Vista and Windows Server 2003 Administration Tools Pack
February 8, 2007
Update 1/12/09:
For Windows 7 users, Microsoft just released the Remote Server Administration Tools only days after Windows 7’s beta release, and hopefully works just dandy for your Server 2003 administration needs as well. I’m shocked, astounded, amazed, and frankly quite pleased that they’ve gotten their act together like this. Installation details here.
Update 9/26/08:
This post has been around for a year and a half now, and each month the number of hits has grown, bringing in around 95% of my blog traffic. Thus, it’s probably relevant enough to warrant updating this to say that as of sometime this year (I wasn’t paying attention), Microsoft released the Remote Server Administration Tools for Vista SP1, which supports some, but not all, Server 2003 functionality. Download here, and read the list of supported and unsupported tools here. This should hopefully render the below post obsolete. [Thanks, JP, for the tip!]
—
Original 2/8/2007 (NOW UNNECESSARY, SEE UPDATE 9/26/08 ABOVE):
The Windows Server 2003 Administration Tools Pack doesn’t run under Vista, but gives an error (“MMC could not create the snap-in”). Microsoft posted a Knowledge Base article here with a fix, and other users reported it worked for them. However, even after following said instructions, I continued receiving the same error message. I did a bit of frustrated troubleshooting and discovered the simple issue I’d inadvertently missed. You not only have to run the script as an administrator (which I had done), but the Administration Tools installer as well.
1. Log onto a domain account with administrative privileges on the machine.
2. Download the Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 Administration Tools Pack. Right-click on the file and select Run As Administrator. Complete installation.
3. Download this script to register the necessary dlls, or you can create it from the walkthrough in KB 930056). Change the file extension to .cmd (WordPress doesn’t let you upload executables, and I’m too lazy to host it elsewhere). Right-click on file and select Run As Administrator.
4. Magic–your Administration Tools now work. Now you can unlock user accounts and other administratory goodness without having to fire up Parallels or remote into an XP machine.
5. Leave me a happy comment telling me it worked for you. It’ll brighten my day.
If you’re having trouble with the DHCP snap-in not showing scopes, there is a Microsoft hotfix for this issue. Can’t download it directly from their site, but if you don’t want to talk to a real person just use this contact form instead. [Thanks, Mason, for the tip]
Entry Filed under: Administration Tools Pack, Microsoft, Technology, Vista, Windows, Windows Server 2003. .
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1.
Hector Atristain | February 23, 2007 at 6:46 pm
Administration tools works…. but when i add a server in DHCP console and try to see the scopes that have i can’t see anyone, i see de server options but no one scope.
If you have some tip… i agree u.
Thanks.
2.
Laura | February 24, 2007 at 1:35 pm
Unfortunately, there’s still several functions that don’t work with this fix. Those include the DHCP snap-in not showing scopes, cluster administration not working, and random icons disappearing, to name a few.
And it looks like those fixes will have to wait until Microsoft releases an admin pack for Vista. Don’t hold your breath. In the meantime, you’ll have to remote into an XP or 2003 machine for this functionality.
3.
Andy Wan | February 28, 2007 at 8:08 am
Has worked for me a treat – thx for this, was starting to get fed up of remote desktop-ing to over 20 servers just to tweak a DNS setting or re-set a user password…!
As for MS releasing a Vista version, I won’t be expecting that until 2009, or is that keeping my hopes too high? :0)
4.
Jude selby | March 6, 2007 at 11:54 am
Great that works fine for my requirements. good work
5.
Joanie Loves Chachie | March 28, 2007 at 4:34 pm
Hey was wondering if anyone had a fix in admin tools to connect to another domain. I have a multiple domain setup and it used to be real simple but now because it holds the login I cannot use my login for the other domain.
I did alter my policy via GPedit so I would get prompted for a login unfortunately that did not work. All I can find on the net is 5 millon articles about admin tools not work at all but I had very little issue with that.
Basically just need a login as button like in XP!!!
6.
richard | April 25, 2007 at 5:17 pm
Up and running! Thanks!
