Woes from an Office 365 OneDrive and Sharepoint Sync user...

I have never preached for a technology that's so evidently lacking in stability than what Microsoft is offering with OneDrive for business and their Sharepoint Sites.

Overall, I do think there's great potential in this solution that Microsoft offers for the SMB market. Editing of data on the web, browser, local sync of files with the cloud, large storage capacity.. Having said all of these, there are lots of limitations to the sync of files and folders.

In this post, I will be addressing a few specific issues with the sync from Office 365 cloud to local PC.

The most common problems related to sync are:

1. Sync error with regards to permissions to access some files/folders.
2. Sync error with regards to inability repair any 'un-sync-able' files.
3. In-ability to sync files from Sharepoint or OneDrive For business
4. Repeated error even when repair of sync is initiated
5. Repeated error with Microsoft Office Document Uploader tool\
6. Problem with system slow-down after OneDrive for Business is set-up
7. Having multiple version of Ms Office (older Ms Office, and New OneDrive for business via Office 2013)

I will continually add more guides and information as I encounter more error messages in time to come.



1) Sync error with regards to permissions to access some files/folders.

The issue with permissions is generally users given access to a particular document storage location in sharepoint sites but not sufficient for users to download.
things to take note:

• check and ensure that files and folders to the user is given a read permission instead of just view. 
• View allows only viewing on the cloud web-based ms office, but read on the other hand provides access for the sync tool to download and synchronize the files/folders.

2) Sync error with regards to inability repair any 'un-sync-able' files.

This issue is related to the corruption of the sync-ed data. For this to be repaired, always try the repair tool by right-clicking the Cloud-Icon (OneDrive) for business.

The repair tool will back-up the data before it performs a re-sync. However, if there are consistently errors with the repair, say, you did it the 2nd-time and error re-occurred, you can try going this route:

Right click the OneDrive App, and stop syncing the folder that is having problem.

Then proceed to the C:\Users\(the user account)\Sharepoint and identify the folder of previously sync-ed data. Then rename the folder with an additional "_2015feb09" for ease of future identification.


Stop the OneDrive for business application > go to the taskmgr, look for:
1) groove (if this is not stopped, cannot rename the SPW folder)
2) msosync (if this is not stopped, cannot clear the OfficeFileCache Folder)
Stop these 2 tasks and services (if-any)

Then, Go to this location: C:\Users\User\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\Spw

SPW = SharePoint Workspace

You may proceed with renaming the folder from Spw to Spw.2014-09-01, this way the Spw folder database will be refreshed when the application is re-run.

Then proceed with deleting everything from this folder:
"C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\15.0\OfficeFileCache


Note that a restart of system is recommended to make the OneDrive Start from scratch.



(I just verified that I don't need to restart to get all to work. Just need to click the OneDrive App on the PC, and then login to my Office365 to SYNC the folder I'd like the app to synchronize.)
3) In-ability to sync files from Sharepoint or OneDrive For business

The only way we can use Sharepoint Sites sync or OneDrive for business sync to the local desktop is to ensure you have done the following:

1) You've run the Office 365 verification tool
2) You've installed the OneDrive for Business app

Both 2 options are available at the

a) login to Office 365
b) go top-right corner, click your photo or profile icon
c) Office 365 Settings > Software and,
d) perform the necessary work

When all of these have been set-up and some-how the sync button isn't available or is unable to be clicked (no effect when clicked), the issue could be related to the Groove Browser Helper Object (Grooveex.dll) BHO in the Internet Explorer Settings.

Note that the initiation of sync is made available only through internet explorer first. And you will definitely need to ensure that OneDrive for business is already installed and is able to run.

To fix the sync, go to add-ins for Internet Explorer (IE-10 or IE-11) Only.
- click the Gear at the top right corner
- click on manage add-ons
- scroll and look for Microsoft Corporation and search for Groove BHO, it should be disabled at the moment, and no matter how you click enable, it'll not work.
- if you look at the details, you'd see that it points to this location irregardless of which version of Ms Office 2010 or 2013 that you install (be it 32-bit or 64-bit).
Location: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office15 
- locate grooveex.dll, rename it to grooveex.old. IF you encountered error, that's because processes are running, so ensure that all Groove tasks are stopped in Task Manager, all Ms Office Sync MSOSYNC tasks are closed, and close any opened programs as well, especially Outlook.
- once grooveex.dll file has been renamed to grooveex.old, you may proceed with restart of system.
- when all is boot-up, open up Internet Explorer, go to Manage Add Ons again, and you should now be able to 'enable' Groove BHO and any other Microsoft Related Add-ons in the category. 

