Let me walk you through checking your DNS configuration.

Open your DNS Manager and connect to a DNS Server in your domain. Under forward lookup zones,  click on your domain. From under your domain, expand at _tcp. Look for the _VLMS Service Location. Click on it a window will open like the one below.



Ensure that all the settings are correct. If they are, then your KMS Server should be working. If it is not correct or the entry doesn’t exist, then we need to correct the problem.

If the entry is incorrect, enter in the fully qualified domain name of the host which is offering the service. If the entry doesn’t exist, then you need to create an entry. Right click on the _tcp folder and choose Other New Records. See the image below.

Click create record and the fill in the options as per the first picture in this post, substituting my server information for your server information. Once you complete this, replication will need to occur before your workstations start seeing the correct information. The workstations will look for this entry to find the KMS Server in your network.

I’ll cover off how you do the add and the options in another post but in order to activate Office 2010, you have two options now; KMS or MAK. Microsoft has moved the licensing of Office to be like that of Windows 7. Makes plenty of sense, but how do you set up your infrastructure so you can activate Office 2010?

I already have a Windows 2008 R2 Server acting as my KMS Host for Windows activations so I used that server. Don’t have a KMS Host for activating Windows 7 or Vista yet, check my post on setting up a KMS Host Server. If you just want to use KMS for Office 2010, then that is fine too. You need to head to Microsoft Download Center and download Microsoft Office 2010 KMS Host software. I chose to run it on my existing KMS Server, but if you don’t yet have a KMS Server, the machine you run this on will become your KMS Host for Office 2010.

Accept the EULA and click continue and it will install.

Once the file runs, it will ask you for you KMS Key for Office 2010.

Click Yes and enter the key.

It will then return whether it was successful or not.

That is all there is to it.

Once you start installing Office 2010, the KMS activation key is already defaulted in the installation. The installation will search out your KMS host server. If everything is working properly on the DNS side, then it should activate and you will be off to the races.

If you get stuck, here are some other resources:

Microsoft Office Blog – Volume Activation Tips and Tricks

Volume Activation for Office 2010

What I want to talk about is KMS, Key Management Service. Setting one of these servers up is as easy as making Kraft Dinner. Yes, simple. In reading in the forums I see people having troubles getting one up and going. I’ll walk you through the easiest setup. This walkthrough isn’t meant for someone already using a KMS server for Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008.

If you want to activate Windows 7 clients, the simplest choice is install Windows Server 2008 R2. You can use Windows Server 2003 or Windows Server 2008 but you need to install an update. If you have Server 2008 R2, I recommend using it, its just the easiest thing to do. There is a hierarchy of how the setup works, http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd979804.aspx will give you the low down.

For me, Windows Server 2008 R2 based KMS server made the most sense. The next step is to locate your KMS key for your volume activation. The key you are looking for, is the Windows Server 2008 Std/Ent KMS B (note the KMS B).

Instead of using the MAK key when you enter the key for activation, you will enter in your KMS.

You will get an warning message that you are using a KMS key, like this.

Click OK and you will have then made a KMS host machine. That is all there is to it. Some people get worried and think they have to add a Windows 7 key for the KMS host to accept Windows 7 clients. You don’t need to do that, at least I didn’t have to.

The other thing to remember is that in order for your server to activate computers, you must have at least 5 Servers checked in for server activation to occur or 25 Windows 7 or Vista machines checked in for client activation to occur. To check the status of the computers, I find the VAMT tool which comes with the WAIK works well.

Deploying XP is best when you copy the source files to the Operating Systems section. I had syspreped a machine image, booted into PE and then used ImageX to make the wim file, but what was happening was when you redeployed it, the machine would get into a boot loop and never boot up. It was the same hardware that the image was created on so I know it wasn't a HAL issue.

By copying over the source files, the machine will build itself from scratch, so you need to find sources for all the programs you intend to install. Luckily for me, everything I want to install is available as a silent install msi package. Adobe products are available for redeployment, you just need to request the files which was something I found out a couple of months back. Live messenger I wasn’t sure how I was going to be able to do that one, but luckily I found an MSI file for messenger 8.5. I still have a few bugs to iron out of the XP build as I just got it working this past afternoon, but it is coming along great.

Vista installs are going good as well. One of the tricks I found last night was how to get games to install for Vista Business. By default, the games are off, but these machines are for the library, so I have to install them. Creating an application install for MDT with the following command line does the trick which is better then going into Control Panel and finding the install Windows components.

Command line: pkgmgr.exe /iu:InboxGames /quiet

I pretty much have the computers to the point where I just login the patron account, ensure it looks okay, check and make sure everything is working, then turn on disk protection in SteadyState.

1. OEM preload scenarios for Lite Touch Installation and Zero Touch Installation with System Center Configuration Manager 2007
2. a new management pack for System Center Operations Manager 2007 SP1

The download to the new product is located in the Download Center.

Since its release, there has also been an guide to help people who have been losing their settings. To keep your settings in place after your upgrade (which is probably something you are going to want to do) check out the guide located at http://blogs.technet.com/msdeployment/archive/2008/08/05/how-to-upgrade-to-mdt-2008-update-1-lite-touch.aspx.

January 17^th 2008 User Group Meeting

Topic:

Overview of System Center Configuration Manager 2007 and review of 1E Products

Description:

In this joint presentation, Garth Jones will present an overview of System Center Configuration Manager 2007 and Ed Aldrich will present at overview of 1E products. In Garth Jones’ presentation, he will cover what is new to Configuration Manager 2007 vs SMS 2003. Garth will discuss and demonstrate a number of features including:

• Asset Intelligence

• Software Updates

• Maintenance Windows

• Software Metering

• Desired Configuration Management

In this meeting Ed will demonstrate 1E’s Power & Patch Management Pack, Nomad Enterprise, and Shopping.