7.
frank d | May 2, 2007 at 11:09 am
good stuff – thanks
8.
Sean | May 4, 2007 at 9:04 pm
The script worked great. As mentioned, DHCP doesn’t work and icons are missing (disabled users, OU folders disappear, etc).
9.
joris v | May 15, 2007 at 2:02 am
Thanks a lot… Works great
10.
David | May 16, 2007 at 9:28 am
Thank you!
11.
Scott | June 7, 2007 at 6:13 pm
Happy comment!
It worked well for me.
Thanks.
12.
Eric | June 19, 2007 at 2:34 pm
Elated, worked great. Thanks!!!
13.
Sander | June 22, 2007 at 8:36 am
Ok worked. But I don’t understand that people are cheering after “fixing” it like this…
Things like: Works Great!, Works Well.
I don’t agree. It’s still buggy. How can Microsoft NOT have foreseen this and FIXED it before release..Oh yeah, deadlines, income, marketshare. I get it… but I don’t dig it..
Shame on Bill and his buddies…
Ok the average “end-user” is happy with his his new toy.
But us administrators are back to square one, remoting servers etc… Just wanted to get that off my chest, sorry..Have a good weekend..
14.
Joe | July 2, 2007 at 9:44 am
Worked great!!! Thanks
15.
Phil Kunze | July 4, 2007 at 4:04 am
Re. the DHCP administration, there is a hotfix available from MS, but you have to request it (or user Premier support if you’re lucky enough to have a contract).
Worked perfectly for me.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/935988/
This article kept coming up in Google so seemed a useful place to share the news.
16.
Greg | July 6, 2007 at 11:42 am
nice write up!!
thanks
17.
Sebastian Garcia | July 13, 2007 at 5:51 pm
Hi, Thanks, It worked right
18.
Charles | August 7, 2007 at 1:27 pm
Phil, thanks for the info, that fixed my problem which I didn’t know existed until I needed it this morning.
19.
Charles | August 7, 2007 at 1:30 pm
It’s still a sorry state of affairs though to not have fully functional admin tools and Vista print drivers that could be added to 2003 Server network printers. It’s going to be a long time before anyone migrates to 2008 Server but we still need to manage older servers and workstations, etc.
20.
Samer | September 10, 2007 at 2:11 am
Thanks a lot for yoy solution which solved my problem
Thanks again
21.
promogecko | September 11, 2007 at 7:16 pm
Rich
It worked for me thanks
22.
Gabe | September 16, 2007 at 1:26 am
Hello there. Have read your posting regarding Vista and Windows Server 2003 Administration Tools Pack, and it was very interesting. Could you please give me some leads of how i could get some information regarding Server 2003 Exam 70-290 good learning or some braindumps from those people who have done this exam and have seen how it is set. I am an MCSE 2000 Certified and would wish to pass my exams for Server 2003. I am a system administrator, but when it comes to exams, i dont fare very well due to nervousness. Please assist if you could, for i dont want to go there and fail, but i do verily know with the help of a great dump out there i could do very well. Thanking you in advance, i look forward to hearing from you. May God bless you.
Sincerely,
Gabe
23.
Sumeet | September 17, 2007 at 12:32 am
It worked, Thanks a lot.
24.
Raoul | October 11, 2007 at 11:35 am
Worked great, thanks!
25.
Margret | October 22, 2007 at 1:45 pm
Works, but no terminal services manager.
26.
James | October 26, 2007 at 9:46 am
I completely agreed with Sander, you are all very easily pleased. Who is going to test and rollout Vista thats right the IT dept. What do the IT dept use on their XP machines to administer the Windows domain? AD tools and Exchange System manager. This should work on Vista out of the box not with hacks and have to beg MS for fixes for DHCP console. I will stick to RDP into DC to use AD tools and ESM. Even if you do get AD tools to work whats the use of AD tools without ESM you get no Exchange attributes. This is not a Beta product guys raise your standards, expect more from MS. One last note would you trust a DHCP console that only half works and things are missing its DHCP offline? online? Im I on control?. Nuff said.
27.
