Welcome to TechEd Atlanta! For those of you unable to attend the event in person, we’d like to take a moment to introduce our Service Pack 1 release.

Service Pack 1 is on track for release at the end of June.

SP1 releases for both Office client suites and SharePoint server products will be made available. All language versions of SP1 will release simultaneously. Initially, Service Pack 1 will be offered as a manual download from the Download Center and from Microsoft Update, and no sooner than 90 days after release, will be made available as an Automatic Update.

SP1 will include many interesting changes. Across the client suites and server products, SP1 offers a sprinkling of improvements to make a strong 2010 release wave even stronger. During TechEd and beyond, teams on http://blogs.office.com will update their blogs with more specific details of 2010 Service Pack 1 contents.

There are far too many changes in SP1 to list here, but the list below is a sample of SP1 highlights to get things started. This is a list of things that you can do now that you couldn’t before, or things that are just better than they were with the original release:

read more at source

Logging is available for the following features:

• Calendar modifications
• Free/busy time (free/busy time: In Calendar, time status and user defined labels are indicated by colors and patterns.) changes
• Reminders
• Offline Address Book
• Transactions for the Messaging Application Programming Interface (MAPI), which is used with Microsoft Exchange Server, Post Office Protocol (POP3) (POP3: A common protocol that is used to retrieve e-mail messages from an Internet e-mail server.), Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) (IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol): Unlike Internet e-mail protocols such as POP3, IMAP creates folders on a server to store/organize messages for retrieval by other computers. You can read message headers only and select which messages to download.), Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP): A common protocol that is used to send e-mail messages across the Internet.), and LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP): A protocol that provides access to Internet Directories.)

Microsoft Services uses the diagnostic information to help identify issues. E-mail server administrators can use some of the diagnostic data to troubleshoot problems with e-mail messages.

If Microsoft Office 2003 Service Pack 1 or later is installed and logging is turned on, Logging Enabled appears on the Outlook title bar. This reminder helps prevent you from leaving the logging option turned on unnecessarily.

Logging

E-mail logging   

Outlook supports the logging of the communications that occur between Outlook and various types of e-mail servers. These logs can be helpful when you are troubleshooting problems with the transfer of messages between Outlook and the e-mail server. Outlook can log the communications with Exchange, POP3 version 3, SMTP, IMAP, and MSN Hotmail servers.

The logging of transports, such as POP3 and IMAP, can be read by anyone.

Calendar logging   

Microsoft Office 2003 Service Pack 1 introduced a new feature that logs Calendar transactions. Because of the new Calendar logging feature, Calendar transactions that are generated by Outlook features, by user actions, by the object model, or by the MAPI Calendar Table are written to a log file. The log file contains information for the following items:

• Sniffer (Inbox autoprocessing)
• Free/busy publishing
  Reminders
• Calendar item actions (creation, modification, or deletion)
  Resource booking

The primary purpose of the Calendar logging feature is to quickly identify situations where, for example, meetings are inexplicably deleted from a Calendar folder. To help protect customer data, the Calendar log file is a binary file that cannot be read without a conversion process. You should contact Microsoft Services for additional information about this procedure.

Turn on logging

Outlook 2003 / 2007

1.On the Tools menu, click Options.
2.On the Other tab, click Advanced Options.
3.Select the Enable logging (troubleshooting) check box, and then click OK two times.
4.Restart Outlook.

Outlook 2010

1. On the File Ribbon Group click Options
2. Choose Advanced
3. Scroll down to Others section
4. Check Enable troubleshooting logging (requires restarting Outlook)

After you restart Outlook, the words (Logging Enabled) in the title bar indicate that the logging feature is turned on. From this point, every time Outlook sends or receives messages, the communication that occurs between Outlook and the e-mail server is written to a log file. In addition, Calendar transactions that are generated by Outlook features, by user actions, by the Outlook object model, or by the MAPI Calendar Table are written to a log file. The log file contains information for the following items:

• Sniffer (Inbox auto-processing)
• Free/busy publishing
• Reminders
• Calendar item actions (creation, modification, or deletion)
• Resource booking

Important   It is very important that you turn off logging after you complete your troubleshooting. If you do not turn off logging, the log files continue to increase in size.

