help/
3. https://www.sslshopper.com/ssl-checker.html
4. https://decoder.link/sslchecker/

otherwise you can use sslyse that can be here downloaded.

sslyze --certinfo website_name

Once you have unzipped file you need to launch, on command prompt to have a verbose certificate analysis

Sophos #How to override ACS compatibility problem

If you try to install Sophos on O.S. that not support Azure Code Signing this will not receive Sophos updates and/or install it

KB5022661—Windows support for the Trusted Signing (formerly Azure Code Signing) program

In the past there was a build that fixed problem but is is no longer supported

October 12, 2021—KB5006669 (OS Build 14393.4704) - EXPIRED

to override problem you might arrange to download new Trusted CA Certificate ( Microsoft Identity Verification Root Certificate Authority 2020) that it is related to ACS from this repository:

PKI Repository - Microsoft PKI Services

start --> certmgr.msc --> local computer --> Trusted Root Certification Authorities --> Certificates

In this way Sophos installation works properly.

Edge #How to reset profile

If you need to reset Edge settings profile (you will lose only stored password, bookmarks can be easily reimported, plugin/extentions could be re-downloaded) you need to go to this path and rename following folder

C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/1355083/delete-all-microsoft-edge-profiles-(complete-reset

https://angolodiwindows.com/2022/04/come-resettare-microsoft-edge/

Windows 10/11 #how to disable control panel & settings

To disable control panel and settings access to normal users on Windows 11 you can follow this article instructions:

https://thegeekpage.com/disable-control-panel-and-settings/

Windows 10/11 #Tips #Move Mouse

 A simple utility that can be used to simulate user activity.

Maybe you work from home and want to keep your remote session alive whilst you're away from your machine? Maybe you have a long running process that you want your machine to stay awake for? Move Mouse can be deployed in whole host of situations to assist you.

Actions can range from a simple mouse move or click every few seconds, to PowerShell scripts, schedules and blackout windows that allow you to build a highly customisable experience.

https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9NQ4QL59XLBF?hl=neutral&gl=IT&ocid=pdpshare

[update 2025.11.18]

Hardware device that permit to achieve the same result

https://www.amazon.it/dp/B09NVH8HVN/?coliid=I3QVLHGNNYMQID&colid=2GODWYADTIZHK&th=1

Windows 11 #Tips ho to remove Gallyery

Gallery is a Windows 11 aggregator photo feature.

If you like to remove it, due to privacy concerns, there are several methods, like register keys, powershell, gpo etc etc.

Here it is a way. --> start --> regedit with administrative rights

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE

SOFTWARE

Microsoft

Windows

CurrentVersion

Explorer

Desktop

Namespace

select key {e88865ea-0e1c-4e20-9aa6-edcd0212c87c} and remove it

[original articles]

https://www.claudiomasci.com/come-rimuovere-galleria-da-windows-11/

https://www.ninjaone.com/it/blog/aggiungere-o-rimuovere-la-galleria-da-esplora-file-in-windows-11/

Tips #Text to Speech & to mp3 for free

PROBLEM: How to listen any day by day articles/news/books while doing other tasks.
SOLUTION: Speech articles/text (and/or save them in .mp3 file to listen them later) using a free website... (and many other features)...

This is a free website that I discovered (but I think that thre might me several others and, probably, better)

https://www.textfromtospeech.com/en/text-to-voice/

BTW Recently Google Chrome implemented text to speech feature too (you have only simple to right click on text and ask chrome to speech it for you)

Use Listen to this page mode in Chrome

Considering the huge amount of article availble on internet this could be helpful to listen them when you doing other things

Same concept it could be in other direction (speech to text)
Do you have other tips/solutions to suggest?

Tips #SQL Server 2016 Database Mail does not work on a computer that does not have the .NET Framework 3.5 installed or stops working after applying SQL Server update

In the past we faced this problem:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/kb3186435-fix-sql-server-2016-database-mail-does-not-work-on-a-computer-that-does-not-have-the-net-framework-3-5-installed-or-stops-working-after-applying-sql-server-update-3480beb6-1329-74d6-0f3a-e8e3d893326c

This is official Microsoft KB that fix problem:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/sql/releases/sqlserver-2016/servicepack1-cumulativeupdate2

Tips #OUTLOOK #RULES errors - Tool &Fix

During these years it occurred several times to have Outlook email rules corrupted.

