How to back up your ConfigMgr 2007 Site

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This post is just meant to freshen up everyone’s memory, because I still see (and get) stories (and questions)about backing up a ConfigMgr 2007 Site (and then especially about Secondary Sites). Let’s start with the most important part, the only supported way to restore your site is to use the Site Repair Wizard. This wizard needs a backup that is created with the standard Backup ConfigMgr Site Server maintenance task. How to back up a Primary Site Open the Configuration Manager console and browse to System Center Configuration Manager > Site Database > Site Management > <YourSiteName> > Site Settings > Site Maintenance > Tasks. Select the Backup ConfigMgr Site Server task and click in the Actions pane Properties (or right-click the Backup ConfigMgr Site …

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Using USMTUtils.exe during a Task Sequence with ConfigMgr 2007

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As I had a lot of questions about the use of USMTUtils, I decided to devote a new post to this. In my previous post I used USMTUtils to clean up the hard-link statestore location. USMTUtils is needed to clean up a hard-link statestore, because otherwise the hard-link store cannot be deleted due to a sharing lock. The command-line provided by Technet to do this is usmtutils.exe /rd <storedirectory>. Only this is exactly where the problem starts when running a command like this during a Task Sequence, because this will make the Task Sequence “hang” on the point where it has to delete the hard-link statestore. Taking a look at the SMSTS.log, at this point, will show something similar to this: <![LOG[Executing command line: Run …

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Capture User Files and Settings in Offline Mode (WinPE) with ConfigMgr 2007

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In a previous postI already showed how to do a Hard-Link migration, when started from FullOS. That part still exists in my Task Sequence, but it is now moved under the Group Capture User Files and Settings – FullOS. This part will now only run when the Task Sequence is started from FullOS. In this post I will add a part to the Task Sequence that makes sure that the User State will also be captured,  when the Task Sequence is started from WinPE (also called Offline Mode). The cool part is that it will also be done by/ with using Hard-Links! Capture User Files and Settings For creating a Task Sequence, that does an Offline Capture, my way, a few variables and locations need …

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Add ConfigMgr Console to (Desktop-)Right-Click Menu

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Sometimes you get a request that is just fun when it works. This time that was whether it was possible to add a shortcut for the ConfigMgr Console to the (Desktop-)Right-Click Menu. Well… I can tell you that it is possible! The easiest way to make this happen is to create a reg-file that will add an extra option for the ConfigMgr Console to the Right-Click Menu. To create a working reg-file for this situation, there are two locations that you need to know: The Icon Location: (In my case) C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Configuration Manager Console\AdminUI\bin\SmsSnapInResources.dll The ConfigMgr Console Location: (In my case) C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Configuration Manager Console\AdminUI\bin\adminconsole.msc These two locations have to be used in the reg-file mentioned above. With these locations the …

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What does the user see when running an OS Deployment with “Modena”?

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As a follow-up on my previous post about User Driven OS Deployment with “Modena”, I will show in this post what a user sees during a OS Deployment with Modena. Why am I writing this post? Well… because I got a lot of questions about this and for some reason not everybody has the time (like I still have) to test this their self… Under here are all the different pages the user can see during the OSD Wizard. All these pages are editable with the ModenaDesigner. For how to change these pages, take a look at the links provided in my previous post. Welcome Page Preflight Page Computer Page User Config Language Page Volume Page Application Page Summary Page During the actual installation and …

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User Driven OS Deployment with “Modena”

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It took a while but this weekend it was finally time for some testing of, what’s code-named, “Modena”. Modena is a tool, developed by Microsoft IT, that enables the ability of an End-User Experience by using a powerful OSD Wizard. When you are searching for a way to get your users “involved” in an OS Deployment, then I would recommend you to take a look at Modena. The OSD Wizard of Modena (see picture) can be changed in a lot of different way’s. As an administrator you can select which settings can be done by a user and which are pre-set. By these customizable settings you can think about things like computername, domain, local administrators, language, time, image, backup (via USMT 4.0) and the applications. …

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Installing/ Deploying Windows Live Writer with ConfigMgr 2007

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First of all, this post is not (meant as) a Step-By-Step. I will just show the big picture. As I like to install everything with ConfigMgr 2007, I also wanted to install my blogging tool with ConfigMgr 2007. My blogging tool is Windows Live Writer, nice, simple and easy. As it was kind of hard to find information about which command-line to use, the command-line will be part of this post. To install/ deploy Windows Live Writer with ConfigMgr 2007, simply follow the next 4 steps: Download the full installer of Windows Live (WLSetup) here: http://download.live.com/*. Create a new Package in ConfigMgr 2007 (Site Database > Computer Management > Software Distribution > Packages) and point the Data Source to the location where you keep the …

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The best (free) tools for ConfigMgr 2007!

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This time I want to devote a post to some of the best (free) tools for ConfigMgr 2007. These tools can make it a lot easier to manage, troubleshoot and develop you ConfigMgr 2007 environment. SCCM Right Click Tools – SCCM Right Click Tools are an easy solution for managing all client action from the ConfigMgr Console by right clicking the client. Website: http://myitforum.com/cs2/blogs/rhouchins/archive/2008/04/09/sccm-right-click-tools.aspx SCCM Client Center – SCCM Client Center is a tool to help troubleshoot and manage SCCM 2007 advanced clients (force inventory, show execution history, show running executions). Website: http://myitforum.com/cs2/blogs/rzander/archive/2009/11/30/sccm-client-center-v2-0-2-released.aspx  OSD++ – OSD++ is a better way to get input from the user and populate task sequences variables. Website: http://myitforum.com/cs2/blogs/jsandys/pages/osdplusplus.aspx SMSMap – SMSMap is a  freeware SCCM 2007 / SMS 2003 hierarchy …

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Using Task Sequence Variables to make life a bit easier in ConfigMgr 2007

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Sometimes you think you’ve got it all, so you start looking for things to make it better and easier. Well…, to be honest I’m not even close to having it all, but I am looking to make things better and easier. This is why I started looking more on using Task Sequence Variables, because they can make life a whole lot easier. In this post I will use a Task Sequence Variable to prevent the need of building two separate Task Sequences. Let’s start with telling the scenario. I have a Task Sequence that I use for a computer-refresh by using hard-links (take a look at thisprevious post). Now I want to use the same Task Sequence to perform a clean install. Of course it’s …

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Data Source Settings of the Reporting Services in ConfigMgr 2007 are grayed out

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Since the release of ConfigMgr 2007 SP2, I’m running ConfigMgr 2007 SP2 R2 (in Native Mode) on Windows Server 2008 R2. After installing the ConfigMgr Reporting Services Point I noticed that I couldn’t configure the Reporting Services, because the Data Source Settings where grayed out. After doing some research and searching online I came on the FAQ about Reporting Services from the ConfigMgr Team. For those FAQ’s take a look at this link: http://blogs.technet.com/configmgrteam/archive/2009/05/14/faq-sql-reporting-services-integration-with-system-center-configuration-manager-2007-r2.aspx One of these FAQ’s is the following: Do we support https enabled report server instances? There are known issues in the R2 release with https enabled report server instances. There are some methods in the reporting services webservices  API that are inherently secure  methods and if SSL is configured on a …

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