Tag Archives: SQL

Upgrade Server 2012 (In Place)

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2

Upgrade Server 2012 KB ID 0001802

Server 2012 End Of Life

Windows Server 2012 (and Windows Server 2012 R2) will go end of life on October 10th 2023. Start planning to migrate your productions workloads off this platform as soon as you can.

I’ve mentioned before on the site, I’m not a fan of ‘in place’ upgrades, you get to migrate all the ‘broken bits’ (that you didn’t realise were broken), and if the process goes wrong, best case scenario is you are going to be restoring from backup.

What can I upgrade to? Well essentially, your target is to upgrade to Server 2019 , (not Server 2022 that’s not supported).

Upgrade Server 2012 Pre Requisites

Licenses: Just because you’re legally running Server 2012 does not mean you can upgrade to Server 2019, unless you have  software assurance. If you’re wondering if you have software assurance you probably do not (typically you buy it on a three year deal with the option to extend it to five years, and it’s VERY expensive). So if you dont know, you probably DONT have the software assurance. So you will need to purchase a new agreement, or buy new retail copies of Server 2019.

You will require a Windows Key for the new server (or KMS services setting up that will allocate a Server 2019 key to the newly upgraded server.)

CALs/SALs (Chances are you WONT have SALs, but if you do then speak to your MSP). You will need the correct amount of user/device CALS for server 2019 before you start your upgrade.

Backup Support: Does your backup solution support server 2019? 

Application Support: Does your AV Software, Endpoint protection solution, or Managed Detection and Response system support Server 2019? Make sure you check this list for Microsoft application support, and ensure any third party applications are supported with the vendor.*

*I cannot stress this enough, I work for a major MSP, and most clients are astounded when we wont simply upgrade their old server(s) from 2012, because we simply cannot guarantee that THEIR applications will work successfully on a newer version of Windows Server.

Hardware Support: Most servers are virtual these days, so this is less of an issue, but the machine/VM being upgraded needs to meet the minimum hardware requirements for server 2019.

Updates: MAKE SURE your existing 2012 server is up to date, (and the applications are patched as much as possible!)

Maintenance Window: During the upgrade the server will be offline to users, this will be for as long as a normal OS install, but you will need to plan in additional time for testing applications (post OS upgrade), then programming in any maintenance timings, and arranging and planning any CAB.

Snapshot: If you’re running in a virtual environment, then carry out a snapshot, (or Checkpoint if you are running Hyper-V).

Backup: Before even entertaining the idea of updating the server, make sure you have a good backup. I would make sure I could restore from backup successfully before even attempting an in place upgrade on a production server running 2012/2012R2. In fact if your risk averse, upgrade the restored server itself!

WARNING: Make sure the media you use to upgrade is up to date. While Windows server has a mainstream support date of 9th January 2024, some earlier versions may not be supported. ENSURE you are using build number 1809 Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) or newer.

If you are in doubt about any role or application that may not work (post in place upgrade), then clone your machine, and test the upgrade on an isolated network to test the procedure beforehand.

Upgrade Server 2012 (Domain Controllers)

Other posts say this is not possible, but that is not true, (with some caveats). But it’s so much easier to build a new member server with server 2019/2022 and then extend the forest and domain, promote the new server to be a DC, and demote the old server(s). 

If you attempt to in place upgrade a 2012 server Windows MAY stop an in place upgrade with the following error;

Active Directory on this server does not contain Windows Server ADPREP / FORESTPREP updates.

Which makes sense (if you’ve ever done any domain upgrades or migrations). Before a 2019 DC can be introduced into a domain the forest and domain need to be prepared, (the schema extended). You can either (on this or another DC) run adprep.exe / forestprep and adprep.exe /domainprep from the 2019 install media (look in the support/adprep folder).  

Note: Make sure you’re logged in as a member of the schema admins group!

Obviously if you’ve already ran forest prep and adprep and already have 2019 domain controllers this error will not appear and the server will simply update.

Upgrade Server 2012 (Exchange Server)

NO ! Just don’t do this. Exchange on-premises is designed to be ‘swing migrated‘ to a newer version. If you need to do this then PeteNetLive is littered with upgrade run through even if you are on older versions of Exchange.