BigMan | December 5, 2007 at 6:31 am
To James.
You still came here and downloaded the fix. Why don’t you wait for the official download instead of moaning.
28.
P. | December 5, 2007 at 2:10 pm
Works great thanks!!!!
29.
john | December 7, 2007 at 1:52 pm
It worked…Thanks
Now I need to get Exchange admin tools to work
30.
pkiller | December 10, 2007 at 6:01 pm
To BigMan
Don’t be an idiot. Last I looked Vista has been officially released. It was released before things like this were working. Were not looking for some one-off app that is used by 1% of folks. Were talking basics and Microsoft has not done their part, plain and simple.
31.
Mason | January 29, 2008 at 12:05 pm
There is a fix for DHCP that works…..follow this link and the fix has to be requested from MS..which is a very simple process….
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/935988/
32.
Chris | January 30, 2008 at 8:50 am
Thanks ever so much- I hope this brightens your day like it brightened mine! Very good work indeed.
33.
iyez | February 4, 2008 at 12:27 am
great! this is really helpfull… thanks!
34.
Eduardo | February 26, 2008 at 2:38 pm
I rebooted my computer and it worked… Thx!
35.
ecciethetechie | April 22, 2008 at 6:38 am
Excellent… nice work… big help
36.
alphaxion | June 18, 2008 at 6:58 am
I fully agree with James, how can they release their latest OS and ignore support for their own server product?
You shouldn’t have to mess about with fixing their broken installer nor should you have to beg them for an update (why can’t this be on their site for all to download.. what’s special about it?).
Couple this with some of the poor design implementations, you get the idea that IT professionals shouldn’t be using vista at all. Obsurdaties such as having to run cmd as admin in order to do a simple tracert, layers upon layers of dialogue boxes if you have the audacity to try and change folder permissions, so many efforts to mask genuinely useful and important system info because normal users might not understand them – whatever happened to listing the size of the folder contents and the amount of capacity spare in the status bar when browsing folders?
How about vista business being designed from an actual business mindset.. or do we have to demand “vista IT pro edition” that doesn’t try its hardest to waste our time and treat us like users?
37.
Hammer | July 17, 2008 at 3:58 pm
Who the man?…..You the man!!!!
38.
Stephanie | August 18, 2008 at 2:45 pm
Thank you! This works great.
39.
jbk | September 11, 2008 at 9:01 am
THXxxxxx
40.
JP | September 26, 2008 at 2:29 pm
I just found this and this could have helped me the first 3 times I installed Vista but now that RSAT is available just go to
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=9FF6E897-23CE-4A36-B7FC-D52065DE9960&displaylang=en
41.
Phil | October 16, 2008 at 9:43 am
Your a legend mate! many thanks
42.
Panetta | October 23, 2008 at 12:02 pm
Thanks for pre-doing all the work this was a great tool used one shot one kill and done now I can administer password resets on Server 2003!
43. Windows 7 Remote Server Administration Tools Released « ani ruhama | January 12, 2009 at 12:23 pm
[...] a few hits a day to a few hundred. Two years later, I’m still getting over 50 hits a day on my walkthrough of how to get the Administration Tools Pack for Server 2003 up and running (eg, install the Active [...]
44.
Barrow Blaine | April 26, 2009 at 10:19 pm
It worked, isn’t that enough? Thank you! Now I don’t have to switch between machines..
45.
Jamie Johnson | September 15, 2009 at 3:35 pm
Worked PERFECTLY!!!! Thank you.
46.
John | November 11, 2009 at 2:26 pm
Did this new install from http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=9FF6E897-23CE-4A36-B7FC-D52065DE9960&displaylang=en actually work for anybody?
We tried it on two different computers. On both it would first download updates and prompt for a reboot. After rebooting, I ran the install again. This time it stated “This update does not apply to your system.” BTW, Our systems are WinVista SP2. After all of that, there are no shortcuts to these tools and no evidence that any tools were installed on either system. Anyone have any ideas on what we might have done wrong?
In the meantime, we have decided to go back to using the old batch file method as you have described so nicely in your post. Thanks again!