Frequently Asked Questions
Windows - Vista
- Are their any restrictions as to what type of computer I can connect to the En Suite Online Service (ESOL) in my student study bedroom?
- How do I activate Windows Vista's Administrator Account?
- How do I connect to the wireless service with Microsoft Vista?
- How do I use KMS for the Durham University Volume Licensed version of Vista Enterprise?
- What is the ITS Vista Policy?
Are their any restrictions as to what type of computer I can connect to the En Suite Online Service (ESOL) in my student study bedroom?
Yes. You can find the connection policy details below. These specify the operating system and antivirus protection needed.
How do I activate Windows Vista's Administrator Account?
To activate Vista's hidden administrator account please follow the instructions below:
1. Logon to Vista using your normal username and password.
2. Click on the Start button
3. Click on Start Search.
4. Type, cmd.
5. Right-click cmd from the shortcut menu that appears at the top of the Start menu and select 'Run as administrator'.
6. In the black 'DOS box', type:
Net user administrator /active:yes
and press Enter.
7. Then set a password for the administrator account by typing:
Net user administrator p£ssw0rd
and press Enter. Your password should be different.
8. Check the message : The command completed successfully
9. Switch User, or logoff. From now on, the Administrator account will appear as an option on the Welcome screen, along with any user accounts you may have set up. Use it like any other account.
10. Logon as Administrator Password p£ssw0rD (Your password should be different!)
NOTE: If you want to disable the account and hide it, enter the command below at an elevated command prompt and press Enter:
Net user administrator /active:no
How do I connect to the wireless service with Microsoft Vista?
Configuration instructions for the Durham University Wireless service using Windows Vista are explained in InfoSheet 17.
http://www.dur.ac.uk/resources/its/info/infosheets/17vistawireless.pdf
How do I use KMS for the Durham University Volume Licensed version of Vista Enterprise?
The Campus volume licence version for Vista differs to XP in the fact that no licence code needs to be entered. Instead it uses a Key Management Service (KMS). This means that any Vista volume licensed versions must register with a central ITS KMS server once every 6 months. This will only work with machines on the Durham network ensuring no illegal copies are distributed.
This is best done within 30 days of the install, and can only be done on the Durham University network.
To set the machine to register with KMS download and run kms.bat (see below) as administrator.
Once this is done the machine will automatically talk to the KMS server which it will need to do at least once every 6 months.
If the machine is off the network for longer than this it will go into reduced functionality mode which is basically Internet Explorer. By reconnecting the machine to the Durham Network it will talk the KMS server and licence itself again.
If you fail to register with KMS within 30 days the machine will go into reduced functionality mode (IE only) at this point you can still register the machine by running kms.bat (see below) directly from the webpage, assuming you have administrator rights to the machine.
What is the ITS Vista Policy?
This can be found at
http://www.dur.ac.uk/its/policy/documents/vista/
