Recently we are testing Active Directory on VMware ESX server on top of Windows Server 2003 R2. After we successfully installed the Active Directory on ESX, we found all Active Directory virtual machines are unable to replicate with each other. We trying to force Active Directory replication but it still return errors to us.

After few hours of troubleshooting, we found that the host server system time did not set properly, and at the end cause time sychronization issue occur between all virtual machines. To encounter this problem, one of the easiest way is to set the correct timing for host server system time (such as correct Time Zone & current Date & Time).

Besides that, you can also double click on VMware Tool at the right bottom corner in Windows task bar on your virtual machine, at the VMware Tools properties, go to Options tab, and uncheck the option Time synchronization between the virtual machine and the ESX server.

From CNET News

Last month in a blog post about PDC 2008, I wondered if Microsoft will be including early code for the next version of Microsoft Office, codename Office ‘14’ on those cool external drives that will be given to attendees. Looks like its not gonna according to CNET’s, Ina Fried:

Quote:

“Windows 7 and Windows Cloud may be the stars of Microsoft's Professional Developer Conference, but the next version of Office has also landed a role in the production.

Office 14, as the product is code-named, will be discussed at next week's event, with attendees likely to get a peek at a couple of its features, according to sources. Unlike Windows 7, though, folks shouldn't expect to leave Los Angeles with a copy of their own.”

Read the rest here

I don't know if I should find this strange or disappointing. Looking back at PDC 2005, Microsoft didn't present Office 12 (now Office 2007) to Developers there. The beta for Office 12 didn't begin until around December of 2005. With rumors going around that Windows 7 beta 1 will not be made available until December of this year, its a possibility that testers will not see early code until then. Microsoft could also be holding out until their Office Developer Conference next year before showing it off to the public. I am expecting though that Windows 7 and Office 14 when finalized will be launched together. Microsoft should also use the codename '14' for the final product. Its kinda catchy: "7 x 2 = 14"

Resources:

Office 12 Technical Beta Invites
Up Next: Office 2007 SP2

Mary Jo Foley just informed us that the Office Team is full steamed ahead with their next update for the popular productivity suite. Last week I noted that Office 2007 SP2 would might appear sometime around mid 2007, the Office Team is aiming for much earlier, think early 2009 or spring.

Quote: Among the new features coming in the desktop SP are previously announced file-format changes — specifically support for Open Document Format (ODF), Microsoft’s own XML Paper Specfication (XPS) and PDF. SP2 also will add improvements to Outlook calendaring reliability and improved Outlook performance overall; improvements to Excel’s charting mechanism; the ability for Visio to export UML models to an XML file compliant with the XMI standard; and an uninstall tool for Office client service packs. Read the rest here

Last week, a Microsoft Knowledge Base article gave early information about the existence of Windows Vista and Server 2008 SP2, which I suggested could probably be made available by mid 2009. Technical Testers have already received invitations to participate in the BETA Program.

Previously:

Up Next: Windows Vista SP2
Microsoft sends Vista SP2 invites - beta release in 4 weeks

From NetworkWorld

The report, written by Gartner analyst Michael Silver, states that most organizations should not skip Windows Vista entirely and should install Vista on new PCs as they are deployed, with the main reason being that ISVs (independent software vendors) don't support old versions of Windows long enough, or new versions of Windows soon enough.

In general, skipping a version of Windows means deploying the next version very early in its lifecycle. You become an early adopter of an unproven OS, which carries the risk of waiting 12 to 18 months for ISV support, testing applications, building images and piloting before the new OS can actually be deployed, Silver says.

The only companies that may be able to skip Vista entirely are ones doing forklift migrations (updating hardware and OS all at once) and that also don't plan to deploy Windows 7 until mid-2011, Silver says. This would be 18 months after Microsoft's stated Windows 7 ship date, the estimated time that Windows 7 will be mature and stable enough to deploy, in Gartner's view.

But even those companies are somewhat vulnerable to skipping Vista, Silver says, because, "Windows 7 is an unknown entity with unknown features and an uncertain time frame. Skipping Windows Vista doesn't mean that the work necessary to remediate applications for Windows Vista will be eliminated; much of the same work will be needed to prepare for Windows 7."

