TheScarfedOne

The next installment of my "Jobs for the Holidays" series... 1. Install WSS3 and MOSS2007 SP2: This could be fun! Let hope it dont break any of my highly customised environment! 2. Install Server 2008 SP2: Some fun and games of Server restarting! Its about time we got some updates done... 3. Rebuild 2 ICT Suites (60 PCs): When we did the Print Server update (see earlier blogs) - the HP drivers screwed up a few machines when trying to push them from a Server 08 x64 server. Some of the properties screens error. Same with some of the OKI drivers. Only these two rooms affected - so OS reinstall time. 4. Chuck old equipment: Skip hired for removal of old gear. Yes... it is going properly following all guidelines! Surcharge added for it! Thats it for now - other things will probably crop up...

Hi there... late response I know but here we go! 1. Cleanup rates... well i get emails from it periodically telling em when it has found a "threat" and dealt with it. The usual .js ones so far and all dealt with. 2. Deployment. We used to have AVG, thankfully a quick google showed up that Kaspersky had an AVG removal tool. It does what it says on the tin - silently removes AVG. Used that and pushed Forefront at the same time using WSUS. You can use GPSI though.

OK - so Sharepoint has Forums (well, discussion boards as they call them) built in. However, not really as full featured as I would like - or as you would see elsewhere on the Internet. So... came across this a while back from Codeplex. Problem... not strictly WSS3/MOSS 2007 compatible. Fair dooooos - thought would leave it alone a bit. Most other things on our system are sorted now, so I went back to it. This is what it looks like (attached), and also a link to it... http://www.codeplex.com/spforums ========================================== Ok - getting this to work on WSS3/MOSS 2007 is a bit of fun. To save you looking through the discussion on codeplex - here is how to get it working. 1. Download and install the AJAX Enabler Kit solution from RL-Soft. This saves you loads of time - and also means you can use loads of other AJAX webparts on your sites. Link: http://www.rl-soft.com/en/downloads/sc/RLSoft.SharePoint.Features.AjaxEnabler.rar You will need to install and deploy the solution. In the download is a script to do this for you. From your Sharepoint Central Admin Site, you can then activate the solution. A guide is attached - even though this applies to the Contact Us webpart solution they also have (handy too!) - the first bit deals with the AJAX enabler. Link: http://www.rl-soft.com/en/downloads/d/ContactUs_Documentation.pdf 2. Download the SPForums solution from Codeplex and run the .msi on your system. Link: http://spforums.codeplex.com/Release/ProjectReleases.aspx?ReleaseId=53 You will then need to go to C:\Program Files\WPPackager\. In there you will find a {string} folder containing the .cab, .xml and some other bits. 3. You then need to deploy the web part package. Open a command prompt and run the following command from the C:\Program Files\WPPackager\{14aa60ab-2b6b-4254-b45e-0ef7b8b2a201} folder: Copy the code below, and paste into a new text document in the same folder. Rename it as deploy.bat stsadm.exe -o addwppack -filename "SharePointForums-1.2.0.0_Bil Simser.cab" -globalinstall -force 4. Add the following to the .master page for your websites, just before the </BODY> tag: <script> function ProcessOwsForm(ctl, argument) { if (frm.fPreviewMode) { var LcantSaveText = "This form cannot be saved when previewing this page."; window.alert(LcantSaveText); return; } if (frm.FValidate(true)) { frm.FPostProcess(); var theForm = document.forms['aspnetForm']; __doPostBack2(ctl, argument); } } function __doPostBack2(eventTarget, eventArgument) { theForm.__EVENTTARGET.value = eventTarget; theForm.__EVENTARGUMENT.value = eventArgument; theForm.submit(); } </script> 5. Add the webpart to a page as you would usually - and job done. Enjoy!

