SBS 2008 Please wait for the local session manager HUNG!

Seems an issue with NIC Card setting.

Read the following links to understand and troubleshoot better

http://www.peppercrew.nl/index.php/2011/10/please-wait-for-the-local-session-manager/
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2661001

Regards,
Exchange_Geek

Check the events that were kicking off when you're server was stuck at the logon screen, was it the DNS / DC / NIC issues that were causing issues?

Regards,
Exchange_Geek

There are some replication errors to an old secondary ad server. I'll see if anymore...

If you may and you should, remove that box using metadata clean up. Also, check if this secondary AD Server is added to your NIC Card as DNS Server.

Read: http://www.petri.co.il/delete_failed_dcs_from_ad.htm

Regards,
Exchange_Geek

I cannot access the dc in safe mode to use metedata cleanup.

AD is running but can't open ad users and computers or use cmd metadata cleanup connections. Something has to be corrupt.

Where is it mentioned to perform metadata cleanup in safe mode?

Regards,
Exchange_Geek

The SBS is the only dc now in the picture. The secondary server is gone.

So, you'll need to clean it up using metadata cleanup- and i am more interested to check if your SBS is pointing or referring to the earlier server.

Regards,
Exchange_Geek

safe mode is where I can access a cmd prompt.

I'm sort of surprised, which article you're referring that talks about safe mode?

Regards,
Exchange_Geek

surprised? Oh...let me better explain. I can not boot in normal startup..it just hangs at "Please wait for the local session manager" but I can boot up to safe mode (and safemode with networking and safe mode with cmd). In safe mode I can try to remove the secordary dc server but it is not accessing ad it's giving an error to connect to the domain. It will connect to the local computer (which is the same machine) but not the domain services in order to let me remove that old server's records as a backup dc. I can NOT open ad Users and Computers either (in safe mode) to do the same thru the GUI. Is AD corrupt?

Correction above..."I can NOT open ad Users and Computers either..."

give me a minute and I'll give you the exact error codes....

Dude...YOU WERE RIGHT! I disable my NIC and it can right up! Think I got a bad NIC or should I try enabling it now that it's up?

Disabling the NIC allowed me to boot up normally again and from there is was updates and patches. I had to put all the exchange services back to their normal startup type and once the delayed startup services were up, I was able to open AD again. GOOD LOOKING OUT! There were some MS updates that ran before the restart that caused all of this. Probably a bad update.

Glad to have helped you out.

Regards,
Exchange_Geek