Migrate Exchange 2010 to Exchange 2016 (& 2013)

Exchange 2019 Migration from Exchange 2016 (&2013)

Upgrade Server 2012 (SQL Server)

We are in murky waters here! Server 2019 (at time of writing) does not support anything OLDER than SQL 2014. So you may need to upgrade your SQL instances before you consider upgrading the OS. Every single time I’ve ever replaced a SQL server (and I’ve been doing this for over 20 years now) I’ve built a new one, migrated the databases and then the application vendor has installed ‘whatever‘ application or website that required the database.

Also Server 2019/2022 have particular SQL CU level requirements!

If some SQL Jedi walks in here I’d welcome any comments below. But for me it’s a No!

Upgrade Server 2012 / 2012 R2 to Server 2019 (In Place)

By this point you’re adamant you DON’T want to build a new server and migrate your apps and data, and you’ve understood all the pre-requisites and warnings above.

Before starting, Microsoft recommend that you gather some information, run the following commands and take the information dumped into text files and put them safely elsewhere.

[box]

Systeminfo.exe >> SystemInfo.txt
ipconfig /all >> IPConfig

[/box]

Then take a copy of the contents of the following two registry values;

[box]

HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\BuildLabEx

HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\EditionID

[/box]

Note: I lost the will to live trying to work out how to dump those two values into a text file with PowerShell 5.1 (there’s a challenge for you!)

Present the Server 2019 Install to your 2012 server, locate and run setup.exe.

It will ask to check for update let it do so  > Next.

If you are installing a ‘retail’ version of Windows server, at this point it will ask of the licence key > 

Call me an  old traditionalist, I require a graphical user interface > Next.

I believe that someone at Microsoft should be made to read one of these out loud for EVERY copy of Windows it sells, seriously they could put anything in here. Now that your firstborns soul belongs to Microsoft > Accept.

The whole point is to retain our data! > Next.

It will now run through its pre-flight checks, pull down any updates and make sure it’s happy. When finished it will warn you if there’s any potential problems. Here it’s complaining about my monitor driver, (probably because it’s using the Window update download one, and not the VMware tools one to be fair). I know this wont cause me any problems, I can click Confirm > 

Last chance to bail out! Install.

One hour and twenty five minutes later,

In Place Upgrade of Server 2012 Running Certificate Services

Can you do this? Yes – Even if you have a multi-tier PKI deployment. see here

 

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

In Place Upgrade Windows 2016 to Windows 2019

ADMT (Active Directory Migration Tool) Domain Migration – Part 1

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KB ID 0001305

Problem

I’ve not used ADMT for ages, I’ve got a domain migration to do soon, so I thought I’d get on the bench and have a reminder. Although ADMT 3.2 was ‘re-jigged’ to support Server 2012 R2, I’m still going to install it on Server 2008 R2. I’ve got a test domain built to migrate from, and a new domain setup ready to migrate into.

  • Old/Source Domain: olddomain.com
  • Old/Source Domain Controller: Source-DC.olddomain.com
  • New/Target Domain: newdomain.com
  • New/Target Domain Controller: Target-DC.newdomain.com

 

Solution

ADMT – DNS Setup

The old domain needs to be able to resolve names in the new domain, and the new domain needs to be able to resolve names in the old domain. To achieve this you need to setup ‘Conditional Forwarding’ in each domain for the other one.

Don’t worry if it looks like there’s a problem as long as the DNS servers can se each other, (and there’s no firewall in-between blocking TCP and UDP port 53). Just add in the DNS server give it a while then re-open the forwarders settings and it should have ‘gone-green’.

You can test it’s working by pinging BOTH the old and new domain names, in BOTH domains.

In addition, we want all machines (in both domains) to set their primary DNS Suffix, to their own domain, and their DNS suffix search list to look for their own domain first, then the other domain. The easiest way to do that is via group policy.  On a domain controller > Administrative Tools > Group Policy Management Console.

It’s better practice to ‘link’ your policy to the actual OU that your computers are in, to keep things simple, (and because I’m lazy) I’m going to link my policy to the root of the domain.

 

Edit the policy you have just created.

Navigate to;

[box]Computer Configuration > Policies > Administrative Templates > Network > DNS Client > [/box]

Setting: Primary DNS Suffix: Set to current domain.

Setting: DNS Suffix Search List: Set to current domain ‘comma‘ other domain.

Then wait or Force a Group Policy Update, to test visit a machine and issue an ‘ipconfig /all‘ command;

Above: you can see both the policies have taken effect.

