Artifact Weblog

HISTORY In the old days Microsoft used to used to encrypt user name and password challenges and responses between clients and servers using LM (LAN Manager). This was then updated to NTLM (NT LAN Manager) which offered greater resistance to hacking. SAMBA, the SMB client/server system used by Linux and, consequently, most NAS boxes generally supports both of these protocols when you try and login from a Windows client machine. PROBLEM However, the more recent and secure NTLMv2 is not generally supported by most NAS boxes. Consequently, a client attempting to login using NTLMv2 will not be able to access the NAS since it's responses will not be understood by the NAS. Window 2000 (SP4) and XP support NTLMv2 but do not make it mandatory. Unfortunately, good old Windows Vista now defaults to send "NTLMv2 Response Only" which means that many NAS boxes will not be able to authenticate the Windows Vista client. SOLUTION The way to fix this is to configure Vista so that it ca...

I've been getting to grips with Vista lately and one thing that can be rather annoying is how so many manufacturers are not bringing out updated drivers for their hardware products. This is really not Microsoft's fault but it certainly dampen the "Wow" factor. A case in point: I recently upgraded a pretty decent laptop (1.6GHz, 1GB of RAM) from XP Pro to Vista Business. Most devices were, to Microsoft's credit, picked up almost straight away. However, the (still very serviceable) ATi Mobility Radeon 7500 graphics chipset would only come up as a "Standard VGA" device. Not a delightful situation. A quick check on AMD/ATi's website revealed that there was no Vista driver for this products (nor for many other decent products either). Having Googled away for a while I eventually stumbled upon a fix at the following forum: http://forums.microsoft.com/TechNet/ShowPost.aspx?PageIndex=2&SiteID=17&PostID=1563655 What you need to do is install the built...