"Unable to create offline join information" on joining domain from Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows Server 2008 R2 machine

Joining domain you may enter correct domain and administrator account data, but finally get an error:

"Unable to create offline join information"

View into ADSI users and computers applet on the domain controller shows, that computer account was created and is already listed, but the victim machine still isn’t joined to domain.

(Possible) resolution: check for any anti virus software running on the machine to be joined. In our case it was McAfee – once we’ve disabled it, the join succeeded immediately, and we enjoy

"No mapping between account names and security IDs was done" error message while SQL Server 2008 Setup on a Hyper-V VM

While installing SQL Server 2008 on a Hyper-V VM you may encounter following problem: setting accounts for SQL Server services you’ll get an error box with message

"No mapping between account names and security IDs was done"

The account data: domain, login, password are correct, but the message comes over and over again and doesn’t let continue the setup.

In this situation there’s a good time to check if the VM to install SQL Server is using a copied VHD. Once the VHD is just copied (for example, you are installing a domain, setup a blank VHD and copy it to deploy different domain member machines) you have to change the machine ID for each (!) VM to deploy.

To change the ID before installing SQL Server 2008 in the VM with copied VHD use the built-in Windows tool SysPrep.

Using SysPrep on the VM do not forget to check the box “Generalize”. You will need to enter keyboard, location and probably some additional settings on the next VM start.

Enjoy!

PS: BTW, the best way is still to setup the machine fro SQL Server from scratch, I guess.

UPD: Good article here: http://macraem.wordpress.com/2010/02/25/no-mapping-between-account-names-and-security-ids-sql-server-install-and-sysprep-generalize/

Using CoreConfig on Windows Hyper-V Server 2012

 

Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2012 is a great opportunity to virtualize the whole IT environment for low cost (free download, free-of-charge activation – as for today).

As for core server there aren’t any window based management tools, the administrator may want to learn and exercise console and powershell commands. Alternatively, there’s an administration package named CoreConfig at codeplex: http://coreconfig.codeplex.com/

After copy to the target box one may encounter problems starting the configuration tools. The reason is based on changed command set for Windows Server 2012 and described here:

http://coreconfig.codeplex.com/discussions/397446

So, once you downloaded the content of the package to your fresh installed Hyper-V Server 2012 box, the next step is: find “oclist” string and replace it by “dism” in following files:

• Start_CoreConfig.wsf
• CoreConfig.ps1
• Networking.ps1
• Roles.ps1

After the files are changed you can start the Start_CoreConfig.wsf as usual (as on Hyper-V Server 2008 R2) – or launch powershell and start single modules.

If you get an error message

"File cannot be loaded because the execution of scripts is disabled on this system"

you’ll need to set execution policy to unrestricted with following powershell command:

Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted

After the steps are done you should be able to start the configuration modules as expected:

Enjoy!