Part deux in my "strange experiences while installing Vista" series :)

As mentioned earlier, I installed a clean copy of Vista after replacing the Motherboard and Video Card.  The first time I booted up, my Windows Experience Index bottlenecked on the Video Card.  Although I have an ATI Radeon X1950 Pro, drivers had not been loaded yet.  This was to be expected.  If winsat.exe determines that the graphics hardware does not support DirectX 9 (DX9) graphics, then the system receives a graphics score of 1.0 regardless of driver type. If the system supports DX9, but does not have a WDDM Driver (Windows Vista Display Driver Model) the system will then receive a graphics score of 1.9 at the most.

Without the driver loaded, that score will not change.

So... fired up my browser and downloaded/installed the latest Video driver from ATI.  Rebooted, hit "Refresh Now", ran through all the tests, and ended up with...

The same score.

ARRGGHH!

I will save you the play-by-play of what I tried, and will just share the solution(s).

When Windows Vista boots for the first time, it tests all of the components and assigns the initial scores.  The scores are stored here:

C:\windows\Performance\WinSAT\DataStore

Every time you refresh your rating, the new ratings are stored in that folder, labeled with the date.  These are XML files that you can open and look at if you'd like.  They contain a bunch of cryptic information like:

<Graphics>

<AdapterDescription>RADEON X600 Series (Microsoft Corporation - WDDM)</AdapterDescription>

<AdapterManufacturer>ATI Technologies Inc.</AdapterManufacturer>

<DriverVersion Friendly="7.14.10.830">1970384967172926</DriverVersion>

<DriverDate Friendly="2006\8\21">732544:0</DriverDate>

<DedicatedVideoMemory>266383360</DedicatedVideoMemory>

<DedicatedSystemMemory>0</DedicatedSystemMemory>

<SharedSystemMemory>1609637888</SharedSystemMemory>

<Suports32BitsPerPixel>1</Suports32BitsPerPixel>

<D3D9OrBetter>1</D3D9OrBetter>

<VertexShaderProfile>vs_2_0</VertexShaderProfile>

<PixelShaderProfile>ps_2_0</PixelShaderProfile>

<PixelShader2OrBetter>1</PixelShader2OrBetter>

<PixelShader3OrBetter>0</PixelShader3OrBetter>

<LDDM>1</LDDM>

<WHQL>1</WHQL>

Despite archiving previous winsat runs in this folder, the UI only displays the newest scores (as determined by the date)

The problem that I ran into with the score refreshing will ONLY happen if your clock is set to the future.  In my case, this happened because it was a new motherboard, with the clock set at the factory to some random time/date.  What that means is that the initial winsat run put a time/date of sometime in the future on the results file.  Once Windows hit the desktop, it contacted a time server and reset the time/date to the correct...er... time and date.

This means that the winsat results file from the FUTURE was considered the most recent up until when I refresh my results AFTER passing that date.

The solution, then, is to do one of two things:

1. Wait until after the real date has passed that arbitrary wrong date that the computer clock was initially set to, then refresh your score.

or...

2. Just delete the erroneous results file from C:\windows\Performance\WinSAT\DataStore.  Refresh your score, and it will now display correctly.  Hooray!

System Center Essentials is one of the coolest and most useful programs coming out of Microsoft this year.  SCE is targeted at small and midmarket businesses that want some of the monitoring, software distribution, and reporting capabilities as our enterprise apps (System Center Operations Manager and Configuration Manager) without the associated complexity and cost.  SCE is REALLY targeted at that IT generalist that is expected to manage the servers, repair the laptops, run the company website, pickup the coffee, configure the routers, and keep everything patched...

System Center Essentials is AWESOME at what it does, but I keep seeing the following questions coming through on an internal discussion list, and I thought that some of you out there might have the same questions.

Q. How many servers and computers can be managed by System Center Essentials?
A. 30 Servers and 500 Clients. 

Q. How many SCE servers can I have per domain?
A. You can only have ONE SCE server per domain.  SCE will not install into a domain that already has an existing SCE server.

Q. How many SCE servers can I have per forest?
A. As many as you have domains.

Q. What if I have 32 Servers?
A. You can manage 30 of them with SCE.

Q. I have 75 Servers and 900 clients.  I think SCE is exactly what I am looking for.
A. That wasn't really a question, but if you have more than 30 servers and 500 clients, you are really in the market for System Center Operations Manager and Configuration Manager.  SCE is for Small and Midmarket customers :)

Q. Can I override that limit with a registry key, by asking nicely, or by <insert other workaround that I haven't thought of yet>?
A. No.

Q. Can SCE manage computers/servers in other domains?
A. Yes, as long as they are in a trusted domain.

Q. Can I use SCE in a workgroup environment (without Active Directory)?
A. No.

Q. Do non-Windows servers count against the 30 Server limit?
A. No.

Q. Do network devices (such as SNMP managed Switches, Routers, or Printers) count against my server or client limit?
A. No.

