Q. How do I install new Windows Server 2003 R2 features?

A. The Windows 2003 R2 installation doesn't install the new features (with the exception of Microsoft Management Console--MMC--3.0).
Instead, the R2 installation process updates the Add/Remove Windows Components Control Panel applet with all the new features and, to a lesser extent, updates the Manage/Configure Your Server Wizard with the new SharePoint role (and updated file and print server roles). Perform the following steps to install the new Quota Management feature:
1. Start the Add or Remove Programs Control Panel applet (Start, Settings, Control Panel, Add or Remove Programs).
2. Click the "Add/Remove Windows Components" button.
3. You'll see several new Windows Components options, including:
- Active Directory Services, which contains the Active Directory Application Mode (ADAM), Active Directory Federation Services (ADFS) and Identity Management for UNIX
- Distributed File System, including the DFS Management snap-in to manage the R2 DFS implementation, the DFS diagnostic and configuration tools, and the actual DFS replication service
- Management and Monitoring Tools, including File Server Resource Management, Hardware Management, Print Management Component and Storage Manager for SANs
- Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0
- Other Network File and Print Services, including Common Log File System (CLFS), Microsoft Services for NFS, and Print Services for Macintosh
- Subsystem for UNIX-based Applications
- Universal Description, Discovery, and Integration (UDDI) Services
- Windows SharePoint Services
For now, just enable the new Quota Management component, which you'll do by selecting "Management and Monitoring Tools" and clicking "Details."
4. Select "File Server Resource Manager" as the figure at http://list.windowsitpro.com/t?ctl=1C507:43C5FC
shows and click OK.
5. Click Next on the Windows Components screen, which will initiate the file copying and configuration of selected components.
6. After the process is complete, click Finish.
If you installed the File Server Resource Manager (FSRM), you'll be prompted to reboot the computer. This is because the FSRM places drivers at the file system level, which can be activated only at computer startup. Click Yes to restart.

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Q. How do I install Windows Server 2003 R2 on an existing Windows 2003 Service Pack 1 (SP1) server?

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A. If you're installing Windows 2003 R2 on an existing Windows 2003 server with SP1 installed, you require only the second R2 CD-ROM.
Insert the second CD and the r2auto.exe will display the Windows 2003
R2 Continue Setup screen.
If you're installing R2 on a domain controller (DC), you must first upgrade the schema to the R2 version (this is a minor change and mostly related to the new Dfs replication engine). To update the schema, run the Adprep utility, which you'll find in the Cmpnents\r2\adprep folder on the second CD-ROM. Before running this command, ensure all DCs are running Windows 2003 or Windows 2000 with SP2 (or later). Here's a sample execution of the Adprep /forestprep command:
D:\CMPNENTS\R2\ADPREP>adprep /forestprep
ADPREP WARNING:
Before running adprep, all Windows 2000 domain controllers in the forest should be upgraded to Windows 2000 Service Pack 1 (SP1) with QFE 265089, or to Windows 2000 SP2 (or later).
QFE 265089 (included in Windows 2000 SP2 and later) is required to prevent poten tial domain controller corruption.

User Action]
If ALL your existing Windows 2000 domain controllers meet this requirement, type C and then press ENTER to continue. Otherwise, type any other key and press ENT ER to quit.
C
Opened Connection to SAVDALDC01
SSPI Bind succeeded
Current Schema Version is 30
Upgrading schema to version 31
Connecting to "SAVDALDC01"
Logging in as current user using SSPI
Importing directory from file "C:\WINDOWS\system32\sch31.ldf"
Loading entries.................................................
...................................................... .........
139 entries modified successfully.
The command has completed successfully
Adprep successfully updated the forest-wide information.
After running Adprep, install R2 by performing these steps:
1. Click the "Continue Windows Server 2003 R2 Setup" link, as the figure at http://list.windowsitpro.com/t?ctl=1C510:43C5FC
shows.
2. At the "Welcome to the Windows Server 2003 R2 Setup Wizard"
screen, click Next.
3. You'll be prompted to enter an R2 CD key (this is different from your existing Windows 2003 keys) if the underlying OS wasn't installed from R2 media (e.g., a regular Windows 2003 SP1 installation). Enter the R2 key and click Next.
Note: The license key entered for R2 must match the underlying OS type, which means if you installed Windows 2003 using a volume-license version key, then you can't use a retail or Microsoft Developer Network
(MSDN) R2 key.
4. You'll see the setup summary screen which confirms the actions to be performed (e.g., Copy files). Click Next.
5. After the installation is complete, you'll see a confirmation dialog box. Click Finish.

