Sunday, March 13, 2011

Event ID 14550

At the domain controller of Windows Server 2008 R2, you may find the error of Event ID 14550 in the event viewer of the domain controller.

Figure 1: Event ID 14550

Cause
The Active Directory Web Services (ADWS) starts before the Active Directory Domain Services (ADDS).

Resolution
1.     At the Domain Controller, login as Domain Administrator.
2.     Click “Start”, enter “services.msc”.
3.     Double-click “DFS Namespace”.
4.     Next to “Startup type”, select “Automatic (Delayed Start)”.

Figure 2: DFS Namespace properties

5.     Click “OK”.
6.     Restart the Domain Controller.

This posting is provided “AS IS” with no warranties, and confers no rights!

Event ID 1202


At Windows Server 2008 R2, the domain controller may generate the error of Event ID 1202.

Figure 1: Event ID 1202

Cause
The Active Directory Web Services (ADWS) starts before the Active Directory Domain Services (ADDS).

Resolution
1.     At the Domain Controller, login as Domain Administrator.
2.     Click “Start”, enter “services.msc”.
3.     Double-click “Active Directory Web Services”.
4.     Next to “Startup type”, select “Automatic (Delayed Start)”.

Figure 2: Active Directory Web Services Properties 

5.     Click “OK”.
6.     Restart the Domain Controller.

This posting is provided “AS IS” with no warranties, and confers no rights!

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Register PDF filter pack for Exchange Server


Prerequisites
·         Download and Install Adobe PDF iFilter

Download link:

1.     At Mailbox role server, login as Domain Administrator.
2.     Install PDF iFilter Pack.
3.     Click "Start", enter "sysdm.cpl".
4.     Select "Advanced" tab, click "Environment Variables".
5.     Under "System variables > Variable", select "Path".
6.     Click "Edit".
7.     Next to "Variable value", append "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe PDF iFilter 9 64-bit\bin" at the end.


8.     Click "OK" three times.
9.     Restart the server.
10.     Click "Start", enter "regedit".
11.     Navigate to the following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\ExchangeServer\v14\MSSearch\CLSID\

12.     Add the following subkeys and values:

Subkey
Value
{E8978DA6-047F-4E3D-9C78-CDBE46041603}
PDFFilter.dll


13.     Add a new "String Value" named "ThreadingModel".
14.     Double-click "ThreadingModel", type "Both".

 
15.     Click "OK".
16.     Add a new "DWORD (32-bit) Value" named "Flags".
17.     Double-click "Flags", type "1".
18.     Click "OK".


19.     Navigate to the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\ExchangeServer\v14\MSSearch\Filters\

20.     Add the following subkeys and values:

Subkey
Value
.pdf
{E8978DA6-047F-4E3D-9C78-CDBE46041603}



21.     Launch Command Prompt, enter the following commands:

Net stop msftesql-Exchange

Net Start msexchangesearch

22.     Launch Exchange Management Shell, enter the following cmdlets:

Restart-service MSExchangeIS
ResetSearchIndex.ps1 –force –all

This posting is provided “AS IS” with no warranties, and confers no rights!

Typical Installation of Exchange Server 2010 RTM on Windows Server 2008 R2


Lab Setup

In this subject, we will setup the following lab environment

Computer FQDN
IP / Network
Roles
OS
SP
DC01.contoso.com
10.10.1.1/8
Domain Controller,
DNS Server,

Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise

EX01.contoso.com
10.10.1.2/8
Member Server,
Install Exchange 2010 with All roles
Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise (Full install)



Prerequisites on EX01
For a default Exchange Server 2010 installation, the following settings and components are required:

-         Microsoft .Net Framework 3.5.1
-         Internet Information Service (IIS)
-         2007 Office System Converter: Microsoft Filter Pack  or Microsoft Office 2010 Filter Pack (For Hub Transport and Mailbox Role)
-         Set Net.TCP Port sharing service to Automatic.
-         Disable IPv6 before installation

1.     At EX01, login as Domain Administrator.
2.     Click "Start > All Programs > Accessories > Windows PowerShell".
3.     Run the following cmdlet:

Import-Module ServerManager

Add-WindowsFeature NET-Framework,RSAT-ADDS,Web-Server,Web-Basic-Auth,Web-Windows-Auth,Web-Metabase,Web-Net-Ext,Web-Lgcy-Mgmt-Console,WAS-Process-Model,RSAT-Web-Server,Web-ISAPI-Ext,Web-Digest-Auth,Web-Dyn-Compression,NET-HTTP-Activation,RPC-Over-HTTP-Proxy -Restart

Reference:            For more information to install the other roles:

4.     Install Microsoft Filter Pack.
5.     Click "Start > Command Prompt", enter "sc config NetTcpPortSharing start= auto".


6.     Restart the EX01.

Remark:            You can also use the following cmdlet to enable NetTCPPortSharing start automatically
                  Set-Service NetTCPPortSharing –StartType Automatic

Remark:            NetTcpPortSharing setting is used by Client Access Role only, if you install the other roles services. You don’t need to modify this setting.


Install Exchange Server 2010 on EX01

1.     At EX01, Insert Exchange Server 2010 DVD.
2.     Click "Step 3: Choose Exchange language option > Install only language from the DVD".


3.     Click "Step 4: Install Microsoft Exchange".
4.     At Introduction screen, click "Next".
5.     Select "I accept the terms in the license agreement", and then click "Next".
6.     Accept the default option "NO" for error reporting and then click "Next".
7.     Click "Next" to install with typical installation.


8.     Enter you desired organization name e.g. Contoso, and then click "Next".

Remark:            At Exchange 2003, the organization name for backup usage.

9.     At Client Settings, select "NO" and then click "Next" twice.

Remark:            You can select No now for the installation but add back the support of Outlook 2003 clients later by using the Configure Offline Address Book (OAB) Distribution for Outlook 2003 and earlier clients wizard in Exchange 2010 Console.

10.     At Customer Experience Improvement Program, select "I don’t wish to join the program at this time", click "Next".
11.     The readiness checks then begin, when the checks finish, click "Install".


The installation time needed depends on the hardware configuration of your server.

12.     After the installation is completed, the following is shown:


13.     Click "Finish" to complete the installation.
14.     Restart the EX01.

Remark:           After insert the cd-key, you have to restart “Microsoft Exchange Information Store” at the services.msc. By default, “Microsoft Exchange Information Store” update every 2 hours.

Remark:           After installed Exchange 2010 on this forest, you can’t install Exchange 2007.

For more reference, go to the following website:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb691354.aspx

This posting is provided “AS IS” with no warranties, and confers no rights!

Using Bcdedit set up boot menu for Hyper-V and VMWare workstation in the same server

If you install Hyper-V and VMware workstation in the same server which is Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 R2, the VMware workstation can't start.

Because the Hypervisor is used by Hyper-V server role.

Solving this problem, you have to create a new boot option which doesn't start the Hypervisor automatically.

1.  At the server, login as Administrator.
2.  Launch a command prompt, enter the follow command:

bcdedit /copy {default} /d "Boot without Hypervisor"

3.  Copy the GUID ( ID of the new boot loader entry).
4.  Enter the following command to modify the hypervisor setting for the new boot loader entry:

bcdedit /set {guid} hypervisorlaunchtype off

This posting is provided “AS IS” with no warranties, and confers no rights!

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Build numbers and release dates for Exchange Server

Microsoft Exchange Server 2003                     6.5.6944
October 2003

Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 SP1              6.5.7226
May 2004

Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 SP2              6.5.7638     
October 2005

Microsoft Exchange Server  2003 post-SP2            6.5.7653.33
March 2008

Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 post-SP2           6.5.7654.4
August 2008  

Microsoft Exchange Server 2007                    8.0.685.24 or 8.0.685.25
December 2006

Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 SP1                8.1.0240.006
November 2007

Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 SP2                8.2.0176.002
August 2009

Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 SP3                 8.3.0083.006
June  2010

Microsoft Exchange Server 2010                    14.00.0639.021
October 2009

Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 SP1               14.01.0218.015
August 2010

Ref: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/158530