Q. What SNMP-enabled devices can I manage?
A. (from the SCE FAQ) SCE can monitor the up/down of any device that has SNMP enabled.  If it can respond to a PING request, we can monitor for its ability to respond.  Further, by leveraging our Management Pack capabilities, there's an opportunity for partners to provide deeper management, including tasks, for non-Windows-based devices.  SNMP support is currently limited to SNMP v.2 (not 1 or 3)

Q. I currently have a tiered WSUS hierarchy.  Can SCE be downstream or upstream of another WSUS server?
A. No.

Q. Where can I get more information/documentation/a trial of the software?
A: http://www.microsoft.com/systemcenter/sce/default.mspx and http://sce.editme.com/

The above are the questions I thought of off of the top of my head.  If you have a question I missed, ask in the comments or email me and I will find out for you!

Have you ever wondered where that menu option went in the new Office 2007 applications?  Now you can find the answer with the following interactive guides which can be accessed online or downloaded to your computer. 

Excel 2003 to Excel 2007

Online: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel/HA101491511033.aspx

Download: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=89718ABD-2758-47B3-9F90-93788112B985&displaylang=en

Word 2003 to Word 2007

Online: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word/HA100744321033.aspx

Download: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=9044790B-4E24-4277-B714-66D7B18D0AA1&displaylang=en

PowerPoint 2003 to PowerPoint 2007

Online: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/powerpoint/HA101490761033.aspx

Download: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=BEF41DC3-8E28-4282-82D4-CEC2F416CD40&displaylang=en

Outlook 2003 to Outlook 2007

Online: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/HA102221621033.aspx

Download: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=CC37CC1E-028D-4D30-9093-96CC6513ECA1&displaylang=en

Other resources:

Getting started with Office 2007 – Basic training for the Ribbon

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/getstarted/FX101938921033.aspx

or...

the following three add-ons add a tab into the office application (like the screenshot below) to provide access to the on-line interactive guide.  It also provides access to other training resources.

Word: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/info.aspx?na=22&p=1&SrcDisplayLang=en&SrcCategoryId=&SrcFamilyId=&u=%2fdownloads%2fdetails.aspx%3fFamilyID%3df587370c-fdae-4ede-b528-ac58031a5dff%26DisplayLang%3den

Excel: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/info.aspx?na=22&p=2&SrcDisplayLang=en&SrcCategoryId=&SrcFamilyId=&u=%2fdownloads%2fdetails.aspx%3fFamilyID%3d8a5af9d7-08a7-41ba-8844-76bb94228957%26DisplayLang%3den

PowerPoint: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/info.aspx?na=22&p=3&SrcDisplayLang=en&SrcCategoryId=&SrcFamilyId=&u=%2fdownloads%2fdetails.aspx%3fFamilyID%3d831f0ae9-fc50-4074-96d3-d02fd98cb041%26DisplayLang%3den

So... went running today.  First time in a while.

Well, "running" is something of an exaggeration.  There was some loping, some speed walking, and some meandering.  Not much running after the first 100 yards or so.

At some point during the run I realized that I was running in a fat suit. Unlike Gwyneth Paltrow or Tyra Banks, however, I don't get to take that suit off at the end of the day.

I've never been much of a runner, although when I left Marine Corps boot camp nearly a decade ago, I was able to run 3 miles in 21 minutes, and felt great doing it.  I remember spending the evening in San Diego after I graduated and going for a run just because it felt good.  It doesn't feel so good anymore... 

So what happened? Life. Kids. Marriage. Work. School...

At Microsoft, work/life balance is strongly supported and promoted from the top to the bottom of management.  Managers are extremely supportive of families, hobbies, and whatever sparks your interest away from work.  They will pay for recreation league fees, reimburse tuition, allow for flexible schedules...

The problem, however, in working at Microsoft as a recovering workaholic is that you are in the same situation that would be faced by a recovering alcoholic employed by a College Fraternity.  Everyone at Microsoft is so passionate about their jobs and projects and careers that workaholism is rampant.  Many people work through lunch (or eat at their desks), conference calls with global teams can take place early in the morning or late at night to accommodate varied time zones, and there is always "one more thing" to finish before you go home for the day. We are available by e-mail, cell phones, email ON cell phones, instant messaging, over the cube, over the phone...

Some people manage to balance their health and passions with work. Jana (a PM on the Communities team) just finished the Big Sur Marathon.  Many Microsofties are in bands, perform plays, do stand-up...

So now it's my turn.  I can't run a marathon, but I can start somewhere.  I just signed up for the Wells Fargo 5K Torchlight Run at Seafair, which will be taking place on Saturday, July 28th at Qwest Field in downtown Seattle.

I have a fair amount of work to do to get in shape, but I am looking forward to it.  The weather has been beautiful in Seattle for the last few weeks, and I work next to a beautiful park.  How can I go wrong?  Wish me luck...

