Topic last updated -- August 2007

This section provides troubleshooting information to help you resolve issues when assigning clients in Configuration Manager 2007.

For more information about assignment in Configuration Manager 2007, see About Client Site Assignment in Configuration Manager.

Clients Fail to Assign to a Site Because Cannot Perform Site Compatibility Check

If Configuration Manager 2007 clients successfully install but fail to assign to a site, a likely reason is that the check for site compatibility failed during the assignment process.

Solution

Ensure that clients have a mechanism to check for site compatibility. This is achieved in one of two ways:

  • Active Directory Domain Services is extended for Configuration Manager 2007, and clients belong to this forest.

  • Clients can find a server locator point that's published in WINS, or they are reinstalled and assigned to a server locator point during installation.

For more information, see the following:

Clients Fail to Assign to a Site Because the Site is Running SMS 2003

A Configuration Manager 2007 client cannot successfully assign to an SMS 2003. The new functionality in the Configuration Manager 2007 client means that it will not operate in a site running SMS 2003. Site assignment will check the client's version against the assigned site's version and fail the site compatibility check. Site assignment will fail, with the client sending a state message to its fallback status point (if one is assigned).

Solution

To remedy the unmanaged client, perform one of the following steps:

  • Assign the client to another site that is running Configuration Manager 2007.

  • Uninstall the client and install the SMS 2003 client to assign to the SMS 2003 site.

  • Upgrade the SMS 2003 site, and then reassign the client to same site.

For procedural information to uninstall the Configuration Manager 2007 client, see How to Uninstall the Configuration Manager Client.

Clients Assign to a Site But Are Unmanaged Because Their Client Communication Mode Does Not Match Their Assigned Site's Site Mode

Clients that can access Configuration Manager 2007 site information from Active Directory Domain Services can automatically change their site mode to match their assigned site if it does not match. For example, a mixed mode client that is assigned to a native mode site will automatically be reconfigured to use native mode client communication.

However, clients that cannot access Configuration Manager 2007 site information from Active Directory Domain Services, but use a server locator point to complete site assignment cannot automatically switch client communication modes when there is a mismatch with its assigned site. In this scenario, the client will be assigned but unmanaged. Clients report the error HTTP 403 in the log file ccmexec.log, and in the client communication reports if they are assigned to a fallback status point.

Solution

Reinstall the client using one of the following methods:

When Installing a Configuration Manager Client using the CCMHOSTNAME Installation Property without Specifying a Site Code, you cannot Subsequently Specify a Site Code for the Client

If you use the CCMHOSTNAME installation property when installing the Configuration Manager 2007 client, but do not specify a site code, you cannot later use Configuration Manager in the client computer's Control Panel to assign the client to a Configuration Manager 2007 site.

The CCMHOSTNAME installation property specifies an Internet-based management point that is specified when a client is directly assigned to a site that supports Internet-based client management.

Solution

Reinstall the Configuration Manager 2007 client specifying both the CCMHOSTNAME and SMSSITECODE installation properties.

Reassignment Failures Using Configuration Manager Client When an Internet-Based Management Point is Configured

When a Configuration Manager 2007 client is configured to use an Internet-based management point, the client cannot automatically discover a site. On computers running Windows XP and Windows Server 2003, the Discover button is not available. On computers running Windows Vista, the Discover button is available but not functional and auto-site discovery will fail.

Furthermore, computers running Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 cannot reassign to another site without first removing the Internet-based management point value. Computers running Windows Vista can reassign to another site without first removing the Internet-based management point. However, in this scenario, ensure that the original Internet-based management point value is either removed (if the new site does not support Internet-based client management), or is updated with the new Internet-based management point in the new site.

Solution

Do not use the Discover button on the Configuration Manager Properties: Advanced Tab. Instead, always directly assign an Internet-based client to its Internet-based site (and specify that site's Internet-based management point).

To reassign a client computer running Windows XP or Windows Server 2003, first remove the value specified for the Internet-based management point.

Clients Fail to Assign to Correct Site Using Auto-Site Assignment

If you install clients using auto-site assignment which either fails or the client is assigned to the wrong site, the most likely reason for this failure is that boundaries are not configured correctly for the Configuration Manager 2007 sites, or that the client roamed into another site during the upgrade process.

Solution

Check that boundaries are configured correctly for each site in the Configuration Manager 2007 hierarchy.

For more information about boundaries, see the following topics:

If clients are likely to roam during the upgrade process, do not use auto-site assignment.

See Also