Server

I always keep an eye out for VSS related fixes for Windows 2003 because so many backup programs take advantage of the API lately. I am not sure how often this error occurs but it is good to know about ahead of time.

This one seem to replace quite a few VSS related DLLs and seems to improve upon KB 940349, which I tend to put on any Server 2003 system I have control over.

KB 949391 highlights:

Fixes Volume Shadow Copy Service error: Unexpected error IOCTL_STORAGE_QUERY_PROPERTY(, StorageDeviceProperty) - BuildLunInfoForDrive. hr = 0x80070037. This problem may occur because VSS incorrectly hides hardware support snapshots.

Some potential gotchas with clustering with Windows 2008. Don't let this KB article scare you away from using the updated clustering features. They are actually really nice, but it is good to get this information out there.

In Windows Server 2008, a new set of platform APIs has been implemented to provide better functionality, better scalability, and easier manageability for clustering environments. The manageability aspect includes remote management. However, this new set of failover cluster APIs also poses interoperability issues with earlier versions of Windows.

The two items that I find the most interesting from the KB article are:

1. The backup APIs have been removed in Windows Server 2008. You must now use the Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) writer to reach this backup functionality in a clustering environment. Additionally, several new APIs have been added, although the pre-Windows Server 2008 APIs should still function.

and

2. Because of a core protocol change in Windows Server 2008, you cannot call failover cluster APIs from earlier Windows clients to Windows Server 2008 clusters. Therefore, the new failover cluster APIs cannot be called from Windows XP or from Windows Server 2003. Currently, the cluster APIs can be called against a Windows Server 2008 cluster only from Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) or from Windows Server 2008.

I often wondered why this essential Bitlocker tool was locked away previously as a 'request-only' KB article/hotfix, but you can now download it freely at this location here.

It is a very handy tool to have to install Bitlocker on your system after you have already installed an OS to an unencrypted volume.

This hotfix includes all earlier fixes that address "Stop 0x000000AB" issues.

KB 951749 replaces 907242, 910362, 918673, 923035, 924806, 925919, 931282, 939442, 944916, and 946068.

The following memory pool leaks were plugged in GDI32.dll, Win32k.sys and Wgdi32.dll:
Gadd, Gcac, Geto, Gffv, Gfnt, Ggb, Gglf, Ggls, Gh*5, Ghtc, Ghx, Ghx4, Ghx7, GhxE, Gl*5, Gla4, Gla5, Glx4, Gpat, Gpfe, Gpff, Gpid, Gqnk, Gsp, Gtmp, Gtmw, Gtvp, Gump, Gxlt, knlf, Uscm, Usd1, UsdE, Usgh, Usjb, Usqm, Usrt and Ussy.

Needless to say, if you want to maximize the up-time and stability of your terminal server, I would investigate/test/install this hotfix! This typically only affects heavily loaded terminal servers or servers that are not rebooted for long periods of time. You could think of these leaks like a slow leak of air in your car tire. Left unchecked, eventually, it will cause problems.

Go to Connect and use invitation code: Cust-YCKP-QFH6

Read more about it here.

Not sure what ADMT is? Here is the description of ADMT 3.0:
The Active Directory Migration Tool version 3 (ADMT v3) simplifies the process of restructuring your operating environment to meet the needs of your organization. You can use ADMT v3 to migrate users, groups, and computers from Microsoft® Windows NT® 4.0 domains to Active Directory® directory service domains; between Active Directory domains in different forests (interforest migration); and between Active Directory domains in the same forest (intraforest migration). ADMT v3 also performs security translation from Windows NT 4.0 domains to Active Directory domains and between Active Directory domains in different forests.

Mostly of interest to tech support people and debuggers, but there is a known issue with the shipping kernel of Windows 2008 that in certain cases, does not include system page directory information in the dump file it creates during a crash. Most people won't be interested/need this update, but for those tracing problematic system issues, it can be an important omission.

Read more about the update and download the updated kernel here.

I have been running this for a few weeks now and the updated search engine does not "hammer" your hard drive like the earlier versions.

This will update the built in search engine/index engine inside Vista (x86 / x64). I highly recommend this update - please give it a test drive. Please note that the Vista updates will also work for Server 2008.

There are preview versions available for Windows XP and 2003/Home Server that will eventually replace Windows Desktop Search 3.01.

You can read about the Windows Desktop Search 4.0 Preview release here.

