THE OFFICIAL BLOG OF THE SBS "DIVA"

The early bird sometimes doesn't get the deal.  If you already booked your tickets to SMBnation you may want to see if you can push them ahead a bit.

Pre-Day Sessions:
http://fall.smbnation.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=75&Itemid=128

There's two predays of sessions now AHEAD of SMBnation including some hands on labs.

News out today.... looking for an OEM version of a server with SBS essentials preinstalled?  HP MicroServer with SBS Essentials Pre-installed: $899 with 4GB RAM, 2x500GB RAID1 HP Part #658552-xx1 http://hp.com/go/microserver Learn all about this Low-Touch IT Solution - attend the SMB MVP Community Roadshow

Do you need .net 4 on SBS 2003?

Probably not.  And if you install it on that platform be prepared for a new error message - an indication that a service is not running:

SBS 2003 Performance Report indicates an automatic service is not running:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2290390

I'd recommend not installing .net 4 on SBS 2003 as I see no need for it.  Unless some application demands it, skip it.  It's an optional update on this platform and I'd recommend not installing it from the get go.  If it's installed, uninstall it.

-----

Do you need .net 4 on SBS 2008?

Probably not.  Only worry about patching it if you have an application that installs it.  Just because it's offered up as an optional update, doesn't mean that it's needed.  If you decide to remove it, you'll find that it doesn't cleanly uninstall.  This is actually documented in the .net 4 readme so it's actually an expected known issue.

http://msmvps.com/blogs/bradley/archive/2010/10/15/lovely-net-4.aspx

----

Do you need .net 4 on SBS 2011?

It actually ships with .net 4 so DO NOT remove it on the SBS 2011 platform.  I haven't seen .net 4 have issues with patching, but if you do, don't use the Aaron Stebner .net tool, merely go into programs and features, click on .net 4 and choose the repair option.

So far I've seen doing this fixes up .net 4 to allow for any security updates.

May be unable to modify some users and users may disappear from the SBS Essentials Dashboard:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2542106/en-us?sd=rss&spid=1167

Over on the coast of California tonight getting out of the heat of the Valley and I'm finding that it's a good thing I have both an AT&T aircard and a verizon mifi when I travel.  I find that there are locations where one is good and the other one gives lousy access, and visa versa.

I personally don't find one vendor gives consistently great Internet access.

Sometimes you just have to pack a lot of geek gear.

Looking for a book on SBS Essentials?  Look no farther...

New book: Working with Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials - Microsoft Press - Site Home - MSDN Blogs:
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/microsoft_press/archive/2011/08/26/new-book-working-with-windows-small-business-server-2011-essentials.aspx

http://mvptour2011.sbsmigration.com/event_lists

Are you aware of the SMBMVPtour that is going around the world this year?  Tomorrow it will be in Chicago.  Up next Fort Lauderdale.  And keep an eye on that page as your city might be next!

[GUIDE] Install ClockworkMod, a ROM, Flash Player, and the Market Fix - xda-developers:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=865245
So I'm debating about hacking one of my two viewsonic tablets ... but I'll admit this feels very much going down the jailbreaking route or hacking up something.

Not to mention... I'm really not a developer.  So.. do I want to hack up a gtablet or not?

So here's a rant.

Why is it that the usb to micro usb cables are sometimes just a smidge different so that you can't interchange them with another micro usb cable?

They are just enough off that you can't use a single cable for all things, but instead must have a specific cable for this and a specific cable for that.  Case in point my mifi device that I didn't realize has a unique micro usb cable and wouldn't fit the gtablet's micro usb cable?

And why is it that the new usb3 cables are different than the usb2's?  Why can't there be A cable that fits EVERYTHING?

Released: Update Rollup 5 for Exchange 2010 SP1 - Exchange Team Blog - Site Home - TechNet Blogs:
http://blogs.technet.com/b/exchange/archive/2011/08/23/released-update-rollup-5-for-exchange-2010-sp1.aspx

In the comments of that blog post...  For those keeping track.. the bug introduced in v4 is not fixed in v5

"With regard to the ability to recover a deleted public folder, this fix was not included in RU5 as further testing revealed a problem with the identified fix. We are still working on a resolution to this issue and it will be included in a future Rollup or Service Pack when it resolves the issue satisfactorily and has been fully validated."