-Sean

P.S. I'll explain the numbers below in a few months.  Feel free to speculate in the comments ;)

42.524011:394

If you have worked with SharePoint, lists are one of the most important features.  Unfortunately, creating and editing lists through the Web UI is something of a pain in the arse.  Excel, on the other hand, can do  just about anything with tables (nee lists) short of washing dishes with them.  It is with great joy, then, that I see the following on the SharePoint Blog.

In Excel 2003, you can connect to (read from) and update (write to) lists that reside on SharePoint (WSS 2.0 or WSS 3.0) sites. This allows you to keep the information in your Excel 2003 tables synchronized with the information that appears on the SharePoint site.

In Excel 2007, the ability to update the information in SharePoint lists from Excel is deprecated. Instead, Access 2007 is the recommended platform for writing data to SharePoint lists and for using lists offline. Unfortunately, this upset many Excel 2003 users to the point of being unwilling to upgrade to Excel 2007.

Specifically, in Excel 2007, the ability to update SharePoint lists changed in the following ways:

• Existing files from Excel 2003 load and continue to support update functionality when opened in Excel 2007.
• Lists that link to a SharePoint site are converted to read-only tables when you save existing files to the new Open XML file formats.
• It is still possible to publish a table to SharePoint lists; however, this is a one-time write operation to SharePoint.

The good news is that an Excel 2007 Add-in for Synchronizing Tables with SharePoint Lists has just been released by Microsoft! This add-in allows you to publish a read-write list to a SharePoint list. However, the trade-off is that that you cannot save the workbook in the new Office Open XML Formats. Instead, to retain the functionality, you need to save the workbook in the Excel 97-2003 (Biff8) file format.

For more information, go here.

The following are the webcasts that I just added to my calendar:

TechNet Webcast: The Next Release of Microsoft SQL Server: Overview (Level 200)

Monday, June 4, 2007

12:00 P.M.–1:15 P.M. Pacific Time

TechNet Webcast: Microsoft Windows PowerShell: The Future of Server Administration (Level 300)

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

10:00 A.M.–11:15 A.M. Pacific Time

TechNet Webcast: Why I Can Hack Your Network in a Day! [A live demonstration of techniques and tools used by hackers to compromise your network] (Level 300)

Wednesday, June 6, 2007

5:30 A.M.–6:45 A.M. Pacific Time

TechNet Webcast: "The Network is Slow": Identifying the Cause of Slow Network Communications (Level 200)

Wednesday, June 6, 2007

11:00 A.M.–12:15 P.M. Pacific Time

TechNet Webcast: Active Directory Domain Services in Microsoft Windows Server 2008 (Level 200)

Wednesday, June 6, 2007

12:45 P.M.–2:00 P.M. Pacific Time

TechNet Webcast: How Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Impacts IT Infrastructure (Level 300)

Thursday, June 7, 2007

10:00 A.M.–11:15 A.M. Pacific Time

TechNet Webcast: Microsoft Windows Server 2008 and Kernel Changes (Level 400)

Thursday, June 7, 2007

1:30 P.M.–2:45 P.M. Pacific Time

TechNet Webcast: High Availability in Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 and Exchange Server 2007 Service Pack 1 (Level 300)

Friday, June 8, 2007

11:45 A.M.–1:00 P.M. Pacific Time

The full list is available here: http://www.microsoft.com/events/series/teched07.aspx?tab=webcasts&id=liveall

I installed a clean copy of Vista recently, after replacing my Motherboard, Video Card, and Processor (detailed here).  As my last post focused on my Experience Index, I didn't cover the two strange issues I ran into.  I will cover them (and their solutions) in two posts.

The first problem I ran into was that the Vista install would fail with the strangest errors at the very beginning of the process.  Sometimes the DVD would fail to boot all of the way, I would get messages that it could not find install.wim, and the few times I got as far as entering the product key, it would say that I did not have a valid hard drive to install to.

Except... I did.  That hard drive had previously hosted Windows Home Server in another box, and had worked fine there.  I tried 3 or 4 different DVD drives (figuring I might have a bum drive that was having trouble reading from the DVD).  No go.

I know that some of the Beta versions of Vista I had tried to install failed due to the fact that I had burned to cheap DVD media at high speeds...  I tried re-burning the ISO, using good media, burning at 1X... no go.

<Sigh...>

At this point, I thought I would just get a good install disc.  I hopped in the car and drove all the way up to Redmond to purchase a packaged DVD from the company store.  Drove back home through traffic and...

Exact same problem.  The computer was acting as if I had a bad disc or drive, but I did not.  Tried a new IDE cable.  No go.

The only other component that could be causing problems had to be the hard drive.  Perhaps I had jostled it too hard when moving into my house.  I downloaded and ran the Seagate diagnostics, and everything passed.

