Windows Server MVP since 2004
Small Business Server 2008 (Exchange 2007) updates from this past week’s patch Tuesday are causing an interaction that is causing Microsoft Exchange System Attendant and Microsoft Exchange Information Store to not fire up. Hearing that two reboots may get you there. You can also fire them up manually in the Services MMC.
If you see the Microsoft Exchange System Attendant “starting,” then you’ll need to kill the mad.exe process from the Task Manager in order to get the services to start.
If you have aging Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 machines that have filled up their C: drives, here’s a Microsoft KB with documented safe files you can remove:
KB 956324 – How to reclaim disk space on Windows XP and Windows Server 2003-based computers.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/956324
To cut to the chase on which Windows Update files you can delete (there are other directions in the KB as well, but these are what most server admins will be looking for) are below (taken from the KB as of 9/4/2012):
Warning If you delete the folder for each update, the corresponding Windows update cannot be uninstalled. Consider the effect that this will have on the computer before you delete the Windows update files.
To delete Windows update files, follow these steps:
Warning If you delete the backup folders for each Windows XP service pack, you will be unable to uninstall Windows XP service packs.
If you delete the folder for the installation files and the cache for the Windows XP service pack, you will be unable to restore corrupted Windows XP service pack files or to install additional Windows XP features that are not installed by default. You may want to keep a copy of these files in another location. For more information about how to keep a copy of these files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Files and folders are added to your system after service pack is installed
Consider the effect that this will have on your computer before you delete these files.
To delete Windows XP service pack files, follow these steps:
I checked today with the Microsoft Action Pack Regional Service Center for the Unites States on what the availability of Windows 8 will be for US Partners who have current Action Pack subscriptions. We will be getting usage rights for 10 licenses of Windows 8 Professional. Available August 20, 2012.
Also check out release dates here on the Windows Team Blog (thanks to Brandon LeBlanc):
People will be able get Windows 8 starting on October 26th either by upgrading for $39.99 or on a new PC or device. And if you buy an eligible Windows 7 PC today, you will be able to purchase an upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for $14.99 (U.S.) through the Windows Upgrade Offer.
However, we have a number of programs that provides various audiences early access to the Windows 8 RTM code to help prepare for Windows 8 as it enters the marketplace this fall:
Please note: if a program you are in is not mentioned, please be patient as dates for Windows 8 RTM code availability for other programs will be communicated when the information becomes available.
If you are in the greater Seattle area, join us as we discuss the recent announcements around the Small Business Specialist Community, Small Business Server 2011, and Windows Server 2012 Essentials.
If you are a Microsoft Partner currently working with Windows Small Business Server 2003, SBS 2008, or SBS 2011, be sure to tune in to this Wednesday morning at 8:00 AM PDT, July 18, 2012. Details are below:
On July 18th, 2012 at 8:00 am US Pacific Time join Lucy Ellis (HP) and David Fabritius (Microsoft) for a live webcast that will cover Microsoft Windows Server 2012 Essentials features and benefits, customer scenarios, HP Product portfolio and transition plans.
We’ll do a Q&A session for 20 minutes. We hope you can join us.
Here is the information for the meeting:
https://join.microsoft.com/meet/v-jatake/WY9LK1DN
Join by Phone
+14257063500
+18883203585
Conference ID: 25291428
Where’s the SmartStart disc? That’s what I was asking myself when unpacking a new HP ML350 G8 destined for one of our client sites.
The answer was found in the Setup Poster PDF on the documentation CD. HP has taken the SmartStart media to a whole new level and now accomplishes the same tasks and more through their new Intelligent Provisioning. To quote from the HP PDF:
Intelligent Provisioning
Several packaging changes have taken place with HP ProLiant Gen8 servers: SmartStart CDs and the Smart
Update Firmware DVD will no longer ship with these new servers. Instead, the deployment capability is
embedded in the server as part of HP iLO Management Engine’s Intelligent Provisioning.
Intelligent Provisioning is an essential single-server deployment tool embedded in HP ProLiant Gen8 servers
that simplifies HP ProLiant server setup, providing a reliable and consistent way to deploy HP ProLiant server
configurations.
• Intelligent Provisioning assists with the OS installation process by preparing the system for installing
“off-the-shelf” versions of leading operating system software and automatically integrating optimized
HP ProLiant server support software from SPP. SPP is the installation package for operating
system-specific bundles of HP ProLiant optimized drivers, utilities, management agents, and system
firmware.
