Finally getting my hands on Exchange's new IMF

So you guys probably think us Microsoft folks have all the angles worked out. Well, if it makes you feel any better. I installed the Exchange Service Pack 2 without reading the release notes.

So, now I ended up in this funky state where I had IMF v1 installed on my home Small Business Server, with Exchange Service Pack 2. If you had read the Release Notes, you would know you're supposed to un-install the IMF v1 before installing Exchange Service Pack 2.

Luckily there was an easy fix.

1. First Un-install the Exchange IMF v1 from A/R programs.


2. Second, Re-apply Exchange Service Pack 2 to the machine


3. Finally, to get the best experience, you should configure your server to get updates bi-weekly on the IMF v2 by simply following KB 907747 - How to update the Intelligent Message Filter version 2 in Exchange Server 2003 SP2

Now you're back to getting updates and have the latest IMF installed on your server.

Read More

The "Chico" Smartphone Theme - Free Download!

Warning: This download is provided "as is" and confers no rights, warranties, and comes with no support.

Ok, got the juicy disclaimer out of the way. Now to the good stuff.


So I've created a couple of themes. I know I promised an SBS Theme, but I couldn't just get it working exactly the way I wanted. I figured you guys 'n gals out there had waiting long enough for your free download.

As you can probably tell it involves a picture of my dog, Chico. So let me take this opportunity to introduce you to the little furry critter at the top of this website. His name is Chico, but he also answers to "9 lbs of FURY!".

So, I present you with the Chico Theme.

Ok, so what do you have to do to install this?

• Connect your device to the desktop you downloaded the theme to


• Uncompress the theme to a known folder on your desktop


• Open Explorer and navigate to Mobile Device, My Mobile Device, Application Data, Home.


• Copy the two files in the zip file into this file on the mobile device


• On the device, open up the Settings, choose Home Screen.


• In the Home Screen Layout, select Chico and click Done.

I'm currently running this theme on my WM5+feature pack device (SMT 5600), and haven't really tested it on any other devices/versions. So use at your own risk.

Enjoy my little buddy Chico!
Sean

PS. The picture might be close to exact size!! ;o)

Read More

Meet the Team!

And so it begins. Over on the Official SBS Team Blog we're starting a series of "meet the team" video. Taking a lesson learned from the Channel 9 dev folks, we're using home videos to introduce you to the SBS product team.

Yes, that means you can ask us about our favourite food at the next event we attend.

Currently our Group Program Manager, Tracy has the first video. Other videos are in the making!

Check out what Tracy's favourite feature of SBS is, or his dream vacation. :)

Read More

Changing the Storage Location of your E-Mail and Attachments on your Windows Mobile Device

As you can probably imagine, here at Microsoft, we get a little bit of mail. Let's just say if my rules break, I get roughly an e-mail every 10 seconds. With my rules in place, it's more like an email every five minutes. That's a fair bit of mail.

Now I'm the type to stay somewhat on top of my mailbox, perhaps I don't have as many meetings as others, or perhaps I'm just a junky. Plus, I'm a fan of keeping the inbox clean. However, some folks keep their inbox far less clean than mine. It's not wrong, it's just how they choose to work.


The problem is that Windows Mobile Devices, by default store all this email and attachements in the main memory of the device unit. That means those 2GB miniSD cards are of no use to you, except to store your massive mp3 collection.

Well, Mike Poulson tells us how to Modify the registry to store email and attachments on the MiniSD card. The steps are copied here for completeness:

I have my 2125 (aka HTC Tornado, aka HTC Faraday, running Windows Mobile 5) and one of the things I needed to do was to store my email messages and attachments on my Mini-SD card.

I posted about an app that one could install that would do this a few weeks ago. But that app is broken (sets the wrong reg key).

So I thought I would just post the reg Keys that one needs to change to get outlook mail to store on their mini-sd

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\MAPI

AttachPath String “\storage card\\mail\\attachments” (no quotes)

PropertyPath string “\storage card\\mail” (no quotes)

Now you can store that massive inbox on your device and keep more mail!

Thanks Mike!

Read More

(Old but) New Official SBS Blog!

Kevin, your SBS community Program Manager has been working extra hard with our Customer Support Services, and the Product Group (my team) to bring you the The Official SBS Blog!. Mark has been running this site as the Official support blog in the past and has been doing such a fantastic job, we turned in into the official SBS blog. Check out the Old but new re-launch post.

I've updated my link on the side-bar on this website, and I hope you'll all subscribe to this blog for the official Small Business Server information.

Read More

New Whitepaper: How to Install and Configure Small Business Accounting 2006 on Windows Small Business Server 2003

The SBS UA team is out making your life easier, yet again. A new whitepaper just released to the web.

How to Install and Configure Small Business Accounting 2006 on Windows Small Business Server 2003

Read More

Seanda.blogspot.com gets a new look!

My First Blog Post was back on the 4th of October.... 2004!!! That's over a year that this blog has been in existance. And with this being the 234th post (I know, Susan does that in a day) I finally exit the 90's look and feel and push forward into the present day UI.

Yep, Square edges are out and Rounded corners are all the rave.

So, rounded corners you shall have. So, for all you RSS feeders out there, be sure to click on the track back for this one and check out the new look and feel. I still have some kinks to iron out (Google is right, I can't remove the search bar at the top... CURSES!), and I've got some painting issues (yes, painting is a dev term. It's the one you used to swear at when the Exchange server went down and Outlook 2000 just stared you blankly in the face, with a huge white square in the middle of it's UI. I can't say I miss those days)) to work out.

But for now, the look is new, it's fresh, and according to the Internet "Cool" squad, it's got rounded corners. 21st Century, here I come!

Read More

OneCare in SBS?