Repeat the procedure in the new domain, (but the domain names will be the opposite way round) like so;

ADMT – Creating Domain Trust

Both domains need to trust each other for the migration to take place. If you have two simple domains like I do a “two way domain trust” is fine. You would only need a ‘forest-trust‘ if you were migrating from/to root and sub domains for example.

As the name implies Trusts are setup from Administrative tools > Active Directory Domains and Trusts. You can setup the whole thing from one domain, below I’m creating it in the old domain.

Welcome Screen  = Next > Provide the name to the ‘other’ domain > Next > External Trust > Next.

Two Way > Next > Both this domain and the specified domain > Next > Provide administrative credentials for the ‘other’ domain > Next.

Domain wide authentication > Next > Domain wide authentication > Next > Next.

Next > Yes. Confirm outgoing trust > Next > Yes. Confirm incoming trust > Next.

Finish > READ the warning about SID history, we will have to mess about with SID History filtering a bit further on > OK.

This step is not really necessary, (it’s just for peace of mind). I do this in BOTH domains and validate each trust, (so you will do this four times).

Select the trust > Properties > Validate > Type in credentials > OK > Type in Credentials > OK > OK.

ADMT – Users / Admins and Rights Assignment

 Create the user that will do all the hard work in the NEW domain. Then add that user to the domain admins group (again in the NEW domain).

Username: ADMTAdmin (Can be anything you want, but I’ll refer to this username throughout).

Over in the OLD domain, you won’t be able to add your ADMT user into the domain admins group, you need to add the ADMTAdmin account from the NEW domain into the Builtin\Administrators group on the OLD domain.

Additionally: the ADMTAdmin user needs to have local administrative rights to all the machines in the OLD domain. The easiest way to do that is again with a group policy.

In the OLD domain create a group, (Type: Domain Local)

Group Name: GP-ADMT-Admins, (again you can call it something else if you want).

Add your ADMTAdmin account to this group, (Note: I like to add the domain admin account for the NEW domain as well, though that’s not necessary).

On a domain controller > Administrative Tools > Group Policy Management Console.

Once Again: It’s better practice to ‘link’ your policy to the actual OU that your computers are in, to keep things simple, (and because I’m lazy) I’m going to link my policy to the root of the domain.

Edit the policy you have just created;

Navigate to;

[box]Computer Configuration > Policies > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Restricted Groups[/box]

Add Group > Select GP-ADMT-Admins > OK > Add (bottom option) > Administrators > OK.

Setup correctly it should look like this;

To Test: On a client Open an administrative command window > and run ‘gpresult-R’.

Or the best test is, make sure that the GP-ADMT-Admins group is actually in the local admins group.

ADMT – Database Requirements

OK, a lot of posts say don’t install ADMT/SQL on a domain controller. That’s not strictly true, you can install ADMT and SQL on a domain controller, in fact that’s what Im going to do (there are a few commands and extra steps that I will point out below).

You can you use full blown SQL if you like, but it’s just as easy to use SQL Express 2008 SP1 > Download and run > Instalation > New SQL Server stand-alone installation or add features to an existing installation.

Accept the defaults > In feature Installation select ‘Database Engine Services’.

Accept the named instance ‘SQLExpress’.

Keep accepting defaults until you get to ‘Server configuration‘ page, add in the ADMTAdmin account.

Then add in your ADMTAdmin account again. (Once again theres nothing wrong with adding the domain admin account as well).

ADMT – Additional SQL Steps For Domain Controllers

Open an administrative command window > and run the following commands;

[box]

NET LOCALGROUP SQLServerMSSQLUser$Target-DC$SQLEXPRESS /ADD
SC SHOWSID MSSQL$SQLEXPRESS
{Copy the SID to the clipboard you will need it in a minute}
MD %SystemRoot%\ADMT\Data
ICACLS %Systemroot%\ADMT\Data /grant *{Paste the SID from above}:F
i.e.
ICACLS %systemroot%\ADMT\Data /grant *S-1-5-80-3880006512-4290199581-1648723128-3569869737-3631323133:F

[/box]

ADMT – Downloading and Installing ADMT

Download the ADMT software, if that link ever dies use this one. Download ADMT 3.2. Launch the installer and accept all the defaults until you get to database selection, use .SQLEXPRESS

No we don’t want to import and data from an existing database > Next > Finish.

We can now open the ‘Active Directory Migration Tool’ management console.

 In Part Two we will look at SID filtering, setup a password export server, and do some group policy work.

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

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Event ID 1026

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KB ID 0000118 

Problem

 “Windows
Cannot load extensible counter DLL MSSQLSERVER in the first
data section.”