Firstly, thanks to EduTech... we have been working together for a little while on Sharepoint projects. This post is the result of a remote session we did, where I was dealing with some PITA webparts!!! Read and enjoy... and beware of the gotchas! ====================================== Take the scenario - you have a webpart you want to install. You download it, and it is just a .dll and a .webpart. Grrrrr you will think, how the hell do we get that one installed... First - I'm going to drop the dlls in the GAC [Global Assembly Catalog/Cache depending where you read], but show the two different places you can use. Then you need toregister the controls in the web.config. Finally, you can upload the webpart and add it to a page. The two GAC places which we need are C:\WINDOWS\ASSEMBLY, but you cannot put files in here directly on the same system. You must either do this remotely, or via unc path... (ie. \\servernamehere\C$\Windows\Assembly There you can see what the GAC looks like..., and you can also drop dlls in here and they auto register. If you tried to do this via C:\Wind...\Ass... it wouuld throw a proper hissy fit at you!!! LOL But... this is not the best way of doing it - as its not very secure. I prefer (so long as the developer of the webpart/solution has program'd well - using the bin directory of the sharepoint web virtual directory. Useful to know how to use the main GAC incase bin doesnt work. You can find the path to your virtual directory from IIS, by selecting Properties, then Home Directory [iIS6], or click Sites, then select Features View [iIS7]. Navigate to this via Windows Explorer, and go into the BIN folder. You may have other .dlls here already if you have other solutions/webparts installed. Simply copy your new webpart .dll here. This next bit comes with a serious health warning.... editing the web.config... ou can properly screw this one up - so be seriously careful. By screw up - i mean get IIS in a permanent loop. Any editing of this file automatically recyles IIS worker processes. What Ihave highlighed is that when you do somehting (eg add a webpart, activate/deactivate a solution in central management or via stsadmin, it automatically generates a web*[long date/time}*.bak file, which is just a renamed web.config file - so relatively easy to restore/go back if worst comes to worst. However, we are doing a "maunal" so we have to do it ourselves...easier if you keep to the format... Always use notepad (wordpad or spd will bugger the line breaks!) or notepad ++ (which can do xml layout checking... as although it is a .config it is really xml Safe controls are near the top thankfully - and I usually add to the end of the last entry... An example <Safe Control> looks like... <SafeControl Assembly="[i]WebpartName[/i], Version=WebpartVersion, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=1a4d7592bb8c741f" Namespace="WebpartNamespace" TypeName="*" Safe="True" /> Simple... once you get used to it... but like I said - be careful. Hitting save has cycled IIS - we we will wait a mo for it to come back... so we can continue... Right - lets head into the sharepoint website, as we can add the WP now and put it on a page. as this is simply a webpart not a solution - you do not need to activate it. Go to Site Actions > All Site Settings > Webparts (in galleries column) of your top level website. Click upload, point at the .webpart or .dwp depending on what you have and job done. Then just add it to a page like you would any other time. Need any help - shout! Remote help available... :-)

Anyone heading up from the far far far south west!??! Tis a long way for us lot - though I guess I could make a family visit to the Midlands out of it. Really want to get involved though.

We got a site licence for v8 late last year (will have to check date), and as yet despite asking since Bett in January have not yet recieved details of how, cost (preferably none due to when we purchased!) etc....

Please sort out something for us users who got v8 recently, and then you brought out v9.... Im not having much luck at the moment with the upgrade route.

if you can, get it on a local box. thats what weve done here. same reason...

grrrr - ppl posting in last years thread tut tut - that'll teach me for usin ispy! haha

EDIT: Ok, me = idiot!! Thanks to Simon and James for showing me up LOL. I blame it on my 12.1" screen

hahaha - i need one of them dogs!! one included if u get that order mark??!! hopefully i should be there too - but i gotta get out of deepest darkest devon!!

I think Sharepoint would be a good choice here... (at least the free version WSS). AD integrated, and you can do webpart targeting to AD groups

I just cant believe that report viewer wasnt in the first cut...! Hmmmm lets see, allow teachers to write reports at home - but not give access to view them! Yeah thats a good move for the parental engagement... Fair play though... they are listening and trying to put all our suggestions in. Agree really looking forward to the Oct release which should have loads of new toys!!

Sadly not on the 2600n's. The other main printer is the OKI B6200. Again the lock option is there - but it is so much easier to have it so that if they fiddle, it cant really stuff anything up. Also a useful list to have in DHCP so we can quickly see if machines are up or down.

For some reason, our College (with around 1800 students) was only allocated a relatively small number of IP addresses - and DHCP has been moaning at me for the past 3 months about it!! Chatting to our RBC got us a new range, not an extension sadly, so time to get ready to move everything. FUN FUN FUN :: 20 Servers :: 80 Waps :: 60 Printers On to the job As our kids have decided it is fun to reset the printer settings every now and then, over the past month we started recording all the MAC addresses of the machines. This we used to set reservations for all the printers. Now they can reset them all they want - they will stay where we need them!! This was probably the easiest bit, simply reboot all the printers - and done. Our Print Server was more fun though! Previously a x86 Server 2003 R2 box (which has been grumbling for a while) - we took the chance to change this to x64 Server 08. Grrrrr - drivers!! Vista x64 driver on the server with an x86 driver for XP side by side. Gotcha here.... puch the xp driver from the client - dont try and do it from the server as it throws a hissy fit! WAPS... Did the same as with the Printers in the end. At least since they are 3-COM, we could save a config file, and push that back to each WAP. Only needed to re-do the channel then. We also changed the SSID and security. Servers... Upset DNS for a while during changeover, but all ok now. WIth a bigger range, have now also been able to use the dual nics of the servers - and a nice difference it makes too! Especially as each nic is connected to a separate core switch. More to follow on my fun with the printers...

