Re: Repair or rebuild?
From: Andrew M. Saucci, Jr. (spam-only_at_2000computer.com)
Date: 10/08/04
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Date: Thu, 7 Oct 2004 22:00:25 -0400
No problem-- I forwarded all these comments to the boss and he now
has no intention of touching it. I always tell him how sharp the folks in
this newsgroup are, so the opinions here carry lots of weight. In fact, now
he prefers to put a new server in there with SBS 2003 rather than take
responsibility for the existing one. (An on-site reinstall means lots of
downtime or the trouble of setting up a temporary loaner server.) I doubt
that the client will go for that, though-- the existing server is under two
years old. We do have a full backup of the data now on an Iomega HDD in
addition to a tape or two, so a reformat isn't unrealistic.
The problem is usually the client. I know we have no choice, but
the client may not see it that way. He also asked a good question: "How did
the Active Directory corruption happen and how do you know it won't happen
again if you put in a new server?" I didn't really have an answer for that
other than to explain that I've seen a similar problem on only one of 30
other AD servers we maintain, so it's very unusual. You have to keep in mind
that this guy knows he was burned by the previous "consultant" and he's a
bit wary of us until we have some sort of track record with him. He also
asked at one point, "How do I know you're doing what you say you're doing?"
I'm walking a bit of a tightrope there between confidence and arrogance and
have to try to see things from the client's perspective as I guide him
toward the path he needs to take.
"SuperGumby [SBS MVP]" <not@your.nellie> wrote in message
news:eihJrFHrEHA.1712@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> what's unanimous? You never really had a choice in the first place!!!!
>
> Explain to the boss, and the client, the problems as you have described
them
> here. Then let them decide.
>
> Me. If the the client decided repair was the way and the boss agreed, I'd
> let him (the boss) do it.
>
> "Andrew M. Saucci, Jr." <spam-only@2000computer.com> wrote in message
> news:OKhIx1ArEHA.644@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> > I guess it's unanimous. My boss wasn't entirely convinced, so I
> > needed some backup, and if the client questions it, we can say that I
got
> > five second opinions that all concur. If they want someone else to
repair
> > what's there, let fools rush in where wise men fear to tread. Thanks,
> > everyone.
> >
> > "Justin Wong" <justin_w17@spamhotmaildotcom> wrote in message
> > news:%23VIexV5qEHA.1164@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> >> Flatten the Server.
> >>
> >> If your worried about the time it will take you to backup the server
via
> > USB
> >> 1.1 then just buy a new hard disk and plug it into the IDE on the
> >> Motherboard. I know in Australia the hard disk is about 90 Dollars for
an
> > 80
> >> gig drive. It can also be used later. Or you could just buy a USB 2.0
> >> card
> >> and put that in temporarily.
> >>
> >> Justin
> >>
> >>
> >> "William Hartwell" <infoREMOVECAPS@sencomp.com> wrote in message
> >> news:Orv3h64qEHA.2696@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
> >> > Andrew,
> >> >
> >> > You really don't have a choice. You have illegal software on the
server
> >> > (how about the rest of the network?) and it must be flattened. You
need
> > to
> >> > explain the software licensing laws to the customer and if they shrug
> >> > it
> >> > off you need to walk! TMO
> >> >
> >> > I would never give a customer a flat fee for doing a job. If the
> > customer
> >> > gets to decide when you've done enough work for the money you charge,
> > you
> >> > will NEVER be done. I would give the customer some references and an
> >> > estimate. I would explain that it's only an estimate based on what I
> > could
> >> > see and could be higher or lower.
> >> >
> >> > Bill
> >> >
> >> > "Chad A. Gross [SBS Community Member]"
> >> > <chad.gross@laytonflower.nospam.com> wrote in message
> >> > news:eusd1H2qEHA.2588@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> >> >>I vote to start from scratch. If this was me in this situation,
> >> >>there's
> >> >>no way I could give this client a firm fixed price on any repair
> > attempt.
> >> >>Besides, with the mess this is in at the moment, I wouldn't feel
> >> >>comfortable standing behind this server if I was able to get it
working
> > .
> >> >>. . too many potential skeletons in the closet waiting to jump out.
> >> >>
> >> >> --
> >> >>
> >> >> Chad A. Gross - SBS MVP
> >> >> SBS ROCKS!