Announcing the re-release of Exchange 2010 SP1 Rollup 4 - Exchange Team Blog - Site Home - TechNet Blogs:
http://blogs.technet.com/b/exchange/archive/2011/07/27/announcing-the-re-release-of-exchange-2010-sp1-rollup-4.aspx

Strike that.  If you install the update rollup 4 v2 (the one on WSUS and MU) you don't get the bug introduced into your Exchange environment.  This is only of importance if you installed rollup 4 v1 manually.  If you did not do that, you don't need to worry about any bug introduced behavior.

Missed another one

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (KB2528583)
SQL Server 2008 R2 SP1 upgrades SQL Server 2008 R2 and the components installed by SQL Server 2008 R2 setup. The service pack may be applied to all editions of SQL Server 2008 R2 and can upgrade all instances of SQL Server 2008 R2 resident in your local system. If additional installation options are needed, please download Service Pack 1 from the Microsoft Download Center. For more information about the SQL Server 2008 R2 SP1 Package please visit the Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 2528583.

In the optional updates section is SQL 2008 r2 sp1 also on our servers.

Mind you these are still in what I call the "optional" updates.... you don't HAVE to install these today or even this week.

Two more things on WSUS and Microsoft update today....

  Update Rollup 4 for Exchange Server 2007 Service Pack 3 (KB2509911)
This update rollup resolves problems that were found in Exchange Server 2007 Service Pack 3 (SP3) since Exchange Server 2007 SP3 was released and replaces previously released update rollups for Exchange Server 2007 SP3.

Update Rollup 4-v2 for Exchange Server 2010 Service Pack 1 (KB2579150)
This update rollup resolves problems that were found in Exchange Server 2010 Service Pack 1 (SP1) since Exchange Server 2010 SP1 was released and replaces previously released update rollups for Exchange Server 2010 SP1.

SBS Standard

SBS 2011 Standard Edition Setup Crashes Unexpectedly:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2535810/en-us?sd=rss&spid=1167

Error message when you attempt to change the software update Settings:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2589338/en-us?sd=rss&spid=1167

SBS Essentials

SBS 2011 Essentials | Standard users are unable to access RWA after migration:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2585336/en-us?sd=rss&spid=1167

Update Rollup 1 for Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials is available:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2554629/en-us?sd=rss&spid=1167

http://blogs.technet.com/b/sbs/archive/2011/08/22/how-to-recreate-the-sbsmonitoring-database.aspx

SBS 2008 comes with a SQL database that has a 4 gig max for that Monitoring database.  On some networks with noisy activity or lots of workstations, you'll ultimately hit that 4 gig database.  You'll know this in two ways - the bpa will alert you and your event errors will indicate you've hit the 4 gig max.

So one way to fix this is to merely recreate the database from scratch.  So how do you do that if you are not a SQL guru?

You thankfully have the SBS support folks that are.  Grab that script from the skydrive, and voila, your database issue is fixed.

Installed a new HP multi function printer last night.  Went to launch a browser this morning and found that since I was lazy and didn't use the custom install it nicely installed a Yahoo browser toolbar on me.

Gee thank you HP.  I still love your servers and your desktops but your printer drivers really annoy me.

in one easy lesson.... do what HP just did.

http://www.crn.com/news/client-devices/231500447/hp-gm-hp-remains-committed-to-pc-business.htm;jsessionid=Rr0Leum6WEYpPcMyjB1+5Q**.ecappj01

Okay so according to that HP is committed to the PC business.  Okay but then what did you just say a few days ago?

And based on the frenzy of geeks looking for deals for HP web os devices, there is a marketplace for WebOS... it's just not the price tag HP wants to sell it as, it's the price tag of the firesale amounts they are selling at now.

 Bottom line, HP, that was a lousy way to say what you did.

Action plan for you!

If you want something in the Action pack, here's your chance to ask for it.  In this month's partner newsletter was this item:

This month's Action Pack question is another opportunity for you to give me your feedback. As an Action Pack subscriber, how can Microsoft help you to better run your business? Post your response in our Facebook discussion or our LinkedIn discussion.

The next event on my schedule is SMB Nation at the end of September in Las Vegas. If you will also be there, I hope to meet you!

