Services for UNIX - Interoperability : Interix

Windows 7 SUA SDK

Ashish — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 21:51:00 GMT

Windows 7 SUA SDK A lot of people have been enquiring about the Windows 7 SUA SDK. There is a lot of anticipation since Windows 7 has already raised the bar on the other fronts and now people have high expectations for SUA SDK that would be released for...(read more)

SFU hot fixes in email

Ashish — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 02:05:00 GMT

SFU hot fixes in email

Like any other Microsoft hot fix, you can also receive SFU hot fixes in your inbox - http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=6294451

All you need is the KB article number which describes the fix you need. While we are talking about it, the following is also important to note -

"Hotfix Information

A Hotfix is a single package that includes one or more files that is used to address a very specific customer problem with a product. A supported Hotfix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that is described in the previous mentioned article. Only apply it to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This Hotfix may receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next service pack that contains this Hotfix."

Why am I talking about it here?
At first, it doesn't sound like has anything to do with SFU or UNIX Interoperability components shipped with Windows. But, then users who use these components know that hot fixes get them out of many problems. I am sure a lot of them would prefer getting the hot fix using this form instead opening a case.

Before you rush to request the latest and greatest fixes for SFU or R2 components - be informed that there are a few of them which have very specific prerequisites and if they are not fulfilled, you may run in to other issues. Read below to know about them -

KB913030 - Applies only to Services for UNIX 3.5
You can install this hot fix on any system that's running Interix Subsystem, Server for NIS or Password Synchronization. It doesn't create any problems but is mentioned here since it contains some stability and reliability update for Interix subsystem and some utilities. You should install this fix before you install any other Interix subsystem hot fix which is newer than this one.

KB921599 - Applies only to Services for UNIX 3.5
Many people get confused with the information in the Kb article. This hot fix again applies only to Services for UNIX 3.5 Server for NIS and Password Synchronization components. You need this hot fix only if you have added a Windows Server 2003 R2 DC (or upgraded one of the DCs to R2) AND have also installed Server for NIS Identity Management for UNIX (IdMU) component which comes with Windows Server 2003 R2.

Since IdMU components in R2 use RFC2307 schema classes and attributes, when you install these components in SFU 3.5 environment, the installation process upgrades all of the NIS objects (NIS Domains, maps, users, groups etc.) to use R2 schema enhancements. This breaks Services for UNIX 3.5 Server for NIS and Password Synchronization components since they use a different schema. Installing this hot fix updates the SFU 3.5 Server for NIS and Password Synchronizarion binaries to use RFC2307 classes and attributes and helps SFU 3.5 and R2 IdMU components to co-exist.

KB936529 - Applicable to Services for UNIX 3.5
The previous post talks about it. Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 installation breaks SFU 3.5 Interix Subsystem and Password Synchronization components and this hot fix helps you to undo that. This hot fix should not be installed on Windows Server 2003 R2 SP2 systems because if you are using Password Synchronization IdMU component, this hot fix replaces the pswdsync.dll file with the one meant for SFU 3.5. As a result, Password Synchronization stop working.

If you have any questions about any SFU hot fixes, please use the Email button on the blog side bar and shoot me a mail.

Update: Windows Server 2003 SP2 breaks SFU

Ashish — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 17:05:00 GMT

This post discussed about a problem with SFU 3.5 Interix and Password Synchronization components which break when you install Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2. It also lists steps to fix it manually using files from another hot fix.

Microsoft has released a new hot fix - KB936529 - which fixes this issue and removes the burden of replacing the correct files manually.

If you've installed Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 and running in to this problem, please get this hot fix from PSS and install it. Make sure you don't install this hot fix on an R2 system because that may break correponding R2 components.

Windows Server 2003 SP2 breaks SFU

Ashish — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 20:03:00 GMT

Windows Server 2003 SP2 breaks SFU

We have already seen too many people reporting this - Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 installation breaks two functionalities in Services for UNIX 3.5 installations - Interix subsystem and Password Synchronization.

The root cause lies with SP2 unintentionally replacing the SFU 3.5 Interix binaries and Password Synchronization binaries with corresponding R2 binaries. The specific files that get replaced after installing SP2 are psxss.exe, psxdll.dll and pswdsync.dll. First two are part of the SFU 3.5 Interix subsystem and the last belongs to SFU 3.5 Password Synchronization component.

Microsoft is aware of this problem is working on a patch to address this issue.

Until the patch is ready, the only way out is to manually put the right binaries back in place. To do that, you can either copy the above mentioned files from some other working box that has SFU 3.5 installed or get the right drivers from Microsoft support.

While you ask Microsoft PSS for the right drivers, I would recommend asking for the binaries that were included with the Services for UNIX Security and Reliability rollup package 913030 since it contains the necessary SFU 3.5 binaries for Interix subsystem and Password Synchronization components.

After you've obtained the above hot fix 913030, follow the steps below -

Download and extract the hot fix on your system.
Among other files, you will get SFU35-KB913030-X86-ENU.EXE which you need to install.
Double-click on this file and complete the installation. At the end, the installation will prompt you to reboot the server and this prompt features just the OK button. DO NOT click on it yet.
Open a Command Prompt window, change to the folder where you have the SFU35-KB913030-X86-ENU.EXE file and run this -

SFU35-KB913030-X86-ENU.exe /x
This command extracts the files from the hot fix instead of kicking the hot fix installation.
That'll again ask you a folder location where the files from this hot fix should be extracted. Type a path and click on OK.
After extraction is complete, open this new path in Windows Explorer. Open the sfu35eng folder and here you can see all the files this hot fix updates.
Depending upon which component is broken on your system, copy the psxss.exe, psxdll.dll and/or pswdsync.dll files after verifying the version number (it should be 8.0.1969.38) to your %systemroot%\system32 folder.

Manual update of these drivers is needed since the wrongly replaced drivers have a version number corresponding to Windows Server 2003 R2 which is higher than that of the SFU 3.5 driver versions.
Come back to the hot fix window which is still waiting for you to click on the OK button. Click on OK and let your system reboot.
All should be fine now. If not, you probably need Microsoft PSS to help you with this.

There is likely to be a fix very soon. I would update this post whenever that happens.