Here they are alerts that I received.

To fix this problem the best article and tool that I found is this one.

https://o365info.com/delete-corrupted-hidden-exchange-inbox-rules-using-mfcmapi/

TIPS #curl troubleshooting website/connectivity check tool

Today I would like to take note on blog about curl command line tool that allow to send and receive data from servers using URL and for scripts automation too.

It supports various internet protocols like http, https, ftp, ftps, scp, sftp.

Is used for file download, testing and website checking

curl -vvv https://www.google.it

Curl -vvv https://website User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Linux x86_64; rv:58.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/58.0

curl man page

https://curl.se/docs/manpage.html

Iphone #How to trasfer HEIC and HEVC photo to PC (in JPEG format)

With the release of iOS 11 and macOS High Sierra in 2017, Apple made the shift to HEIC and HEVC photo and video formats. These file formats can compress photos by up to 50% without losing any image quality.

The major problem is that HEIC and HEVC format is not widely supported (mainly on PC or other devices).

To transfer photo to other devices in .jpeg format here it is procedure that you should apply to your iphone

1. Go to Settings > Photos.
2. Scroll down to the Transfer to Mac or PC section.
3. Tap Automatic.

more details are here indicated

https://appletoolbox.com/how-to-avoid-heic-format-when-transferring-photos-from-your-iphone/

Tips #Registro delle opposizioni

Chi di noi puo' dire di non ricevere, con una certa cadenza, delle chiamate strane di pubblicità, oppure in cui l'interlocutore riattacca subito oppure per fare proposte piu' disparate.

E' vero che purtroppo siamo nel paese delle "banane" ma per questo esiste da anni il registro delle opposizioni che permette, dopo essersi registrati, di dare diniego di ogni comunicazione non autorizzata.

Di seguito copio ed incollo le info dal loro sito ed il sito web stesso:

https://registrodelleopposizioni.it/

Vi sono tre modi per iscriversi:

1) Iscrizione via web:

2) iscrizione via telefono 800 957 766 (in caso di utenze fisse) oppure 06 42986411 in caso di cellulare

3) Email: 

- compila l’apposito modulo RPO di “Iscrizione” con i dati richiesti, inserendo fino a cinque numeri di telefono.

- Salva il modulo senza modificarne il formato.

- Invia il modulo RPO compilato a iscrizione(at)registrodelleopposizioni.it

L'iscrizione puo' essere gestita tramite questo link

Per segnalare un illecito questo e' il link da utilizzare

Le sanzioni è disciplinata dal Codice in materia di protezione dei dati personali e dal Regolamento generale sulla protezione dei dati (RGPD), che prevede l’applicazione di sanzioni amministrative pecuniarie fino a 20 milioni di euro o per le imprese, fino al 4 % del fatturato mondiale totale annuo dell’esercizio precedente, se superiore.

<=====================>

Il Registro pubblico delle opposizioni esteso a tutti i numeri telefonici nazionali, fissi e cellulari, consente al CITTADINO di opporsi alle chiamate di telemarketing indesiderate. L’iscrizione annulla anche i consensi precedentemente rilasciati, tranne quelli che saranno autorizzati dopo l’iscrizione e quelli con i soggetti con cui si ha un contratto (per esempio i gestori delle utenze). Con il nuovo servizio l'OPERATORE deve consultare mensilmente il RPO e comunque prima di svolgere le campagne pubblicitarie tramite telefono. L'opposizione può riferirsi anche alla pubblicità cartacea, nel caso l'indirizzo sia presente negli elenchi telefonici pubblici.

Vmware #vCenter emergency mode

You might face that, during vCenter reboot phase might appear below screenshot.

To fix problem you should:

1. Take vCenter snapshot
2. Press E immediately upon boot until Grub boot startup appear
3. Add systemd.unit=emergency.target (that tells the OS to boot into emergency mode)

F10 to continue boot

 Utilize these commands to find mounted devices, you need to fix only sda devices with ext4 file system

About all of them you need to launch these commands

e2fsck -y /dev/sda1

Finally, you need to reboot

[original article]

https://www.tech-e.co.uk/vcenter-boots-into-emergency-mode-on-startup/

Windows 10/11 #how to disable permanently windows update

This article explain on how to disable windows update on Windows 10/11 client devices.

https://www.thewindowsclub.com/windows-10-update-enables-even-turning-off

here they are actions that you need to know:

a) Disable Windows Update using Windows Services

b) Change the Log on account for Windows Update Service (logon as .\guest user with blank password)

c) Turn Off Windows Update using Group Policy  --> gpedit.msc --> Go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update > Manage end user experience. --> Configure Automatic Updates setting. --> Disable

d) Disable Windows Update Medic Service (consider that this service [or WaaSMedicSVC using Windows Update Blocker.]) is a service introduecd to repair Windows components.

