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Windows SBS 2003 upgrade to SP2

I am preparing to upgrade my company's SBS 2003 installation from SP1 to SP2. First let me say I have inherited this task from my predecessor, who was of the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" school of thought. I guess he had a hard time with the SP1 install, and thereafter put off almost all other updates unless something was "broke". So...that leaves me in the present situation. Soon it will become necessary to start replacing older XP computers with new ones no doubt running Windows 7 Professional. From what I have determined so far it will be necessary to update the SBS Server to SP2 in order to accomplish this.

My question is this, in the release notes for SP2 it states "If you are running the initial version of Active Directory Application Mode (ADAM) that was available as a download, you will not be able to directly update the computer to Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 (SP2). If you do so, the ADAM instances may stop functioning." Since I wasn't here when the intallation of SBS 2003 took place I don't know the history, and since I've never used ADAM, I don't even know how to tell if it's installed.

If someone could help me determine weather or not it is installed or not I'd be grateful!

Thanks,

Telefunken

Ken Conradie

It should be on the start menu. Under ADAM. See here:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc780496%28WS.10%29.aspx

Adam Brown

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc783971(WS.10).aspx has information on how to install ADAM. You can use the same steps to determine if it is installed. If there is a checkmark by it in the list of options in the Add/Remove Windows Components wizard, it's installed, if not, it isn't. There aren't a lot of reasons to have ADAM installed, so it likely is not.

telefunken

ASKER

Conradie: There isn't an ADAM program group in the start menu, but that by itself doesn't leave me thoroughly convinced.

acbrown2010: I'm afraid Active Directory Services doesn't even appear under the Windows Compoments tab. To be clear this is Win SBS Server 2003 SP1 not R2.

Any other suggestions?

Adam Brown

For pre-R2, ADAM came as a Download, so if you don't see it in the Add/Remove Programs list, it isn't installed. Incidentally, I can't find any support for the idea that ADAM is even capable of operating with SBS. The system requirements show 2003 Standard at a minimum.

telefunken

ASKER

acbrown2010,

That's sounding a bit more convincing. I did know that it was available as a download prior to R2, this is why I wasn't convinced by the precious method. It was my understanding though that the principal differrence between "Standard" edition and SBS was in the limit of number of users and a single Domain......ah.....wait a minute. ADAm wouldn't likely be used in a single domain environment would it?

Adam Brown

Well, ADAM is typically only used in a developmental or test environment. It's primary purpose is to allow testing for software purposes. SBS is also pretty finicky. There are a number of things it does differently than Standard edition et. al.

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Adam Brown

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telefunken

ASKER

Thanks for your explanation. The brief plain English description of ADAM's intended purpose did more to convince me than anything else. I am convinced with your suggestions and explanation that ADAM is not a concern for me with respect to this upgrade.

Just out of curiosity, what camp would you put yourself in the "ain't broke don't fix it group, or the proactive cut em off at the pass group?

Adam Brown

I'm in the set it up right and keep it working camp. Part of keeping it working is to keep it updated. If a software update "breaks" your system, it was broken already.

telefunken

ASKER

I think that puts you squarely in the pro active camp. Me too.

Thanks again for your input!