Solution

Locate every instance of the following file sqlctr80.dll
(its usually in the binn directory)

Right
click >properties > security >

Grant
Everyone Read and Execute.

 

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

NA

Set Up the VMware View 5 (and Horizon View) Event Database

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KB ID 0000856

Problem

Below I’ll configure SQL 2008 R2, insofar as I will setup a new database for the View Events, create a user for that database, then finally connect the View 5 Horizon View Connection Server to that database.

Solution

1. Firstly, I’m assuming you have a SQL Server setup and ready to create database on, If you do not rather than reinvent the when follow my instructions in the article below.

Deploying VMware View 5 -Part 4 Installing and Configuring SQL 2008 R2

Note: Complete ONLY Steps 1 to 6 then return here.

2. Login to the SQL Management Studio > Databases > New Database.

3. Call it View5Events (Note: You can call it ‘Aunty Mary’s Canary’ if you want to).

4. Options section > change the recovery mode to ‘Simple’ > OK.

5. Expand Security > Logins > New Login.

6. Give the user a name i.e. view5events > Tick ‘SQL Authentication’ > Type and re-type a password > Untick ‘Enforce password policy’.

7. User Mapping tab > Tick the View5Events Database > Tick db_owner > OK > Close the SQL Management Studio.

8. Login to the Connection Server (Flash Required) > View Configuration > Event Configuration > Edit,

Database Server: The name of the Server Running SQL.
Port: 1433 (Standard SQL Port make sure it it NOT blocked by a firewall).
Database Name: View5Events
User name: view5events
Password: {You set above}
Table prefix: _vdi

9. To see if it is working > Monitoring > Events > (It may be empty for a while don’t panic).

 

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

NA

Deploy ODBC Settings via Group Policy

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KB ID 0000805 

Problem

I’ve briefly mentioned this before when I wrote about Group Policy Preferences so when I had to do this on-site this week, I jumped straight into the group policy management console, and found that because my ODBC connection was using SQL authentication (with the SQL sa account), this would NOT WORK, (it only works with Windows authentication and even then it needs a tweak). If you are using SQL authentication jump down to the bottom of the article.

Solution

NOTE: Below I’m dealing with user DSN ODBC connections, so I’m looking at User Policies, if you want to send out Machine DSN ODBC connections then you need to be looking at Computer Policies.

Deploy ODBC Settings via Group Policy Preferences (Windows Authentication)

The GPP is pretty easy to locate you will find it in;

[box]

User Configuration > Preferences > Control Panel Settings > Data Sources

OR

Computer Configuration > Preferences > Control Panel Settings > Data Sources

[/box]

However you will find there is a bug in the system which means it does not deploy.

ODBC Settings fail to Deploy via GPO

1. Locate the ODBC connection that you are trying to deploy > right click > Copy.

2. Right click your desktop and ‘paste’ > You will get an XML file > Open it with notepad > Delete the username and the cpassword information > Save the file.

3. Then delete the original ODBC file from your group policy.

4. Drag the XML file into the policy, in its place > Select ‘Yes’ to import it.

WARNING: Do not open its settings/properties from this point forward, or it will break again.

Getting ODBC Settings from a Clients Registry

1. You may wish to locate and extract the ODBC settings from a working client, you can locate the settings in a working client machines registry and simply export them so you can import them on a target machine, or deploy them via GPP or logon script.

[box]

User DSN's
Computer>HKEY_CURRENT_USER>Software>ODBC>ODBC.INI
Machine DSN's 
Computer>HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE>Software>ODBC>ODBC.INI

[/box]

2. Simply right click the key that corresponds to the ‘name’ of the ODBC connector that you wish to export, > right click > Export > Save.

Deploy ODBC Settings via Group Policy Preferences (SQL Authentication)

In this example I’ve merged the ODBC connection details into the registry, you could just as easily set them up manually, as long as they exist, either on the machine you are creating the policy on, or another machine you have ‘remote registry’ rights to.

1. Create or edit a group policy and navigate to;

[box]User Configuration > Preferences > Windows Settings > Registry > Collection
[/box]

Select New > Registry Wizard.

2. Select where you want to collect the registry information from > Next.

3. Navigate to;

[box]

User DSN's
Computer>HKEY_CURRENT_USER>Software>ODBC>ODBC.INI
Machine DSN's 
Computer>HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE>Software>ODBC>ODBC.INI

[/box]

Select the OBDC name that corresponds to the one you want to collect, then select all the settings within that key > Finish.