Read the rest here

An interesting article, I even discussed this same topic in a post earlier this month, 'Making the Case for Windows Vista', in it I said the following:

Waiting on Windows 7 to skip Vista does not make sense especially for businesses, since the same kernel will be used which means, any incompatibilities today moving from XP to Vista will also be there when trying to move from XP to 7. The strategy for most enterprise roll outs is to use a proven and tested product, which Vista will further be by 2010, by then the second Service Pack should also be out. I don't see a mass deployment of Windows 7, its the same case for most versions of Windows in the past.

From PC World Magazine

Quote: In a stunning reversal, Microsoft announced that future versions of Windows would no longer feature e-mail, contact management, calendar, photo management, and movie making in the initial install. Instead, Microsoft customers will be encouraged to download these app's from Windows Live online services. And although these services are, for now, somewhat underpowered compared with their current in-OS counterparts, there's every expectation that Microsoft will enrich the entire lineup in time for the Windows 7's 2009 or 2010 launch.

This is precisely the opposite of what Microsoft did 15 years ago when it launched what would be the last great version of DOS. Back in 1993, Microsoft stuffed the popular desktop PC platform (which still led Windows by a good margin) with its own versions of virtually every popular utility on the market. DOS 6 shipped with memory management, disk compression, backup, antivirus, and hard drive optimization. Two areas—memory management and compression—had before then spawned a cottage industry of solutions that were designed to access memory between 640K and 1MB (hard to believe, isn't it?) and help users extend their already-overstuffed 20MB (yes, I said "MB") hard drives.

Read the entire story here

Its a turning point to the extent where Microsoft sees more value offering the now debundled productivity and multimedia applications as free downloads to drive innovation. Microsoft has said that bundling Windows Mail, Photo Gallery and Movie Maker held back a great deal of innovation. This was a similar case for Windows Internet Explorer which was originally going to have new releases only with new versions of Windows, but this decision was changed after the Longhorn reset. The benefits consumers will get from their Windows experience with Windows 7 is continued updates and new features beyond what comes in the box and we can even see this happening already with app's like Windows Live Photo Gallery which succeeded the initial release that came with Vista, featuring better integration with Live Services like Windows Live Spaces and social networks like Flickr and FaceBook.

Microsoft bundled those features in DOS at the time out of necessity, its what users wanted, not what the Company thought they might need. I personally wouldn't mind if Windows Live Wave 3 came with Windows 7 to save me the time of downloading and installing it. But, there is a balance being created here. Its satisfying end users and third party developers to really compete on their merits.

Bloggers Ed Bott and Long Zheng have dugg up information about when the next version of Windows, 7 might be released to manufacturering. Of course, the speculated date given is no surprise, 'November 2009'. Microsoft has always promised that Windows 7 would be available by late 2009, even Steve Ballmer identified this earlier in the year. Here is a quote from CNET back in May of this year:

Quote: Update: Ballmer says it will come in late 2009. Corporate VP Julie Larson-Green demonstrated the multitouch technology, painting with several fingers at the same time to show how it can process not just touch, but multiple simultaneous input. Read the entire story here 

Mary Jo foley had more to say on the date itself, by getting a much clearer response from Company officials at the time:

Quote: When I asked Microsoft for yet another clarification on Windows 7’s ship date last night, executives said the difference between Ballmer’s latest pronouncement and Microsoft’s stated timeframe was “really only a matter of a month or two.” Remember; Microsoft’s Windows team’s new mantra is underpromise and overdeliver. It looks better to say you will ship in 2010 and actually deliver in 2009 than it does to say 2009 and have your due date slip into the next year. Read the entire story here

Even Bill Gates said it before his retirement that there would be a new version of Windows coming next year. A lot of this regurgitated news stems from revelations that there will not be a WinHEC conference next year. Which makes sense, since WinHEC basically provides IHVs with information around hardware and software synergies for the Windows platform coming in the near future. All of that information will be revealed this year at WinHEC 2008, there basically would be nothing new to discuss and I'm sure Microsoft will be too busy wrapping up development to start communication about the release after Windows 7.

ASUS manufacturer of the Eee PC, noted that support for multi-touch wouldn't happen until Windows 7 hits market.

Resources:
Windows 7 to arrive next year, says Bill Gates - Engadget
Windows 7: Now a late 2009 deliverable (again)