Additionally, in Outlook 2003, you can track failures in the application log by editing the registry. Use the following steps:

Warning   If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

1.Click Start, and then click Run.
2.In the Open dialog box, type regedit, and then click OK.
3.In Registry Editor, locate and then select the following key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Outlook\

4.On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click Key.
5.Type CancelRPC and then press ENTER to name the key.
6.On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click DWORD Value.
7.Type EnablePerfTracking and then press ENTER to name the DWORD.
8.In the right pane, right-click EnablePerfTracking, and then click Modify.
9.In the Edit DWORD Value dialog box, click Hexadecimal, and then type 1b under Value data.
10.Click OK.
11.Exit Registry Editor.
Note   The following is the default location of the log files: C:\Documents and Settings\user name\Local Settings\Temp.

Turn off logging

1.On the Tools menu, click Options.
2.On the Other tab, click Advanced Options.
3.Clear the Enable logging (troubleshooting) check box, and then click OK two times.
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Log file locations

MAPI (Exchange), POP3, and SMTP transports   

On Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Microsoft Windows XP, and Microsoft Windows 2000: C:\Documents and Settings\user name\Local Settings\Temp\Opmlog.log
On Microsoft Windows 98, Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition, and Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (Me): C:\Windows\Temp\Opmlog.log
 

IMAP transport 

Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000: C:\Documents and Settings\user name\Local Settings\Temp\Outlook Logging\name Of IMAP server\IMAP0.log, IMAP1.log, and so on.
On Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, and Windows Millennium Edition: C:\Windows\Temp\Outlook Logging\name Of IMAP server\IMAP0.log, IMAP1.log, and so on.

Hotmail (DAV) transport   

Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000: C:\Documents and Settings\user name\Local Settings\Temp\Outlook Logging\Hotmail\http0.log, http1.log, and so on
On Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, and Windows Millennium Edition: C:\Windows\Temp\Outlook Logging\Hotmail\http0.log, http1.log, and so on
 

Notes

IMAP and Hotmail accounts generate one log for each Send/Receive action that you perform on these accounts. (The log files are named http0.log, http1.log, and so on.)
If you have multiple Hotmail accounts configured, the folders where the logs are placed are named Hotmail, Hotmail 1, Hotmail 2, and so on.
You might need to close Outlook for the logs to be written to the log files.
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Administrator information

Additionally, you can use the Custom Installation Wizard (CIW), the Custom Maintenance Wizard (CMW), or a system policy to deploy the setting for the logging feature. The following registry data is applied when you use these methods to deploy the setting for the logging feature:

System policy   

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Outlook\Options\Mail
Value: EnableLogging
Type: DWORD
Data: 0=disabled (default, if registry data does not exist); 1=enabled

CIW or CMW   

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Outlook\Options\Mail
Value: EnableLogging
Type: DWORD
Data: 0=disabled (default, if registry data does not exist); 1=enabled

Because of performance and security reasons, we do not recommend that you deploy the logging feature. You should turn on the Calendar logging feature only when you need it.

First things first;
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=bbf2eb61-2b30-4f2d-bccd-df53e220b8e9&displaylang=en
This is a great intro video to KMS’ing on a Win 2008 box, it will cover all the basics and give you a good idea on how this works.

You likely need this patch to upgrade the KMS service on the Win 2008/2003 box to allow Win7 etc. to register;
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/968912 – for Win 2008 kms
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/968915- for Win 2003 kms

Now you will need to add a KMS key to the server you got this key from Microsoft as part of your license (NOT a MAK key, a KMS key).. This might confuse you as it did me, I was thinking, oh I will need to add KMS keys for all the versions of windows I need the KMS to work for, but this is not so..

