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These release notes contain information that you need to successfully use Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS) 2003 R2. These release notes contain information that is not available in the product documentation. Read these release notes thoroughly before you install SMS 2003 R2.

Before You Install

For the latest information about SMS 2003 R2, see the Microsoft Systems Management Server Web site (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=821).

SMS on the Web

To locate technical papers and information about related products, see the Microsoft Systems Management Server Web site (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=821).

Microsoft Online Support

To search the Microsoft Knowledge Base and other technical resources for fast, accurate answers to SMS questions, see the Microsoft Help and Support Web site (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=756). You can query the Knowledge Base to find an article about a specific issue by entering the article number.

Protect Against Security Vulnerabilities and Viruses

To help protect your systems against security vulnerabilities and viruses, it is important to install the latest available security updates for any new software being installed. For more information, see the Microsoft Security Web site (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=3482).

Microsoft Custom Updates Publishing Tool

The following section provides information about known issues with the Microsoft Custom Updates Publishing Tool.

Microsoft Custom Updates Publishing Tool has a Dependency on MMC 3.0

The Microsoft Custom Updates Publishing Tool setup fails if the Microsoft Management Console (MMC) 3.0 is not installed on the system prior to starting setup.

WORKAROUND:   To successfully install the Microsoft Custom Updates Publishing Tool, you must first install MMC 3.0 software on your computer. MMC 3.0 can be downloaded from the Microsoft Download Center Web site (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=68245).

Microsoft Custom Updates Publishing Tool Does Not Install the 64-Bit Version of .NET Framework 2.0

The Microsoft Custom Publishing Tool setup fails if Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 is not installed prior to starting setup on a system with a 64-bit version of Microsoft Windows.

WORKAROUND:   To successfully install the Microsoft Custom Updates Publishing Tool on a 64-bit version of Windows, the 64-bit version of .NET Framework 2.0 must first be manually installed. Download .NET Framework 2.0 from the Microsoft Download Center Web site (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=68247).

Synchronizing Custom Updates That Do Not Have Localized Properties May Result in Invalid Characters

Synchronizing custom software updates that do not have localized properties that correspond to the site server language may result in invalid characters displaying in the title and description after the synchronization process completes. These invalid characters prevent the custom updates from being deployed for installation by an SMS Administrator.

For example, if custom updates are synchronized to an English language SMS site, but have a Japanese title and description, the characters for the Japanese title and description may have invalid characters when synchronized to the English language SMS site.

WORKAROUND:   Ensure that custom software updates have localized properties that correspond to the language on the site server which publishes and synchronizes the custom software updates.

Importing a Software Updates Catalog That Has Previously Been Imported in the Same Publishing Tool Session May Not Reflect the Latest Available Catalog

When the software updates catalog is downloaded during the import process, it is saved to the user's temporary internet files folder with no expiration date. If the catalog is imported again, it uses the previously downloaded catalog saved in the user's temporary internet folder instead of downloading the catalog from the Web. This usage results in the same file being imported, although a newer file may be available.

WORKAROUND:   Partners and catalog providers using Internet Information Services (IIS) must modify the IIS settings for the catalog's .cab and .xml files to expire immediately. To modify these settings, perform the following procedure:

  1. Open IIS Manager.

  2. Right-click the associated .cab and .xml files for the catalog, and then click Properties.

  3. Click the HTTP Headers tab, select Enable content expiration, and then select Expire immediately.

WORKAROUND:   End users can alleviate this problem by closing the Custom Updates Publishing Tool and restarting it.

Dialog Boxes May Lose Focus Periodically While Using the Publishing Tool MMC Snap-In

Because of a known issue in .NET Framework 2.0, Custom Updates Publishing Tool dialog boxes and wizard pages may become obscured by the main MMC console window.

WORKAROUND:   More information about this issue will be available in Knowledge Base article 920923 (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=68320).