THE OFFICIAL BLOG OF THE SBS DIVA

So do you know about the webmatrix tool that makes it super easy to install a standalone SharePoint 2010?

While it can also download stuff like WordPress.. it can also do SharePoint.

http://www.microsoft.com/web/webmatrix/?WT.mc_id=src-n-us-wag-WM-WWSEM

Install the web platform installer.

http://www.microsoft.com/web/downloads/platform.aspx

Once it's loaded up it will install a web platform installer console

In the upper box type in SharePoint and hit enter so it will search for SharePoint

Pick the standalone SharePoint, it will load some stuff and reboot...but wait it's not done yet..

It installs SQL in the background as well

And there you go.... SharePoint 2010 ready to be provisioned..

Way cool huh!

This just in from Jeff Middeton:

=========
It's official!  Swing Migration for SBS 2011 from 2003 platforms available now from SBSMigration.com!

This initial SBS 2011 release builds on the concepts proven in our SBS 2008 project methodology, providing a proven and familiar project plan to handle end-to-end migration construction and testing offline, with minimal risk or interuption to the business. The transition results are virtually transparent to users, and we still provide the project solution with nothing to undo if you choose to delay your deployment or have unexpected complications in your timeline for deployment. As always, our goal for IT Pros using our products is that we help you keep the server name and IP the same, build servers on a workbench during weekday business hours and then take the weekends off.

The SBS 2011 kit provides a migration path from 2003 platforms (SBS, Windows or Exchange standard) and is the first new project solution we are introducing in 2011. As we expand our product solutions to cover all SMB scale Windows domain and Exchange integrated platforms, our project and platform options are expanding. This Kit becomes the first of a family of new solutions we will roll-out this year to support adoption of SBS 2011 platforms. We will soon release SBS 2011 Kits for migration from SBS 2008 or standard Windows 2008 R2 or Exchange 2007 or Exchange 2010 platforms. In addition, look for new Kits to address SBS 2011 Essentials as well as new matrix of migration solutions for transition between all SBS and non-SBS platforms in the Windows Server product family.

Visit SBSMigration.com for information or to obtain your SBS 2011 from 2003 platform migration solution.

Jeff Middleton
SBSMigration.com

A comment due to my prior post about "notes" in HyperV when I'm taking snapshots for patch testing needs a bit of fleshing out.

So.. do I take snapshots of machines in production when I'm doing patch testing?

Nope.  Any box I do snapshots on are test boxes only.  Meaning it's a copy of the real box or ... as in the case of the SBS 2003, SBS 2008 or SBS 2011 images I have on a single HyperV, they are all dry run tests of the real network migrations.

On a test HyperV I

Take snaps,
Let it do expanding drives,
See if it can overclock on the memory since sp1 (it can't SBS 2011, 2008, 2003 doesn't support it)
And all other things you should never do on a real production system.

On the real HyperV I

Never do snapshots.
Always use fixed drives

So when you see me blog about taking snapshots... it's on the test HyperV only.. the one that is the 'blow it up first before doing it on the real one' box.

So if you have a HyperV server and various versions of the same server...how do you keep them straight?

In the notes section.... and it took me until tonight to figure out where that notes section was.

Right click on the snapshot and go to "Settings". Under "Management" section click on "Name". You can add notes in this pane.

Sure enough, that's where it is.  Now I can keep my patching test notes in various HyperV's.  Cool!

I'm going to repost the answer to the question of "what key code can I use to run SBS 2011 during this time that there IS no key in the action pack download section.

First off if you visit the action pack download site you will notice that it lists SBS 2008 not SBS 2011 - https://www.microsoft.com/msppdd/Catalog/CatalogView.aspx

You will note that just last week Microsoft made this big deal about how SBS 2011 is now available in all channels.  In the tiny tiny fine invisible print on the page they should have said "except on the Action pack page". 

Why isn't it there?  Who knows.  Get Eric Ligman to let his hair down at the WWPC and give you the details (and if you know anything about Eric's haircut you know that's going to be a bit difficult). 

So with no Action pack license on the site.. how can you run SBS 2011 in your business to really test it good.  Okay well on that page up on the upper middle there's another place to click on there.  See that "licensing information" tab?  https://www.microsoft.com/msppdd/Licensing.aspx  On THAT page it tells me what I'm licensed for. 

Notice how it says I'm LICENSED for SBS 2011?