On this page;
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=9893f83e-c8a5-4475-b025-66c6b38b46e3&displaylang=en
you will find a document “Volume Activation 2 0 Changes for Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista SP1.doc” explaining this in more detail, but basically if you install a server 2008 R2 KMS key then this will also work for Win7, Vista etc.

How do i register a key on the KMS server;
Start an elevated CMD.exe and
change dir to c:\windows\system32

write: slmgr -IPK <YOUR KMS KEY HERE>
wait for a confirmation dialogbox, this can take a long time up to 1 min or more..
then activate the KMS key: slmgr -ATO
wait for a confirmation dialogbox, this can take a long time up to 1 min or more..
Now check the status of the KMS server: cscript slmgr.vbs -dlv
It will take a while before it is displayed.

Damn if I understand why there is no GUI for this!?

FAQ;
Help, I have machines registered with a MAK key, and now want to change this to my new KMS server – how do I do this? It is not that complicated, all you need to do is to change the license key of the workstation/officepack to a KMS key, IMPORTANT!! we are NOT talking YOUR KMS KEY, but the default KMS key from MS – confused!!? I was too, well it is not that complicated when it comes to it, when you install a MVLS product like eg. Office 2010 then it carries a default key this is the default KMS key with a limited lifespan, once you click activate this key tells the product to seek out a KMS server and try to register – if no KMS server is found the activation fails.  If you entered a MAK key at the time of installation then the product is activated and you need to unactivate it with the KMS key for that product, a list of default KMS keys can be found here;
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd772269.aspx#EOIAC

Operating System Edition  Product Key

Windows 7 Professional -  FJ82H-XT6CR-J8D7P-XQJJ2-GPDD4
Windows 7 Professional N -  MRPKT-YTG23-K7D7T-X2JMM-QY7MG
Windows 7 Enterprise -  33PXH-7Y6KF-2VJC9-XBBR8-HVTHH
Windows 7 Enterprise N – YDRBP-3D83W-TY26F-D46B2-XCKRJ
Windows 7 Enterprise E – C29WB-22CC8-VJ326-GHFJW-H9DH4
Windows Server 2008 R2 HPC Edition -  FKJQ8-TMCVP-FRMR7-4WR42-3JCD7
Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter -  74YFP-3QFB3-KQT8W-PMXWJ-7M648
Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise – 489J6-VHDMP-X63PK-3K798-CPX3Y
Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-Based Systems -  GT63C-RJFQ3-4GMB6-BRFB9-CB83V
Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard – YC6KT-GKW9T-YTKYR-T4X34-R7VHC
Windows Web Server 2008 R2 – 6TPJF-RBVHG-WBW2R-86QPH-6RTM4
Windows Vista Business   YFKBB-PQJJV-G996G-VWGXY-2V3X8
Windows Vista Business N    HMBQG-8H2RH-C77VX-27R82-VMQBT 
Windows Vista Enterprise    VKK3X-68KWM-X2YGT-QR4M6-4BWMV 
Windows Vista Enterprise N    VTC42-BM838-43QHV-84HX6-XJXKV
Windows Server 2008  Datacenter    7M67G-PC374-GR742-YH8V4-TCBY3 
Windows Server 2008 Datacenter without Hyper-V     22XQ2-VRXRG-P8D42-K34TD-G3QQC 
Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-Based Systems      4DWFP-JF3DJ-B7DTH-78FJB-PDRHK 
Windows Server 2008 Enterprise    YQGMW-MPWTJ-34KDK-48M3W-X4Q6V 
Windows Server 2008 Enterprise without Hyper-V     39BXF-X8Q23-P2WWT-38T2F-G3FPG 
Windows Server 2008 Standard  TM24T-X9RMF-VWXK6-X8JC9-BFGM2 
Windows Server 2008 Standard without Hyper-V     W7VD6-7JFBR-RX26B-YKQ3Y-6FFFJ 
Windows Web Server 2008    WYR28-R7TFJ-3X2YQ-YCY4H-M249D
Microsoft Office 2010 – VYBBJ-TRJPB-QFQRF-QFT4D-H3GVB

