SBS FAQ - Wayne Small - SBS MVP

SBS2000 to 2003 Upgrades - a few considerations...

Ok - my preference for installations of SBS2003 is to do a totally fresh installation.  However there are times when this is not possible due to budget contraints or time limitations.  I've had two such customer scenarios this week that needed to have the inplace done, one for budget reasons, and the other for time constraints.  So we've used the inplace upgrade method.  Before using the in place upgrade method I'd considered a few things.

1. Did I install SBS2000 on this system? I look at this as I want to ensure that it's a system that I've controlled for it's life.  If I didn't install it then there may be a heap of underlying issues just waiting to bite me.

2. Is the hardware capable to run SBS2003 for the next 2-3 years.  In the case of the systems I've done this week, both were for 5 user sites, one was a 2.4Ghz system with 1GB RAM which was fine, the other was an 800Mhz system with 1GB RAM which was at the very low end of what I wanted.  I advised the 800Mhz customer of this and he was fine - wants to replace the server next financial year anyway.

So here's the process I followed in these upgrades this week.  Both of them had RAID 1 using software mirroring, so we disconnected the mirrored drive before we commenced as our utlimate backup plan, and then later once it was done and we knew the upgrade was 100% we reconnected it and reconfigured the mirror.

Preflight Check – these can all be done prior to the day of the upgrade to minimise the downtime

1. Check workstations – if any Win95 or Win ME then upgrade can not proceed
2. Check SBS2000 Service Pack levels – must have SBS 2000 SP1 installed
3. Minimum 2GB Free on C: Drive
4. Ensure ISA SP1 is installed (v3.0.1200.50 if no SP, v3.0.1200.166 SP1)
5. Install hotfix for ISA for W2003 Server (ISAHF255.exe – KB331062)
6. Download and unpack the latest supportpaq from HP for the server
7. Clean up drives, delete files not needed and empty recycle bin
8. Defrag drives (if time permits – do this remotely)
9. Verify backups are good

 Rollout Process

1. Ensure the Internet NIC is disconnected
2. Disconnect the mirrored hard drive (if it’s a dual drive mirrored system)
3. Remove any UPS cables to the server
4. Remove Exchange IM
5. Remove Admin tools
6. Remove AV software

1. Remove Scanmail for Exchange
2. Remove Trend Client from the server
3. Remove OfficeScan Corporate Edition from the server
4. Reboot

7. Note any specific config options that need to be reinstated later

a.      Exchange – forward all mail to specific host

8. CHKDSK /f on all hard drives
9. Save and clear event logs
10. Reboot server
11. Check event logs – note / decide on action about ANY errors
12. Insert SBS2003 CD1 and commence setup
13. During the W2003 installation portion of setup, if it asks you for drivers for the HP/Compaq server, insert the SmartStart CD as it has the drivers the system needs.
14. Phase 2 of the SBS Setup
15. Reboot and complete the To Do list
16. Do not do step 6 of the to do list – Import Files – as we don’t use this option
17. Detune ISA security
    1. Remove the authenticate all users from the outbound web listener
18. Windows Update & reboot
19. Review loginscripts to ensure that they are correct and do not have any additional characters in them
20. Test one workstation on LAN – verify access to email, files etc
21. Install ISA FP1, ISA FP1 URLSCAN (isafp1ur.exe), ISA SP2
22. Install Trend AV & configure
23. Install GZIP Hotfix, E2003SP1 and Post SP1 SBS Hotfix
24. Modify hardware firewall to add additional ports and protocols
    1. 443,444,4125
25. Shutdown and configure the mirror the original hard drive
26. Workstation rollouts
    1. Assign applications to all workstations from the SBS console wizards
    2. Remove old AV & rollout the new AV
    3. Add users to be able to logon remotely via RWW on the desktop computers
27. Verify all AV clients are seen in the AV console