Okay so let's read the recent tweets of Eric Ligman -- he says -- @dinotech - Your license determines what you are entitled to run, not your product key. Having product key without a license means nothing.

And then he says @dinotech - You need a product key for the product you are licensed for. I.e. An SBS 2011 Std key for an SBS 2011 Std product license.

Then let me repost was was posted to the blog as a comment --

You actually have 75 days left on the install, not 15, since you are able to re-arm the software twice (for up to 90 days of usage). See details here: http://bit.ly/gQiRdt

As for your statement of, "we are unable to get it properly licensed," you are fully licensed. Your License Summary at www.microsoft.com/.../Licensing.aspx is specific to your account and your subscriptions/benefits and shows what you are licensed to use through your subscription. A key has nothing to do with your license, so using the current install under your license vs. the key that will be provided on the download site doesn't change your licensing at all, just the key you're using to activate it.

As for, "How are we supposed to sell the product if we cannot even get it set up in production?" Why can't you get it setup in production? I have the steps listed on how and where partners can get and install SBS 2011 right now for internal use at: http://bit.ly/gM0LMR. I would recommend reading that and following those steps to get SBS 2011 running so you are able to use, understand, and sell SBS 2011 today.

Yes, we are fully aware that not having the digital distribution keys on the download site is an inconvenience that we are working on right now; however, let's not confuse that with not being able to get the SBS 2011 software and the ability to install and use the final bits today (which you absolutely can do through the steps listed in the link above).

Thank you and have a wonderful day,

Eric Ligman

Worldwide Partner Experience Lead

Microsoft Corporation

So what does all that mean?

In the short term use the download from the Technet plus site, key it with that key.  Later on when the Action pack key is finally released, go back, go into the control panel, click change product key and easily rekey it to the action pack key.

Here's a case where I didn't think something was broken so it was never bugged.  The situation is the domain.com/exchange url redirect that forwards your users over to /owa.

OWA is Exchange 2007 and 2010 era.  Exchange is 2003.  If your clients are use to /exchange and they don't take well to change... well... when you migrate to SBS 2011 it doesn't work.  The folder structure is there but it doesn't work.

Now if you have a firm full of people used to logging into RWW or RWA (I'll probably not get used to that change), and using phones for email access, they probably have never used /exchange and won't care.  If you have a firm that needs this redirect to work...here's how to put in back.

I just added it to the www.sbsbuilddoc.com as well

 6. Fixing the issue of OWA redirect (courtesy of Daryl Maunder)

Create an Exchange folder in the same folder as the OWA folder.
Make the permissions the same as the /owa folder.
Change the /Exchange virtual folder in IIS to point to this folder instead of the /owa it's pointing to.
Unticked the http redirect on the /owa folder.
Unticked/reticked the http redirect box on the /exchange folder and it created a web.config file in the exchange folder and the redirect from /exchange to /owa now works.

So how big of a email database can you have on SBS 2011?

http://blogs.technet.com/b/uspartner_ts2team/archive/2011/03/20/exchange-2010-default-database-size.aspx

I TB big enough for ya?

For anyone else that uses the nntp bridge to pull in the forum threads, the web service that it relies on in the Technet backend has had to be turned off. 

If you follow the reportabug forums in the Technet forums - http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/reportabug/threads you can keep up with what the issues are.

Alerts (I think) are not working as they needed to shut that off as well to get performance working.

The Answers 2.0 forum doesn't support the nntp bridge (long story behind that one) http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/feedback/forum/feedback_other-na/update-microsoft-answers-20/987d280f-634c-e011-8dfc-68b599b31bf5 but hopefully we'll see some effort to increase the efficiency of the forums going forward.

My Sister is not a happy camper right now.

http://www.ipadforums.net/ipad-help/2987-how-put-your-ipad-into-recovery-mode.html

Another reason.. the update from Apple barfed.

Users fail to log into RWW with Password error.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2514286/en-us?sd=rss&spid=1167

Windows Small Business Server (SBS) 2011 fails to boot with error 'BOOTMGR is missing'
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2501318/en-us?sd=rss&spid=1167

Connect To Internet Wizard (CTIW) fails with error 'Windows SBS did not properly configure your e-mail' on Windows Small Business Server 2011
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2501155/en-us?sd=rss&spid=1167

Error 500 Attempting to Access OWA on SBS 2011
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2517253/en-us?sd=rss&spid=1167

'Add a New User' wizard fails to create a user mailbox on Windows Small Business Server 2011
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2500559/en-us?sd=rss&spid=1167

Do me a favor.  All of you who are Action pack people go here:

https://www.microsoft.com/msppdd/Licensing.aspx

Tell me what you see.  If you are like me you'll see this:

Okay so what does that mean and where is my key codes?