4. The finished GPP should look like this > Close the policy editor.

 

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

NA

Microsoft SQL – ‘Error While Enabling Windows Feature : NetFx3’

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KB ID 0000958 

Problem

I was installing SQL Server 2012 and suddenly this popped up;

The following error has occurred:
Error while enabling Windows feature: NetFx3, Error Code: -2146498298, Please try enabling
Windows feature: NetFx3 from Windows management tools and then run setup again. For more
information on how to enable Windows features, see http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=227143

Solution

I’ve been bitten by .Net on Server 2012 before. Leave this error on the screen, and the install in the background, and pop in the Sever 2012 Installation DVD, then run the following command;

[box]

Dism /online /enable-feature /featurename:NetFx3 /All /Source:D:sourcessxs /LimitAccess

Where D: is the DVD Drive Letter

[/box]

Put the the SQL Install media back in the drive if you removed it, (I was installing from a mounted .ISO file), click OK on the error message and SQL should continue to install.

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

NA

Install SCCM 2007 on Windows Server 2008 R2 – Step by Step

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KB ID 0000297

Problem

I had to work out how to do this for a client, and as is my modus operandi, I’ll try and save you some of the pain I endured,

Products Used

System Center Configuration Manager 2007 SP2 Windows Server 2008 R2 SQL 2008 R2 (At time of writing neither officially supported or not supported on SCCM)

Note: I was originally going to use SQL 2005 – hence the reason the SQL servers name is SCCM-SQL2005, however I bit the bullet and used SQL 2008 R2 instead.

Solution

Step 1: SCCM Domain pre install work.

1. Create two groups in Active Directory.

a. sccm administrator group SCCM-ADMIN b. sql administrator group SQL-ADMIN

2. Add both groups to the Domain Admin’s group.

3. Create two new users: sccmadmin and sqladmin.

4. Add sccmadmin to SCCM-ADMIN group and add sqladmin to SQL-ADMIN group.

Step 2: SCCM Pre requisites

1. Add the IIS (Web Server Role).

2. Add the following IIS Role Services:

a. HTTP redirection. b. ASP.Net

c. Windows Authentication. d. IIS6 Metabase compatibility. e. IIS6 WMI compatibility.

3. Add the following “server Features”:

a. Background Intelligent Transfer Service. b. Remote Differential Compression.

4. If you are NOT running Windows Server 2008 R2 Download and install WebDav (already included in Windows Server 2008 R2). If you are running R2 skip to the next step.

5. Server Manager > Roles > Web Server (IIS) > Add Role Services > WebDAV Publishing > Next > Close.

6. To enable WebDav > Start > Administrative Tools > Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager > Expand {server name} > Sites > Default Web Site > WebDav Authoring Rules.

7. Select Enable WebDav (On the right hand side).

8. Select add authoring Rule > All Content > All Users > Permissions > Read > OK.

9. Select the rule you have just created > WebDav Settings.

10. Change “Allow Anonymous Properties Queries” to True > Change “Allow Custom Properties” to False > Change “Allow Property Query with Infinite Depth” to True > Change “Allow hidden files to be listed” to True > Apply.

11. WSUS needs to installed on the SCCM server – Note Server 2008 R2 needs (WSUS Server Update Services 3.0 SP2). If you try and install SP 1 you will see this error.

12. From the WSUS installation choose “Full server installation” > DO NOT accept the default “Use the existing IIS Default Web site” > Use “”Create a Windows Server Update Services 3.0 SP2 Web site” (Note: this will use port TCP 8530 by default).

Step 3: SCCM Install SQL Server.

1. From the SQL install media run setup.exe > Installation > “New Installation or add features to an existing Installation” > OK.

2. Enter product Key if applicable > Next > “I accept…” > Next > Install > Next > Next.

3. Tick Database Engine Services > Tick Management Tools (Basic and Complete) > Next.

4. Next > Accept the defaults > Next > Next.

5. On the Server configuration Page > Select “Use the same account for all SQL Server services > Select the User you created originally (sqladmin) > Set the SQL Server Agent and SQL Server Database Engine Startup type to “Automatic” > Next.

