RobBaxter

It says in the image Thats odd isn't it! wow!

@Danny_t65, my setup here will image anything physicaly connected to the network, without a password and in about 4 steps... F12, Enter, Click my Image, Done! Everything else is automated and unknown PCs are put in the "New Installs" GPO in my AD. Really it is fast and simple , if setting it up took me a good few days to get perfect!

wait! wait! wait! I completely was not concentrating there at all! If it IS MS SQL Express, you might need to check that out with the software supplier. I recently had an issue with Lync Server (2010) where it can't be installed to a domain controller (or at least you cant put the database on the DC), this was an utter pain in my ass and ment i had to virtualise the DB Server on windows7. Sorry.... that what my bad! The FULL 2008 MS SQL is fine, our School MIS uses it, it runs on 2008 R2. I know there are potensial issues with express in some cases depending on application! I would install a 2008 R2 VM and test it out if i were you!

n1 @edutech4schools my solution was a little "extream", but i'm under the opinion if it doesn't work or isn't needed, burn the git!

Obviously you will need a complete Reinstall. Backup Exec 2010 is fine, I use it on 2008 R2, Spiceworks Fine Also, SQL 2008 Fine, Secureasses (dont use), Powerchute Network Shutdown (dont use, i use the Edugeek Shutdownatron ), Broadcom Suite (Don't Use), WIS (don't use), Superspell 2 DB (i assume is MS SQL express or flatfile, either way, it SHOULD work fine). Almost forgot...don't forget to push AD DC Functionality all over to your DC02

I would simply remove the DHCP Role from your 2003 DC, once removed, it "should" fall out no issue. IF you are creating psudo-static addresses tho with longer lease times... it might get a bit evil, but with any lucky your 2008 R2 DHCP allready had replicated the DHCP cache data. *fingures crossed!*

I use Windows Server 2008 R2 technology ONLY. The GPO system with 2008 R2 is extreamly powerful. Because WDS use the new virtual hard drive system it is SO much easier to use. For example, if you ever need to say "Update an Install Image" to say "Come with the new office, rather than update it via GPO which may have time and system load constraints". You can mount the install image in hyper-V. You can boot the image, install the new OS, sysprep it, and your image is now updated. You can install that old software this way that just refuses to install nicely also, however... in the GPO you have the ability to essentialy "RSync" if your familar, with a network location, that with the registry modifyer settings within GP you can deploy more or less anything at all! You can even create local caches of things... say configuration files OR VM OS DIsk images. I really seriously can't recommend WDS enough!

hums ... unless you use a manidory profile map for users, i don't see any other way :S. Bummer!

Well it seems that I am now addicted well and truly to this website! I have always been a fan of collaborative websites with like minded people. Especially in the realms of IT there is just too much for any one person to know. I'm sure that most IT Proffesionals are with me when I say that the "One Man Army" effect which most "Pre Secondary School" IT Administrators exist in proves to be a real challenge. While I regard myself as a specialist in Windows Server / Client technology and would feel comfortable doing more or less anything with these packages, there is just far too much to "become an expert" on. When faced with day to day problems you are always tested upon your ability to adapt, learn and problem solve and in some cases, break your face off on your desk as you try to fix something you keep saying "the inferstructure administrator would do this ****, i'm the server dude!!!". I have seen in the past week or so I have been a member many IT Persons get valuable help from this site, more or less in real time and for myself picked up a few tricks and tips that otherwise I would never have come across in a million years. If we are honest, most IT pros are utter show offs, i can't obstain from this statement myself, because when you hit that most optimal method of doing something you want for nothing more to have other people not only know about it, but choose to do it that way also. I am very much a fan of this site and plan to contribute where ever possible. Too that end I have decided to start writing in the blog section here on the more "Complicated Microsoft Techology" kinda stuff in the hope that it will be useful to the masses as well as the purely selfish reason of gaining respect of my peers!

People who talk the MSITP EA course anything less than "challenging" is mad. I went to firebrand to do mine, im glad i did as it tool 13 days of solid uninterupted tutoring to get it. The last PRO exam was hard a friggen nails!

Hums ... trusted sites should not limit its spam functionality in terms of physical connection... We trust it, but not from just breaking

makes sense to me. If its the IE Proxy settings, that is also the "WIndows Proxy Settings". if you Exchange server is being referenced as "something external" no doubt windows trys to route the traffic via the proxy. Now it is possible that the exchange connections (if all routed via the proxy) are getting times out and told to wait for "connection spam" try adding the IP of your proxy as a Trusted IP, it should then be able to hammer your Exchange server for all its worth. See if that helps

What!!!??? @MatthewL Seriously? Citrix insist that you use WIndows XP (olive Green) theme for "Best appearance" ? sorry but LMFAO!!! A reg GPO snipit is probably what you want... but maybe this will help http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc782067(WS.10).aspx Edit: Appologies for my LoLs, but it was a WTF moment!