"Your License Summary at www.microsoft.com/.../Licensing.aspx is specific to your account and your subscriptions/benefits and shows what you are licensed to use through your subscription. A key has nothing to do with your license, so using the current install under your license vs. the key that will be provided on the download site doesn't change your licensing at all, just the key you're using to activate it."

Bottom line.. you don't need the key codes.  Use "a" key code, you have the rights to the software now.

I'm not going to bore you with a retread of the headline that is seemingly htting every news location that SBS 2011 standard has hit general availability and is in every channel!

Well... every one but Action pack that is...

"Still waiting to be able to download it from the Microsoft Partner Network. Not that I'd install it anytime soon. Just like the old days of waiting for the first service pack to install any Microsoft product, with SBS it's wise to wait for at least the fifth revision of the deployment guide. Sigh...."

From the comments in a news site, the truth of the situation is that we're still waiting for action pack.... so it's not in ALL channels yet.

Now I wouldn't be waiting for the fifth revision of the deployment guide.  I would be downloading the Technet version and running that in test.  Mind you that assumes you are one of those folks that signed up for Action pack with Technet, not Action pack with MSDN, the folks who signed up for the MSDN bundle might want to email maps-na@microsoft.com and discuss options with them complain about that.

<edit -- read this http://msmvps.com/blogs/bradley/archive/2011/03/17/a-key-has-nothing-to-do-with-your-license.aspx >>

Also be aware that no longer will SBS have "service packs".  We're in the update rollup era of deployment.  And we've got a community build doc (www.sbsbuilddoc.com ) going and are adding to that.  So for all of those clients that have umpteen year old SBS 2003's that are getting to the wheezy stage and need a new server and still want full on premises, I'd start to plan on some testing time.

The media for Technet , for Eval, for retail, for VL is ALL THE SAME.  Yes, you read that right, it's ALL the same.  You install without a key, be prepared to rearm it a couple of times, and then later on when you receive the Action Pack key you can then put in the key.  I've even seen someone say that they've used an OEM key to key in a technet eval version but haven't tested it personally to confirm or deny that and with exactly what OEM media.

Once you install it without a key you get 30 days.  Then in those 30 days go back and put in at a command prompt (right mose click and run as administrator) and type in slmgr -rearm

So what if you want to do a test more long term?  Can you key it with a Technet key and then later on rekey it?  And where do you get access to Technet if you are a Action pack subscriber?

Let's remind ourselves how we get our technet rights.  As an Action pack subscriber, if you opted for Action pack with Technet, you can get access to the Technet site and use that for a long term test.

If you don't know how to gain access to the Technet site, you need to have some things:

1.  You need to know your Window Live ID that is associated with your Microsoft Action pack solution provider subscription.

2.  You need to know your Technical contact ID.  You find this by going to the Partner Membership Center:  Click here:  https://partners.microsoft.com/PartnerProgram/ManagePeople.aspx  and bottom section you'll see people in the firm listed and the Technical ID that the Technet site is looking for.

3.  Go to the Technet site - https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/subscriptions/add/default.aspx

4.  Sign in as a first time user with your Windows Live ID associated with your Microsoft Action Pack Solution Provider subscription.

5.  Enter your contact information and Benefit Access Number (Technical Contact ID**)

6.  Accept the agreement to complete registration

So then do a long term test of SBS 2011.

But it's months from now and you like how you've set it up and you want to migrate to SBS 2011 for real and make it a production system.  Do you have to migrate cleanly all over again?  Actually no.

You know you can rekey a system without reinstalling it?  As long as the underlying media is the same so that it doesn't put up a fuss you can rekey.  Normally with media like Windows 7 or normal Server 2008 you can't use Eval media with a VL key but in the unique case of SBS 2011, the media for retail, VL, action pack and Technet are the same.

So say you've set up a test network using Technet media with a Technet key, and later on down the road you decide that you want to join your production workstations to it and not just be a test network anymore... do you have to reinstall everything? 

Nope, you can rekey it.  Now, how can I rekey an already keyed in SBS 2011?