Q. What is Windows Server 2003 R2?

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A. Microsoft is moving to a stricter release schedule for server OSs.
The company will release a major version of the OS every 4 years and an interim release 2 years after the major version release, as the figure at http://list.windowsitpro.com/t?ctl=1C50B:43C5FC
shows. This interim release will be known as the R2 version and will contain new features and updates to existing features.
Windows 2003 is the first OS to have this interim release, which Microsoft released to manufacturing on December 6, 2005. The R2 version doesn't contain changes to the core OS; it provides new features that the administrator can install, as required. The Windows 2003 R2 CD-ROM is simply Windows 2003 with Service Pack 1 (SP1) integrated. A second CD-ROM contains the additional features that you're prompted to install after the OS is installed. When you run the second CD-ROM, it installs Microsoft Management Console (MMC) 3.0 to allow for new functionality that some of the R2 component snap-ins require. Add/Remove Programs is updated to allow for the installation of the new R2 components and the Manage/Configure Your Server Wizard introduces a new Windows SharePoint Services role and updates the File and Printer Server roles. Microsoft won't release separate service packs for Windows 2003 and Windows 2003
R2 because they are the same core OS. You don't need to retest all your software or recertify applications any more than you would if you installed a feature pack on a server. The only testing you might want to perform is to ensure that any MMC snap-ins you have run with the new MMC 3.0.
R2 contains a mixture of new features and features that were previously available as Feature Pack downloads (e.g., Active Directory Application Mode--ADAM--, SharePoint). To learn more about the new features in R2, see the article "R2 Moves Windows Server 2003 Forward"

Q. How do I remove my last Microsoft Exchange 5.5 Server installation from my Exchange Server 2003 organization?

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A. If you've performed a migration of Exchange 5.5 to Exchange 2003 and no resources reside on the Exchange 5.5 server, perform the following actions to remove the server:
1. Log on to the remaining Exchange 5.5 server and stop all services. The easiest way to do this is to stop the Exchange System Attendant by opening a command line and typing
net stop MSExchangeSA
You'll see a warning that this command will stop other services, click Yes. After the command finishes running, run the command again (which will now stop the actual MSExchangeSA service).
2. Log on to an Exchange 2003 server and start the Exchange 5.5 Administrator Console application (you must use the Exchange 5.5 version because Exchange 2003 tries to delete the Exchange server configuration from Active Directory--AD). Point the Exchange 5.5 Administrator Console to the Exchange 2003 server when prompted for a server.
3. Expand the <organization name>, Configuration, Servers node and select the Exchange 5.5 server in the right pane of the Exchange administration application. From the Edit menu select Delete. The application performs a check for resources; click Yes to any resources still found (assuming you're sure you've migrated everything you require). You might also see a warning that the MSFB and MS extensions could not be loaded. Click Ignore, then click OK to the confirmation message.
4. Start the Exchange 2003 Exchange System Manager (ESM) and the Exchange 5.5 server will no longer be visible under the Servers container (, Administrative Groups, , Servers).
5. You can now delete the Site Replication Service connection by opening the Tools, Site Replication Services node. Select the "Microsoft Exchange Site Replication Service ()" and select Delete from the Edit menu. Click Yes to the confirmation message.
6. You can now raise the operational mode of the Exchange organization. Right-click the Exchange organization at the root of the node tree and select Properties. On the General tab click Change Mode, click Yes to the confirmation dialog box, then click OK to the main Properties dialog box.
7. Now you can remove the Active Directory Connector (ADC) connections. Start the Microsoft Management Console (MMC) Active Directory Connector Services snap-in. Right-click each connection under the Active Directory Connector node and select Delete. You might receive a warning that the connection is the primary connection agreement (CA). Click OK and click Yes to the delete confirmation dialog box (You'll usually have at least two connections--one user and one public folder).
8. You can now uninstall the ADC tools and services from the server.

