Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Migrating SBS 2003 to SBS 2008? Is your target server a ML150G6?

You may have serious headaches during this migration.  Mine lasted four days, with most of the time spent watching Microsoft Support clean up the Active Directory on the source server.  A Blue Screen of Death was my ultimate reward towards the end of each install.

BSOD Error:  STOP 0x0000003B  System_Service_Exception

I checked that all firmware was up to date, I reseated everything I could possible reseat (RAM, CPU, HDD cables, and even the fan connectors), and I spent a lot of time on the phone with HP and Microsoft.  Ultimately I gave up on the idea of a "swing migration" - using the MS migration tools to move the user and computer accounts, exchange mailboxes, etc. - and am going with the "side-by-side migration" that any sane admin would do in a small business environment.

Ultimately my Microsoft support rep says that there have been reports of similar issues when doing the migration from SBS 2k3 to SBS 2k8 where the target server is an ML150, and that I should just proceed with the side-by-side migration.

Heres a side-by-side migration in a nutshell:


  • Load a fresh copy of SBS 2k8 into your new server with a new domain name and server name.
  • Give your new server its own IP on the subnet.
  • Set up usernames that are identical to your old servers usernames, if you can set up identical passwords, do that also.  I reset everyones passwords on the 2k3, kept a list of them, and set up the users in 2k8 with the same passwords as I assigned in 2k3 - this will make for easy migration of redirected My Documents folders.
  • Export all of your users Exchange info in the SBS 2k3 to some kind of external drive using Exmerge.
  • While the export is happening, complete the SBS 2k8 Internet configurations, then set up your SBS 2k8 to redirect the users documents.
  • Import the PST's into each mailbox on the SBS 2k8's Exchange 2007 using these instructions on Technet.  Check the users Outlook - their old stuff will now be there after you reconfigure Outlook to point at the new SBS 2k8.
  • Use Profwiz from Forensit.com to migrate each desktop from the old domain into the new domain, which will preserve the users desktops, favorites, etc.   Before running Profwiz delete the migrating users' Outlook profile from the Mail in Preferences (you backed up the mailboxes, right?).  (WARNING:  This doesn't work on Windows Vista or 7 - it mudges up the profile and you risk losing their profile data - you will need to back up their docs, favorites, etc., and manually change the domain)
  • If the users un/pw is the same, the users My Documents will be automatically copied and redirected from the 2k3 to the 2k8 when you log in.  Expect the 1st login to take a few minutes.
  • Reconfigure each desktop's Outlook to point to the new server and check that it works.
  • Move the client's line of business applications and databases and share folders as required to support them.
  • Fix all the little things that broke during the process.
  • If an end-user needs remote desktop access via the RWW you must run the http://connect wizard - the problem is that it doesn't migrate domain accounts, only local accounts, so you will need to use Profwiz (XP and lower!) then once this is complete run the http://connect wizard to complete the process.  The connect wizard also allows for automatic configuration of Outlook.
  • Fix file synchronization on each desktop (because your desktops will still try to synchronize with the old server!) by signing in as a user with local administrative privileges, opening My Computer, selecting Tools, Offline Files, then holding CTRL+SHIFT and clicking on the Delete Files . . . button.  Be certain that you have the contents of My Documents moved to the new server before doing this!

Friday, October 08, 2010

Prevent Computers from Hibernating

Add this to your logon batch fine:

powercfg.exe /change "always on" /monitor-timeout-ac 20

powercfg.exe /SETACTIVE "always on"