At this point, I put in my old hard drive (setting the new drive as secondary) and booted up to see if I would have any problems accessing the drive.  Got into windows, and the new hard drive seemed okay.  Just for kicks, I decided to use the Seagate utility and zero the drive.  Not just reformat it, not just repartition it... wipe it completely clean.

Shut everything down, hooked the new drive back up as the master (well.. the only drive... it was SATA).

Booted to the Vista install DVD and Vista installed with NO PROBLEMS AT ALL.  Something strange had just gotten corrupted on that drive.  Maybe it was the partition table, maybe it was the formatting.  Who knows?

So... the following email came through my inbox today with a useful solution to the same problem (but the solution can be run from the Vista install DVD without requiring 3rd party tools):

Some OEMs do strange things to the disk, or the previous owner of the box may have left some weird stuff from a repro or older build of an OS.

Use Diskpart to clean the disk and remove any strangeness on the disk. (this will completely remove the partition table from the disk, as if it were new out of the wrapper)  This will also destroy any data on the disk. (although some recovery programs can still  recover files)

1. When booted to the Vista media, after Setup launches (after you click Install Now)  hit shift-F10 to bring up a command prompt.

2. run diskpart.exe

3. In diskpart’s interpreter, select the disk you want to wipe

Select disk 0

4. Clean

5. Exit

6. Alt tab back into Setup and proceed through setup normally.  If you were already on the disk selection page, you will want to refresh.  In some cases, you may also have to reboot, if the disk was particularly screwed up, and also sometimes a disk can enter a state where it is unreadable by a particular BIOS (for example, a RAID driver that corrupts the disk), in which case you may have to bring up the disk and clean it on a system with a totally different BIOS.

It goes without saying that the above steps will wipe your drive.  Your data will be gone.  Don't do it unless you want your data to no longer exist.  Your data will have passed on! Your data will have ceased to be! Your data will have expired and gone to meet its maker!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Parrot

At the recent D5 Conference, Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher had an absolutely awesome interview with Bill Gates and Steve Jobs. Videos of the complete Steve Jobs and Bill Gates interview are available here:

• Steve Jobs and Bill Gates Prologue
• Steve Jobs and Bill Gates Part 1
• Steve Jobs and Bill Gates Part 2
• Steve Jobs and Bill Gates Part 3
• Steve Jobs and Bill Gates Part 4
• Steve Jobs and Bill Gates Part 5
• Steve Jobs and Bill Gates Part 6
• Steve Jobs and Bill Gates Part 7
• Steve Jobs and Bill Gates Highlight Reel
• Steve Jobs and Bill Gates Session Transcript

This hasn't hit the DPM Blog yet, but DPM V2 Beta 2 is now available.

https://connect.microsoft.com/availableconnections.aspx

Listed below are just some of the new features that DPM Beta 2 includes:

• Support for Microsoft Exchange (E2k3 and E12), including advanced configurations such as E12 Cluster Continuous Replication (CCR) and Local Continuous Replication (LCR) clusters.
• Ability to restore Exchange at the Database or Storage Group level.
• Support for Microsoft SharePoint (WSS2.0 and WSS 3.0).
• Support for Microsoft SQL (2k3 and 2k5), including advanced configurations such as SQL 2005 mirrored clusters. DPM 2007 also supports shortened SQL backup windows without the need for costly compression solutions.
• Zero data loss recovery for Microsoft applications
• Shorter backup windows and smaller full backups thanks to patented Express Full technology
• Efficient use of existing infrastructure, including reduced space requirements for Backup to Disk thanks to innovative data De-Duplication technology.
• Enables end users to do their own recoveries and integrates the End User Recovery experience into windows. Recoveries are as simple a right mouse click!
• Archive/TAPE Backup and Tape Data Encryption
• Server system state
• DPM Disaster Recovery (DPM Backing up DPM)
• Protection of Virtual Server 2005 R2 guest OS's and Virtual Server host based backup support
• Files on workstations running Windows XP Professional SP2 and all Windows Vista Editions except the Home Edition
  • Note DPM does not support file protection on laptops running Windows XP Professional SP2 and Windows Vista Editions
• Command Line Interface based on Power Shell - DPM V2 Beta 2 Windows PowerShell commands
  • DPM V2 Beta 2 provides its own set of Windows PowerShell commands that can be used as an alternative to DPM Administrator Console.
• Back-up Scripts
• Network Bandwidth throttling Options

This year will be my first Partner Conference, and I am looking forward to it!!!  If you want to meet up at WPC, feel free to ping me...

If you aren't able to make it... there will be a virtual WPC available here: http://members.microsoft.com/partner/digitalwpc/

On demand keynotes, breakout sessions, blogs...  Should be pretty cool!  (None of the links work yet... it looks like they will be up on July 9th; the day before Partner conference).

I happen to like Fast User Switching (which now works on Domain Joined Computers in Vista!), but if you want to disable access for some reason...

