Remote Desktop Connection has Expired (Pre-Release Version)

MICRO$OFT STRIKES AGAIN...
Today, many Remote Desktop users were struck with the following message:

"The Pre-Release Version of Remote Desktop Connection has expired. To download the full version of Remote Desktop Connection, Go to Windows update or contact your system administrator"

This is a result of installing the recently released XP SP3 RC2 from Microsoft. Apparently they packaged the new Remote Desktop Connection in SP3 with an expiration date (assuming 4/7/2008). Thanks so much for the warning Microsoft! This came on as a big Monday morning surprise to many IT pros as well as home server users (WHS).

The fix?
I have seen many posts where people are uninstalling SP3, which works however rather extreme.

As a temporary workaround, you can simply copy the previous version of the following two files into your windows System32 folder. You can copy these files from another pre-SP3 XP machine or simply search your local hard drive and use a previous version which will be in a previous $NtServicePackUninstall$ folder or in the DLLCACHE folder:
mstscax.dll
mstsc.exe

Then execute the mstsc.exe (which is the same exe name as the expired version). This effectively rolls back your Remote Desktop version to the previous version.

Linksys Router Firmware Upgrade - Determine Version

For my first Tech Tip I thought I would help demystify the old Linksys router version problem. The trouble is that you must know the correct version number of your router in order to download and install the correct firmware upgrade. For the most part, there is no issue... just look the serial number / model number sticker usually found on the bottom of the box (sometimes the side) and the version will be listed after the model number. For example "Model No WRT54G v2.2"

But what if the version is not listed? In that case is it simply v1.0 even though it is not listed (and most of the version 1.0 are not).

What about just installing the later version firmware even though it is not for my v1.0 router... Don't do it. You will most likely turn it into a paper weight... and not a very good one at that. I know because I have done it.

Hope this helps someone out there!