A Question Please

[Joker7]

I am behind with my certs so I have just started studding ms press book for the 70-290 exam.

In the section "Managing Computers Remotely with the MMC" where I use the mmc snap in to manage another computer on the network. I have added computer management for my xp pro computer and everything is fine until I click on the new snap in to open computer management then I get the error message: "Computer \\computername.domain cannot be managed. The network path was not found."

I'm sure that it has to do with the firewall be on the xp computer.

The server and xp machines are on the same network. I have managed to join the server domain but not without turning off the firewall on the server first.

The book does mention the firewall in later chapters though. Looks like it would say something in this chapter.

The book wants you to have two servers set up however I'm using my xp machine instead as I don't have another pc to install server on.

I have one server setup with 2003 ent which came with the book. Then service pack 2 update was applied.

I have setup nt4 and 2000 servers as stand alone servers. This is my first 2003 and domain controller setup.

I have been in IT for over ten years and never had the chance to setup a domain server. We have been using the same domain server since then and it was setup by an outside source since I was busy installing the network infrastructure.

I have the following certs: A+, WinNT4 Server, NT4 Workstation and Win95. Nothing on 2000 at all. So I am now playing catch up.

Thanks for any tips on the firewall settings.

MrMike
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Joker7

[CharlesD]

Where I work, we use domain policies to disable any firewall on the network using instead our external and internal hardware firewalls and its policies (Sonicwall).

I do the same thing at home on my home network which consists of 2008 Server (2), 2003 Server (2) and a mix of XP and Vista machines, (some virtual, some not).

If you have sufficient ram on your server machines (home lab), just install MS Virtual Server 2005 and create your virtual servers as you only need 256megs of ram per server. So if you have 2 gigs of ram, use 1 for the host server and create 2-3 virtual servers on your 2003 Server. You really don't want to fool with NT4. With 2000 Server you could do mix mode and eventually migrate everything to 2003 (and then to 2008).

Now for your PC, if you're like me, and depending on your hardware, you could have 4 gigs of ram, dedicate 2 to a Vista host machine and install MS Virtual PC 2007, (Vista likes ram) or 1 gig to an XP Pro machine, then use 256 for Virtual XP machines, or 512 to Vista Business/Ultimate, and you'll have a pretty decent lab.

Have fun.
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MCSE, MCSA, MCDST, A+, N+
Currently Evil Network Admin snob
Retired Detective & K9 Patrol/Narcotics
USAF SPS K9 68-77 Vietnam Vet 69 DaNang, 70 Tuy Hoa

[Joker7]

Thanks for the info Charles.

Unfortunately my server is a pc pulled from the junk pile.

I can do something about the drive size but not the ram, unless I want to purchase more ram but the machine is just too old for that. All my good machines are at work.

My home pc which is pretty decent though. Maybe setup a dual boot with 2003 server and xp pro on my home pc would work.

I'll look into using a policy to turn off the firewall on the server and pc as my router has a active firewall.

Thanks again.
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Joker7

[CharlesD]

If your home machine is decent, don't go dual boot, go with virtual PC. Think of this as your investment into your future. I saw where I can buy a brand new dell (without monitor) for $299, dual core with a gig of ram and 250 hd, it'll support 4 gigs of ram. That way you can have the best of both worlds, have a small network with/without domain (naturally you'll go domain if you're going to do server exams). Also look at purchasing Technet Plus Direct, its fairly cheap, renewal is only $249 a yr for all the software you could ever use for training (not for production environment like at work). My wife told me a few years back (when it was much more expensive) that it was the best investment I've ever made.
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Currently Evil Network Admin snob
Retired Detective & K9 Patrol/Narcotics
USAF SPS K9 68-77 Vietnam Vet 69 DaNang, 70 Tuy Hoa

[Joker7]

Charles,

I'm sure you mean "MS Virtual Server 2005" in your last post.

Thanks for the tip on tech net plus. I'll look into that for sure.


Thanks again.
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Joker7

[CharlesD]

Virtual Server if you already have a Server OS installed as a host, otherwise virtual pc 2007 if you have a client OS installed, so 2 machines will do the trick. Once for server duties, other for client duties - does that simplify it
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MCSE, MCSA, MCDST, A+, N+
Currently Evil Network Admin snob
Retired Detective & K9 Patrol/Narcotics
USAF SPS K9 68-77 Vietnam Vet 69 DaNang, 70 Tuy Hoa

[Dracula28]

Yep, virtualization is the way to go. I had two ancient pcs which I was running a client and a server on, but I installed Vmware Server (which is also free), and am now running 2 servers and 1 client off my (xp) laptop at work. Whats even better, I invested in an external disk, so when I go home from work, I just take the VMs with me, as they are kept on the external disk. That way I have the same lab setup at home too, as I installed Vmware server on the machine I have at home as well. It works perfectly.

Btw, your problem sounds similar to the one I encountered too http://www.mcmcse.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=14417 It was the XP firewall that was causing the problem.

[Joker7]

I have now a better pc again, out of the junk pile and have server installed on it.

Chanks again Charles for the tips. I'll look into technet plus.

Dracula,
Yep, I had the same problem as you did. I went into gpo and turned off the firewall. The next problem I had was attempting to offer remote assitance to my xp machine with both help an support and windows messenger. Help and support gives me access denied and windows messenger on my server tells me that I need to upgrade to a newer version of messenger even though I have the latest version. I then downloaded a server version and it said the same thing. Never did get a connect with messenger. Oh well. I moved on into settting up terminal services.

