Windows 2003 Server and ServicePack and ..problems....

Hi,

The team I am part of administers the IT of a few customers. Their
environment consists of at least 150 Windows 2003 Servers and some 1500
Windows XP workstations.

Since last year we developed and tested a "migration" from Windows 2003
Server SP1 to SP2, unattended and with the aid of Windows SMS 2003.

Tests did not show major problems but now, after we deployed SP2 to all
servers, we experience some hard/difficult problems.

With SP2 the RIS, Remote Installation service, is replaced by WDS, Windows
Deployment Service. After the unattended installation WDS is unattended
configured by/with WDSUtil. So far so good.

But now, 2 weeks after the last server is upgraded, we see that WDS doesnot
work on some servers. Mostly a 'NET START WDSServer' will do the trick but
in other cases, opening the mmc with WDS ('Start', 'Administarive Tools',
Windows Deployment Server Service) will show no configured (WDS)server at
all.
In stead of that the mmc shows an error: A directory service error has
occured. ---> HELP !!!!

Googling this message tells me that probably the date and time of this
particular server is newer than that of the Domain Controller (DC). There
should be some time sync between the servers and the DC....

Another problem is installing a server with SP2 in stead of SP1. This
server, as it is placed in site, shows the same problem: workstations can
not be rissed/installed.

If you have additional questions, please let me hear.

So, have some of you experienced the same challenges .

Thanks in advance,

André vWG
Amsterdam
Holland