How do I install the Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM) 2005 agent on discovered computers that don't have the agent?

For the following Q&A post's my thanks to WindowsItPro.

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A. If you set MOM's discovery options to not install the MOM agent, you can install the agent at a later time by performing the following
actions:
1. Start the MOM 2005 Administrator Console and expand Administration, Computers, Unmanaged Computers (or Agentless Managed Computers if you want to install the agent on a computer currently managed without an agent).
2. Right-click the computer and select Install Agent from the context menu.
3. Click Next to the "Welcome to the Install Agent Wizard" screen.
4. Select the account that will be used to install the agent. By default, this will be the Management Service Action Account. Leave the default setting and click Next.
5. You'll be prompted to select the account to be used for the Agent Action Account. Leave the default (Local System) and click OK.
6. You'll be prompted to enter the path to be used as the destination for the agent installation. Leave the default setting and click Next.
7. Make sure that the "Show task process" check box is selected and click Finish.
The wizard will display details about the agent installation. After the installation is finished, click Close.

Encarta & MSN & WINDOWS Instant Messengers

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If you have Windows or MSN Messengers ( it works on both )

So many IT people have told me about this new feature, I just had to try it out for myself, and now I have,

I've just got to share it with you!

You can add Encarta to your MSN Messenger buddy list and ask it questions.

The answers are totally fascinating. But first... here's how to get this going..

1. Open MSN Messenger and sign in.

2. Add Encarta as a contact: encarta@conversagent.com .

3. Double click Encarta from your Contact List.

4. Ask a question! You get an instant message when you add the contact:

Welcome, Pete! My name is Encarta Instant Answers. I am a smart computer who can bring you the Encarta info you want right in your IM window!Here are some questions you can ask me:* What is the size of Italy?* Where was Nelson Mandela born?* What is a cello?

Type your question and I'll look it up for you! So I did...

Pete says:Who is Santa?

Encarta® Instant Answers says:Santa Claus, legendary bringer of gifts at Christmas. He is generally depicted as a fat, jolly man with a white beard, dressed in a red suit trimmed.... etc

Go on - give it a go. - it's kept me amused & if you request it to join an IM you can use it.

Microsoft outlines IE 7 security plans

Microsoft is tightening up the way its Internet Explorer browser handles HTTPS for version 7, which is used to secure online transactions, in an attempt to give people more protection online.
In a posting on the Microsoft Internet Explorer blog, IE program manager Eric Lawrence said that IE 7 would support the Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol by default.
Existing versions of IE automatically use the SSL 2.0 protocol, which is weaker than TLS, to encrypt user data, although it is possible to manually switch to TLS.

Microsoft's decision to ditch support for SSL 2.0 means that any site that still requires this protocol should upgrade, but Lawrence claimed there are "only a handful" of such sites.
Lawrence also explained how IE 7 will behave differently from earlier versions when it encounters potential security problems.

"Whenever IE6 encountered a problem with a HTTPS-delivered Web page, the user was informed via a modal dialog box and was asked to make a security decision. IE 7 follows the XPSP2 'secure by default' paradigm by defaulting to the secure behavior," said Lawrence.

IE 7 will not give users the option of seeing both secure and insecure items within an HTTPS page. With IE6, this option appears when the browser encounters an HTTPS page that includes some HTTP content. But in IE 7, only the secure content will be rendered by default, forcing the user to choose to access the rest via the information bar.

"This is an important change because very few users (or web developers) fully understand the security risks of rendering HTTP-delivered content within a HTTPS page," Lawrence claimed.

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MSN Messenger trouble signing in

Having problem signing into Messenger

Then the Fix is below

If you ever get this problem do the following, as it is down to the Msxml3.dll not being registered to the PC fully.

To register the Msxml3.dll file:

1. Click "Start", click "Run", type the following command, %windir%\system32\regsvr32 %windir%\system32\msxml3.dll and then press ENTER:

After this command is completed successfully, you receive the following message: "dllRegisterserver in succeeded." ;

2. Click "OK."

3. Close msn messenger

4. Sign in to MSN Messenger again.

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