Net Send doesn't work on Win 7 computers

[plesbit]

When I have to take a network server down for whatever reason the normal order of ceremony has been:

1. Issue a general email advising of the date / time the server will go offline and an approx up time it is expected to be up again together with a list of applications / features will be affected.

2. 10 mins prior to going offline issue an alert to all domain computers using NET SEND to advise the server is shortly going offline.

3. 1 min prior to going offline issue an alert via NET SEND to advise they should save and log out immediately (or whatever).

Trouble is, we recently started introducing Win 7 Pro to our company. So far there are 9 deployed with more on the way, most going to staff in managerial positions. NET SEND appears not to work on these computers.

It didn't take much Googling to determine that Vista / 7 do not support NET SEND in any way. A few sites point at MSG as the way to communicate with Win 7 computers but there seems to be conflicting info about what it does and worse, it seems not to work with Win XP computers.

So the short version is.... how do I send network alerts to the computers in my domain, all of them, be they 2000, XP or 7 so that everyone will get the message instantly?

Any ideas why NET SEND just got dumped? Seemed like a very useful tool. I've tried using MSG but, despite following the instructions from help commands have made very little progress in sending anything to anyone, much less the whole domain.

 

[MasterRacker]

Net Send depends on the Messenger service. (Not to be confused with Windows Messenger for instant messaging.) The Messenger service was found to be a huge security risk and begining with XP SP2 was disabled by default. Beginning with Vista the service was removed completely.

I'm not familiar with MSG. There are 3rd party messaging solutions, but you need to install clients on every machine. Windows Messenger could be configured to work with an internal server ad be restricted to internal messenging only, but it's also being deprecated for Windows Live Messenger. I Don't know if that can be configured fir intranet use only and in any case, the IM apps need to have a client running on every machine to receive messages.

Jeff
[small][purple]It's never too early to begin preparing for [/purple]International Talk Like a Pirate Day
"The software I buy sucks, The software I write sucks. It's time to give up and have a beer..." - Me[/small]

 

[plesbit]

Okay, thanks for the explanation.

Yes we gathered about the security issues with the messenger service. If I could find a decent alternative for issuing network alerts I'd be more than happy to switch it off.

Will look into Windows Messenger and third party options as an alternative.

 

[plesbit]

On looking into it further Windows Messenger, as I suspected it's got nothing to do with what I wanted. Open access to a messaging system like that would be a license to waste time in this place, even if restricting so it's only internal.

All I want is the ability to pop up urgent network alerts - and as far as I can tell that just isn't possible anymore which I find baffling.

What have I overlooked?

 

[smah]

You may find this discussion (and utility) useful thread1583-1573399

 

[plesbit]

Somehow I thought someone must have come across this problem before. I understand the issue with the messenger service but I am rather surprised that MS didn't come up with another solution for messaging the network. I can't believe we're the only company in the world that has a need for this kind of thing! In many cases, like ours, full blown chat clients are not the solution.

That's a long thread but it looks very promising and some top quality responses on it too. Thanks very much!

 

[flyboytim]

I remembered the old Windows95 "Winpopup" facility, and I noticed it was mentioned by Dilletante in the Thread indicated by Smah.

Winpopup is still developed here:

http://www.winpopup-lan-messenger.com/winpopup.html

although it is deliberately incompatible with the original Microsoft product.

Apparently their OfficePopup product can be configured to be receive only, as you want.

Googling on lan messaging software free brings up loads of links to similar products.