I have heard of VMware but never tried it. My newest junk pc is a 1 gig processor with a half gig ram. So if I put VMWare on the server, I can have two servers running?

Thanks for all the help.
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Joker7

[Dracula28]

Yes I think you can, as the minimum ram spesifications for winserver2k3 are 128, although I don't know how well it would work. Ram is dirt cheap these days though (atleast over here, 1GB ram costs approx $28), so you could always just upgrade the ram on that machine, if its possible (which I assume is not on a pc that old, as max ram for that pc is probably 512 I'd assume). But how about just installing VMware on your home machine? It would work just as well.

I have an xp machine at home, its a Core 2 Duo CPU with 4GB Ram, so I can run atleast 6-7 servers off that. At work I only have 2GB ram, and the CPU is a Pentium M, so I can only run 3-4 servers off that machine. Therefore I have not gone overboard (yet), but once I start studying for 291, I'll probably have 5-6 servers and a couple of clients running off my machines. I'll just have to dedicate less memory to the servers than I have done at the moment.

Virtualization is great, I just started using VMware a few weeks ago myself, and it works just like having the OS installed on a regular machine. You have to go through installation, configuration and everything. If you install VMware tools, and have a decent pc, you won't notice any lag either. I highly recommend it.
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MCP: 210
MCTS: 680
MCSA: 270, 290, 291, 680

Work in Progress: 293

[Joker7]

Dracula,

Thanks for the info.

I downloaded VMWare and installed it. Now the problem how does one install server 2003 in VM when it is already installed and activated. Won't this require a call to Microsoft with me explaining that i'm running two copies on the same box? I only have the one OS cd which came with the mspress book.


Thanks again for the info.
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Joker7

[Dracula28]

You can activate the trial version of Win server 2k3 that accompanies the book 3 times. Otherwise you can always download a trial version of WinServer2k3 for free from microsoft.com, which comes with a product key that can be activated once. (I actually have 3 trial cds, as the trial cd accompanies many of the training kits, plus I also have the official course material for the 20-290 exam, it goes more into detail about GPOs, and mentions adminpak.msi, which is not mentioned at all in the training kit, I think, otherwise, its pretty poor compared to the training kit IMO)

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsserver/bb430831.aspx

I'd still reccommend you to run the virtual machines on your home pc instead. What sort of spesifications does that pc have?

Btw, I never had any problems remote controlling the XP client, once I turned off the firewall on XP. I did not use GPO, I turned it off through control panel on the XP pc itself.

PS remember to install vmware tools on the virtual machines, they significantly enhaces the virtual machines, and the lag disappears (atleast it did in my case). You can do that by right clicking a virtual machine, while its running, and then choose "install vmware tools".
_________________
MCP: 210
MCTS: 680
MCSA: 270, 290, 291, 680

Work in Progress: 293

[Joker7]

Dracula,

Thanks again for the info. I'm downloading 2003 server from microsoft now.

I tried four times to order a refurbished pc from Dell today to no avail. It kept timming out and telling me to try again later. The refurb Dell was a 2.2 gig duo core with 2 gig ram and 320 gig hard drive with windows vista home and keyboard + mouse for $349. I may try again shortly as I need an upgrade.

My XP machine is a 2.5 gig processor with 768 meg of ram and 120 gig hard drive. It's only five years old!

My server (junk pile) machine is a 1 gig processor with 512 meg of ram and 30 gig hard drive. It's only seven years old!

I was wondering when I go out and buy my next mspress book if it had another cd in it. It seems that they do.


I don't know what the problem was with the remote control. Maybe I wasn't logged into the domain. I'll check that later.

Geez, the window server setup in VM is taking forever to come up. It says setup is starting windows. Its been like that for the past fifteen minutes or more.

Keep the tips comming and thanks again.
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Joker7

[Dracula28]

You should build your own, that way you can probably get slightly better spesifications.
_________________
MCP: 210
MCTS: 680
MCSA: 270, 290, 291, 680

Work in Progress: 293

[CharlesD]

Problem is, you can't build your own for those prices. I use to build mine all the time - not anymore. I can buy a Dell machine off their outlet site (refurb, dent & scratch, or perviously ordered new) for a couple of hundred less or more than I can build, or generally half the price of a new dell (or more). I get my Dell/Compaq servers off www.govdeals.com if prices don't get silly (since sometimes I'm the one putting those servers up for auction and I know which ones are worth it). Of course, most of the time - drives are not included - we destroy ours if they don't get used in other servers (sledgehammered until little bitty pieces ).
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MCSE, MCSA, MCDST, A+, N+
Currently Evil Network Admin snob
Retired Detective & K9 Patrol/Narcotics
USAF SPS K9 68-77 Vietnam Vet 69 DaNang, 70 Tuy Hoa

[Joker7]

CharlesD,

I used to build pc's also but haven't build one in years. It still amazes me how one can buy a pc or server so cheaply nowdays. Back in the day a pc would cost upwards of $2000.00 or more. My first (company) server was a little over $22000.00

I did manage to get my order in for a new(er) pc. It should be here sometime next week.

I haven't destroyed any hard drives yet. They are stacked up on a storage shelf in my server room waiting for me to either find a use for them or destroy. I'll probably end up destroying them. I will use a hydralic press in our machine shop to crush them flat.

VM wasn't happy at all on the old slow server so now I'm installing it on my better XP machine. It seems that I'll need two servers to get through the book as I have seen several references to a second server.
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Joker7