Small Business Server 2003 logins

[Guest Information]

I have inherited a SBS2003 server, and it appears a few users have been

added and some directories created that, as yet, have no data. The

secretary has been moving data to one folder on the server, and has

organized that data under that folder, not under the many that were created.

I can tell you few other details about the server.

 

The client computers are running either XP Home or XP Pro. I have removed

names from the users that no longer exist, and have created users to mirror

the current staff. The only computers that can successfully logon to the

server are the XP Pro boxes. These machines are not logging onto a domain,

but do share the workgroup with the server. Their usernames and passwords

do coincide with the server, and they have full access to what information

currently resides there.

 

If the XP Pro boxes can connect without the domain, should the XP Home boxes

as well? I can see where on the Pro boxes I can specify a domain in the

Computer Name section, but they are in a workgroup. I see no such domain

option in the corresponding area of Home.

 

I believe this SBS2003 is overkill for this company, as it looks like they

want to do some simple file sharing. The possibility of schedule

collaboration through Exchange and Outlook intrigues them, but we first need

to get everyone access to the data.

 

Any insight is appreciated, thanks in advance.

 

Dan

[Guest Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

Re: Small Business Server 2003 logins

 

Information <cmc(removethis)@cablespeed.com> wrote:

> I have inherited a SBS2003 server,

 

Have you worked with it before? SBS is its own beast, and SBS questions are

best posted in m.p.windows.server.sbs. I'm setting up my reply with a

crosspost there.

> and it appears a few users have

> been added

 

You're going to need to verify that they were created properly (or you'll

have group policy problems, etc). Check ADUC and see where the accounts

are - if they're in the built-in Users OU, they weren't set up right. Select

all the company users, right-click, and move them to the right one

(MyBusiness\Users\SBSUsers). Do not delete or even rename the built-in OUs.

 

By default, when a user is created in SBS, a \\server\users\%username%

folder is created. You can also set up your own shares. I like to create

SHARED$ (for all users), MANAGEMENT$ (for, duh, management), ACCOUNTING$

....etc.

 

Once you have all the computers joined to the domain (and all on XP Pro at

that point, of course), you'll want to use folder redirection for My

Documents, at the very least ....this will probably best go to

\\server\users$username% or a subfolder thereof.

 

> and some directories created that, as yet, have no data. The secretary has

> been moving data to one folder on the server, and

> has organized that data under that folder, not under the many that

> were created. I can tell you few other details about the server.

 

You must know more than we do, because we can't see it from here!

 

Where does she/do you want the data to live?

>

> The client computers are running either XP Home or XP Pro.

 

You'll want to immediately get the XP Home computers upgraded to Pro (or

replaced). XP Home cannot join a domain and doesn't belong in a business

environment. I myself am not deploying Vista for any of my clients yet...and

you want to keep all your workstations as identical as possible.

> I have

> removed names from the users that no longer exist, and have created

> users to mirror the current staff. The only computers that can

> successfully logon to the server are the XP Pro boxes.

 

Well, they aren't really logging onto the server. The local user names &

passwords just happen to match the domain user names & passwords.

> These

> machines are not logging onto a domain, but do share the workgroup

> with the server.

 

They need to be joined to the domain (and you must follow the SBS wizard

route for this). Create computer accounts for each workstation (I like

somewhat generic names, rather than people/users ...WORKSTATION01,

WORKSTATION02) in Server Management on the server. Then on each workstation,

run http://servername/connectcomputer. Pick out the workstation name. Pick

out the domain user name. Pick the *local* user name whose profile you want

to copy to the domain user ....be careful, as you only get to do this once!

> Their usernames and passwords do coincide with the

> server, and they have full access to what information currently

> resides there.

 

Yes, but this configuration rather defeats the purpose of having a domain at

all.

>

> If the XP Pro boxes can connect without the domain, should the XP

> Home boxes as well?

 

Sure....but this doesn't make any sense to do, so I wouldn't focus on

troubleshooting that very hard if I were you.

> I can see where on the Pro boxes I can specify a

> domain in the Computer Name section, but they are in a workgroup.

 

Correct, but as per above, that isn't the right/best way to do it in an SBS

network.

> I

> see no such domain option in the corresponding area of Home.

 

Right, because it can't join a domain (nor can Media Center Edition)

>

> I believe this SBS2003 is overkill for this company, as it looks like

> they want to do some simple file sharing.

 

Well - maybe, but workgroups are a huge PITA to maintain, and I like

domains in a business network. Plus, they've already bought it. Unless this

is illegal software & they're trying to run it on an old Pentium III

workstation with a single 30GB IDE drive (or something similarly

unsuitable), you might as well try to get it working for them.

> The possibility of schedule

> collaboration through Exchange and Outlook intrigues them, but we

> first need to get everyone access to the data.

 

Sure - and definitely look into putting Exchange to work for them. Despite

the benefits for the users, note that it's much easier to

administer/maintain an Exchange server than a slew of POP3 clients.

 

Hope the above helps a bit.

 

If this server really isn't in full production use,and you determine it

wasn't set up right to begin with, you might start over & reinstall it (back

up the data first to a workstation/USB hard drive/whatnot). Follow all the

steps & wizards, religiously. Sounds like whomever set it up didin't know

how to do it right - but you can probably fix that. Just make sure you don't

try to do most things the way you'd do them outside of SBS environments,

because it's a very tightly-integrated suite and you have to do things its

way even if you think you know better. I speak from experience, having

botched several of my first installs because I've been working with

Exchange/domains for a gazillion years.

 

>

> Any insight is appreciated, thanks in advance.

>

> Dan