Sincerely,

Julie Golding
Manager, Microsoft Action Pack Solution Provider

You can post your feedback there - or you can  send an email to partnerQ@microsoft.com,  So if there's something that you think needs to be part of action pack, here's your chance to give feedback.

Put these two PowerShell commands in your noggin.  When you have SharePoint issues, your first knee jerk should be to NOT rip out SharePoint but to try one of these commands instead.

(edit - I forgot the NOT in there)

Remember after SharePoint updates, you need to run psconfig to complete the updates.

http://blogs.technet.com/b/sbs/archive/2011/08/19/two-commands-you-should-always-run-first-when-troubleshooting-companyweb.aspx

[Today's post comes to us courtesy of Justin Crosby from Commercial Technical Support]

Today’s post is going to cover two commands you should always run when troubleshooting CompanyWeb (SharePoint) on SBS 2011 Standard. These two commands take less than a minute to run and will catch two of our most common CompanyWeb issues.

The commands must be ran as an administrator from the SharePoint 2010 Management Shell. You can launch the shell from All Programs > Microsoft SharePoint 2010 Products > SharePoint 2010 Management Shell.

From the shell you should first run:

Repair-SPManagedAccountDeployment

This command will return nothing if the SharePoint service accounts are synced with Active Directory. If you receive an error here please use the following blog post to fix it: http://blogs.technet.com/b/sbs/archive/2011/08/17/http-error-503-accessing-company-web-on-sbs-2011-standard.aspx

The second command you should run is:

(get-spserver $env:computername).NeedsUpgrade

If this command returns True you must run PSCONFIG as described in the following blog post: http://blogs.technet.com/b/sbs/archive/2011/05/24/you-must-manually-run-psconfig-after-installing-sharepoint-2010-patches.aspx. If the command returns false you will need to troubleshoot your SharePoint issue as normal.

Coming out next Tuesday for the "Colorado" family of servers is the first update rollup.

For all of you consultants waiting for "the first service pack"... this is the equivalent.  Remember Essentials already has Win 2k8 r2 sp1. 

So look for that to be out next Tuesday.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

New non-security content:

• Update Rollup for Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials (KB2554629)
  
  Locale: All
  Deployment: Important/Automatic Updates
  Classification: High Priority, Non-Security, Update Rollups
  Target platforms: Windows Server 2008 R2
  Approximate file sizes:
  • Update Rollup for Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials update: ~ 31828KB
  Description:
  Install this update to resolve issues in Windows. For a complete listing of the issues that are included in this update, see the associated Microsoft Knowledge Base article for more information. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer.
• Update Rollup for Windows Home Server 2011 (KB2554634)
  
  Locale: All
  Deployment: Important/Automatic Updates
  Classification: High Priority, Non-Security, Update Rollups
  Target platforms: Windows Server 2008 R2
  Approximate file sizes:
  • Update Rollup for Windows Home Server 2011 update: ~ 32095KB
  Description:
  Install this update to resolve issues in Windows. For a complete listing of the issues that are included in this update, see the associated Microsoft Knowledge Base article for more information. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer.
• Update Rollup for Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials (KB2554636)
  
  Locale: All
  Deployment: Important/Automatic Updates
  Classification: High Priority, Non-Security, Update Rollups
  Target platforms: Windows Server 2008 R2
  Approximate file sizes:
  • Update Rollup for Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials update: ~ 32046KB
  Description:
  Install this update to resolve issues in Windows. For a complete listing of the issues that are included in this update, see the associated Microsoft Knowledge Base article for more information. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer.

This past week a bombshell was dropped in the SMB community.  We lost a good one.

Jim Locke who was a mover and shaker in the SMB community, who help to start www.smbtn.org passed away unexpectedly .  Those who know him have put together a page that gathers together some of the information that people have been asking about:

www.SMBTN.org/JimLocke

There you will find info on Jim's services, date and location.   If you'd like to help out in Jim's memory and help to contribute to his son's college fund you can find information on that as well. 

And finally, if you'd like to forward on your thoughts, there's a link to his tribute page as well.

Life is always short and too precious.  Events like these reinforce how short it really is and how we need to not take life for granted. 

To Jim's family, just know that he impacted so many in this community with what he did.