Start,Run --> Gpedit.msc --> Local Computer Policy, Computer Configuration, Administrative Templates, System, Logon --> “Hide entry points for Fast User Switching”

Well, I was just going to write a post on one of the coolest features in Windows Server 2008 - Multicast Deployments (aka the ability to image multiple machines in parallel).  However, I see that TechNet Magazine covered it last month!

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/technetmag/issues/2007/05/DesktopFiles/default.aspx

The WDS team has changed all that by delivering a new multicast engine that takes advantage of the file-based Windows Imaging Format (WIM) infrastructure to allow for some very unique capabilities. You can perform the same staged multicast scenarios possible with most third-party multicast software, but the multicast solution for WDS delivers much more.

First, client computers can join at any time in the transfer. The multicast broadcast is a "round robin" broadcast of file streams that will continue to broadcast until every client computer's needs have been met. Because of this, it doesn't matter when clients come online. They listen to the WDS server, and when the server has completed the image file broadcast, it starts over from the beginning. If a client misses a file, it just listens until the file comes around again (think of horses on a carousel).

Second, the protocol is completely new and features congestion control and flow control—meaning that it works well on production networks without interfering with existing network communication. A common fear of network admins—justified with some multicast solutions—is that by turning them on you flood the network with traffic when, ironically, you were actually trying to make communication more efficient.

Third, the solution was designed to be independent of WDS and Active Directory^®. This means you do not need to have either Active Directory or an active WDS implementation in order to take advantage of it. ImageX multicast can be performed independently, lending itself to many more scenarios. The multicast client is a command-line application that can run within Windows Server "Longhorn" (and its associated release of Windows PE), Windows Vista™, Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), or the recently released Windows Server 2003 SP2.

There are new management tasks in the WDS MMC and in the WDSUtil application to set up and configure multicast. There is also a change to the user interface of the WDS client indicating that multicast is being used.

The WDS management tools allow administrators to monitor real-time transmission progress to clients (including removing clients from a transmission). The management tools also offer full logging and reporting, meaning that administrators will now have a method to log installations—something that RIS was sorely lacking.

If you will be installing Vista to one or two or 5 computers at a small business, then multicast deployments are probably not a big deal for you.  If you will be working on a large-scale rollout of Vista (you will be working on large-scale rollouts of Vista, won't you?), or work in an environment where computers are routinely re-imaged (as is the case in many Governmental or Security-focused organizations) then multicast deployments were previously only available with 3rd party imaging tools.  With the advent of the Windows Imaging Format (WIM)- based OS deployment images, Microsoft has a top-notch imaging format (with several awesome capabilities such as non-destructive image application and single-instancing of files).  Add on the Multicast deployment capabilities of Windows Server 2008, and the OS deployment story becomes much more compelling.  Throw in the Windows Vista Hardware Assessment tool (which will scan your network, give a breakdown of what machines are/are not able to run Windows Vista, writes a customized report for the Business Decision Maker (complete with charts!), along with a spreadsheet listing an inventory of all computers on the network...  All of this with built in (or freely downloadable) tools included with Windows Server 2008.  I'm not even going to touch the SMS/SCCM OS Deployment Feature pack that allows you to REMOTELY install/upgrade computers to Vista...

In a previous life, I was responsible for deploying/upgrading hundreds and hundreds of Windows XP installations at a Fortune 500 company.  The above tools would have GREATLY simplified my job.  Good times :)

Just an important reminder:  Windows Server Sp2 will be advertised beginning June 12th on Windows Update, Automatic Update, and consequently  on Windows Software Update Services (WSUS).  You should use the SP2 Blocking mechanism SP2 blocker tool to keep this update from showing up on your available updates list if you want more time to test or do not want SP2 to be applied through this mechanism.  Below is a preliminary FAQ for your benefit. 

Windows Server 2003 SP2 FAQ

Why should I upgrade to Service Pack 2? 

In addition to packaging publicly released security updates and customer-requested updates into one convenient package, SP2 provides several enhancements designed to heighten security, reliability, and performance in Windows Server 2003. For more information, see the Top Ten Reasons to Deploy Windows Server 2003 SP2 at: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/windowsserver/sp2/top-reasons.mspx

How will I be able to apply Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 to my computer? 

There are two ways. 1) An update will be available for free download for existing installations of Windows Server 2003. 2) The SP2 updates will be incorporated, or slipstreamed, into Windows Server 2003 moving forward. This will allow the upgrading of Windows NT 4.0 Server or Windows 2000 Server SP4

What operating systems does this service pack apply to?

SP2 update applies to:

• Windows Server 2003 All Editions (32-bit x86)
• Windows Server 2003 Itanium-based Editions
• Windows Server 2003 x64 Editions
• Windows Server 2003 R2 Editions
• Windows Server 2003 Storage Server R2 Edition
• Windows Server 2003 Compute Cluster Edition
• Windows Server 2003 for Small Business Servers R2 Edition
• Windows XP Professional x64 Edition

Is SP2 a mandatory update through Windows Update?