Pretty easy actually... go to start, system and find the section where it says "windows is activated".

Now click on change product key.

Enter in the new key you want to use and click next.

It will then check the key.

And you are done.

If you want to be geeky and do command line -- knock yourself out - http://www.ehow.com/how_5508642_change-windows-product-key.html

(and no disrespect or insult intended to anyone Irish.. I just thought this was funny -- Happy St. Patrick's Day)

Don't forget to wear green in honor of tomorrow

http://www.thirdtier.net/2011/03/third-thursday-webinar-managing-sbs-2011-preparing-for-migration/

Meeting time: Mar 17, 2011 12:00 PM (EST)

Add to my Outlook Calendar:

https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/harborcomputerservices/meetingICS?id=5GT5PJ&role=attend&pw=5%40rXZhkzf&i=i.ics

This month the folks at Third Tier are going to review the steps necessary to prepare your existing environment for migration to SBS 2011 Standard. They will use the Microsoft documentation on migration from SBS 2003 as the starting point for their  presentation. In this presentation they will make a some additions/subtractions and reordering of that document. You will leave this session with a blueprint ready to implement for your next migration.

You will find Microsoft’s migration preparation document on TechNet. You should download this document and become familiar with it in preparation for this webinar.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg563799.aspx

To remove the global catalog from the Source Server

Now we remove the GC from the source server
1.    On the Source Server, click Start, click All Programs, click Administrative Tools, and then click Active Directory Sites and Services.
2.    In the console tree, double-click Sites, and then double-click <sitename>.
3.    Double-click Servers, click the name of the Destination Server, right-click NTDS Settings, and then click Properties.
4.    On the General tab, clear the Global catalog option.
5.    Restart the Source Server.

hmmm so in reading that I'm thinking someone made a mistake there and in step number 3, I think you should be removing the tick box on the global catalog from the SOURCE server, not the destination server.

You can also do command line here (yes... the GUI gal just said command line)

dsmod server (ServerDN) -isgc yes (obviously ServerDN = name of the destination server)
and
dsmod server (ServerDN) -isgc no (ServerDN here = name of the source server)

Next up is transfering the global catalog server

The global catalog is the central information store of the domain - http://www.tech-faq.com/the-global-catalog-server.html .  Remember in SBS the SBS box has to hold the FSMO roles as well as be the global catalog server.  In the last step we moved the FSMO roles

Transfer the global catalog to the Destination Server
To ensure that the Destination Server is the global catalog for the network, transfer the global catalog from the Source Server.
 To create a new global catalog on the Destination Server
1.    On the Destination Server, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Active Directory Sites and Services.
2.    In the Active Directory Sites and Services console tree, double-click Sites, and then double-click <sitename> (where <sitename> is the name of the site that will serve as the global catalog).

Which in a SBS domain is probably going to be Default-First-Site-Name
3.    Expand the Servers folder, click the name of the Destination Server, right-click NTDS Settings, and then click Properties.
4.    On the General tab, select the Global catalog option if it is not already selected, and then click OK.

5.    Restart the Destination Server.

(we don't because it's already a global catalog)
 Note
Allow sufficient time for the account and the schema information to replicate to the Destination Server before you remove the global catalog from the Source Server.
 Note
Event 1119 may be logged in the Directory Services log in Event Viewer stating that the Destination Server is now advertising itself as a global catalog server.

Transfer the operations master roles for Windows SBS 2011 Essentials migration

The operations master (also called flexible single master operations or FSMO) roles must be transferred from the Source Server to the Destination Server within 21 days of installing Windows SBS 2011 Essentials  on the Destination Server.
 To transfer the FSMO roles
1.    On the Source Server, open a command prompt window as administrator. See To open a Command Prompt window as an Administrator. (right mouse click command and run as admin)
2.    At the command prompt, type NETDOM QUERY FSMO and press ENTER. (this is just checking where the roles are...they will currently be on your SBS 2003

3.    At the command prompt, type ntdsutil and press ENTER.
4.    At the ntdsutil command prompt, enter the following commands:
a.    Type activate instance NTDS, and then press ENTER.
b.    Type roles, and then press ENTER.
c.    Type connections, and then press ENTER.
d.    Type connect to server <servername> (where <servername> is the name of the domain controller to which you want to assign the FSMO role), and then press ENTER.