• Intelligent Provisioning provides maintenance-related tasks through Perform Maintenance features.
• Intelligent Provisioning provides installation help for Microsoft Windows, Red Hat and SUSE Linux, and
VMware. For specific OS support, see the HP Intelligent Provisioning Release Notes.
For more information on Intelligent Provisioning software, see the HP website (http://www.hp.com/go/ilo).
For more information about Intelligent Provisioning drivers, firmware, and SPP, see the HP website
(http://www.hp.com/go/spp/download).
So, there you have it. Hope this saves you some time digging around for it. I haven’t looked at a setup poster for an HP server for quite some time because of the number of HP servers I’ve dealt with over the years. Outside of the sheet inside the chassis for RAM placement, there isn’t normally a lot that changes… I thought. 🙂
There is now a version 2 of the hotfix that was originally available under Microsoft KB 2524478 (The network location profile changes from “Domain” to “Public” in Windows 7 or in Windows Server 2008 R2). If you had installed the first version of it as we did on our production WMS Servers, then you’ll want to first uninstall the original Windows6.1-KB2524478-x64 before installing the new Windows6.1-KB2524478-v2-x64 “v2” version of it.
If you are wondering why you should install it in the first place, here’s your answer. Yes. Install it. If you have any Ethernet or RDP/RDS clients using the Windows MultiPoint Server and they are experiencing momentary lapses in their connectivity, then this is why. If you have any of the following versions of Windows, look at applying it as well if you are seeing a yellow “bang” ! on your network connection icon in the system tray, or if you are running Remote Desktop Services in a non-WMS environment, but experiencing the same issues. Applies to:
2012 Security Predictions- Corey Nachreiner, Director Security Strategy, CISSP
2011 proved to be a memorable year for information security. The security analysts at WatchGuard cannot remember a year with such newsworthy security incidents and discoveries as 2011 delivered. With disastrous breaches, like those suffered by Epsilon, RSA, and Sony, to amazingly advanced malware, like TDL-4 and Duqu, 2011 was an unforgettable year for security practitioners – one that we hope to never see the likes of again.
Join Corey Nachreiner, Director Security Strategy, CISSP, as he revels the next threats and how you can prepare yourself for 2012!! Corey, once again provides a peak into the future of network and information security with the top 10 areas of concern for 2012. In this year’s predictions, some are new and some are a carryover from 2011. No matter though, they are all very serious.
Meeting will be 6 PM Thursday March 15, 2012, at our normal location in Microsoft’s Lincoln Square offices in Bellevue, WA. Pizza and beverages will be sponsored by the Microsoft SBS team thanks to Jim H., so be sure to thank him when you see him at the meeting!
Our meetings are the third Thursday of the month and are held at Microsoft’s Lincoln Square offices in downtown Bellevue (700 Bellevue Way NE – Lincoln Square, Bellevue, WA 98004).
Park in the Lincoln Square garage and meet at the elevators on the first floor by 6 PM to head up to the meeting (take a ticket when you enter the garage, but parking will be free for the evening).
Meeting times are 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM.
For information about the group, email Steve Banks. Address is steve @ banksnw.com.
Microsoft has announced price drops for their Office 365 accounts ranging from 11-24% (and 92% drop in price per GB of SharePoint storage).
Check out the blog post at http://blogs.office.com/b/microsoft_office_365_blog/archive/2012/03/14/new-lower-prices-for-office-365.aspx
According to Justin Bowers with Microsoft, key things to know are:
· This is go forward pricing for new customers. Customers that are under contract will still pay the same rate that their contract states. Upon renewal, the new rates will go into effect.
· If a current customer purchases additional seats, the new seats will be subject to the new pricing.
If your inbound PPTP VPN and Remote Desktop / Terminal Services are failing recently, if you are a Qwest/CenturyLink DSL customer, check the firmware version of your device.
Model Number: PK5000
Firmware Version: QAP002-3.60.3.0.9.9-PK5000
According to the conversation I had with CenturyLink support this evening, a recent firmware update (the version listed above) is breaking PPTP VPN, and in my case, also our inbound TS sessions. CenturyLink is currently working with Actiontec to resolve. The workaround in the interim is to replace the Actiontec with a different model, a Zyxel model using the PK5000z model number.
If you are having trouble, check your DSL modem firmware and then contact CenturyLink support.