6. Accept “Windows Authentication” > Add in your SCCM-ADMIN group and SQL-ADMIN group > Next > Next > Next > Install.

7. When it’s completed click close.

Step 4: Prepare Active Directory for SCCM

1. Extend the schema > From the install media > SMSSETUP > BIN > 1386 > extadsch.exe

2. Check the above was successful by opening the c:extADsch.txt file it should say “”successfully extended the Active Directory Schema”.

3. We now need to create some active directory objects go to a domain controller > Start > Administrative tools > ADSI Edit > Action > connect to > leave everything on its defaults > OK.

4. Expand the Default naming context > Expand your domain name > Right click “system” > New > Object > Container > Next.

5. Call it “System Management” > Next > Finish > Close ADSI Edit.

6. Still on the domain controller > Start > dsa.msc {enter} > View > Advanced.

7. Expand “system” > Locate the container you created “System Management” > right click it and select properties > Security Tab > Add > Object Types > Tick Computers > OK.

8. Click Advanced > Find Now > Locate and add the SCCM-ADMIN group you created earlier > Also add the SCCM Server itself > OK.

9. Grant allow “Full Control” to both the SCCM admin group and the SCCMserver.

10. Now click advanced > Select the SCCM-ADMIN group > Edit.

11. Change the “Apply to” section from “This object only” to “This object and all descendant objects” > OK > Apply > OK.

12. Repeat the above for the SCCM-Server object.

Step 5: Install SCCM

1. Log on as the sccadmin user.

2. From within the SCCM setup media run splash.hta > Run the Pre requisite checker > Enter the SQL Server name > SCCM server name and the FQDN of the SCCM server > OK.

3. Note If you cannot talk to the SQL server then check that the Windows firewall is not blocking you (on the SQL server Start > run > firewall.cpl > Turn it off).

4. All being well it should say “All required pre requisite tests have completed successfully” > OK.

5. Re-run Splash.hta > This time choose > Install configuration Manager 2007 SP2 > Next > “Install Configuration Manager site Server > Next.

6. Tick “I accept these License terms > Next > Custom Install > Next > Primary Site > Next > Next > enter unlock code is applicable > Next > Accept/change the install directory > Next > Enter a Site code and friendly name > Next.

DO NOT ever try and change this code and don’t forget it!!

7. Change the Site mode to “Configuration Manager Mixed Mode” (Native mode requires certificate services and considerably more work). > Next.

8. Accept the defaults (everything except NAP) > Next.

9. Enter your SQL server name > Next > Next > Next > Next > Next.

10. Select a location to install the updates to > Next.

11. Updates will download this may take some time > when finished it should say it was successful > OK > Next.

12. It will run the pre requisite check again > when finished click begin install.

13. When finished click Next > Finish.

14.Now you need to send out the clients and configure SCCM, I’ll cover that in a later article.

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

SCCM 2007 Initial Setup and Configuration

SCCM OSD Capture a Windows 7 Reference Machine

Windows SBS – Moving the Windows Software Update Services Database (SUSDB.mdf)

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KB ID 0000609

Problem

Last week a client rang in to say their servers system drive was running out of room. A quick scan showed me the biggest thing on there was a 12 GB database called SUSDB.mdf.

A few searches told me what I’d already guessed from the name, WSUS was the offender, so I set about moving it to their data drive that had lots of free space.

Solution

1. Launch the Windows SBS Console > Backup and Server Storage > Server Storage > Move Windows Update Repository Data.

2. If you are using third party backup software you may see this warning > OK.

3. Locate the Drive you want to Migrate TO and select it > Next.

4. This will move a few GB of data across to the new location. However it does NOT move the database itself.

5. To actually move the Database > Start > All Programs > Microsoft SQL Server 2005 > SQL server Management Studio Express, (Note: You may need to run as administrator).

6. Change the server name to the following and log in.

[box].pipeMSSQL$MICROSOFT##SSEEsqlquery[/box]

7. Expand Databases > Locate the SUSDB Database > Right Click > Detach.

8. Tick the “Drop Connections” box > OK.

9. I suggest you COPY the database from the system drive to the new drive.

10. Once its moved across, back in the SQL management studio > Right click Databases > attach.

11. Add.

12. Browse to the NEW location of the SUSDB.mdf file > OK.

13. OK.

14. Once the database is successfully added back in you can go back to the system drive and delete the original WSUS database.

15. When finished, it’s good practice to tidy up the database > From within the Window Server Update Services Console > Options > Server Cleanup Wizard.

16. Select All > Next > Prepare to wait A LONG TIME (this will probably take a few hours!)

17. When its finished you should see something like this.

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

NA