JTechWorks, LLC

On Tuesday 7/7/2008 Microsoft released a patch with the Windows Update service. Suddenly all the Zone Alarm firewall users (our clients and all of our offices too) could not access the Internet.

We tried changing our trusted IP addresses, deleting applications from the Zone Alarm list, and all the other standard options. None corrected the problem. Since we discovered the issue Wednesday night none of us remembered the Win Update right away.

After searching on the Zone Alarm forums, and the revelation we had all run Win Update, we found it true that the patch did cause the problem. And a safe fix.

In the Zone Alarm Internet settings the security level is High by default. Dropping the level to medium allowed normal connections.

The lower level does not effect protection. A high level hides your IP address when on-line. Medium does not. Since most all of us are behind a Router, and will now use a medium level both the hardware and software firewall will do it’s job. The difference is your IP is visible.

Zone Alarm should be releasing a fix soon.

Note: An update for all Zone Alarm products was released 7/11. A very quick response.

Like most small company’s we share our laser printers over the network. In our case always an HP Laser Jet. Connect an HP laser printer to a server, share it, and just add a new cartridge once in a while. We all did that.

Every 4 years or so they wear out and we buy the newest small business printer from HP.

So now the HP of choice is the P1006. Not the smallest offered, but a standard office laser. Attach the printer, share it on the network and the fun begins.

The first thing you will notice is just how ‘cheesy’ the case is. I think a PEZ dispenser has more heft to it. Same plastic though. If the printer would…., well just print, I could live with that and the noise it makes. Not happening.

Send a document from a PC and it might take upward of 3 - 4 minutes to print. But wait !!! Don’t send a second one. The first one, even after it prints, hangs out on the server. For a long time. Other documents sent will pile up, some may print, others are gone.

We print manuals for our custom systems. Now the images are so blurred and washed out they cannot be read.

HP support (and their user forums) know all the problems, not a solution. An HP printer that doesn’t print. A new driver was released just for this issue. When installed the printer can no longer even print locally.

Just one thing more. Don’t run out of paper. If you do you must turn off the printer and send the doc again.

HP Should Be Ashamed Of Themselves

Typically we use this part of our site to bring software or services to the attention of our clients.

However a little known ‘issue’ in Coldfusion 8 with a MySQL database is causing grief to more then a few people. And the answer is not what people expect or easily available.

So…..In the CF administrator, under data sources, just uncheck the option to ‘Maintain Connections’.