Install Windows Server 2003 Administration Tools Pack (adminpak) on Windows Vista

[Manik]

The Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 (SP1) Administration Tools Pack provides server management tools that allow administrators to remotely manage computers running Windows 2000 Server and Windows Server 2003 family operating systems, while newer Windows Server 2003 R2 AdminPack provides utilities that allow system admins to remotely manage features specific to Wndows Server 2003 R2 on computers running Windows Server 2003 R2 family of operating systems. The adminpak (as it’s generally called due to earlier setup file was named adminpak.msi) is designed to run on Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP. To install and run Win2003 Admin Tools Pack on Windows Vista, a little tweak needs to be done, as Vista is not supported by default.

Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 (SP1) Administration Tools Pack and Windows Server 2003 R2 Administration Tools Pack can be installed without error on Windows Vista. However, the following error message will appear whenever attempting to load Active Directory Users and Computers, Active Directory Domains and Trusts, etc:

MMC could not create the snap-in.

The issue occurred because Windows Vista requires elevated user rights when a .dll file is registered for enhanced security, and the Administration Tools Pack is not installed by a user who has administrative user rights. Microsoft KB930056 provides a simple solution and workaround for this error:



1. Open a command prompt with administrative privileges (instructions here).

2. Copy and paste the following commands into the elevated command prompt, or you can save the commands into a batch file, and then execute the batch script:

regsvr32 /s adprop.dll
regsvr32 /s azroles.dll
regsvr32 /s azroleui.dll
regsvr32 /s ccfg95.dll
regsvr32 /s certadm.dll
regsvr32 /s certmmc.dll
regsvr32 /s certpdef.dll
regsvr32 /s certtmpl.dll
regsvr32 /s certxds.dll
regsvr32 /s cladmwiz.dll
regsvr32 /s clcfgsrv.dll
regsvr32 /s clnetrex.dll
regsvr32 /s cluadmex.dll
regsvr32 /s cluadmmc.dll
regsvr32 /s cmproxy.dll
regsvr32 /s cmroute.dll
regsvr32 /s cmutoa.dll
regsvr32 /s cnet16.dll
regsvr32 /s debugex.dll
regsvr32 /s dfscore.dll
regsvr32 /s dfsgui.dll
regsvr32 /s dhcpsnap.dll
regsvr32 /s dnsmgr.dll
regsvr32 /s domadmin.dll
regsvr32 /s dsadmin.dll
regsvr32 /s dsuiwiz.dll
regsvr32 /s imadmui.dll
regsvr32 /s lrwizdll.dll
regsvr32 /s mprsnap.dll
regsvr32 /s msclus.dll
regsvr32 /s mstsmhst.dll
regsvr32 /s mstsmmc.dll
regsvr32 /s nntpadm.dll
regsvr32 /s nntpapi.dll
regsvr32 /s nntpsnap.dll
regsvr32 /s ntdsbsrv.dll
regsvr32 /s ntfrsapi.dll
regsvr32 /s rasuser.dll
regsvr32 /s rigpsnap.dll
regsvr32 /s rsadmin.dll
regsvr32 /s rscommon.dll
regsvr32 /s rsconn.dll
regsvr32 /s rsengps.dll
regsvr32 /s rsjob.dll
regsvr32 /s rsservps.dll
regsvr32 /s rsshell.dll
regsvr32 /s rssubps.dll
regsvr32 /s rtrfiltr.dll
regsvr32 /s schmmgmt.dll
regsvr32 /s tapisnap.dll
regsvr32 /s tsuserex.dll
regsvr32 /s uddi.mmc.dll
regsvr32 /s vsstskex.dll
regsvr32 /s w95inf16.dll
regsvr32 /s w95inf32.dll
regsvr32 /s winsevnt.dll
regsvr32 /s winsmon.dll
regsvr32 /s winsrpc.dll
regsvr32 /s winssnap.dll
regsvr32 /s ws03res.dll

This step will register the Windows 2003 management tools DLLs properly on Windows Vista.


Beside, Microsoft has also released Windows Vista Application Compatibility Update (KB932246) that improves support and compatibility of Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 (SP1) Administration Tools Pack in Windows Vista.

[Nipmuc]

To use this management pack, it must be enabled in Windows Features in the Programs and Features in Vista. Then create, via a standard MMC file. Msc. To use this file (such admin.msc) must validate the use of administrator privileges via UAC in Vista. Yet according to the security, a user should not use an administrative account to perform common tasks (mail, Word, Internet, etc. ...). The user account after confirming the elevation of privilege of the UAC can not connect to Windows servers via AdminPack.