If you have downloaded the 120-day trial version of Configuration Manager 2007 please read the release notes (ConfigMgr07Readme.htm in the root of the installation media). In fact, please read the release notes any time you install anything that has them!
We do release notes (relnotes in the writing jargon) because the main product documentation (core docs) have closed and we have an issue that:
a) Affects at least 80% of our target audience (SMS/ConfigMgr admins) or
b) Affects less than 80% of our target audience, but causes significant confusion or misunderstanding when working with the product.
What I mean by closed is...well, closed for us, the writers, to update. Our documentation is localized into many different languages and our localizers need time to translate the documentation into the various release languages in time for the major product milestones. The RTM version of the Configuration Manager Documentation Library was locked to updates by the writing team well before the RTM milestone was met for the product itself. We've been working on the next update to the core docs for quite some time now (notice the dramatic foreshadowing of great things to come).
When something has changed dramatically, or added to the product after we are "locked out" of the core docs, we SMS/ConfigMgr writers find sanctuary by calling on our "relnote fairy" Cathy Moya. Not only is Cathy our savior of all things relnote, she is our untiring (and I mean untiring...how many people respond immediately to e-mails sent at 1:20am?!) Configuration Manager writing team lead and security writer. While not related to this post, it should be noted that Cathy was one of the major driving forces behind how our massive TOC was designed and organized (no small feat).
Anyway, back to the Configuration Manager RTM relnotes. I'm making this post asking you to read them specifically because:
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There are hotfixes listed in the relnotes that you need to apply to your servers before beginning Configuration Manager Setup, KB940848 (
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=98349) and KB941132 (
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=98350). The problem is, KB941132 is not live on the Web yet, but they are working on it. Even though the relnotes say you must install it, you can install the product without it for now, but you should check back later at the download link and install it when it becomes available. That hotfix fixes occasional crashes when browsing for Network Folders/Paths.
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There is also information in the relnotes about the prerequisite component download page of the Configuration Manager Setup Wizard. This wizard page may surprise you during setup--because you won't find information about this setup wizard page in the RTM version of the core documentation (online or in the product)--the docs were locked before I could document this change.
I won't go into too many details here because the relnotes tell you everything you need to know about this download requirement, but basically due to redistribution restrictions we had to remove some external files from the product installation media that were previously stored there. These redistributable files are required for Configuration Manager Setup to succeed and are used mainly by client setup (ccmsetup.exe) as prerequisites for client installation. When a management point site system is installed, these client installation prerequisite files are copied from the primary or secondary site server to the management point to enable client installation processes.
For more information about prerequisites for installing Configuration Manager 2007, see "Prerequisites for Installing Configuration Manager" in the Configuration Manager Documentation Library on the DVD or on Microsoft TechNet at: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=83054.
Happy relnoting 