Vmware #ESX upgrade from 6.7. to 7 version #Error Failed to set the time via NTP

When you upgrade vCenter from 6.7 to 7 version you might face this error:

Error Failed to set the time via NTP

Details failed to synch to the NTP server

Code com.vmware.applmgmt.err_ntp_sync_failed

Could not setup time synchronization.

Resolution Verify that provided NTP servers are valid

Solution would be to sincronize NTP service pointing internal/external IP but changing Time Syncronization Settings mode to host

Here it is more detailed article:

https://pradeeppapnai.wordpress.com/2019/06/02/vcentermigrationntperror/

Server - REBOOT IDRAC and fix email sending problem (on dell Server)

In case you need to restart server idrac (or reset it) you can follow this youtube video explanation

otherwise if you are facing email sending errors you should fix putting:

emailname@emaildomain

A) Static DNS Domain Name: emaildomain

B) DNS iDRAC Name: emailname

Here it is relative screenshot

Server - MMC GPO Security Options errors - MMC cannot initialize the snap-in

Using MMC snapin, on windows server (in my case on 2016 version), basically managing GPOs, you might face below errors.

I get the error message stated in the subject line whenever I try to open Computer Configuration >> Windows Settings >> Security Settings >> Local Policies >> Security Options >> from GPO.

I found three alternatives to manage this error:

Option 1

1. This was broken with the September 8, 2020—KB4577015 update. currently the only solution is to uninstall it.
   
   https://community.spiceworks.com/topic/2291581-windows-2016-mmc-snap-in-error
   
   
2. Then install KB4571694, reboot and try again or patch KB4580346 (I did not investigate at 100%)
   
   https://community.spiceworks.com/topic/2291581-windows-2016-mmc-snap-in-error
   
   https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/124913/server-2016-mmc-has-detected-an-error-in-a-snap-in
   

Option 2

1. Export REG key:
   
   reg export "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SecEdit\Reg Values\MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Policies/System/DontDisplayLockedUserId" C:\Temp\DontDisplayLockedUserId.reg
   
   
2. Deleting REG key
   
   reg delete "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SecEdit\Reg Values\MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Policies/System/DontDisplayLockedUserId" /f
   
   
3. Change GPO 
   
   
4. Reimport Register key
   Double clicking here
   C:\Temp\DontDisplayLockedUserId.reg
5. Original article: 
   
   https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/124913/server-2016-mmc-has-detected-an-error-in-a-snap-in

Option 3

1. On a full patched server or PC install RSAT and solve problem in this way
   https://www.alessandromazzanti.com/2019/05/windows-10-how-to-install-rsat-on.html
   
   
2. Server - How to Execute RSAT snapins with different users without server/client logon necessity
   https://www.alessandromazzanti.com/2017/10/server-how-to-execute-rsat-snapins-with.html
   

REFERENCES

• "The crash can be avoided by deleting the following registry key. Please make sure to export the reg key before deleting anything. Deleting the key will cause the “Interactive logon: Display user information when the session is locked” policy to not appear in the console. (The policy is still effective, but you can’t see it in the UI to edit it). You will need to import the key back later, after the fix has been released.
  
  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SecEdit\Reg Values\MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Policies/System/DontDisplayLockedUserId"
  
  
• Alternatively follow below article https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/124913/server-2016-mmc-has-detected-an-error-in-a-snap-in
  
  
• https://community.spiceworks.com/topic/2291581-windows-2016-mmc-snap-in-error
  

OUTLOOK - HOW TO RESIZE .EDB FILE

 Here it is an interesting article that well explain on how to proceed resizing .EDB file.

https://woshub.com/windows-edb-file-too-big-how-to-reduce-size/

Sophos - How to recover a tamper protected system

If you have pc that was deleted on Sophos Central Console Antivirus installation cannot be done unless you do not follow this Sophos procedure:

https://support.sophos.com/support/s/article/KB-000036125?language=en_US