Disaster test - Windows Product Activation problem
Peter Herbison
We are attempting to perform a Disaster Recovery TEST of our Windows
Small Business Server 2003 Std installation. I have followed a
Microsoft document titled "Backing Up and Restoring Windows Small
Business Server 2003" which instructs me on how to recover to a test
server from the SBS 2003 backup. So far, so good.
However, after the restore of c: and System state, I boot up the
server and I get the "Windows Product Activation" dialog advising that
Windows must be activated before I can logon. I cannot complete the
restore nor verify what has been done (although it looks like it has
worked).
I phoned Microsoft Australia who said they would not be able to help
me because this was a TEST server and not a re-activation of the real
server. They would not give me a reactivation key. They would not even
give me a temporary key.
I only require this server to work for a couple of days! Just enough
to verify that we have recovered it.
Does anyone know how I can get around WPA for 2-3 days?
How does everyone else do this? You gotta test...........right???
We intend to perform a DR test every couple of months to confirm our
backup strategy. (I also have other clients who need to do this too).
Thanks
Peter Herbison
Merv Porter [SBS-MVP]
--
Merv Porter [SBS MVP]
===================================
"Peter Herbison" <peter.h...@leveragedcapital.com.au> wrote in message
news:746a59ee.04091...@posting.google.com...
Peter Herbison
> Are you restoring to different hardware than the original backup?
>
> --
Yes I am. I am restoring to a test server. Quite a different hardware
spec.......but it seems to be restoring ok. I just re-restored making
sure my system date was 6 hours later than the backup (i read
somewhere about a 3 day grace period) but I got the same result.
On my first boot after the restore I brought it up in "safe" mode and
could logon ok and look around. Then rebooted and could not logon due
to WPA again.
I know restoring to different hardware is not desirable but I am
(very) limited in hardware to choose from. This is only a test to
verify my backups.
How am I supposed to do this?
Les Connor
This is a good point you raise, and I'm going to see if I can get it
answered.
--
Les Connor
-------------------------------------
SBS Rocks !
"Peter Herbison" <peter.h...@leveragedcapital.com.au> wrote in message
news:746a59ee.04091...@posting.google.com...
Peter Herbison
> Peter,
>
> This is a good point you raise, and I'm going to see if I can get it
> answered.
>
Les,
Thanks. I would appreciate it.
Raland
Unless you buy a second server and put it in your closest at home (for
years), I can't think of a recovery that wouldn't be on hardware several
generations newer than the original.
To get around the activation for testing purposes I'd suggest using the
trial version of the software. It seems to be able to activate numerous
times (unlimited?) and I think I just read a post here where you can go from
the trial to retail version just by putting the retail cd in, no install or
configuration. If you have a chance to try this, report back on the results.
Hope this helps...
-Ralph
Les Connor
That's an idea worth exploring, especially in a test environment. It
wouldn't solve the problem if the method involved imaging, though. It would
be so much simpler if WPA gave you a few days, don't you think?
--
Les Connor
-------------------------------------
SBS Rocks !
"Raland" <rga...@nospam.hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:eq%23prIWn...@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
Raland
You're right about this not working for images. After you mentioned it, I
remember having the exact problem when I was "messing around" with SBS2K3
trial before the retail version was release. At the time there was a lot of
other new stuff to tinker with so I just quit at that point and moved on.
While I totally understand why activation is needed and support it, planning
and testing a DR is one of the most important and challenging tasks I face
as a single person IT department. This is something that can make the
difference between my company staying in business or folding up shop when
it's needed. This is especially true of the us little guys with SBS, so
re-activation shouldn't get in the way of this. I can't see it being too
much trouble to have special activation keys that only funtion for a limited
time.
-Ralph
Peter Herbison
Ralph,
Agree with your comments on DR being "the most important and
challenging task" for 1 person IT.
An activation key that would last me a couple of days would be fine.
Again, how does everyone else do this?
Peter Herbison
Peter Herbison
>
> This is a good point you raise, and I'm going to see if I can get it
> answered.
>
> --
> Les Connor
Les,
Did you manage to get an answer for me?
Peter Herbison
Henry Craven
(...hmmm thinks .... SA Allows Cold Server rights ..... Hmmmm )
We tested ( many Times ) system state restore from backup to validate
that it worked ( use an eval version on a test box is one way ) and also
test restoring Data from the Live Server backup to validate that the
backup is "Good" and restorable. - No real reason to assume then that
the System state won't restore when / as needed.
You could always Ghost the Live Server, test the restore and if it fails
Ghost back.
