Blocked and Encrypted Javascript Files and IIS Windows Authentication

I ran into an interesting issue with an application using a couple of javascript files I downloaded from the internet to modify and use in a web application for drop-down navigation. As long as I was accessing them using http://localhost, the javascript cascading menu functionality worked fine.

Windows Authentication

As soon as I started testing using http://machinename instead of localhost, I was prompted for my PC’s username and password. No problem, I realized I hadn’t disabled Windows Authentication in IIS 7 (since I was using Anonymous Authentication). When I disabled Windows Auth, the javascript didn’t work any more – even from running on the same physical PC. I turned Windows Auth back on and the javascript worked again.

Blocked

I figured there was probably some kind of trust issue, so I looked at the javascript filenames in Windows Explorer and found the names were colored green. I right clicked the properties and realized they were flagged as “Blocked” because they were downloaded in a zip file from the internet. I’ve run across that before so I clicked the “Unblock” button.

Encrypted

The files were still colored green and the javascript still didn’t work. I found that if I right clicked the filename, clicked on properties and “advanced”, the files were also encrypted. I unchecked the “Encrypt contents to secure data” checkbox and the javascript started working.

Problem solved.

photo credit: OhlieVher A. Arango / CC BY-ND 2.0

Project Phoenix Helps Non-Profits and Underemployed Developers

Unemployed or underemployed software developers have an opportunity to receive/earn a Visual Studio Ultimate license with MSDN among other great tools and learning opportunities. To qualify, the developer proposes a software project for a 503c non-profit, school, or church. See Arnie Rowland’s Like a Phoenix rising from the ashes post for full details about the program. The community benefits by receiving a service (software development) that might not otherwise be available to them.

Programs like these can only happen through the generosity of the MVP’s, and the numerous sponsors that have teamed up donating their time, talents, and/or products and services to the project.

photo credit: Gabi Agu CC BY 2.0

Top Four Uses for Remote Desktop

1. Manage multiple PC’s or servers from a remote computer or location.
2. Keep your data on a desktop in a secured premises and access it remotely. If your laptop gets lost or stolen, the data is still safely tucked away on your desktop at the home base.
3. Fix a friend or relative’s PC without them lugging their equipment to your house or requiring a house call.
4. Access your laptop from another computer when the laptop display or desktop monitor stops working.

photo credit: Locutis CC BY-SA 2.0

Why I Almost Switched from Hyper-V to VMware vSphere

I gave Hyper-V the good ol’ college try. I had a Windows 7 instance and a Windows Server 2008R2 Web edition instance installed. A few of the limitations that I didn’t like about Hyper-V:

• Management Console only supported on Windows 7 Ultimate or Vista Ultimate (not Home Premium or XP – pretty limiting for a home virtual environment)
• I couldn’t allocate any more RAM in total than was physically present on the Hypervisor – even if the instances were off. That doesn’t make it very easy to spin up a development or testing instance for quick testing and spin down
• The hypervisor management console locked up causing me to hard boot both server instances and the hypervisor to get it running again
• If I remoted or logged directly into the hypervisor (Server 2008R2 core install) itself and accidentally closed the command line window and cscript window, I couldn’t find a way to open them again without shutting down the server instances and power cycling the hypervisor. Yikes! that isn’t a very good production option.

The “Almost” in the title is because VMware vSphere and also Citrix XenServer both had compatibility problems with my hardware. Hyper-V worked right out of the box.