At Microsoft, we're encouraged to try as much as we can of our fellow teams products, even if it doesn't directly relate to our working area. Admittedly most people don't need encouragement to try new things. :)

One of our newest products is Windows Live One Care. Some folks have been wondering if it works in SBS environments. Of course it does! I'm actually running it on my client at work, which is joined to our server, and low and behold, I have the green check.

I was able to use or disable the client backup (I disabled it because everything on that client is re-directed to the server and it would have been redundant). My firewall is up and running and my automatic updates (provided to me by WSUS) show nothing but a green check.

So have fun, check it out and enjoy the safety!

Read More

ISA 2006 Beta!? Sweet, let's SBS'ize it.... or not.

Dear Early Adopters,

It has come to my attention that ISA 2006 Beta is available. Furthermore, it has come to my attention that people are antsy to get this installed on the Small Business Server 2003 boxes (hopefully not the production ones).

While I don't normally post "future" things on this blog, I figured now would be a good exception to that rule. I hope to continue to break this rule in the future, of course, within reason.

Anyways, back to the ISA 2006 topic. I'm not sure why Small Business Early Adopters are trying to install ISA 2006 on SBS as the feature set is limited for Small Businesses. As noted on the ISA 2006 website, most features are targeted towards large or enterprise customers and have no functionality or need in a small business: but as an early adopter myself, I know there are you guys 'n gals out there who just want to be first.

Well, I beat you. :o)

ISA 2006 cannot be configured by the Small Business Server tools. Those tools include:

• Configure Email and Internet Connection Wizard - yes, the "fix everything wizard" will not work.


• Remote Access Configuration Wizard


• Change IP

These tools error out as they are not configured to work against the new API set provided by the ISA team.

Bottom line is the Beta of ISA 2006 does not work on SBS 2003. More information will be posted on the Windows Small Business Server 2003 F.A.Q. later this month on how much support will be provided for ISA 2006 on SBS.

Read More

New Whitepaper: Information Workers Guide to the SBS Network

Our UA team has done it again. You've got another Whitepaper all lined up for you to read.

This time it's for your end users!

Information Worker’s Guide to the Windows SBS Computer Network

Read More

Making Calendar Requests More Visible in your inboxes

I personally like to keep no more than 30 messages in my inbox, it's somewhat of a todo list for me. However, I know this is only one school of thought.

Some folks like to keep tons of messages in their inbox, or perhaps they get so much mail, they can't possibly keep up with everything that comes into their inbox.

So, a lot of folks around here are using Outlook Search Folders to make sure they don't miss meetings with their overly busy inboxes. So, we're creating search folders to keep those calendar requests visible!

Here's how

1. In Outlook, right click on Search Folders and choose New Search Folder


2. Scroll to the bottom and choose Create a Custom Search Folder and choose Choose to define the custom criteria


3. Give the search folder a friendly name, like Calendar Requests.


4. Choose the Criteria by selecting Criteria
   
   
   • Select the Advanced tab.
   
   
   • Drop the Field dialog down, mouse over Mail Fields, and select Message Class.
   
   
   • Change Condition to is (exactly).
   
   
   • For Value type in IPM.Schedule.Meeting.Request
   
   
   • Choose OK, and OK again to add it to the list of criteria


5. Click OK until you're back in Outlook

Great, so now you have a Search Folder, next you'll want to drag it into your Favorite Folders so you can see it easily.

Finally, your goal should be to keep this folder empty (aka, you have no outstanding meeting requests in your inbox, and they are all on your calendar). Thus you need to right click on the Calendar Requests folder and choose Properties. On the General tab make sure you select the Show total number of items, to make sure you always know if there is a calendar request, read or not.

Great! that's all there is to it, now you'll always appear on top of meetings and be the first to reply.

Read More

New Whitepaper: Deploying Windows Mobile 5.0 with Windows Small Business Server 2003

Yep, a second one today, The SBS/Mobility UA team rocks!

If you've got your hands on a Windows Mobile 5.0 device and your having problems getting it to work against your SBS 2003 server, you'll want to check out the Deploying Windows Mobile 5.0 with Windows Small Business Server 2003 whitepaper.

I've been told that one of our great MVPs also helped out with this document. Thanks Michael!

Enjoy the reading

Read More

New Whitepaper: How to Install & Configure Small Business Accounting 2006 on SBS 2003

Well, there are lots of docs coming out these days. The first to hit the press (a.k.a web) is the How to Install and Configure Small Business Accounting 2006 on Windows Small Business Server 2003.

Read More

Using the Microsoft Exchange Server ActiveSync Web Administration Tool on SBS

By now you probably have a fleet of Windows Mobile 5.0 devices in the field, and you've been reading up on all the new security benefits that WM5.0 provides to your business, or your clients business. You get excited (as any good person would about solid security) and install the Using the Microsoft Exchange Server ActiveSync Web Administration Tool.

And that's when things seem to go wrong.

Not to worry! There is a solution for you!

First, open the IIS manager and ensure you still only have one default website. If you have two, then you should probably

1. Un-install the web tool


2. Copy down the IP address settings for the default website, and change them to All Unassigned


3. Re-install the web tool


4. Revert the IP address settings to what you had copied down before

Next, you'll want to check the ExAdmin virtual directory.

1. Open IIS manager again (unless you never closed it)


2. Check out the Directory Security in the Secure Communications tab, edit it and clear the Require secure channel (SSL) box.

Finally, we need to ensure the MobileAdmin virtual directory is running in the Exchange Application Pool

1. Again in IIS Manager, expand default website and open the properties of the MobileAdmin virtual directory


2. On the Virtual Directory tab, in Application Pool, select ExchangeApplicationPool

Phew! After all that you're good to go with mobile administration. Now you can again celebrate the best in mobile security using your SBS server as the centerpoint of that security.

Read More