(you might need to remind yourself of that name of the server if you didn't write it on your documents)
e.    At the command prompt, type q, and then press ENTER.
•    Type transfer PDC, press ENTER, and then click Yes in the Role Transfer Confirmation dialog box.

•    Type transfer infrastructure master, and then press ENTER. Click Yes in the Role Transfer Confirmation dialog box.
•    Type transfer naming master, and press ENTER. Click Yes on the Role Transfer Confirmation dialog box.
•    Type transfer RID master, and press ENTER. Click Yes on the Role Transfer Confirmation dialog box.
•    Type transfer schema master, and press ENTER. Click Yes on the Role Transfer Confirmation dialog box.

(this is what it will look like)

f.    Type q, and then press ENTER until you return to the command prompt.

(you'll need to type q enter and q enter to get back to a c prompt)
 Note
You can verify the FSMO roles have been transferred to the Destination Server from any server on the network. First, open a Command Prompt window as an administrator (see To open a Command Prompt window as an Administrator). Then, type netdom query fsmo and press ENTER.

Note it's at this moment that the 21 day count down on SBS 2003 starts.  You now have 21 days to finish the migration... that includes doing someting with the email and Exchange.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/255504 It's basically doing that KB manually.

Install and restore the Certification Authority for Windows SBS 2011 Essentials migration

(you know that ADCert services we removed before?  Now we're putting it back after the dcpromo)

 To install the Certification Authority
1.    On the Destination Server, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Server Manager.
2.    In the Roles Summary section, click Add Roles.
3.    On the Before You Begin page, click Next.
4.    On the Server Roles page, select Active Directory Certificate Services, and then click Next.

5.    On the Introduction to Active Directory Certificate Services page, click Next..
6.    On the Select Role Services page, select Certification Authority, and then click Next.

7.    On the Specify Setup Type page, select Standalone, and then click Next.

(note the screen originally said "Enterprise" so make sure to choose Standalone
8.    On the Specify CA Type page, select Root CA, and then click Next.

9.    On the Set Up Private Key page, select Use existing private key, choose the Select a certificate and use its associated private key option, and then click Next.

10.    On the Select Existing Certificate page, select the <server name>-SERVER-CA certificate (where <server name> is the name of your Source Server), and then click Next.

11.    On the Select Existing Certificate page, click Next.

12.    Confirm your selections, and then click Install.

13.    When the wizard is finished, click Close, and then restart the server.
 To restore the Certification Authority
1.    Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Certification Authority.

2.    In the Certification Authority console tree, right-click <server name>-SERVER-CA (where <server name> is the name of your Source Server), click All Tasks, and then click Restore CA.

3.    On the Items to Restore page, select the items that you want to restore, and type or browse to C:\CA_Backup. On the Action menu, click All Tasks, and click Restore CA.

And hopefully you remember your password :-)

4.    Follow the remaining instructions in the Certification Authority Restore Wizard.

 Configure CRL distribution list
1.    Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Certification Authority.
2.    Right click on the server and click Properties.

3.    Click the Extensions tab.
4.    In the list displayed, click on the entry http://serverDNSname/certenroll/<caname><CRLNAMESUFFIX><DELATACRLALLOWED>.crl and ensure the following options are selected.
•    Include in CRLs. Clients use this to find the Delta CRL location.
•    Include in the CDP extension of issued certificates.

5.    Click Add, and in the location field type http://<ServerShortName>.local/CertEnroll/<CaName><CRLNAMESUFFIX><DELATACRLALLOWED>.crl  (note if your server domain is .lan use that instead)
6.    Click OK.
7.    Click Add, and in the location field type http://<ServerDNSName>/CertEnroll/<CaName><CRLNAMESUFFIX><DELATACRLALLOWED>.crl
8.    Click OK.
9.    Under the Extensions tab, perform the following steps:
a.    Click on the entry http://<ServerShortName>.local/CertEnroll/<CaName><CRLNAMESUFFIX><DELATACRLALLOWED>.crl and ensure the following options are selected:
•    Include in CRLs. Clients use this to find the Delta CRL location.
•    Include in the CDP extension of issued certificates.
b.    Click on the entry http://<ServerDNSName>/CertEnroll/<CaName><CRLNAMESUFFIX><DELATACRLALLOWED>.crl and ensure that the following options are selected:
•    Include in CRLs. Clients use this to find the Delta CRL location.
•    Include in the CDP extension of issued certificates.

One thing you will note at this stage of the SBS 2011 essentials is that it's not yet a member of the domain or a domain controller.