Well it will take about 2 hours for gpo updates to get deceminated to the whole domain with standard replication times. When you are at the clients command prompt and do a gpupdate, do you get any User or Client GPO errors ?

Sounds to me more likely than not to attualy be on the exchange server end. I use Outlook 2007 on a Exchange 2010 SP1 system. When something is happening "Accross the Board" i like to look at the server first, more oftern than not, thats the place if at least not where the issue is, but where to fix it You might which to check that the Exchange database is nice and healthy, maybe a restart of the exchange server its self! Also i STRONGLY recommend to you to put in a "Upgrade Plan" ASAP to get your Exchange version up to date. 2003 to 2010 SP1 is a right mother of an upgrade and the longer you leave it, the harder it will be to make the change. Just a heads up!

Nice one FN-GM, was just about to reply with that and saw you beat me to it . Rule one of Windows AD Domains (check the DNS). Dependant is not the word... Absolutely required so things don't die horibly is more like it. I would say after an install 30% of all problems are DNS related . Also i can't wait to implement IPv6 (*sarcisum*) you just know thats going to completed screw with my DNS for no reason at all

LoL @Maj not going to well? I had the exact same thing, x3 identical PCs same issue. I thought i was going mad, tbh, as i said, a new monitor fixed it.

on a malfunctioning station do a gpupdate /r so we can see whats going on if its not farting out errors at you then it looks bugged!

Hums... i know this is silly, but it is updating GPO changes proerly. What does a gpupdate say ?

The only think I buy from HP is Prolient Servers and I NEVER have a problem with them.... ... "now cause i said that i bet you i hear bios bleeps soon :P" ... I have never had to "phone support", but there servers seem pucker!

@EduTech that is a total bollox point. Hiren's BootCD 14.0 - All in one Bootable CD » www.hiren.info may help in this case. This is my little O Crap CD. I can't remember, but there is a tool for replacing the System Restore Password. With any luck you can just boot the server, replace it and use that to fix the root of the issue. Security 101 Keep server in locked secure location, cause if your at the terminal and have enought time, no password is strong enough. Unless its BitLocked ofc Hope it helps buddy and good luck!

I could only say about 2008 R2, as that is what i have tried, tested and implemented. As far as i know 2003 R2 for example is (XP Gen), soooooo in that case It's gpo for printing is probably stripped down. That being said, I know it was used before me. Maybe deploy a IT Office printer using it and see how much it breaks things

Yeah! I was thinking 2003 attualy! My bad. It should be fairly straight forward, at least as much as ms let it be

I'm not sure if there is any version requirement for Server / Windows here, but there is a solution in place here for this. As you are aware, certificates are used accross windows server technology. Your domain controller does have a SOA when it comes to this, it is possible for you to add a certificate that will be validated via your own DC as valid (i.e. the dc01.yourdomain.local) and the SSH working internaly etc without the nag screens! If you install the certificate into you domain controlers trusted certificates, this should then propigate down the line and your clients will accept it also. I do this myself as my outlook has a fully externaly validated SSL Certificate, this attualy breaks things when exchange is referenced internaly... say "exchange.yourdomain.local" which is most likely what your outlook is pointing at. You get a "Certificate DOmain Failed" error. to get around this, you can authorise the external certificate as trusted, so when the cert does not match, it is still valid in your domain. Don't ask me to explain certificates as my mind turns to mush all i know is this works a treat!

There are some REAL Headaches with a 2007 to 2010 migration of exchange. One of which is x86 to x64 architecture cross over. The system I inherited was Server 2003 R2 32Bit with Exchange 2003. I had a double generation gap to update too aswell as a having to update the server to 64bit which as im sure you are aware, is a right pain in the ass! My solution was to just start again, I created a fully new domain on a new HP Prolient. However! THe migration of "Cross Forrest" "Cross Generation" exchange on this level was utter hell. The only way I found to do it was to get a specialist tool to mount the exchange databases and migrate the mailboxes over. Anyways... it is prudent to most certainly backup, also to give youself a clear week so that WHEN stuff doesnt work, you are not caught short. What i did was direct all mail to a Reply Robot which answered all email accross the domain for a short period. "We are currently updating some mission critical email technology, as a result your emails can not be recieved at this time, if you require urgent contact please phone the school on ..." because you just know that its going to cause hell. If im honest with you 2010 to 2010 SP1 exchange update was nightmere enough and it took a bi xeon with 6GB of memory over 2 hours to get through the update manifest... eeeek!