No, SP2 is an optional update from Windows Update site. On June 12, SP2 will also be offered via Automatic Updates (AU).  Even on AU, SP2 will not install automatically until the End User License Agreement has been accepted. 

Customers who wish to test SP2 for a longer period and would like to prevent SP2 from installing from AU can download and install the SP2 Blocking Tool at the Microsoft Download Center. The tool will ensure SP2 is not offered from AU for 360 days. Organizations do not need to deploy the Blocker Toolkit in environments managed with an update management solution such as Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) or Systems Management Server 2003 (SMS). Organizations can use those products to fully manage deployment of updates released through Windows Update and Microsoft Update.

Does SP2 provide updates to the new components that came with Windows Server 2003 R2?

Yes, SP2 applies needed updates to the R2 components of Windows Server 2003 R2.

Do I need to upgrade to Windows Server 2003 R2 or Windows Server 2003 SP1 First?

No, Service Packs are cumulative, meaning SP2 contains all previously released Security Bulletin Updates and installs all individual hotfixes released since Windows Server 2003 RTM.

Does SP2 change the non-R2 machines to R2 SP2 machines?

No, it will not upgrade Windows Server 2003 to Windows Server 2003 R2

Why does this update the Windows XP Professional x64 Edition?

Windows Server 2003 x64 Editions and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition were introduced with the release of Windows Server 2003 SP1, all sharing a common codebase. It is this common codebase that allows SP2 to provide updates to all versions of Windows Server 2003 and the Windows XP Professional x64 Edition. 

Since Windows XP SP2 was already released long ago, what will Microsoft call this Service Pack for Windows XP? 

It is called Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2. 

In August 2004, Windows XP Service Pack 2 was released for the x86 editions of Windows XP. This was before the Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and Windows Server 2003 x64 Editions were released in March 2005, sharing a common codebase.  Windows XP Service Pack 2 patches the x86 editions of Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2 patches the x64 version of Windows XP. 

SP1 required a lot of application testing? Should I expect the same from SP2?

No, customers can expect a much simpler upgrade process with SP2.  Windows Server 2003 SP1 addressed known vulnerabilities to Windows Server 2003 by tightening the authorization needed for some services and disabling others all together. In some cases these security enhancements resulted in unexpected behavior from applications. 

Are new editions available?

Yes. Volume-licensed customers receive all Datacenter editions:

• Windows Server 2003 R2, Datacenter Edition with SP2
• Windows Server 2003 R2, Datacenter x64 Edition with SP2
• Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition with SP2 for Itanium-based Systems

Korean Fair Trade Commission order:

• Windows Server 2003 R2, Standard Edition KN with SP2
• Windows Server 2003 R2, Enterprise Edition KN with SP2

More information about the Korean Fair Trade Commission order can be found at: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/923408

Are additional localized versions available?

Yes. Nine new localized versions are available for Windows 2003 and x64: German, French, Korean, Chinese Traditional, Chinese Simplified, Spanish, Italian, Russian and, Portuguese (Brazilian). Windows XP Professional x64 Edition will continue to be supported in only English and Japanese.

Will Service Pack 2 help me prepare for Vista? 

Yes. SP2 includes Windows Deployment Services (WDS) that prepares your servers for deploying Windows Vista. In fact, WDS will be required to support the deployment of Windows Vista and Windows Server codename “Longhorn”

Are there security improvements which allow me to segment my network and protect high-value computers?

SP2 offers firewall per-port authentication, which secures traffic between the extranet environment and internal assets that are protected via IPsec domain isolation.

Are there new Wi-Fi security measures? 

SP2 includes Wireless Protected Access 2 (WPA2), which enhances the wireless client software with support for the next generation of wireless security. WPA2 is FIPS 140-2 compliant, utilizing   Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption, 802.1x authentication, and will cover all versions of 802.11 devices.

Are there performance improvements?

Yes. You’ll see performance improvements in the following areas:

• SQL Server 2005 under intensive workloads.
• The Scalable Networking Pack supports new hardware that allows customers to scale Windows networking to multi-gigabit link rates and across multiple CPUs.

Is management easier with this Service Pack?

Yes. You can take advantage of a new event log event to address certain situations in which the Cluster Service Account becomes excessively restricted by domain policy. Also included is the new Microsoft Management Console 3.0  (MMC) which supports richer functionality in snap-ins. Additionally, MSConfig now contains an additional tab which provide a single launching point for common support tools that will ease the discoverability of common diagnostic functionality

Will the enhancements to administrative tools affect management of the local computer? 

No. The purpose of the administrative tools enhancements is to assist administrators who need to manage their computer from a remote location. Administrators and users who are using these tools to manage the local computer are not affected.

Does SP2 include the .NET Framework 2.0?

No, it does not.

