VAC was unable to verify the game session

There seems to be an increase in the number of gamers receiving the error “VAC was unable to verify the game session” when trying to use match making in CSGO. This error typically occurs when a client file is corrupt or outdated. The fix is fairly straight forward. Verify Integrity of Game Files Exit Steam (right-click Steam icon in System Tray and click Exit). Right-click the Steam icon (desktop or in Start menu) and…
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How to fix Android Auto music stuttering issues

There are numerous reasons as to why Android Auto audio such as music of podcasts could stutter or lag in your vehicle. I went months having this issue. I tried dozens of suggestions I found online to no avail. Eventually I figured out the issue was a conflict between Android Auto and the Bluetooth connection with my car. The full fix is below along with a few other suggestions I found around the web.…
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Surface Pro plugged in, not charging

I’ve come across this issue quite a bit lately and I’m not really sure what causes it.The battery icon in the system tray will have a red X and indicate the tablet is plugged in, but not charging. It seems to occur shortly after a Windows Cumulative Update. Many resources indicate the battery is dead and to contact Microsoft. But before you do, try the following steps. Re-install Battery Drivers Click Start (or Cortana/Search),…
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Outlook search not working

Windows Updates or Office 365 updates can break the Search Index database. The Search Index is used to provide instant search results. When the index is corrupt, search can become unreliable. For example, you may search for a phrase of a subject line known the emails exists but it does not display in the list of search results. Find Related Messages will also become unreliable. Fortunately the problem is fairly easy to fix.
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Confluence Behind IIS Reverse Proxy

Atlassian Confluence Server for Windows is bundled with a web server which runs on port 8090. Most organisations would rather a more user-friendly URL such as confluence.domain.com. Although this isn't technically supported by Atlassian, it's best practice to leave this port as is and instead implement a Reverse Proxy.
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How to resolve Dir Sync error “duplicate UserPrincipalName conflict”

I was recently prompted about a Directory Sync error witting Microsoft 365 Admin Center. The user account had the message “We detected a duplicate UserPrincipalName conflict on the value user@domain.com. All attribute values need to be unique across objects. To resolve this conflict, first determine which object should be using the conflicting value. Then, update or remove the conflicting value from the other object(s).” A little research revealed the account had been created, deleted, and then…
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How to increase vCenter Appliance web client session timeout

As of vSphere 6.7 Update 1, the vCenter vSphere Client (also referred to as the HTML5 client) has reached feature parity with the now deprecated Thick Client and Web Client. But one of the biggest annoyances with the vSphere Client is the default Session Timeout value of 120 minutes. It seems like I'm constantly re-authenticating. Good news, this can be easily changed from the vCenter Appliance Shell.
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How to stream or cast from Windows to Kodi

It’s possible to cast videos and music from a Windows PC to Kodi transforming your Kodi box into a poor man’s Chromecast. Windows devices can cast or stream content by leveraging a browser plugin for Chrome or FireFox. For example, it’s possible to stream Netflix or Hulu from a Windows computer to a HTPC or Android box running Kodi. In order to take advantage of this functionality a few features must be enabled within Kodi.
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How to stream or cast from Android to Kodi

It’s possible to cast videos and music to Kodi transforming your Kodi box into a poor man’s Chromecast. Android devices can cast or stream content by leveraging the DLNA standard in conjunction with an app. In order to take advantage of this functionality a few features must be enabled within Kodi.
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Windows Server network Unidentified (Public/Private) when multiple NICs present

Updated February 11, 2019: I was able to resolve the issue by setting the Cisco switch port configurations to an Edge Port. I’ve updated the post with the final solution.   I was struggling to identify an issue where Windows Server would boot with an Unidentified, Public, or Private rather than the appropriate Domain network type. This caused the Windows Firewall to kick in blocking my RDP access. Restarting the Network Location Awareness service or cycling one of the Network Adapters would resolve the issue. But the root cause was a mystery until just recently… 
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How to forward all WordPress pages from HTTP to HTTPS