You can change the license key via this command (remember it has to be launched from an Elevated CMD.exe);
cscript Slmgr.vbs /ipk <SetupKey, the key from above>

Advanced tips and tricks;
Use other than the default KMS server (force a specific KMS server)
If for some reason you need to specify WHICH KMS server you wish to use (or if you need to use a remote KMS) then you do like this;
1. open an elevated cmd.exe
2  type; cscript slmgr.vbs -ipk <KMS KEY (not your own, one of the default microsoft once>
3  type; cscript slmgr.vbs -skms <IP OF KMS SERVER>:<PORT NO On KMS SERVER>  (default port is 1688)
4  type; cscript slmgr.vbs -ato

Command lines;
cscript slmgr.vbs -dlv (show status of KMS)
cscript slmgr.vbs -dli (show quick status of KMS)
cscript slmgr.vbs -dlv all (show advanced status of KMS)
cscript slmgr.vbs -upk (Remove key – unactivate Windows CAUTION!! – this may however be needed if you wish to remove the KMS role from a server)

Upgrade your KMS to accept Office 2010 clients;
Microsoft Office 2010 KMS Host License Pack
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=97b7b710-6831-4ce5-9ff5-fdc21fe8d965
IMPORTANT! Strangely enough this is NOT supported for Windows 2008 KMS servers, it works for 2003, 2008 R2 but NOT 2008. (more here; http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/officevolact/thread/b2ffee91-c6a4-4196-8a86-4974534c3dbd)

Error codes;
If you get an errorcode; Error: 0xC004F015
This may indicate that you are trying to import a KMS key that is already covered, eg. you installed a KMS key for servers KMS_B key and are trying to install a KMS for Windows7 then this Errorcode will be shown – Windows 7 is already covered by your KMS_B server key (yeah strange I agree, but that is how it works)..
(more here; http://www.vistax64.com/vista-installation-setup/173686-setup-kms-2k8.html)

Stop the KMS server (stop the KMS service on a machine);
open a commandprompt (elevated);
type; net stop slsvc – to stop the service
type; net start slsvc – to run it again

Check that the DNS records are created properly;
open a commandprompt (elevated);
type; nslookup -type=srv _vlmcs._tcp

you should see something similar to this:

_vlmcs._tcp.domain.net SRV service location:
priority = 0
weight = 0
port = 1688
svr hostname = kmsserver.domain.net
kmsserver.domain.net internet address = x.x.x.x
General tips and tricks;
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd996588.aspx

Volume Activation Technical Reference Guide (very useful)
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee355153.aspx

in the technical reference guide you can among other thing find this;

Customizable Activation Help

For product activation in managed environments, the Activate Windows now dialog box can be configured to display an optional Learn About Activation Online link, as shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4 Learn about activation online

Clicking this custom link loads an administrator-defined URL in the user’s default browser. This URL can point to a custom Web page or other file stored on the local computer or on a network share. A Volume Licensing customer can use this link to direct their users to the customer’s Helpdesk or other activation-related resources. Displaying the link requires setting the REG_SZ value AlternateURL to the URL of the Web page to display when the user clicks it. The value AlternateURL is in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\SoftwareProtectionPlatform\ACTIVATION registry subkey.

LINKS

Tools to configure client computers in Office 2010

Configure and deploy volume activation of Office 2010

How to troubleshoot Volume Activation error codes on Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista-based computers

Volume Activation Tips and Tricks

Microsoft Office 2010 Beta Key Management Services (KMS) Host Setup

Office 2010 KMS Aktivierung (German, but with pictures

PowerPivot gives users the power to create compelling self-service BI solutions, facilitates sharing and collaboration on user-generated BI solutions in a Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010 environment, and enables IT organizations to increase operational efficiencies through Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2-based management tools.

Links

Microsoft PowerPivot