That's it! After the enabling, proceed to go to Sharepoint and OneDrive and do the sync. This issue seems to affect only users who utilizes both Microsoft Office 2010 and OneDrive for Business 2013 edition (download from the Software in the Office 365 Settings).

More to come in near future for problem 4, 5 and 6.

WIP - the 27 checks of a great notebook!

Every time my client asks me for a recommendation of a notebook, I'd ask them to visit and find what they like and then come tell me the models... But first impression is really the key, plus sales pitches and hard-to-get-by offers are too irresistible at times! as such, I am here to define the ideal 27-checks on what an ideal notebook should be like... So here goes nothing!



Check #1

The screen!
- brightness
- reflective ness
- resolution

We see the screen through the lifetime of the notebook. In good times and bad times! Gosh, get a beautiful screen pls!

Check #2
- hard and solid hinges

The key to lasting notebook is its hinges and how they are placed. I love the thinkpad and their solid metal hinges. The screen is the thing that is opened and closed all the time.. Good notebook-solid hinges.

Check #3
- nice feel keyboard
- large enough keys

You need to type on the keyboard a lot. Do note the keyboard feel. Press on keys, hear the taps. Check for holes in between keys for easily trapped hair and dirt - and figure how to clean!


Check #4
- double click touchpad
- smooth and clearly seen left and right click

I hate how the new notebooks are imitating Apple's rendition of the single click mouse. They can master it with perfection, but the general manufacturers simply can't achieve it!

Check #5
- operating system: professional or business

Irregardless of home or office use, any home or non pro version equates to possibility of less longevity and less of a robustness to the machine.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone


- an entry made with my MiniJoke

Enabling password authentication on my Fuji Xerox Copier with centreware 1.8

Client called me and complained... why can't I save my scanned documents over to my server share!?

My copier is a Fuji Xerox DocuCentre-IV 3060. It's running on Centreware version 1.8

At the moment, the SMB and FTP share works but there was no password field. I can't even import the dialist.csv file.

My colleagues scour through the user and administration manual to no avail.

Alas, I decided to contact the Fuji Xerox technical helpdesk in Singapore, they're pretty efficient I must say. Next day call-back, they hound you until they get to speak with you. Very impressed with how prompt they've been.

1. machine digital certification and create new self signed cert.
2. then apply. 
3. go to SSL/TLS settings
4. then tick on enable SSL/TLS communication

Viola! the authentication screen appeared.

the Address book entry can be found in:

1. going to the address book tab
2. click edit on the entry
3. scroll down to the fields:
   

glad that it's all resolved now. do note to key in the right domain username and password.

in summary, i believe Centreware is trying to ensure that passwords do not get hacked or retrieved as the copier will impose as a security risk/back-door in enterprises where the copier has an entry point to the server. with this configuration password is encrypted and communication between copier to server is also secured.

Facing troubles with Internet Explorer 9 to 11 download woes

Did migration for a client from the local profile onto a domain profile just a week ago. After which, she wasn't able to download any items from web pages any more. Chrome and Firefox works, just not Internet Explorer. We're talking about Windows 7 Pro 64-bit SP-1 here.

Started my google searches but couldn't zero-in to a specific issue until I found this:


related link - http://bremiclem.com/losa/2013/04/10/ie-temporary-internet-files-corruption

Apparently, the issue bottoms down to a corrupted user profile and something to do with permissions instead of the application itself.

The link didn't fully fix the issue, I still had to perform changes to the settings. Having said that, though the blog link above detailed a different kind of problem from what I was facing, I encountered the similar issue that's highlighted. Meaning, if I were to go into the temporary internet files configuration, I too, can't make the changes to the size to be saved on the system.

 

Website data settings will continually reset the size of disk space used to 0 MB.
The solution... 

1. renaming and HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\InternetSettings\5.0
1.  Delete (or rename, if you want to be cautious) the following keys:
1. Cache
1. LowCache
2. deleting: HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\InternetSettings\5.0\Cache\Extensible Cache
3. changing the temporary internet files download location to c:\temp (or any other folder as long as you have permission for read/write/modify to the folder)
4. restart the PC!

That's it!

All is well for me right after!