This is normal and the next step is to build a config file to join the server to to the domain and promote it as a domain controller.

Promote the Destination Server to a Domain Controller in the existing Windows SBS 2011 Essentials forest
 Note
You must promote the Destination Server to domain controller within 6 days of installing Windows SBS 2011 Essentials .
Use the DCPromo tool to promote the Destination Server as described in this section.
 To promote the Destination Server to a Domain Controller
1.    Open a Command Prompt window, type the following command, and press ENTER.
COPY C:\Windows\System32\ntds.dit c:\Windows\System32\sbsntds.dit

NTDS.dit is the guts of the database for active directory.  Because the server is not yet a DC and we're in the "500" account in workgroup mode, there's no need to launch UAC here.

2.    Create an answer file on the administrator’s desktop, as follows:
a.    Click Start, click All Programs, click Accessories, and then click Notepad.
b.    Copy the following content and paste it into the file. Do not put any other content into the file.
[DCINSTALL]
UserName=<domain-admin-user-name>
Password=<domain-admin-password>
UserDomain=<domain>.local
DatabasePath=%systemroot%\ntds
LogPath=%systemroot%\ntds
SYSVOLPath=%systemroot%\sysvol
SafeModeAdminPassword=<domain-admin-password>
ConfirmGc=Yes
InstallDNS=yes
CreateDNSDelegation=No
CriticalReplicationOnly=no
ReplicaOrNewDomain=Replica
ReplicaDomainDNSName=<domain>.local
ReplicationSourceDC=<Source-Server-Name>.<domain>.local
RebootOnCompletion=No
ApplicationPartitionsToReplicate=""*""";
Leave the rest of the file blank.
c.    Click File, click Save, and type dc-cfg.ini for the file name. Save the file on the desktop.
3.    Open a Command Prompt window as an administrator. See To open a Command Prompt window as an Administrator.
4.    Type the following command, and press ENTER.
DCPROMO /unattend:”C:\Users\Administrator\Desktop\dc-cfg.ini”

After the tool runs, the process status appears.

When it gets done you'll need to reboot the server.

The KB the final window references is http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;942564 and is just warning you that NT4 machines won't natively connect.

Now reboot and you'll see the server is now joined to your SBS 2003 domain.
If DCPromo does not succeed because of an incorrect entry in the answer file, the tool may erase the passwords from the dc-cfg.ini file. If this occurs, add the passwords back into the file before running the tool again.
5.    Restart the Destination Server. Since the computer now resides in the OU of the domain controller, the server requires a few minutes while different Group Policies are applied to it.
6.    Log on to the Destination Server as the domain administrator, using the same username and password you use on the Source Server.
7.    To verify that the server is a domain controller, click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click Active Directory Users and Computers.
8.    Select the Domain Controllers node. The Source Server appears as the Global Catalog, and the Destination Server appears as the Domain Controller.

Note you can do .lan or any .whatever you used on the original SBS network.

Rule of Service packs in Susanland.

Never be first.
Never be last.
Never be in a position so late in deploying it that you are past the time that the bulk of the folks remember the issues.
Never be so behind that you MUST get it on in order to be supported.
Be sort of in the middle between when you are bleeding edge....and when you are dying off edge.

With the vista/7 era gawd bless it have a backup.  Given that there is no such thing anymore as slipstreams and in place repairs, if you blow up down here in SMB it is not pretty.

The only service pack I ever attempted to do via Shavlik was XP sp2.  I nailed two workstations that lost video.  Tried it again with SP3, didn't lose a workstation felt comfy.  When Vista came out, however, I went back to being nervous Nellie when it comes to service packs and I did it with a full download, no Shavlik, no WSUS.  Walking around the office over several weeks, one at a time. ... or rather with Vista remotely with a backdoor (logmein) stuck on the machine as a possible back door should something happen to rdp.

And then came Windows 7 sp1.  Where I totally forgot that the default of SBS was to approve service packs on Workstations.  And when it showed up on the WSUS/SUS content KB indicating that it would come out on WSUS it didn't register in the brain enough to warn people that it would be out.  And then "C34" hit.

So I'm back to not trusting service packs through automated means again.

And yes, it may take me all summer, but I will be doing Win7 sp1 one at a time, sneakernet after a backup on each workstation.

On workstations there's no rush to install this.  The tortoise wins here, not the hare.