The official description of this new version from Microsoft:

Windows Search 4.0 lets you perform an instant search of your computer. Windows Search 4.0 helps you find and preview documents, e-mail messages, music files, photos, and other items on the computer.

The search engine in Windows Search 4.0 is a Microsoft Windows service that is also used by programs such as Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 and Microsoft Office OneNote 2007. You can use this search engine to index a program's content and to obtain instant results when you search in a particular program.

Windows Search 4.0 includes the following improvements:
1. Support for the Encrypting File System (EFS)
2. Reduced affect on Microsoft Exchange when you index e-mail in online mode, and there is no local cache (.ost)
3. Support for indexing online delegate mailboxes
4. Support for client-to-client remote query to shared indexed locations
5. Improved indexing performance (I have noticed quite a difference)
5. Faster previewer updates for Windows XP
6. Per-user Group Policy settings
7. Windows software updates for Watson errors
8. Enterprise Group Policy settings

I'm now an MCITP: W2K8 Enterprise Admin, and MCITP: W2K8 Server Admin.

Update: As you can see from the comments left on this entry, I was wrong on what these tests actually are. I forgot that there were tests I took in late 2007 that WERE the upgrade tests for MCSE 2003. These tests are specifically for the Microsoft Certified IT Pro designation for Windows 2008.

More information: 70-646 and 70-647

Hyper-V Manager MMC download - x86 / x64

Originally spotted here.

Microsoft Remote Server Administration Tools for Vista SP1 for x86-based Systems and x64-based Systems

The best part: Group Policy Management Console!

Just a quick note because someone asked me if the Zune software works under Server 2008. I tried it out as an experiment. I don't own a Zune but the software seems to install and run just fine under Server 2008 64-bit.

I am assuming the 32-bit Zune software will run under the 32-bit edition of Server 2008 also.
If and when I get a Zune, I know I can at least use it under Server 2008.

Make sure you exclude .VHD, and .AVHD files from being scanned because it can and will cause file lock issues/contention between your AV scanner and/or the Hyper-V services.

Ditto can be said for VMWare .vmdk files.

Some people are running into this issue with the new Hyper-V beta and it will error out with an error that will not typically lead you down this path while debugging the problem.

For instance on my external drive, I have a folder named "Virtual Machines" and I exclude the whole directory tree. That might be a bit excessive but it tends to prevent problems.

A hotfix is available to add Compound TCP (CTCP) support to computers that are running Windows Server 2003 or Windows XP. CTCP aggressively adjusts the congestion window of the sender to optimize TCP for connections with large bandwidth-delay products. These products include Video on Demand for Windows Server 2003 and for Windows XP.

Note: CTCP support was introduced in Windows Vista and in Windows Server 2008.
Personal note: I'll be adding this to my XP VMs, 2003 VMs, and standalone machines that are at home because CTCP has proven to be a win, performance wise, for my Internet connection.

Once the hotfix is applied, ensure CTCP is enabled by checking the registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters\TCPCongestionControl. It should be set to 1 as a DWORD to enable.

Stop by the Microsoft "Ask the Experts" area and ask me some technical questions about Windows Server 2008. I don't know if I will have anything to give out for prizes, except for nuggets of information.

Just keep in mind, I'm not a sales guy. I'm more well versed in telling you about configuration scenarios for Hyper-V than what the licensing cost would be. I can also tell you the technical reasons for upgrading to Server 2008 and not standard marketing phrases of "Easier to manage" or "Reduced TCO". Those are all valid reasons but I'd rather tell you about the technical aspects, like SMB 2.0 and Read-only Domain Controllers.

I'll also be at the CDW/Berbee booth from time to time too, since we are one of the partners at the event.

More information on the event is here.

I'll also be at the Grand Rapids event a few months from now.

Anyone that wants to be a Server 2008 Core "ninja" will want to download this netsh reference guide...

I always tend to prefer a command line over a cluttered GUI for some configuration options, and the best part is that the command line is much more scriptable than any GUI.

The Windows Server® 2008 Network Shell (Netsh) Technical Reference provides a comprehensive command reference for networking technologies such as Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), Network Policy Server (NPS), Network Access Protection (NAP), and Routing and Remote Access Services (RRAS), among many other technologies for which there are netsh commands. Netsh commands offer an alternative to configuring network technologies using the Windows interface. You can run netsh commands in batch files and scripts, and you can run them from the netsh prompt by manually typing commands. You can use netsh commands to configure both local and remote computers.