Chris Stauffer at myITForum.com

SCCM R2 Eval is available for Download but it is only for eval according to Wally.

http://forums.microsoft.com/TechNet/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=3595784&SiteID=17 

Wally [MSFT]

Moderator

Posts 3,838

Configuration Manager 2007 R2 RC is now available

Here's what a number of you have been waiting for - the RC build of the R2 release is now available on the connect site (https://connect.microsoft.com/Downloads/DownloadDetails.aspx?DownloadID=12988&SiteID=16).

It is the eval version, which I believe only works on an eval version of SP1 (and only the RTM release of SP1, not any pre-release builds).

Have fun!

(Updated)

R2 for SCCM has been RTMed according to Wally but it isnt available for download yet because it you have to have SA or purchase it.

http://forums.microsoft.com/TechNet/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=3815526&SiteID=17

Wally [MSFT]

Moderator

Posts 3,838

Answer Re: sccm r2 out?

Yes, the R2 release of Configuration Manager 2007 did reach RTM the other day. The evaluation version is available for download. The non-evaluation product is not a free download unless you are a software assurance customer. If so, then you will be able to download the non-evaluation version. If not, you'll have to purchase the R2 software.

As to when the non-eval software will be downloadable, I don't know for sure, we don't control that part of the distribution process.

R2 is suppose to be released today. I hope to begin playing with this in the lab in the next week.

See Rod Trent’s Blog for more Details or go to the System Center website for more info.

****************************************************************************

What's New in Configuration Manager 2007 R2

Topic last updated—January 2008

The following features are new to Configuration Manager 2007 R2:

• Application Virtualization Management. For more information about managing virtual applications created using the Microsoft Application Virtualization platform, see About Virtual Application Packages.
• Forefront Client Security Integration. For more information, see About Forefront Client Security Integration with Configuration Manager 2007 R2.
• SQL Reporting Services Reporting. Allows you to report on Configuration Manager activity using SQL Reporting Services.
• Client Status Reporting. Provides a set of tools and Configuration Manager 2007 reports to assess the status of client computers, sometimes referred to as "client health." Clients that show a change in activity patterns might need administrative intervention.
• Operating System Deployment Enhancements. The following enhancements are included in Configuration Manager 2007 R2:
  • Unknown computer support—In Configuration Manager 2007 R2, you can deploy operating systems to computers using a PXE service point without first adding the computer to the Configuration Manager database. For more information, see About Unknown Computer Support for Operating System Deployment.
  • Multicast deployment—Previously, all operating system deployments used unicast. Multicast can make more efficient use of network bandwidth when deploying large images to several computers at the same time. For more information, see About Multicast for Operating System Deployment.
  • Running command lines in task sequences with credentials other than the local system account.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc161883.aspx

Always good material on the email list to blog on :-)

There are 2 ways to force the client to retrieve an advertisement before the site set interval.

First way (thanks to Anand Upadhyay for this tidbit.)

*********************

SCCM has new option "Enable collection specific policy polling interval" on Collection which allows you to override site setting. You can use that to force client to check for new policy.

Right click on collection and select "Modify collection settings".

Click on "Advanced" tab and check the box to enable collection specific policy interval.

Set the Policy polling interval time in minutes.

Second way

********************

Install the Right click tools for SCCM you can right click a collection or a single machine and force a "Refresh machine Policy"

Chris Stauffer <><

I got my new DVD and copied it to a share so that we could use it like a website to view the material as instructed here as instructed by Shaun Cassells.

But I could not open any of the files because they where office 2007 files but instead of being named pptx they are named ppt. So the compatibility pack for office 2007 doesn't recognize that they are Powerpoint 2007 files.

So here is what I had to do to get the issue fixed.

First:

First you will need to add PPTX to the mime cataloged for IIS6

Here are the directions for that: I found them here

1. Open Computer Management. (Right-click My Computer... Manage...)
2. Right-click Internet Information Services (IIS) Management... Properties...
3. Click MIME Types...
4. Click New... and add the following (see below):
5. Restart IIS

These MIME types were added to IIS7 as noted in KB936496.

Second

you will need to edit the xcgi.js file located in the root folder of each disk.

