Top Support Solutions for Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2

Top Microsoft Support solutions for the most common issues experienced when you use Windows Server 2008 (updated quarterly).

1. Solutions related to bugchecks, stop errors, and unexpected restarts:

• Windows Memory Dump Collector
• Bug Check Code Reference (Windows Debuggers)
• USB devices stop working in Windows 8 or Windows Server 2012
• How to generate a kernel or a complete memory dump file in Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2
• How to use the special pool feature to isolate pool damage
• How to determine the appropriate page file size for 64-bit versions of Windows Server 2008 and or Windows 2008 R2
• Using Driver Verifier to identify issues with Windows drivers for advanced users
• How to diagnose Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 performance issues
• How to troubleshoot Directory Services PKI and ADCS issues for Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2 using Fix it Center Pro
• Collect memory dump files in Windows 7 and in Windows Server 2008 R2

2. Solutions related to Active Directory issues:

• Upgrade Domain Controllers to Windows Server 2012
• Upgrade Domain Controllers to Windows Server 2008 R2
• Running Adprep.exe
• How to restore deleted user accounts and their group memberships in Active Directory
• Root Causes for Slow Boots and Logons (sbsl)
• “Directory Services cannot start” error message when you start your Windows-based or SBS-based domain controller
• How to remove data in Active Directory after an unsuccessful domain controller demotion

3. Solutions related to Active Directory replication:

• Download Active Directory Replication Status Tool from Official Microsoft Download Center
• Troubleshooting Active Directory Replication Problems: Active Directory
• Replication error 1722 The RPC server is unavailable
• Replication error 8453 Replication access was denied
• Replication error -2146893022 The target principal name is incorrect
• Replication error 1753 There are no more endpoints available from the endpoint mapper
• Replication error 1396 Logon Failure The target account name is incorrect
• Replication error 8614 The Active Directory cannot replicate with this server because the time since the last replication with this server has exceeded the tombstone lifetime
• Replication error 8524 The DSA operation is unable to proceed because of a DNS lookup failure
• Replication error 1256 The remote system is not available
• Replication error 8451 The replication operation encountered a database error
• Troubleshoot Directory Services issues in Windows 7 and in Windows Server 2008 R2

4. Solutions related to DNS:

• Don’t be afraid of DNS Scavenging. Just be patient.
• Optimizing your network to keep your DNS squeaky clean
• The size of the Active Directory increases rapidly on a Windows Server 2003-based or Windows Server 2008 R2-based domain controller that hosts the DNS Server role
• DNS server stops responding to DNS queries from client computers in in Windows Server 2003, in Windows Server 2008 or in Windows Server 2008 R2
• Some DNS name queries are unsuccessful after you deploy a Windows-based DNS server
• A primary DNS zone file may not transfer to the secondary DNS servers in Windows Server 2008
• A DNS Update is recorded as failed: Event ID 5774, 1196, or 1578

5. Solutions related to Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS):

• AD FS 2.0 Troubleshooting Guide
• Active Directory Federation Services (ADFS) Wiki Articles
• AD FS 2.0 Content Map

6. Solutions related to File Replication Technologies (FRS and DFSR):

• Where’s my file? Root cause analysis of FRS and DFSR data deletion
• Understanding DFSR debug logging (Part 14: A sharing violation due to a file locked upstream between two Windows Server 2008)
• Understanding DFSR debug logging (Part 17: Replication failing because of blocked RPC ports (uses debug severity 5))
• Common DFSR Configuration Mistakes and Oversights
• DFSR Event ID 2213 is logged on Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows Server 2012
• List of currently available hotfixes for Distributed File System (DFS) technologies in Windows Server 2008 and in Windows Server 2008 R2
• The performance of DFS Replication in Windows Server 2008 is slower than expected on a WAN connection, and no error message is logged in the DFS Replication log

7. Solutions related to installing Windows updates or hotfixes:

• You cannot install some updates or programs in Windows XP
• How to address disk space issues that are caused by a large Windows component store (WinSxS) directory
• How does Windows choose which version of a file to install...
• How branching works for installing updates - The Windows ...
• The Windows Servicing Guy - Site Home - TechNet Blogs
• Troubleshoot common installation issues in Windows Update, Microsoft Update, and Windows Server Update Services
• How to read the Windowsupdate.log file

8. Solutions related to system hangs:

• PRF: Perceived System Sluggishness - Ask the Performance ...
• How to diagnose Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 performance issues
• How to troubleshoot Directory Services PKI and ADCS issues for Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2 using Fix it Center Pro
• Collect memory dump files in Windows 7 and in Windows Server 2008 R2

9. Solutions related to Active Directory Certificate Services:

• Designing and Implementing a PKI: Part III Certificate Templates
• Troubleshooting PKI Problems on Windows
• Having a problem with nodes being removed from active Failover ...
• Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS) Overview
• Revoking certificates and publishing CRLs: Public Key
• How to add a Subject Alternative Name to a secure LDAP certificate
• How to enable LDAP over SSL with a third-party certification authority
• How to troubleshoot LDAP over SSL connection problems
• Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS) Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
• Troubleshooting Certificate Autoenrollment in Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS)

10. Solutions related to TCP/IP communications issues:

• DNS Round Robin and Destination IP address selection
• Source IP address selection on a Multi-Homed Windows Computer
• Stop code in the tcpip.sys driver on a computer that is running Windows Server 2008 R2: 0x000000D1
• Windows Server Troubleshooting: "The RPC server is unavailable"