The following just came through my email...  System Center Service Manager is the keystone for the entire System Center suite of products, tying together Help Desk Functions, a CMDB, a self-service portal, Operations Manager 2007, Configuration Manager 2007... The System Center team has been hard at work on this product for a LOOONG time.  As such, it is great to see that they have hit an important milestone:

We are extremely excited to announce Beta 1 of System Center Service Manager is now available for download on Connect. We hope you will promptly download, test and provide feedback on this Beta.

Beta 1 provides a wide range of functionality for you to test and evaluate:
· Distributed install
· Administration wizards for easy solution configuration
· AD connection wizard
· SMS 2003 SP3 connection wizard
· Asset inventory including the first phase of asset reconciliation in the CMDB
· Incident management including queues, customizable drop-down values, asset linking, and notification workflows
· Change management including queues, customizable drop-down values, asset and incident linking, multiple review stages, activity management and notification workflows
· A self-service portal which includes knowledge search, service request submission, and software provisioning integrated with SMS 2003 SP3
· Knowledge Management including authoring, viewing, comment and rating all integrated with Word 2007 and SharePoint 2007
· Data Warehousing and Reporting including 6 sample reports for incident, change and asset data

Like any first beta release, features are subject to change - usually based on your feedback! With that in mind, we're encouraging customers and partners to focus on the documented scenarios and how well those scenarios meet your business needs. In particular, we expect that certain design modifications to the extensibility model will be necessary as the team seeks to reach our scale and performance goals. Customers and partners looking to extend Service Manager through solution pack authoring or connector development are encouraged to focus on the experience itself, but should be careful to not invest heavily in custom development at this time.

The beta is downloadable from http://connect.microsoft.com/SystemCenter along with documentation and other important information such as the release notes, quick start guide and a features guide document. Please be sure to carefully read the Release Notes to avoid known issues with this beta. We have also posted a video to help introduce you to both the features of the product and some of the people behind the product.

The Service Manager team is supporting Beta 1 via the Connect Newsgroups. Please post your questions, feedback and suggestions to these forums. Click on the "Newsgroup" link for instructions on how to configure your newsgroup reader and activate your account.

Production deployments on beta 1 are not supported. We are unable to provide any upgrade from Beta 1 to Beta 2.

Thank you for your helping our team build the best Service Manager product!

The System Center Service Manager team

Recently, on the recommendation of State Command Chief Master Sergeant Hayley of the WA Air National Guard (a true stand-up Gentleman), I just read the two following books, and thought I would share my thoughts:

Leadership, by Rudolph Giuliani

The Leadership Secrets of Colin Powell, by Oren Harari

Both books were quite motivating, although one minor (but key) factor annoyed me about Rudolph Giuliani's book.  He was the author.  In a 407-page-long book that lists in excruciating detail how awesome someone is... don't write that book about yourself.  It is much easier to stomach the life lessons when they come from a biographer who can speak objectively about the subject.  Reading page after page FROM Governor Giuliani about how he "revolutionized inner city neighborhoods" or "engaged in meticulous preparation, a lifelong habit" got pretty annoying after a while.  While "Leadership Secrets of Colin Powell" also portrayed the picture of someone born to lead who rose to their proper station in life with spot-on command decisions at all critical paths in his life, the fact that the writing came from a 3rd party (Oren Harari, Ph.D. professor of management at the Mclaren Graduate School of Business), made the lessons palatable.

Some important lessons that I picked up from both books were:

1) The people you work with and lead are critical to your success.  Surround yourself with the most intelligent, creative, driven people you can hire.

2) Loyalty is extremely important. 

3) Lead by example.  Even if (your team, your kids, etc) do  not appear to be listening, they are always watching, and learn (and act) according to your actions.

From Rudolph's book:

“Surround yourself with great people. Have beliefs and communicate them. See things for yourself. Set an example. Stand up to bullies. Deal with first things first. Loyalty is the vital virtue. Prepare relentlessly. Under-promise and over-deliver. Don’t assume a damn thing.”

From Powell:

1. When you hire, look for intelligence, judgment, and most importantly, a capacity to anticipate. Seek people who will show loyalty, integrity, high energy, a balanced ego and the drive to get things done.
2. Don’t rely just on a resume, which only describes past performance.
3. Decentralize execution and strategy so people can innovate and use their best judgment, but monitor and intervene as necessary to keep people focused.
4. Don’t overly depend on organizational charts and job titles. Leadership is based on the ability to influence and inspire others.
5. Spread optimism around your organization.
6. Seek balance: Don’t neglect your home and family life.
7. Enjoy your leadership and make your organization a balanced, fun environment for others.

There was also a great discussion in the Powell book about the need for honest, critical, and open feedback during the decision making process.  One should not be afraid to speak their mind on the topic at hand, or suggest a different course of action.  That having been said, once the decision has been made, it is incumbent upon the entire team to implement the decision as if it were their own.