> >> >>
> >> >> www.msmvps.com/cgross
> >> >> www.gosbs.org
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >> Susan Bradley, CPA aka Ebitz - SBS Rocks [MVP] wrote:
> >> >>> Shall we vote?
> >> >>>
> >> >>> I vote flatten.
> >> >>>
> >> >>> Aaron Boone wrote:
> >> >>>
> >> >>>> Backup the data and reinstall. You can give the client a
> >> >>>> pretty solid estimate of what it will cost to reinstall
> >> >>>> and you know it will work. If you try to repair that you
> >> >>>> will never be 100% confident with that network. Every
> >> >>>> time something odd occurs, you will wonder if it's that
> >> >>>> server or domain setup.
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> My 2cents
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> Aaron Boone
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>> -----Original Message-----
> >> >>>>> I forgot to mention that the previous
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> consultant placed "Domain
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>> Users" into the "Domain Admins" group on the server. I
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> think this yields
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>> some insight into his methods and level of skill. The
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> controller said that
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>> this had something to do with an attempt to use Citrix
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> for remote access--
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>> but still...
> >> >>>>>
> >> >>>>> "Andrew M. Saucci, Jr." <spam-only@2000computer.com>
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> wrote in message
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>> news:%23ljdIg0qEHA.3980@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> >> >>>>>
> >> >>>>>> We were called into a difficult situation for
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> a new client (the
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>>> company's controller worked with my boss in a previous
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> job, but the
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>>> company's owner is unfamiliar with us). The previous
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> consultant was
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>>> dismissed because he could not provide a working
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> backup, was unable to
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>>> implement a solution for remote access, did not have
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> antivirus software
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>>> running on the workstations, attempted but failed an
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> installation of NAV
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>>> 7.51 on the server, and could not allow internal LAN
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> users to access the
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>>> company web site, among other things. He did not leave
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> copies of any of
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>> the
> >> >>>>>
> >> >>>>>> server software. We checked with Dell (it's a
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> PowerEdge 2500) and no
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>>> software was ordered with the system. Currently
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> installed are Windows 2000
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>>> Server and Exchange 2000 Server along with BackupExec
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> 8.5 (stamped "not
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>> for
> >> >>>>>
> >> >>>>>> resale"). The network has about ten computers,
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> including the server.
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>>> An inspection of the Windows 2000 server
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> reveals that the backup
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>> was
> >> >>>>>
> >> >>>>>> hanging at "System State," probably because of a
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> corrupt Active Directory.
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>>> BackupExec stops at Active Directory; NTBackup of the
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> system state stops
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>> at
> >> >>>>>
> >> >>>>>> one of the Active Directory files. Thus we have no
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> known backup of the
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>>> System State. The company web site is inaccessible
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> because the Active
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>>> Directory domain was created as company.com instead of
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> company.local. The
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>>> Event Viewer is filled with EXCDO errors (maybe he was
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> backing up or virus
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>>> scanning the M: drive). I also see "Access denied
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> launching DCOM server"
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>>> errors and scattered NTDS ISAM errors. I attempted to
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> run LiveUpdate on
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>> NAV
> >> >>>>>
> >> >>>>>> 7.51 on the server, and it claimed success, but the
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> date on the display
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>>> shows 4/4/2004 six hours later.
> >> >>>>>>
> >> >>>>>> My feeling is that repairing this scenario is
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> risky and possibly
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>>> more time-consuming than simply purchasing SBS 2003
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> and starting from
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>>> scratch. At least I know how long that will take-- and
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> the owner is
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>>> unwilling to allow us to work on time and materials;
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> he wants a firm price
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>>> for whatever we decide to do. So far I have also
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> gotten the feeling that
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>>> this is an onion to peel-- the further I go, the more
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> I find. Who knows
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>> what
> >> >>>>>
> >> >>>>>> a full antivirus scan with current definitions will
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> show? I think at the
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>>> very least we need to image that server before
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> proceeding, but with over
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>> 80
> >> >>>>>
> >> >>>>>> GB of data and USB 1.1, even a reimage would take time.
> >> >>>>>>
> >> >>>>>> Would anyone here attempt a repair on this?
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> Are we being overly
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>>> cautious? I explained to the owner that I have little
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>> experience repairing
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>>> Active Directory-- but how many people really do?
> >> >>>>>>
> >> >>>>>>
> >> >>>>>
> >> >>>>>
> >> >>>>> .
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >
> >> >
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
>
>
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