System Center Configuration Manager 2007 : Client Troubleshooting (part 2) - ConfigMgr Toolkit

4. ConfigMgr Toolkit

The ConfigMgr Toolkit is available from Microsoft’s download center at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=948e477e-fd3b-4a09-9015-141683c7ad5f&DisplayLang=en (or at www.microsoft.com/downloads, search for ConfigMgr Toolkit). It includes seven tools to help you manage and troubleshoot Configuration Manager 2007. Table 3 describes these tools.

In troubleshooting ConfigMgr, Trace32 (also known as SMS Trace) will be your best friend. You may be used to reading log files using Windows Notepad or another log reader such as Tail. For ConfigMgr, nothing beats Trace32. In addition to being customized to read ConfigMgr logs, it allows you to view those logs in real time, meaning as ConfigMgr writes new data to the log, the data will appear in Trace32. You can open log files using Trace32 on both local and remote systems. Figure 1 shows Trace32 viewing the execmgr.log log file.

Figure 1. Viewing execmgr.log from Trace32 (a.k.a. SMS Trace)

If you have viewed sitecomp.log using Notepad, you will see a significant difference in human readability with Trace32. Trace32 is configured to automatically parse date/time stamps as well as format the data to make it easier for the administrator to view. By default, Trace32 highlights keywords such as Error and Warning. You can also define additional keywords to highlight. Figure 2 shows the Filter feature.

Filter (from the Tools option) allows you to customize the view to see only specific words or phrases, and even a specific date/time. You can also open multiple log files in one view, which may help you see the bigger picture when troubleshooting.

Also from the Tools option, you will find Error Lookup. Error Lookup prompts you to enter a Windows error message, and it displays the description for that error. As an example, entering error number 32 displays “The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process.” Spend some time with Trace32 and the reference documentation located in ConfigMgr Toolkit help.

Clispy, the SMS Advanced Client Troubleshooting Tool and part of the Toolkit, is another great tool for troubleshooting client issues. Clispy allows you to view the following for both the current computer and remote computers:

• Software distribution execution requests.

• Software distribution history. (Quickly see success or failure for software distribution.)

• Software distribution cache information. (Monitor items currently in a download state, items in the local ConfigMgr cache, and cache size.)

• Software distribution pending executions.

Use Policy Spy to view ConfigMgr client policy on either a local or a remote computer. As shown in Figure 3, you can view machine policy as well as user policy.

Policy Spy allows you to view the complete policy, as downloaded from the client’s management point. It also allows you to delete policy instances as well as reset policy (which basically removes all nondefault client policy and then queries the management point for all assigned policies). Check the ConfigMgr Toolkit documentation for more information.

General Troubleshooting Information

Many techs will uninstall and reinstall the ConfigMgr client at the first sign of trouble. It is really best to avoid this process, because it is often more time consuming and does not always solve the problem. Software Updates is a great example. Just because patches are failing to install does not mean that the client is corrupt—it could be that the Automatic Updates agent is not working properly. Before uninstalling the client, perform some basic tests to determine what is working, if anything. Here are several basic functionality tests to try, which may help you narrow the scope of the problem at hand.

• Try to install software— This is easiest if you are using Run Advertised Programs, because you can simply launch a test installation to see if it works. By performing this test, you can confirm that the client is talking to its management point and is able to obtain content as well as install software.

• Try the same task on another computer in the same locale— It is very important to see if the reported issue is isolated to one computer. One of the easiest ways to confirm this is to verify whether the problem exists on a different computer. Be sure to test using the same environment (same operating system, same IP subnet, even the same logged-on user if possible).

• Check to see if other components are working— Hardware and software inventory, as well as Discovery Data Manager (Heartbeat Discovery), are components that hardly encounter issues. Use the Configuration Manager control panel applet to launch one (or all) of these actions, and monitor InventoryAgent.log to verify success.

• Rediscover the client— From the Configuration Manager control panel applet, on the Advanced tab, click the Discover button to rediscover the client to its assigned site. If the client successfully assigns to a site, it successfully queried Active Directory (or its SLP) and is in a valid set of site boundaries.

Spend some time troubleshooting clients, and read the client logs carefully. The logs are very detailed, and usually help you determine the root cause of the problem.