I have worked on projects in the past that did not succeed simply by virtue of the fact that they were sabotaged from within by team members that did not agree with the strategic decision behind the project.  I have also worked on projects with successful outcomes due to the fact that everyone was working towards a common goal, even if they did not agree with some particular aspect of the project or the decisions behind it.  A leader that can spread infectious enthusiasm and effectively share "the vision" to the team, will more often than not end up with a successful team, product, and career.

Don McMillan covers some of the cardinal sins of PowerPoint.  It's funny because its so true ;)

Life After Death by PowerPoint

Ever get stuck wondering where a particular Group Policy setting is hidden?  Want to see what new Group Policy  settings will be available in Windows Server 2008?  Do you need Planning, Deployment, Troubleshooting, Virtual Labs or Technical Reference information?

It turns out we have a page devoted to Group Policy.  Hold on to your hat for the URL here... http://www.microsoft.com/gp

Featured Resources

Group Policy Settings Reference for Windows Server 2008 Beta 3

See the latest Group Policy settings including all registry-based policy settings released since Windows 2000.

Group Policy Frequently Asked Questions

Learn about key areas of Group Policy through answers to frequently asked questions and links to related information.

Group Policy Resources

Getting Started

• Virtual Lab: Managing Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista Using Group Policy
• Download Group Policy Management Console (GPMC)
• Step-by-Step Guide to Using Group Policy Management Console
• Group Policy Frequently Asked Questions

Planning and Architecture

• Implementing Common Desktop Management Scenarios with Group Policy Management Console
• Planning a Managed Environment
• Designing a Group Policy Infrastructure

Deployment

• Deploying Group Policy Using Windows Vista
• Deployment Considerations for Group Policy
• Staging Group Policy Deployments

Security and Protection

• Security Settings Overview for GPMC
• Deploying Security Policy
• Group Policy: Ins And Outs Of Delegation And Control

Operations

• Group Policy Operations Guide
• Managing Windows XP Service Pack 2 Features Using Group Policy
• Use Administrative Templates

Troubleshooting

• Troubleshooting Group Policy Using Event Logs
• Your Guide to Group Policy Troubleshooting

Technical Reference

• Group Policy ADMX Syntax Reference Guide
• Group Policy Settings Reference for Windows Vista
• Core Group Policy Technical Reference
• Group Policy ADM Files

Development

• Group Policy Sample ADMX Files
• Group Policy ADMX Schema Files
• Group Policy Script Center

Windows Vista

• Deploying Group Policy Using Windows Vista
• Managing Group Policy ADMX Files Step-by-Step Guide
• Security Group Policy Settings In Windows Vista
• Step-by-Step Guide to Controlling Device Installation and Usage with Group Policy
• Step-by-Step Guide to Managing Multiple Local Group Policy Objects
• Troubleshooting Group Policy Using Event Logs
• What's New in Group Policy in Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008
• Windows Vista: Managing Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista Using Group Policy Virtual Lab

The Design Guide has been released and is available via the documentation link on TechNet http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/opsmgr/bb498235.aspx

Or directly http://download.microsoft.com/download/7/4/d/74deff5e-449f-4a6b-91dd-ffbc117869a2/OpsMgr2007_DesignGuid.doc

There are also two more Virtual Labs (OpsMgr Introduction and Advanced Topics).  Both are a great way to play with the products without needing to have hardware on hand.

Systems Center Essentials (SCE)

• Introduction to System Center Essentials 2007

System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM)

• Introduction to System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) 2007

Systems Management Server (SMS)

• Virtual Lab Express: SMS Hardware, Inventory and Web-Based Reports
• Using Systems Management Server 2003 to Deploy the 2007 Office System
• Deploying Microsoft Windows Vista Operating System Images Using SMS 2003
• Introduction to SMS 2003 R2
• Deploying Systems Management Server in an Active Directory Environment
• Using SMS to Deploy Microsoft Office 2003 Professional
• Managing Security Updates with SMS
• Microsoft Systems Management Server 2003 Technical Overview

Operations Manager (MOM)

• System Center Operations Manager 2007: Introduction
• System Center Operations Manager 2007: Advanced Topics
• Monitoring Web Applications with the MOM 2005 Web Sites and Services Management Pack
• Managing Exchange and Active Directory with Operations Manager

Well... I wanted to post the above before it was too out of date.  I have a pile of things to blog about, but the proverbial plate is full with projects at present.  I'll get back to regular posting as soon as I can :)

When you log into or out of Windows Vista, you will receive the following message as Windows starts up or shuts down various services, applies settings, runs logon scripts, etc.

If you enjoy knowing WHAT it is that Windows is doing, you can make Windows display much more verbose status information:

This article, although about Windows 2003, has the step by step process.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/325376/

1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. In the Open box, type gpedit.msc, and then click OK.
3. Expand Computer Configuration, expand Administrative Templates, and then click System.
4. In the right pane, double-click Verbose vs normal status messages. 
5. Click Enabled, and then click OK.