1. Do a search for ppt and rename it to pptx. there should be 2 instances.

Third

you will need to rename all of the ppt file in the MMS_2008\Disk1\assets\slides folder to pptx.

you can use this script to do that

'==========================================================================
' NAME: Renameppt to pptx
'
' AUTHOR: Chris Stauffer
' DATE  : 8/20/2008
'==========================================================================

strComputer = "enhbgsccm01"
Strlocation = "F:\MMS_2008\Disk2\assets\slides"
Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:\\" & strComputer & "\root\cimv2")

Set colFileList = objWMIService.ExecQuery _
    ("ASSOCIATORS OF {Win32_Directory.Name='"& Strlocation &"'} Where ResultClass = CIM_DataFile")

For Each objFile In colFileList
    strNewName = objFile.Drive & objFile.Path & objFile.FileName & "." & "PPTX"
    errResult = objFile.Rename(strNewName)
    WScript.Echo strNewName
Next

Enjoy

Chris Stauffer

This tool will allow you to track information about servers that are built. it was created with SMS installer and it takes a little work to get it put together. It can also be altered to ask for additional information.

Using SMS to track our Servers

DTE will be able to push this app out to all servers via SMS on a once a month basis or some other undecided schedule. Once a user logs onto a server via direct connect or Terminal Service the application will execute. If the application has never run before the Admin will be prompted with several question. If the admin doesn’t answer the question they will be prompted again.

When the App first starts it will give NON Admins a chance to exit out of the program. This will be done by using these 2 screens.

Once Admin status is determined the admin\ contact will be asked these questions.

Question 1 Question 2

Question 3 Question 4

Once the survey has been completed you will get this screen.

At the bottom of the screen you will be asked:

Is this information Correct?

If you answer yes the script will exit.

If you answer no it will loop though all of the questions again.

Once the program exits it will store this information in the registry so that SMS can pick it up with a small MOF modification. This MOF modification will allow us to create reports on the servers for tracking purposes. This should allow us to know who is running a server in the field. If the information is falsified, DTE will know who the person is that entered the wrong info because that information is also put in the

registry, along with the time of the modification.

DTE will need to decide on a reoccurrence schedule. Once this is done, the SMS staff will setup a loop that will, popup this window the next time it runs.

At the bottom of the screen you will be asked:

Is this information Correct?

If you answer yes the script will exit.

If you answer no it will loop though all of the questions again.

This would allow the SMS Admin the ability to create Reports that looks like this for tracking purposes.

On the SMS List we were talking about the changes that occured in SCCM for remote control and I suggested that people use a logon script that actually creates a log so that you didnt need to see it run to ensure that things where ok. this script allows you to do just that and it can be troubleshot from Ron’s web console.

This script was created by me a few years back to run as a logon script. It uses IE to display what was happening. Every task creates an entry in a log file on the system.

Attached is the logon script.

Then I used the Webconsole to open the log if needed by the helpdesk.

Here is the code for the web console

You will need to put trace32.exe in your remote$ share

then add this button to the list of buttons

‘********************************

<input style="WIDTH: 175; color:#000000; background-color:#C7E2FF" type="button" name="Btnl21" ID="Button21" value="Logon Script Log"     title="This button will display the Logon Script Log for the machine entered above">

‘*******************************

Add this to the bottom of the script where the other button numbers are.

You may need to change the button number if you have more then 21 buttons.

'*****************************************************************************
' Logon Survey

Sub Btnl21_OnClick

Dim CompName,oWshShell

CompName = trim(document.frmMain.txtValue.value)

if len(Trim(CompName)) = 0 then

  MsgBox "Please type a Machine Name.",,"SMS 2003 Remote Control"

Else

  set oWshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")

  Set objPing = GetObject("winmgmts://" & ServerName & "/root/default:PingPoller")

  path = "\\{SMSServer}\remote$\Trace32.exe " & "\\" & CompName & "\C$\logonsurvey.txt"

  objPing.Trace CompName, "30", "1000", "1", TraceResult, Addresses

  if TraceResult <> 0 then

   MsgBox "Machine did not respond to ping.",,"SMS 2003 Remote Control"

  Else

  oWshShell.run path

  end If

end If

End Sub

'*************************************************************************************

Enjoy

Chris Stauffer <><

There has been a lot of discussion on the email list lately. Unfortunately there is a major difference between SMS 2003 and ConfigMgr 2007. So I put together a document that contains all of the information that i could find on the new tools. I also included the handout that I gave to our Desktop admin that explains how to use RUN-AS and where to find info on the new helpdesk website I put together based on Ron’s web tool

Remote Tools in Configuration Manager

[Topics referencing Configuration Manager 2007 R2 are pre-release documentation and are subject to change in future releases.]

Configuration Manager 2007 remote tools allow you to remotely access and operate client computers in the Configuration Manager 2007 site which have the remote tools client agent components installed. Click the associated link in the following section for detailed information about configuring, managing and using Configuration Manager 2007 remote tools.