--
Henry Craven {SBS-MVP}
Melbourne Australia
"Peter Herbison" <peter.h...@leveragedcapital.com.au> wrote in
message news:746a59ee.04092...@posting.google.com...
Merv Porter [SBS-MVP]
Hmmm...
"Cold" Server Backup for Disaster Recovery--a Microsoft Software Assurance
Benefit
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=12d01621-2a23-4eab-91c0-064a47d64ab6&displaylang=en
<SNIP>
"QUESTION: What exactly am I allowed to do with this cold backup, besides
installing it?
ANSWER: The Software Assurance benefit around cold server backup for
disaster recovery includes the ability to install the server software, to
configure it, to test disaster recovery procedures periodically, for example
several times a year, and of course to move the backup server into
production mode in the event of an actual disaster. "
<END SNIP>
So how is the activation code handled with a cold server you need to "test"?
Is the activation code linked to the SA registration and then the MS
activation database then knows the software can be loaded onto two (and only
two) servers at the same time?
--
Merv Porter [SBS MVP]
===================================
"Henry Craven" <IUnk...@Dot.Nyet> wrote in message
news:ewI7Kx2n...@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
Henry Craven
...had left a note for myself to search that up when I got time....
Excellent Question too.
Guess we'll need someone with SA to test the waters and argue the toss.
--
Henry Craven {SBS-MVP}
Melbourne Australia
"Merv Porter [SBS-MVP]" <mwport@no_spam_hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:Op0dMH3n...@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
Les Connor
is on this shortly. But you do know that the product activation cards are
going to be held fairly close to the MS chest, don't you ? ;-)
--
Les Connor [SBS Community Member]
-------------------------------------
SBS Rocks !
"Peter Herbison" <peter.h...@leveragedcapital.com.au> wrote in message
news:746a59ee.04092...@posting.google.com...
Peter Herbison
MS cannot be serious! I can backup, but I'm not allowed to test that
the backup is recoverable!!!! My compliance officer is going to love
that!
> We tested ( many Times ) system state restore from backup to validate
> that it worked ( use an eval version on a test box is one way ) and also
> test restoring Data from the Live Server backup to validate that the
> backup is "Good" and restorable. - No real reason to assume then that
> the System state won't restore when / as needed.
I have restored c: and system state to the test box, but not Exchange
or my user data. SBS will not let you restore it all at once. Once
it's restored I cannot logon to complete the process.
> You could always Ghost the Live Server, test the restore and if it fails
> Ghost back.
Testing on the live server is not an option until I can prove the
backup process is recoverable......catch 22. Besides, that would mean
an extended outage which is also highly undesirable.
Peter Herbison
Melbourne, Australia
p.s. thanks for you input
Peter Herbison
> Benefit
> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=12d01621-2a23-4eab-91c0-064a47d64ab6&displaylang=en
Merv,
I do not have SA for this installation. I actually do not want to have
a "cold" server as such. All I want is to perform a disaster recovery
test. This is just the first, I need to do this regularly.
I wish to take the offsite backup files, recover them to a test
server, check that everything restored ok (AD, files, shares,
printers, Sharepoint, Exchange, etc.), document the process, then shut
it down (format the disk!).
A three day grace period for Activation would do me fine.
It will not sit there "cold". I need it for other purposes.
Peter Herbison
Merv Porter [SBS-MVP]
we find out anything.
--
Merv Porter [SBS MVP]
===================================
"Peter Herbison" <peter.h...@leveragedcapital.com.au> wrote in message
news:746a59ee.04092...@posting.google.com...
Peter Herbison
> Some of the MVPs are checking with MS on this now. Will let you know when
> we find out anything.
>
> --
> Merv Porter [SBS MVP]
> ===================================
Merv,
Thanks. I look forward to sorting this out. My client is getting really anxious.
Peter Herbison
Henry Craven
If there was one we'd probably already have it.
Remember MS is a -corporation- and there are procedures and channels,
and everyone from the Dev Team to Marketing to Legal and a whole lot
more in between will be involved in this.
--
Henry Craven {SBS-MVP}
Melbourne Australia
"Peter Herbison" <peter.h...@leveragedcapital.com.au> wrote in
message news:746a59ee.04092...@posting.google.com...
SBS03 Rocks!!!
software?
SBS03 Rocks!!!
"Peter Herbison" <peter.h...@leveragedcapital.com.au> wrote in message
news:746a59ee.04091...@posting.google.com...
Henry Craven
activation.
--
Henry Craven {SBS-MVP}
Melbourne Australia
"SBS03 Rocks!!!" <SB...@invalid.invalid> wrote in message
news:OryGF#EoEHA...@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
Peter Herbison
> I wouldn't be looking for a quick answer Peter.