LOL - beat me to it there James! Got the alert here of supportnet here too!

Worth a look if you are checking out your options is Ranger Print Manager. Does pretty much the same thing - and some handy extra bits like redirected queues for local printers, cost centre charging rather than user charging etc. I think I blogged about it about a while back... I'll check and blog if not on it.

Have to admit Im a bit of a Dell server fan too. Got loads of the 860s and R200s. Awesome kit, and cant argue on the warranty support either. I came across the rails issue too - but as all the kit is Dell, with the Dell rails - once I figured the problem when getting the first one in...all sorted. Good call though blogging it!

Nice one Capita... give us a partly finished module to start with, and now delay the management of it we crave!! Come on - please tell us where we stand

Posted now...!

I said in my last blog about us deploying Forefront over Easter, and its all pretty much done... ahead of schedule! Before I get into it, a bit of blurb about what it is... Snazzy then!! On into deploying it... and a few gotchas particularly if you plan to use Server 2008 (and why wouldnt you now anyway!!). For the time being, forget x64 until Stirling (aka Forefront v2) - getting all the pre-requisites sorted for this is a real pain and for the time being x86 will do just fine. Getting started - but before you even think about installing... :: Install MS .NET Framework 1.1 with SP1 :: Install MS .NET Framework 3 via Server Manager :: Install IIS and ASP.NET via Server Manager [install the following role services: Static Content, Default Document, HTTP Redirection, Directory Browsing, ASP.NET, ISAPI Extension, ISAPI Filters, Windows Authentication, IIS Metabase, IIS 6 WMI] :: Install SQL Server 2005 with SP2 [install the following components: Database Services, Reporting Services, Integration Services, and Workstation components] :: Verify and record the reporting server URL (you will need that later) :: Install GPMC with SP1 via Server Manager :: Install, configure, and synchronize Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) with SP1 [in particular, make sure you have configured the following: Synchronize Product: Forefront Client Security, Synchronize Classification: Definition Updates, Create an auto-approval rule for Definition Updates] :: Add the Client Security server site to the Local intranet zone Now you can install... :: Run the Server Setup wizard for the media :: Dismiss the Program Compatibility Assistant dialog box :: On the Component Installation page, select all the check boxes In the Setup wizard, you will provide server names, SQL Server instances, and service accounts you have already set up. In addition, you must specify the following: Size of the databases - make sure the size does not exceed the space on your server. Management group name - use the default value (ForefrontClientSecurity). Record the name that you enter, because you will need to provide it when configuring Client Security group policies... Configuring deployment Options here... use the built in WSUS deployment - YES it pushes the main install too!! Alternatively, if you really want you can push it via Group Policy software install. You have 4 packages to push though - and you will need to edit the MOMAgent.msi to include details for your setup. We went with WSUS deployment - which you configure via the FCS Console on the server. Open it up and go to the Policies tab. Either edit the default one, or create a new one. Configure all you settings (fairly self explainatory really), and then done. Select your policy and either deploy to OU (which will create a new GPO to control the OU), or add to an existing OU. We created new one - so I could see what all the settings were. Simple - takes little or no time. You will have to have set up a GPO to deal with Windows Update already tho to auto install updates. Cost... On MS Schools: around £1 per machine!! Peanuts compared to other products and you have MS support! Questions, ideas and comments welcome as always...

Thats odd - I had the same thing happen on my exchange box on svr 08 this afternoon too. The only difference was mine was a physical not a virtual box. Same behavior tho - can get out of it to other devices, but not to it from others. Firewall showing as off. Attempting to shut the box down crashed it, so needed hard off (which always bothers me esp with exchange!!) After a very long boot up and services start - it eventually came back online, but something funny is goin on....

Yep - you will need Backup Exec or equivalent. The autoloader connects to your "Main" backup exec server via SCSI. If you buy remote agents for backup exec, you can also then backup contents from other servers directly to the autoloader (as it is IP connected). We currently run v12 backup exec, shortly to be upgraded to v12.5. Had no real issues with it

Got one of the LTO2 versions here - not had any issues with it, and at least it means my backups can run at any time! Didnt fancy coming in at the weekend

We went laptops for every teacher, after our mobile registration (using Palms) was dropped after Capita launched MobileReg. It was a hard choice - rely on the possible flakiness of our wireless network (Mark P should be helping us with that), or invest in hard wiring the whole site and put a pc on every desk. As we already had a number of teachers with laptops (following the L4T scheme) - more laptops was chosen. It has its problems, but means that we have a more flexible system since staff can take their work with them. We just dont have enough open access pcs for all the teachers to use - or the room to put them even if we did!