Guy recommends:
Free network monitor

Solarwinds' free monitor makes it easy to check the performance and health of a router or firewall.

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Guy's Review of
Computer Utilities

1) FreePing
2) LanSurveyor
3) Xobni
4) PuTTY (UNIX)
5) WMI Monitor
6) BgInfo
7) Net-SNMP
8) Engineer's Toolset
9) DNS Stuff
10) WinDiff

Windows Server 2008 R2 (Centro)

How to Upgrade to Windows Server 2008 R2 

Our mission is to undertake an in-place upgrade from Windows Server 2008 to R2.

Topics Upgrade to Windows Server 2008 R2

• Install Phase One
• Install Phase Two
• Three tasks in the ICT manager
• Troubleshooting Windows Server 2008 Installation

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Upgrade to Windows Server 2008 R2

In a nutshell it was easy.  One day Gung-ho Guy will come unstuck, but not on this job.  I say upgrading to R2 was easy because I followed my usual path of ignoring all instructions, just clicking on setup and following my nose, and it worked.  I have done this for every Microsoft operating system since Windows 2.  Say what you will about Microsoft, their installs are the best of any software that I have ever seen.  If it worked for me, then it will be even smoother for an organized person who reads the release notes, checks the pre-requisites. 

One thing to note about Microsoft installs, the past never equals the future, each operating system setup has its idiosyncrasies, menus that I have never seen before.

What get's me through is a belief that this setup will work.  So if it stalls, then you do have to go back and read and re-read the menu to see what it wants you to do.  I confess to sometimes doing silly things just to see if the install can cope.  This time I tried to print out the product key while install was collecting data.  This was particularly stupid as:

A) You don't need the product key until AFTER the upgrade. 

B) Printing seemed to upset the install.  Intelligently, it asked for a reboot then carried on without trouble.

With Windows Server installs you always get options, such as do you want Core (headless server) or Web server. Ah yes, it has to be on 64-bit hardware, phew I was OK.  These day's always take the time for install to see if it has any updates, presumably late breaking corrections in the light of customer feedback.

I saw install reboot automatically at least once, but then I left it to get on with install, it did not need me to do anything at all.  I had stuff in the startup folder, no worries, it handled that easily.  I also had AutoAdminLogon set to 1, so I don't know if install would normally require a physical name / password logon.

In passing I noticed it stuck on 18% Expanded for about half an hour, but eventually it finished that aspect and proceeded.

I cannot say how relieved I was to see the install transfer 97% of my old settings.  This saved me hours of work, and of course all the apps like Word for Windows were there and did not need re-installing.  I almost forgot, all the old server services such as DNS were there just as I left them in W2K8.

The only two imperfections that I could vaguely blame Microsoft for were I had to a new version of IE8, even though the old Server 2008 had IE8.  Also I had to find PowerShell in the 'Turn on Windows features' (Control Panel), it was expecting a bit much for it to detect the CTP version of PowerShell and upgrade that.

The IE8 for W2K8 R2 (Windows 7) opens up a whole can of worms, add-ons flash, silverlight.  Could not find a Adobe Flash add-on.

Guy Recommends: SolarWinds LANSurveyor

LANSurveyor will produce a neat diagram of your network topology.  But that's just the start; LANSurveyor can create an inventory of the hardware and software of your machines and network devices.  Other neat features include dynamic update for when you add new devices to your network.  I also love the ability to export the diagrams to Microsoft Visio.

Finally, Guy bets that if you take a free trial of LANSurveyor then you will find a device on your network that you had forgotten about, or someone else installed without you realizing!

Download a Free Trial of LANSurveyor

Other Minor Irritations

In-place upgrades have different challenges from fresh installations.  One plus is all the apps and hardware are there, at least 80% will give no trouble and work just as before.  With the other 20%, how can put this, at least you know they are there, you can remember where to find them on your system, its just you have a challenge finding a driver, or re-installing them.  What I am trying to say is that with a fresh installation, you get hassle when you want a program but you have forgotten where you filed the DVD, or you have lost the product key.