>
I hope you're wrong. I have customers screaming for a successful test.
Henry Craven
Jeff Middleton just posted a response to you over at your thread on
sb...@yahoogroups.com
For those interested and not members of that list:
Q -----------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 21 Sep 2004 19:58:05 -0500
From: "Jeff Middleton SBS-MVP" <jm_mv...@cfisolutions.com>
Subject: RE: Disaster Recovery Test - Product Activation troubles
Ok, folks...this isn't pretty, but here it is.
I have been informed by the SBS Dev team that the activation
trigger when restoring from backup to different hardware is not SBS
specific action, it's inherited from Windows Server itself. The expected
behavior is that an immediate reactivation requirement will occur due to
hardware change detected.
The option to reactivate is up to you.
In other words, there is no block or problem for an actual recovery, but
it appears that from a live test scenario...this one didn't get to the
finish line. You could reactivate, and that's not going to shutdown the
previous server (I think), your problem on activation counts would only
be an issue down the road. (isn't that sweet?)
I'm putting in an MSwish to have this condition altered to behave more
like XP, which I think gives you X number reboots or days or something.
In the context I asked about this, we would not be expecting to see it
addressed prior to a new release.
BTW, the text in green above is what I asked...can I say this? The rest
of isn't at all an approved policy statement...just my impression.
EQ ---------------------------------------------------------------
--
Henry Craven {SBS-MVP}
Melbourne Australia
"Peter Herbison" <peter.h...@leveragedcapital.com.au> wrote in
message news:746a59ee.04092...@posting.google.com...
Merv Porter [SBS-MVP]
C:\windows\system32 and delete the WPA.dbl and WPA.bak files. Will the test
server then act normally with respect to activation (i.e., you can log on
and then deal with the prompts for activation)? If this works, it may give
you enough time to evaluate the test recovery.
--
Merv Porter [SBS MVP]
===================================
"Henry Craven" <IUnk...@Dot.Nyet> wrote in message
news:uaB$hCIoEH...@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
Gary Karasik
If Recovery Console had been loaded on the original server, you could boot
into RC and try to delete the WPA files (I can't remember if RC will allow
you access to SYSTEM32); alternatively, if the hardware were compatible, you
could mount the semi-restored HD in the original server and delete those
files via the original installation (assuming of course that deleting those
files will solve the activation problem).
GaryK
"Merv Porter [SBS-MVP]" <mwport@no_spam_hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:ucgTxXKo...@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
Merv Porter [SBS-MVP]
sleep now. :-)
--
Merv Porter [SBS MVP]
===================================
"Gary Karasik" <gkarasik2fea.net> wrote in message
news:%233gHdsK...@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
Peter Herbison
> Wonder what happens if you boot to DOS on the test server, navigate to
> C:\windows\system32 and delete the WPA.dbl and WPA.bak files. Will the test
> server then act normally with respect to activation (i.e., you can log on
> and then deal with the prompts for activation)? If this works, it may give
> you enough time to evaluate the test recovery.
>
Merv,
I will try this (Not DOS though, I have a boot CD that will allow me
access to the drive).
What have I got to lose?
Peter Herbison
Gary Karasik
GaryK
"Peter Herbison" <peter.h...@leveragedcapital.com.au> wrote in message
news:746a59ee.04092...@posting.google.com...
Peter Herbison
I just reread this thread and realised that I hadn't responded to your
suggestion.
A trial version of SBS 2003 will not make any difference. My test is
to restore my production server, that is, Active directory, DNS,
Files, Shares, Sharepoint, Exchange.....everything. The only was to do
this is to restore the boot partition and systemstate (as per the
microsoft document mentioned earlier). As soon as I do this, the trial
version is gone. I am now on the recovered live server..........which
demands activation.
"Raland" <rga...@nospam.hotmail.com> wrote in message news:<eq#prIWnE...@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl>...
Peter Herbison
I can now answer this one. If you delete wpa.dbl and wpa.bak........it
does exactly the same thing.
Good suggestion but....
"Merv Porter [SBS-MVP]" <mwport@no_spam_hotmail.com> wrote in message news:<ucgTxXKo...@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl>...
Raland
install of SBS and was only restoring data via the backup. So you were able
to do a full system restore from backup without driver issues? I guess as
long as you stayed with a similar harddrive interface IDE/SCSI/SATA it would
at least boot so you could install driver for the new hardware. I'm
interested to see how your restore turns out.
