Make the System State your friend
Professionals: Take two minutes to backup the System
State before installing a new application.
Amateurs: Just install the application or hotfix
without taking precautions.
by Chris Porosky
Think before you install a new application, driver or
hotfix, what you should be thinking of is best practice for a fall back position
if the server crashes.
The System State is your friend and protector. Which ever backup
software you use, put a tick in the System State check box. These are
the components that the System State controls:
- Active Directory - NTDS.DIT and Logs
- Boot Files - Including Boot.ini
- Certificate Server
- Registry
- SysVol - Group Policies and Logon Scripts
How do you get to the System State? Start (menu), Run, NTBackup;
alternatively, All Programs (Menu), Accessories, System Tools, Backup.
 Windows
Server 2008 Enterprise Admin
Train Signal have an excellent Windows Server 2008 course. You get over 70
hrs instruction with Ed Liberman and Ben "Coach" Culbertson. Try their
step-by-step videos and master Windows Server 2008 Enterprise Admin.
The package includes the Transcender exams, which are the key to gaining the
coverted Microsoft Certified IT Professional certification. However, the
course also builds practical experience so that you can manage your network
effectively once you complete the course.
Watch a Demo of Train Signal's MCITP course
Last Known Good by Chris Porosky
Chris has a second part to this Litmus test, once you have taken a backup
of the System State you will almost certainly need a reboot.
Professionals: Wait to see if there are any error messages before they
logon after installing new drivers.
Amateurs: Logon quickly and so lose the chance of using the Last Known
Good.
Since NT 3.51 days, the Windows Registry, keeps a spare configuration.
So if you make a terrible configuration mistake, you can go back by using
the Last Known Good, however once you logon the boot is deemed to be good
and you over write the previous Last Known Good.
Armed with knowledge that the Last Known Good exists, wait a minute or
two to check that there no messages 'One or more drivers failed to start'.
If you press F8 you can select Last Known Good and so save yourself a
problem.
Whilst XP has the System Restore Point feature, this is not available on
Server 2003, so master the System State and Last Known Good.
 Guy's Challenge - Download
this free device backup utility
(CatTools)
CatTools is a free program for backing up configuration settings on
hardware devices. Here is Guy's challenge. If you
download CatTools, then it will not only take care of backups, but
also it will show you something new about the hardware on you
network. I could give you a money back guarantee - but CatTools is
already free! Thus, I just make a techie to techie challenge, you
will learn more about your network if you:
Download your free configuration backup tools
Download my Jumbo Litmus Test eBook $5.95
 Over
40 of Guy's litmus tests. Have fun while you learn about Windows
Server 2003. Stacks of ideas to check your servers, networks and
security.
Your eBook has
printer friendly pages and lots more screen shots.
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