When installing BizTalk Server 2006 R2 on a multi-computer environment it failed with the error:

[INFO] WMI Deploying 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft BizTalk Server 2006 Microsoft.BizTalk.GlobalPropertySchemas.dll'
[WARN] AdminLib GetBTSMessage: hrErr=80070002; Msg=The system cannot find the file specified.;

After searching Google I came across a few posts that were of use including one by Wade Wegner. This describes an environment very similar to may own – a VMWare ‘Template’ is used for each new server.

The following are the steps that I ran through to solve the problem using Wade’s post:

• Download DTCPing
• Extract the contents onto both the BizTalk Server and the SQL Server.
• Run DTCPing.exe on both machines
  • I did notice that you needed to start the one you wanted to issue the ping command needed to be started first but that might just have been a glitch.
• On the BizTalk Server enter the SQL Server name into the ‘Remote Server Name’ box and click ‘PING’

If you recieve a message on the SQL Server saying that the ‘…CID values for both test machines are the same…‘ then this problem has been caused by ‘cloning’ the machines from the same base template.

To fix this problem I carried out the following on the BizTalk Server:

• Remove ‘Network DTC’ using ‘Add/Remove Programs’ under the ‘Windows Components’ section.
• Via the command line run ‘MSDTC -install’
• Delete the following keys from the registry (if present)
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\DTC
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSDTC
  • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CID
• Reboot the server
• Via the coommand line run ‘MSDTC -install’
• Add ‘Network DTC’ using ‘Add/Remove Programs’ under the ‘Windows Components’ section.

Try to ping the SQL Server from the BizTalk server using DTCPing as described above. All being well you should see a message ‘RPC Test is successful‘.

To further validate that everything was working with MSDTC I downloaded the DTCTester Tool and ran it.

I tried to configure the ‘Group’ under the ‘Microsoft BizTalk Server 2006 Configuration’ and it failed! Checking the error log there was a problem with ‘Enterprise SSO’. A quick look and it turned out the SSO service hadn’t started due to the fact that I had uninstalled MSDTC. After starting up the service everything worked fine.

Thanks Wade…..

A man in a hot air balloon realised he was lost. He reduced altitude and spotted a woman below. He descended a bit more and shouted, “Excuse me, can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago but I don’t know where I am.”

The woman below replied, “You’re in a hot air balloon hovering approximately 30 feet above the ground. You’re between 40 and 41 degrees north latitude and between 59 and 60 degrees west longitude.”

“You must be in Information Technology,” said the balloonist.
“I am,” replied the woman, “how did you know?”

“Well,” answered the balloonist, “everything you told me is probably technically correct, but I’ve no idea what to make of your information and the fact is, I’m still lost. Frankly, you’ve not been much help at all. If anything, you’ve delayed my trip.”

The woman below responded, “You must be in Management.”
“I am,” replied the balloonist, “but how did you know?”

“Well,” said the woman, “you don’t know where you are or where you’re going. You have risen to where you are, due to a large quantity of hot air. You made a promise, which you’ve no idea how to keep, and you expect people beneath you to solve your problems. The fact is you are in exactly the same position you were in before we met, but now, somehow, it’s my f**king fault.”

I think that the addition of Callsigns and emblems to MW2 is fantastic – you can brag about what you think is your best achievement to date. I am not impressed by the removal of gold guns though! IW bring them back…now!!!

The following is an up to date list of the MW2 Callsigns that I have earned:

The Smiths were unable to conceive children and decided to use a surrogate father to start their family. On the day the proxy father was to arrive, Mr. Smith kissed his wife goodbye and said, ‘Well, I’m off now. The man should be here soon.’

Half an hour later, just by chance, a door-to-door baby photographer happened to ring the doorbell, hoping to make a sale. ‘Good morning, Ma’am’, he said, ‘I’ve come to..’

‘Oh, no need to explain,’ Mrs. Smith cut in, embarrassed, ‘I’ve been expecting you.’

‘Have you really?’ said the photographer. ‘Well, that’s good. Did you know babies are my specialty?’

‘Well that’s what my husband and I had hoped. Please come in and have a seat !’

After a moment she asked, blushing, ‘Well, where do we start?’

‘Leave everything to me. I usually try two in the bathtub, one on the couch, and perhaps a couple on the bed. And sometimes the living room floor is fun. You can really spread out there.’

‘Bathtub, living room floor? No wonder it didn’t work out for Harry and me!’

‘Well, Ma’am, none of us can guarantee a good one every time. But if we try several different positions and I shoot from six or seven angles, I’m sure you’ll be pleased with the results.’

‘My, that’s a lot!’, gasped Mrs. Smith.

‘Ma’am, in my line of work a man has to take his time. I’d love to be in and out in five minutes, but I’m sure you’d be disappointed with that.’

‘Don’t I know it,’ said Mrs. Smith quietly.

The photographer opened his briefcase and pulled out a portfolio of his baby pictures. ‘This was done on the top of a bus,’ he said.

‘Oh, my God!’ Mrs. Smith exclaimed, grasping at her throat.

‘And these twins turned out exceptionally well – when you consider their mother was so difficult to work with.’

‘She was difficult?’ asked Mrs. Smith.

‘Yes, I’m afraid so. I finally had to take her to the park to get the job done right. People were crowding around four and five deep to get a good look.’

‘Four and five deep?’ said Mrs. Smith, her eyes wide with amazement.

‘Yes’, the photographer replied. ‘And for more than three hours, too. The mother was constantly squealing and yelling – I could hardly concentrate, and when darkness approached I had to rush my shots. Finally, when the squirrels began nibbling on my equipment, I just had to pack it all in.’

Mrs. Smith leaned forward. ‘Do you mean they actually chewed on your, uh…equipment?’

‘It’s true, Ma’am, yes.. Well, if you’re ready, I’ll set-up my tripod and we can get to work right away.’

‘Tripod?’

‘Oh yes, Ma’am. I need to use a tripod to rest my Canon on. It’s much too big to be held in the hand very long.’

Mrs. Smith fainted.