SMSWakeUp wakes up machines ensuring they can receive the incoming critical patch. By automatically turning on computers for software and patch deliveries in synchronisation with Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS), SMSWakeUp increases delivery success to 100%. This product also includes the very popular SMS Client Health reporting and fixing, NightWatchman can force immediate system reboots without any loss of user data, to ensure that critical patches requiring reboots have the widest and fastest take up possible. This product also supports “green computing” initiatives via scheduled shutdowns of client systems (with related reporting) to conserve power off hours.Nomad Enterprise enables OS releases, software applications and updates to be distributed quickly and efficiently to remote, server-less branch offices and to bandwidth-challenged environments. Nomad Enterprise ensures that software packages are only copied once over the WAN to make the most efficient use of available network bandwidth. Shopping enables self-service, SMS/SCCM packaged application provisioning with proven scalability to suit any size of business up to enterprise-level. Shopping automates the complexities of application self-service, manages licenses automatically and enhances the capabilities of IT staff, approvers and desktop users. 

About the speakers:

Garth Jones is the founder of the Ottawa Windows Server User Group (OWSUG) and it’s associated study group, He is an MVP for Windows Server System – SMS, who was recently profiled on the Can IT Pro Blog and is member of the myITforum Community Council. Garth is Chief Architect of Enhansoft, an Ottawa company that develops products and services to extend the value of System Center Configuration Manager 2007, SMS, Operation Manager, MOM and Virtual Server.  He started working with Systems Management Server when it was a v1.1 (1996). He can be found in Microsoft newsgroups, on a few web forums, OWSUG.ca, SMSug.ca, FAQshop.com and myITForum.com and on the mailing list of myITforum.com. Garth has presented numerous times to OWSUG, created webcast for both SMSUG.ca & myITForum.com and has presented at Microsoft Management Summit.

Ed Aldrich joined the ranks of SMS Administrators with the release of SMS 2.0. Building on his increasing SMS expertise, Ed is now a 5 year SMS MVP, Advisory Council member of myITForum.com, 6 times Industry Expert Speaker at the annual Microsoft Management Summit conference, and founder/co-facilitator of the New England Area SMS User Group. Ed’s “day job” is that of a pre-sales Solutions Engineer at 1E, where he uses his SMS Administrator and System Center 2007 expertise to promote the well known product line of 1E solutions that compliment and extend the Windows Systems Management space.

Location:
Microsoft Canada Co.
100 Queen Street Suite 500
Ottawa, OntarioK1P 1J9 Agenda:
11:30 a.m.  Event registration
12:00 p.m.  Presentation
1:45 p.m.  Q & A
2:00 p.m.  Door Prizes

Notes:  Pizza and Pop will be served, Please RSVP to help us order enough of both.

RSVP: https://www.clicktoattend.com/invitation.aspx?code=123406

The Ottawa Windows Server User Group is presenting deploying Windows Vista and Office 2007 on September 11th, 2007 and Mitch Garvis is presenting the material.  There are two sessions, session 1 is for large business and government and it is at noon. The second event is at 5:30 and is geared towards small and medium businesses. I am planning to attend both events since I am driving up to Ottawa for the noon event, I’ll hang around for the 5:30 event. I’ll get value out of both sessions since I work in the government sector, but also some of the library branches are very small (2 computers).

The full details can be found at http://owsug.ca/blogs/sms/archive/2007/09/06/2nd-presentation-added-on-Sept-11th.-.aspx

The differences between my virtual machine lab and the production environment is that the lab is Windows 2003 SP1 and the production environment is Windows 2003 R2. I can’t see that making any difference but you never know. I will try rolling that out in my virtual lab and see what happens.

My interest is peaked now though and I want to solve this problem. I don’t want to have to use SMS or scripts to deploy Office 2007.

Stay Tuned.

Today, we have a few staff away so I am needed to answer phones. I thought since I was chained to my desk, I might as well start planning the deployment for Office 2007. I popped the Office DVD into the laptop and at the command prompt in the root of D:> , typed Setup /a . That doesn’t work in 2007, a screen comes up telling you the valid arguments though. setup /admin apparently works, so I typed that. This brings up a setup utility which creates the MSP file. I went in and filled in my settings, and I also found in there the options to change which format the files are saved in. So I set that up properly and saved the file.

That is great and all, now what about a distribution point? A little search and I found out you just copy the DVD to a network distrobution point.

I also discovered some other useful things:

• a compatiblity pack for Office 2000, XP and 2003 which allow you to open Office 2007 documents.
• a save to PDF option for Office 2007.
• adm templates for 2007 Office System. The article was titled “Using Group Policy to set default file save options”

I think this is going to be easier than I thought.

First, I copied the DVD to my software share. Then I extracted the Save to PDF file and put it into it’s own directory.  I then reopened OCT and added the Save to PDF executable as a program to install after Office 2007 is installed. I saved the changes and dropped the MSP file into the updates folder within the Office 2007 share folder. If you want different options for different groups of people but want to use the same distrobution point, don’t put the msp file into updates. A technet article describes the process you need to follow here. I then went into Group Policy and setup GP to deploy Office 2007. I also set the Group Policy options for the file saving format.  Here is a good word document on deploying Office 2007 as well.

I rebooted the machine and Office 2007 installed and my save as options are all what I want them to be. Couldn’t be simpler.

Update

use http://technet2.microsoft.com/Office/en-us/library/ to access the Office resource kit. I also changed the link above. People were getting a page not found message.

Update 2

I remember seeing somewhere that MSP files only work with the select and Enterprise Agreement media. It doesn’t work on the retail copies.