I had to Enable the Sound, which I did in the Control Panel, Hardware, Sound.

I then had to Disable Windows sounds!  I like music, but I don't like my speaker squawking when I click in Explorer, I tweaked this setting via Change system sounds, and adjusted 'No sounds modified' to plain: 'No sounds'.

Like many other Windows 7 / W2K8 R2 aficionados, my web camera gave up the ghost after the upgrade.  I phoned Logitech, they took all my details, made me read-out product codes on the camera's lead, but could not find me a driver.  In a fit of pique I then punched these same numbers into Logitech's download section, and low-and-behold, there was a recommended driver of about 50 MB, even more impressively, it worked my web camera burst into life.  A classic case where a germ of an idea leads to a solution, I would never have written down those numbers left to my own devices.

Skype needed re-installing, I guess if I had done any sort of compatibility check, then I would have found this out ahead of the Windows Server 2008 R2 upgrade.  (You WILL have the same problem, but with different program.)

Taskbar is new.  Very much in the style of Windows 7.  The downside is no shortcuts  are no longer allowed in this area.  You have to create a new toolbar with Quick Launch attributes to get that feature back.

Your upgrade is bound to have similar wrinkles.  So my bet is your upgrade will provide you a good working platform with all your old important Windows Server 2008 stuff just as before, however, I guarantee there will be minor glitches with peripheral hardware, or moody software may not work.  Your salvation is a little research on the software site, or from the superuser forum.

Follow-up

The strange case of the silent Microsoft Product Key.  Did I miss it?  Did I dismiss it?  Anyway I found in the usual place, Control Panel System and Internet, System (Again), bottom of the screen click on: 'Change product key', naturally you need a genuine 24 digit number.

Features - Hybrid Windows Server 2008 and Windows 7.

Library

Windows Desktop Experience

What’s in the Desktop Experience Feature? The Desktop Experience feature includes the following Windows Vista components and features: Windows Calendar Windows Mail Windows Media Player Windows Aero and other desktop themes Video for Windows (AVI support) Windows Photo Gallery Windows SideShow Windows Defender Disk Cleanup Sync Center Sound Recorder Character Map

Requirements

             Minimum  Recommend  Optimal
Processor: 1 Ghz      2 Ghz       3 Ghz
RAM Mem: 512 Gb    2 Gb         Depends on the edition
Disk Space:  8 Gb    40 Gb       80 Gb

Also common sense actions, disable UPS, remove any anti-virus software, realize once get the GUI, the firewall is active by default.

Guy Recommends: SolarWinds Engineer's Toolset v10

The Engineer's Toolset v10 provides a comprehensive console of utilities for troubleshooting computer problems.  Guy says it helps me monitor what's occurring on the network, and the tools teach me more about how the system itself operates.

There are so many good gadgets, it's like having free rein of a sweetshop. Thankfully the utilities are displayed logically: monitoring, discovery, diagnostic, and Cisco tools.  Download your copy of the Engineer's Toolset v 10

Troubleshooting Windows Server 2008 Installation

• Disconnect the UPS
• Run the Windows memory diagnostic tool
• Get updated mass storage drivers
• In Phase Two - disable the firewall to connect to other servers
• Disable Virus Protection (If you are upgrading)
• If all else fails, check 'Help and Support' on the first menu of the Windows Server 2008 setup.

Train Signal has now released their Windows Server 2008 Training Course.  As an MCT trainer, I am a huge advocate of Train Signal’s products. What particularly impresses is me is the demonstrations.  If you are looking for a complete DETAILED coverage of Windows Server 2008, then I highly recommend that you give this course a try.  I have reviewed their 6 hours plus of videos myself, and I guarantee that you will not be disappointed!

Watch a Windows Server 2008 Training Video Demo.

Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Topics:

• Server 2008 Home   • Overview   • What's New?   • Migration Advice   • Upgrade W2k8 R2

• Features   • Editions   • Resource Manager   • Add Aero Themes   • GP Preferences   • ipMonitor

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