********************************************************************** "Read First" Release Notes for the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 family ********************************************************************** ====================================================================== CONTENTS ====================================================================== 1.0 Read Me First 2.0 Pre-installation Notes 2.1 Check Minimum Hardware Requirements 2.2 Internet Information Services (IIS) 6.0 2.3 Security restrictions on viewing Web pages and running executable files 3.0 Copyright ====================================================================== 1.0 Read Me First ====================================================================== This document provides late-breaking or other information that supplements the documentation for the Windows Server 2003 family. Before you install a product in the Windows Server 2003 family, print and read this document for critical pre-installation information concerning this release. For the most up-to-date list of supported hardware, see the hardware compatibility information in the Windows Catalog (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/catalog/). In addition, print and read the following files located in the \Docs folder on your operating system disc: * Setup instructions * Release notes (relnotes.htm), important compatibility and postinstallation information New features are described in detail in Help and Support Center. To view Help and Support Center in the Windows Server 2003 family, after completing Setup, click Start, and then click Help and Support. ====================================================================== 2.0 Pre-installation Notes ====================================================================== 2.1 Check Minimum Hardware Requirements ======================================= You should read article 814617, "System Requirements in Windows Server 2003" in the Microsoft Knowledge Base (http://support.microsoft.com/) to check for any updated hardware requirements for installing and running products in the Windows Server 2003 family. 2.2 Internet Information Services (IIS) 6.0 =========================================== Products: Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition; Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition; Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition Because of increased security measures, the World Wide Web Publishing Service (WWW service) is not enabled by default in these products after you upgrade from the Windows 2000 Server family with IIS 5.0. If you have already upgraded, you can start the WWW service by using the Services snap-in as described in relnotes.htm in the \Docs folder on the operating system disc. If you have not yet upgraded and you want the WWW service to be enabled by default after you upgrade, you must perform one of the following steps before you start the upgrade: * If you have not already done so, run the IIS Lockdown Tool on the computer that you want to upgrade. The IIS Lockdown Tool reduces the attack surface of your server by disabling unnecessary features and gives you the choice to enable and customize features for your site. This tool is available from the "IIS Lockdown Tool" page on the Microsoft Web site (http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/downloads/recommended /iislockdown/default.asp). * Create the registry key RetainW3SVCStatus under the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W3SVC node, and then add a DWORD value of any name equal to 1. For example, create the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W3SVC \RetainW3SVCStatus\do_not_disable with the DWORD value of 1. CAUTION: Incorrectly editing the registry may severely damage your system. Before making changes to the registry, you should back up any valued data on the computer. * Add the entry "DisableWebServiceOnUpgrade = false" to the script that you will use to perform an unattended installation. After the upgrade is complete, ensure that all unnecessary IIS features have been removed or disabled and that the enabled features are configured with the highest security settings that your organization can support. For more information, see the topics "What's Changed" and "Security Best Practices" in IIS 6.0 Help. 2.3 Security restrictions on viewing Web pages and running executable files ====================================================================== The default security settings in Internet Explorer are more restrictive in the Windows Server 2003 family than in earlier versions of Windows. When you upgrade, any settings that do not match the new default settings are overwritten. These changes decrease the exposure of your servers to attacks that are launched through Web content. However, users will not be able to view many Web pages correctly when using the default security settings. To allow users to see these Web pages correctly, you must explicitly grant access. In addition, users will not be able to run executable files from Universal Naming Convention (UNC) shared folders until you or the users have added the shared computer to the Local intranet security zone in Internet Explorer. For more information about security settings and how to change them, see relnotes.htm in the \Docs folder on the operating system disc. ====================================================================== 3.0 Copyright ====================================================================== Information in this document, including URL and other Internet Web site references, is subject to change without notice. Unless otherwise noted, the example companies, organizations, products, domain names, e-mail addresses, logos, people, places and events depicted herein are fictitious, and no association with any real company, organization, product, domain name, e-mail address, logo, person, place or event is intended or should be inferred. Complying with all applicable copyright laws is the responsibility of the user. Without limiting the rights under copyright, no part of this document may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), or for any purpose, without the express written permission of Microsoft Corporation. Microsoft may have patents, patent applications, trademarks, copyrights, or other intellectual property rights covering subject matter in this document. Except as expressly provided in any written license agreement from Microsoft, the furnishing of this document does not give you any license to these patents, trademarks, copyrights, or other intellectual property. (c) 2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, MS-DOS, Windows, and Windows NT are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.