Redirecting a WordPress website from HTTP to HTTPS is not as easy as it should be. I have yet to understand why there isn’t a simple checkbox to complete this task. There’s also numerous references which provide inaccurate information of how to accomplish this task. I’ll explain how to accomplish this with Apache, Nginx, IIS, as well as some popular web hosting control panels. These configuration changes are not WordPress-specific and can be referenced for any type of website.  If you don’t already have a certificate, check out Let’s Encrypt to obtain a trusted certificate at no cost. In most cases Let’s Encrypt…
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Microsoft Account password out of sync when using Remote Desktop (RDP)

There’s an issue in Windows 10 which causes Microsoft Account passwords to become out of sync when using Remote Desktop (RDP). For example, I have a few computer systems running Windows 10 which I only access via Remote Desktop using my Microsoft Account (for example, username@outlook.com). If I were to change my Microsoft Account password from another computer system or Outlook.com, the new password will not work when connecting over RDP. However, the old password will continue to authenticate successfully. This is both annoying and a security issue. Below is a method to force a password sync. 
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How to enable c$ admin share on Windows 10 and Server 2016

The hidden administrative network share (also known as c$ admin share) is not accessible by default in Windows 10. The administrative share is automatically created but can’t be access by browsing to “\\computername\c$” from a machine on a workgroup or home network. In a domain environment the c$ share should already be available. In a workstation or home environment the administrative share can be enabled from the registry. 
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How to install Kodi addons

The majority of Kodi add-ons are obtained through third-party repositories. These repositories are maintained by communities and don’t last forever. Some are even forced offline due to legal pressure. In some cases completely legitimate add-ons are affected and adding new repositories or add-ons to continue accessing specific content. Adding repositories and add-ons to Kodi is fairly straight forward. You can follow the general instructions below to add a repository and install any of its hosted add-ons. For more information on Kodi and a list of popular add-ons, see How to stream tv shows, movies, and sports with Kodi.
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Watch NHL Gamecenter or NHL.TV in 60fps with Kodi

If you’re unable to use the NHL app for iOS or Android to stream the game then you’ve probably tried the NHL.TV or Rogers Gamecenter websites. And you probably discovered they’re terrible. Especially from a Media Center PC running Windows. The websites do not support high DPI displays and stream at a measly 30fps. But if you’re running Kodi, there’s a great add-on called NHL TV available from the official Kodi repository. 
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Avoid blackouts with NHL Gamecenter or NHL.TV

It seems each year more and more NHL games are facing blackouts for cord cutters. This mostly applies to “in-market” games using NHL.TV or Rogers NHL Gamecenter (depending if you live in the US or Canada). The NHL defines “in-market” games as those which are broadcast by a regional television provider in your area. “Out-of-market” games can be streamed with no problem. For example, if you’re a Montreal or Ottawa fan living in Atlantic Canada, you won’t have much luck. But if you’re a Canucks fan, you’ll be able to stream every game.
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How to stream tv shows, movies, and sports with Kodi

Kodi is a full featured media center actively developed for numerous platforms such as Windows, Linux, and Android. Kodi can play media such music, videos, pictures from your device, over your home network, as well as from the Internet. But Kodi’s add-on functionality is what makes it such a great media centre. Add-ons from official and third-party sources provide the ability to stream movies and television shows. I’ll go over the basics and then explain how to get started with my favorite add-ons.
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HTA to prompt for computer name and time zone in OSD of Configuration Manager

A common requirement of new operating system deployments from Configuration Manager is to have the ability to prompt for variables such as a computer name, time zone, and whether or not to install applications and updates. You could add MDT integration to Configuration Manager or you could create your own HTA using basic HTML and VBScript. However there are limitations with HTA files you should be aware of and you’ll need to tweak your task sequences.
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