Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials

Microsoft has published an useful information on this:
Windows Small Business Server (SBS) 2011 Essentials is ideal as a first server for small businesses with up to 25 users, Windows SBS 2011 Essentials provides a cost-effective and easy-to-use solution to help protect data, organize and access business information from virtually anywhere, support the applications needed to run a business, and quickly connect to online services for e-mail, collaboration and CRM. Benefits of Windows SBS 2011 Essentials include:

• Daily automatic backups of clients and servers.
• Affordable and easy to deploy, use, and maintain.
• Organize and access files from virtually anywhere.
• Effortlessly connects to online services in order to expand capabilities.

For more information about installing, configuring and using Windows SBS 2011 Essentials, visit Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials Online Help.

New and Enhanced Features in Windows SBS 2011 Standard

Windows SBS 2011 Standard maintains the easy-to-use server management tools that were introduced in Windows SBS 2008. It also provides the same core set of features that are familiar to Windows SBS customers. However, Windows SBS 2011 Standard also delivers a variety of new and updated features that can help make it easier for small businesses to back-up their data, collaborate, and share information. The key features in Windows SBS 2011 Standard enable small businesses to:

• Share documents from a central location
• Recover files with automatic backup if the files are accidentally lost
• Organize and access business information from the office and from remote locations
• Run compatible business software and applications

Microsoft Windows SBS 2011 BPA

Microsoft Windows SBS 2011 Best Practices Analyzer (BPA) is a free diagnostic tool that is built on the Microsoft Baseline Configuration Analyzer (MBCA) technology. Windows SBS 2011 BPA scans a computer that is running Windows SBS 2011, and it compares the existing server settings to a predefined set of recommended best practices.

Windows SBS 2011 BPA performs the following tasks:

• Gathers information about a computer that is running Windows Small Business Server 2011
• Determines if the server settings comply with a set of best practices that are recommended by Microsoft
• Provides a report of the scan results, which identifies variances from the recommended best practices
• Identifies conditions that may lead to problems with the server
• Recommends solutions to potential problems

Discontinued features in Windows SBS 2011 Standard

1. Integration with Office Live
2. Forefront™ Security for Exchange Server, trial version
3. Windows Live OneCare™ for Server (trial version)

Top Trials

Designed and priced for small businesses with up to 75 users.

Ideal as a first server for small businesses with up to 25 users.

Download the Trial

Download the Trial  

Missing Explorer folders in windows 7

Here are the steps by which we can get the missing explorer folders in windows 7:

1.   Click Start

2.   Computer in Windows 7

You will see system folders like Control Panel and the Recycle Bin are no longer displayed in the left pane

Final and important step:

3.   Click Tools

4.   Folder Options

5.   Check "Show all folders"

6.   Click OK and all your top-level system folders will reappear.

Upgrade stops responding (hangs) at 62% when you upgrade to Windows 7

Microsoft has published an awesome article on this:
When you try to upgrade your computer from Windows Vista to Windows 7, the upgrade process stops responding at 62% indefinitely. 


Additionally, Windows creates a file that is named system_drive:\$WINDOWS.~BT\Sources\Panther\setupact.log. If you examine the contents of the file, you notice the following information: 

<date> <time>, Info                  MIG    IPostApply::ApplySuccess for Plugin={ServerPath="%windir%\system32\migration\IphlpsvcMigPlugin.dll", CLSID={ade10465-2a43-454e-b0a7-3f220a61bd03}, ThreadingModel=Apartment} - Working directory: C:\$UPGRADE.~OS\OnlineUpgradeApplyWork\srcworking\agentmgr\CCSIAgent\005AE0CB
<date> <time>, Info       [0x0808fe] MIG    Plugin {ade10465-2a43-454e-b0a7-3f220a61bd03}: IphlpsvcMigPlugin: IphlpsvcMigPlugin: Performing upgrade actions for all protocols
<date> <time>, Info       [0x0808fe] MIG    Plugin {ade10465-2a43-454e-b0a7-3f220a61bd03}: IphlpsvcMigPlugin: IphlpsvcMigPlugin: CountInterfacesOfAType for 0.InterfaceCount ptr = 1dae2b8, InterfaceCount = 0
<date> <time>, Info       [0x0808fe] MIG    Plugin {ade10465-2a43-454e-b0a7-3f220a61bd03}: IphlpsvcMigPlugin: IphlpsvcMigPlugin: CountInterfacesOfAType for 0.Incrementing interface count
<date> <time>, Info       [0x0808fe] MIG    Plugin {ade10465-2a43-454e-b0a7-3f220a61bd03}: IphlpsvcMigPlugin: IphlpsvcMigPlugin: CountInterfacesOfAType for 0.InterfaceCount ptr = 1dae2b8, New value of *InterfaceCount = 1
<date> <time>, Info       [0x0808fe] MIG    Plugin {ade10465-2a43-454e-b0a7-3f220a61bd03}: IphlpsvcMigPlugin: IphlpsvcMigPlugin: RegEnumKeyEx return 259. key name: {AC049C3C-9B90-41A7-9385-DC5AD3E656F0}.new index: 2
Warning [0x080b50] MIG AsyncCallback_ApplyStatus: Progress appears to be stuck. Current progress: 62

Note Generally, drive is drive C on the computer.


Cause: This problem occurs because the Iphlpsvc service stops responding during the upgrade. 


Note Other services may also cause a problem in which the upgrade process stops responding at 62%.


Resolution:

Important Do not use this resolution if the upgrade stops responding at a percentage other than 62% or if the log entries are not logged. For more information about how to open the Seupact.log file, see the More Information section.

To have us fix this problem for you, go to the "Fix it for me" section. If you prefer to fix this problem yourself, go to the "Let me fix it myself" section.

Fix it for Me

To fix this problem automatically, restart the computer where the upgrade to Windows 7 fails at 62%. Your computer will roll back to Windows Vista. Either download the following fix to a flash drive or to a CD or return to this article on the machine where the upgrade fails. If you return to this article on the machine where you experience this problem, click the Fix this problem link. Click Run in the File Download dialog box, and follow the steps in the Fix it wizard.

Fix this problem 

Microsoft Fix it 50319

Looking for hardware that works with Windows 7

Microsoft has already published a good article on this:

Looking for hardware that works with Windows 7?

Visit the Windows 7 Compatibility Center to research how to make your existing devices (or devices you plan to buy) compatible with Windows 7.

• Windows 7 Compatibility Center

Having trouble installing a device?

The following resources can help you with device installation problems:

• Installing new hardware: recommended links
• What to do when a device isn't installed properly
• Install, view, and manage your devices and printers

Devices not working properly?

The following resources can help you with devices that aren't working properly:

• Tips for fixing common driver problems
• Update a driver for hardware that isn't working properly
• Automatically get recommended drivers and updates for your hardware