In This Section

• Overview of Remote Tools
  • http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb693702.aspx
• What's New in Remote Tools for Configuration Manager
  • http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb693635.aspx
• How to Configure the Configuration Manager 2007 Remote Tools Client Agent
  • http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb680343.aspx
• Tasks for Remote Tools
  • http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb680996.aspx
• About the Configuration Manager Remote Control Client Viewer
  • http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb694029.aspx
• About the Windows 2000 Remote Control Client Viewer
  • http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb632570.aspx
• How to Remotely Administer a Client Computer
  • http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb680628.aspx
• Remote Tools Security Best Practices and Privacy Information
  • http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb693761.aspx
• Troubleshooting Remote Tools Using Custom Error Codes
  • http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb735873.aspx

Chris Stauffer <><

As a Government employee I am not allowed to publicly support any government candidate or elected official publicly. So all I will say is that if you did not get a chance to watch this here is another opportunity. I found it to be very informative and I learned new things about the candidates that I did not know before.

Enjoy and be enlightened.

http://saddlebackcivilforum.com/index.html

Watch the forum: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

At the candidates’ request, this two-hour event was held in a non-debate format, and was open to all media. Both candidates also requested that questions be posed exclusively by Warren rather than by a panel or members of the audience. Each candidate did converse separately with Warren for approximately an hour, beginning with Sen. Obama, as determined by a coin toss.

This historic forum will be the only joint event for the two, and the last public appearance for either candidate prior to the two-week hiatus during each party’s national convention.

Nice work Sherry.

http://myitforum.com/cs2/blogs/skissinger/archive/2008/08/13/script-to-set-configmgr-client-s-install-required-updates-on-a-schedule.aspx

These are tasks usually preformed by SCOM MP for SCCM but incase you don’t have it like me you can at least have an idea of what to check.

Monthly Tasks for Configuration Manager 2007 Management Pack

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc655668.aspx

Weekly Tasks for Configuration Manager 2007 Management Pack

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc655677.aspx

Daily Tasks for Configuration Manager 2007 Management Pack
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc655695.aspx

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc708545.aspx

This topic covers typical WSUS Server settings.

Settings for Update File Synchronization and Download

This section covers the following issues which affect update file synchronization and download:

• Registry settings
• Configuration settings
• IIS settings
• Permissions

I just got this error when i tried to check my hotmail.

I am running IE7 and Firefox 3.0x

So why did i get this error?????

Upgrade your web browser

We recommend that you upgrade your web browser so you can get the most out of Windows Live Hotmail. Upgrading should only take a few minutes. To get started, choose one of the browsers below:

• Microsoft Internet Explorer
• Mozilla Firefox
• Apple Safari

If you don’t want to upgrade right now you can still continue to Windows Live Hotmail, but some parts of it may not work and it may not be displayed properly.

Find Out What Exams Are Available Now (Worldwide)
Visit Microsoft.com/learning to view a full list of English and localized exams that became available in recent months, including:

•Exam 70-236: TS: Exchange Server 2007, Configuring (Russian)

•Exam 70-502: TS: Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5, Windows Presentation Foundation Application Development (French)

•Exam 70-504: TS: Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5, Windows Workflow Foundation Application Development (Chinese [Simplified], French, Japanese, Spanish)

•Exam 70-630: TS: Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007, Configuring (Russian)

•Exam 70-646: Pro: Windows Server 2008, Server Administrator (German)

•Exam 70-656: TS: Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack, Configuring (Chinese [Simplified], Chinese [Traditional], Italian, Portuguese [Brazil])

Have you gotten your SCCM Cert yet? if not here is your chance to take it and get a second shot free if you don’t do so well.

http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/offers/secondshot/default.mspx

**********************************************************

Register for Your Second Shot Now!

In the real world, you may need more than one chance at certification. This means that if you sign up for the Second Shot offer and you do not pass a certification exam on your first try, you have a free, second chance to pass it.

Microsoft Certifications recognize and validate your real-world IT skills, support you with access to unique resources that help you stay up to speed on the latest Microsoft technologies, and help you succeed in your IT career by developing skills that are relevant to your chosen field.

This offer is available for a limited time, so be sure to register now.

• Register for the Second Shot offer today

**********************************************************

Microsoft System Center

MCTS: For IT professionals who want to demonstrate their deep technical skills in one of two key System Center technologies: Configuration Manager or Operations Manager

Chris Stauffer <><