How to open an excel document in new instance

Question: How do you force excel to open a document in a new instance

Answer:

C:\Users\[*your user name*]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\SendTo

Create a shortcut from the excel executable. For me (Office 2010) this is located here C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office14\EXCEL.EXE, Call the shortcut “Excel”.

Now you can open the Excel-files by right clicking on your document > send to > Excel

WCF .svc handler mapping not working in IIS

Problem:
When trying to access a WCF .svc endpoint hosted by IIS I receive the following error "The resource you are looking for does not have a handler associated with it."

Solution:

1.    Run Server Manager (on task bar and start menu)

2.    Choose the server to administer (probably local server)

3.    Scroll down to "Roles and Features" section.

4.    Choose "Add Role or Feature" from Tasks drop down

5.    On "Add Role or Feature Wizard" dialog, click down to "Features" in list of pages on the left.

6.    Expand ".Net 3.5" or ".Net 4.5", depending on what you have installed. (you can go back up to "roles" screen to add if you don't have.

7.    Under "WCF Services", check the box for "HTTP-Activation". You can also add non-http types if you know you need them (tcp, named pipes, etc).

8.    Click "Install" Button.

Works on Windows Server 2008-2012

How do I add an active directory security group to a sql server sysadminrole

Question: How do I add an active directory security group to a sql server role such as sysadmin role

Answer:

EXEC master..sp_addsrvrolemember @loginame = N'\', @rolename = N'sysadmin'

GO

How do I check the Oracle version using SQL

Question: How do I check the Oracle version using SQL?

Answer: Version information is stored in a table called v$version. In this table you can find version information on Oracle, PL/SQL, etc.

To retrieve the version information for Oracle, you execute the following SQL statement:

select * from v$version

where banner like 'Oracle%';

It should return something like this:

Banner

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oracle9i Enterprise Edition Release 9.2.0.1.0 - 64bit Production

How To Solve "Saving Changes Is Not Permitted" On SQL Server 2008 Management Studio

Problem: Saving changes is not permitted when doing alter table (table structure is changed):

1.       Change data type on existing columns

2.       Or change allow nulls on existing columns

Solution: To allow you to save changes after you alter table disable the prevent changes setting:
 

1.       Open Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio 2008

2.       Click Tools menu options, then click Options 

3.       Select Designers 

4.       Uncheck "prevent saving changes that require table re-creation" option

5.       Click OK

6.       Try to alter your table

7.       Your changes will performed as desired  

Cannot create an instance of OLE DB provider "OraOLEDB.Oracle" for linked server

Problem: I receive this error.

Msg 7302, Level 16, State 1, Line 1

Cannot create an instance of OLE DB provider "OraOLEDB.Oracle" for linked server "xxxx.WORLD".

Solution: 

Go to the the OraOLEDB.Oracle provider options and tick "Allow inprocess"