Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 Setup failed because of J# Beta

Some days ago, I received the .NET Framework 2.0 when I visited the Windows Update website.
However, the installation failed with errorcode 0x1011. Unfortunately, I didn't had time then to have a look at what could be wrong.
Today I did some 'Googling' and I had to remove all software related to the Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 Beta. I uninstalled these programs, downloaded the Redistributable Runtime and ran setup again.
Setup told me I had to uninstall Microsoft Visual J# Redistributable Package 2.0 Beta 2, but I really did uninstall this product.

I took a dive in the registry and removed the first key I found with J# in it's name (HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Installer\Products\269B6AFFE362EAC47817CF0EF198FF00).
Removing this key allowed my to install the Framework...

Dolmen Jobevent

Sorry, this one is in Dutch online. My company is hiring...


Specialist in je vakgebied, gedreven, ambitieus en op zoek naar een nieuwe uitdaging, dat ben jij?
Een job vol afwisseling, een stabiele werkomgeving, een “no nonsense” bedrijfscultuur, state-of-the-art ICT-oplossingen, dynamische medewerkers, … dat is Dolmen.

De carrièresprong van je leven? Gegarandeerd.
Een sprong in het onbekende? Zeker niet.
Bedrijfscultuur, jobinhoud, doorgroeimogelijkheden, competentiemanagement, …
Je ontdekt het allemaal op Dolmens jobevent op 29 november 2005.


http://www.jobevent.be

Opgelet : Indien u zich inschrijft, vergeet dan zeker niet om mij hiervan een mailtje te sturen (khsw.be(at)gmail.com). Als je aangenomen wordt, ligt er misschien wel een verrassing op jou te wachten ;-)

Sony's arrogance

Not only do they claim that their rootkit doesn't compromise security (how about viruses and other malware that use their cloacking?), this is what Thomas Hessa (President of Sony BMG's Global Digital Business) thinks about their customers:
"Most people, I think, do not even know what a Rootkit is, so why should they care about it?"

Hear it yourself at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4989260 (audio fragment).


More reading on this topic:
http://www.sysinternals.com/blog/2005/11/more-on-sony-dangerous-decloaking.html
http://www.sysinternals.com/blog/2005/11/sonys-rootkit-first-4-internet.html

A *VERY* good reason not to buy Sony CD's any more!

Recently I was reading an article of Mark Russinovich of Sysinternals, one of my most favourite websites.

Sony has implemented a new 'copy protection scheme' for their 'audio' CD's. I'm not in favour of DRM as this normally means cutting down my freedom, but this one definitily goes too far!

If you install the player on your Windows machine, you're not only installing the player, but also a rootkit!
This rootkit is intercepting some system-calls to hide it's presence, modifying I/O requests and replaces your CD-ROM driver.

What's wrong with this rootkit?
- It installs without the user's knowledge! There seems no easy way to uninstall it.
- It takes up valuable resources, even if the CD isn't playing.
- Other virusses, malware, spyware could be hidden by this rootkit.
- It pretends to be a legimitate Windows service.
- Reports of system crashes and BSOD's are found.
- ...

Have a look at the complete article at http://www.sysinternals.com/blog/2005/10/sony-rootkits-and-digital-rights.html and help to spread the word!