You might find at least a workable solution by going at this in different
direction. Say you go ahead and activate the restored system to get it
running. As we heard it may or may not cause the live system to stop working
(probably not). Is there an easy way to make SBS ask for reactivation? If
there is, then you could immediately reactivate the live install (probably
require the phone method) , then your live system would be activated and
legal, your restored system would let you log in. Once you checkout the
restored system, flatten it, everyone should be happy with that.....
-Ralph
Merv Porter [SBS-MVP]
recovery server was connected to the Internet during recovery. Wonder what
happens if it's not connected to the web at all?
I also found this...
Windows Server 2003 Product Activation
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/techinfo/overview/activation.mspx
"IMPORTANT NOTE: The software activation status does not impact the services
running on the server. Even if the hardware goes out of tolerance and you
are asked to reactivate it, services will continue to run, even if the
software is not reactivated. Not activating only limits the ability of a
user to log on. Services and remote administration are not affected. "
Can you remotely access the server once it's restored (TS or RDP, VPN from a
laptop to the recovery server)?
--
Merv Porter [SBS MVP]
===================================
"Peter Herbison" <peter.h...@leveragedcapital.com.au> wrote in message
news:746a59ee.04092...@posting.google.com...
Les Connor
it's good to go ;-).
--
Les Connor [SBS Community Member]
-------------------------------------
SBS Rocks !
"Raland" <rga...@nospam.hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:Om1JIDR...@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
Baz
I think you are chasing a strange Risk Compliance methodology, when you
attempt to restore the complete server on new iron.
Daily, Forensic divisions of large accountants & Federal types do things to
the Winlogon.* area that would have the MS SA folk sitting in their waiting
rooms for hours. These methods are not something anyone from these orgs will
discuss out loud unless mumbling into a jug of beer Friday nights.
There are other ways to remain within the umbrella of your perceived
liability.
An examination of Risk Compliance as an object an underwriter will put on
risk, seems to be interpreted as a documented series of proofs that data of
any type can be recovered, reconstituted, displayed in a reasonable amount
of time & with reasonable effort.
The emphasis is on 'reasonable'.
Such data usually can take 4 forms:
SQL data.
Mailboxes with all their content.
Flat file databases like FoxPro, Access etc.
Actual doc storage like Word, Excel worksheets, faxes on the form of tiffs
or whatever.
The whole concept of Compliance Testing is that a site's backup can be taken
at random & be proven to be valid & readable by the 'normal' software that
actually created such data, in a way generally thought as 'best practise'.
When the definition gets near a gavel, you can bet it's hard to find someone
waving an EULA about & bleating that this is a defence for their action(s).
So yes, one who does this sorta thing would indeed have a 'like' server just
waiting in their cave - or a series of boxes, to do all of the above.
Oh, and a copy of OnTracks excellent *.edb manipulating tools to trot out
pst's of all the mailboxes & public stores.
And installed & running versions of the software that creates & runs the 3rd
party flat file db's.
These, of course, are all legally obtained & up to date as to versions . . .
.
Umm, who would be an escrow agent these days?
hth,
Baz.
Peter Herbison
The recovery server was not, nor will ever be connected to the network
yet alone the internet during my testing. I am purely testing DR.
The item you quote does seem to be correct. The server does start and
most services are operational. Some services have failed which is
probably expected due to the manner of my restore. But, YOU CANNOT
LOGON.
"Merv Porter [SBS-MVP]" <mwport@no_spam_hotmail.com> wrote in message news:<#LGybTRo...@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl>...
Peter Herbison
I am just trying to comply with the regularatory requirements for the
business we are running. That is, I need to have documented backup
procedures with secure offsite storage and I need to DEMONSTRATE that
I can recover from these backups in the case of a disaster. We do not
have like iron for the production server. Nor will we get it in the
short term.
So, my task is, take the offsite backups and restore it to the test
server. Document the process. Along the way I will be verifying that
our backups are sufficient to support recovery of the computer
systems.
It's shouldn't be this hard.
I have now been made aware of various winlogon treatments. No way will
this business go down that path.
"Baz" <b...@nospamstuff.doodle> wrote in message news:<eTiObmbo...@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl>...
Merv Porter [SBS-MVP]
attach a laptop (in the same subnet as the external NIC)to that switch, can
you then VPN into the server to take a look at it? That link indicates that
"Services and remote administration are not affected" (never tried this so
I'm only assuming the link is correct).
--
Merv Porter [SBS MVP]
===================================
"Peter Herbison" <peter.h...@leveragedcapital.com.au> wrote in message
news:746a59ee.0409...@posting.google.com...
Merv Porter [SBS-MVP]
--
Merv Porter [SBS MVP]
===================================
"Merv Porter [SBS-MVP]" <mwport@no_spam_hotmail.com> wrote in message
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