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The Liberum Installation Guide
Presented by
Jay Appell
History
Rev 1.1 Add Comments from Noto, from the U.K., to include comments on Access DB.
Rev 1.2 Include Symptom and Corrective action codes at the end of install procedures guide Rev 1.3 4/30/07 Create new formatted guide. Added ODBC instructions that could prevent some installations from operating properly. Included a Symptom, Fault and Fix section. Rev 1.4 4/30/07 Add Microsoft Access Database directions
Welcome! If you have arrived on this webpage it is because you have read my post on the “Liberum” knowledgebase and have a desire to implement the helpdesk “Liberum” at your location. It is my intent to help you install it without the aggravation it took me, while detailing what I had to do to make it all work. The foundation for this installation was:
• New Microsoft Windows 2003 Server and the latest Service Pack. • Exchange 2003 on the same server. • Windows 2003 with IIS (Webserver) • Microsoft SQL Server
These directions worked for us but I have to mention that some common sense and experience need to be applied before continuing. If you have no idea what a computer is, then you probably should find someone with more experience. If you are uncomfortable with any phase then ask before you do, especially with IIS and\or Microsoft SQL. You use these directions entirely at your own risk.
I used the “Liberum” Help Desk guide version 0.97.3 (build 003) as my initial reference and created this install guide for you. I will show you how the application gets installed. If you are using Windows 2000, some of my screens might not match yours, but it may give you enough to make the settings you need. The “Liberum” knowledgebase is pretty good. Like all KB's newer information is harder to determine from the old. Further, what you do might not make any difference at all. Welcome to the world of computers. As I mentioned before, this installation is for Windows 2003 using SQL as a database backend. I have included directions along the way should you be using Microsoft Access for the database.
Steps 01 through 04 Obtain and extract Liberum Software Steps 05 through 05 Select SQL or Access Database Steps 06 through 06 Microsoft Access database Steps 07 through 07 Microsoft SQL database Steps 08 through 20 Setup a SQL Database Steps 21 through 25 Setup a SQL ODBC Connector Steps 31 through 37 Setup IIS to work with Liberum Helpdesk Steps 38 through 41 Language and Helpdesk configuration Steps 42 Microsoft Exchange E-Mail Symptom Fault and Fix Section The following is a step‐by‐step walk‐through.
1. Download the “Liberum” software from the Website or click here. Place the .zip file in a location of your choice. I placed it on my desktop.
2. Extract the contents of the .zip file to the location on your webserver. I used c:\inetpub\wwwroot\helpdesk
3. Delete the .txt files and it should now look like this.
4. Move the contents of the "www" to the helpdesk level, and then delete the empty "www" folder. When you’re done the directory should look like this.
5. If you are installing Microsoft SQL as your database, continue to step 7. If you have chosen Microsoft Access as your backend database, continue to step 6.
6. Microsoft Access database instructions. Open up the file "SETTINGS.ASP" with notepad. It can be found in the "root of the helpdesk directory. We chose to use SQL instead of Access so all of our examples will pertain to SQL. We used an Access database initially but found it slow, but functional. Going to SQL yielded us better performance. Note changes highlighted in Yellow.
.
. '======================================== ' Database Information
' Database Type ' 1 ‐ SQL Server with SQL security (set SQLUser/SQLPass) ' 2 ‐ SQL Server with integrated security ' 3 ‐ Access Database (set AccessPath) ' 4 ‐ DSN (An ODBC DataSource) (set DSN_Name) Application("DBType") = 3 '======================================== . . '=========== ACCESS SETTINGS ============ 'Physical path to database file Application("AccessPath") = " C:\Inetpub\wwwroot\Helpdesk\db\helpdesk2007.mdb" '======================================== The Liberum helpdesk software supplies a new database called helpdesk2000.mdb. For the purposes of my installation I renamed it to helpdesk2007.mdb. Go to the location where your Liberum software is and rename the Access database name from. . . ' Enable Debugging: ' Set to true to view full MS errors and other debug information ' printed. (This will disable most On Error Resume Next statements.) Application("Debug") = False
I highlighted the statement above to show how debugging is turned on. When it is set to ‘True’ you will operate most aspects of the helpdesk in debug mode, or if you will troubleshooting mode. When you operate the helpdesk it will display other information on your screen instead of operating silently. When you have completed the debug mode make sure you set it back to ‘False’.
After you have completed your changes, save it and exit.
7. Microsoft SQL database instructions. Open up the file "SETTINGS.ASP" with notepad. It can be found in the "root of the helpdesk directory. We chose to use SQL instead of Access so all of our examples will pertain to SQL. We used an Access database initially but found it slow, but functional. Going to SQL yielded us better performance. Note changes highlighted in Yellow. For Microsoft SQL make Application("DBType") = 1 or 2. We chose one as we will supply SQL Admin, SA, credentials . . ' SetAppVariables: ' The procedure runs when the application is started or the file is changed ' Primary ojbectives are to set variables/constants used throughout the ' application. Sub SetAppVariables '========================================
' Database Information ' Database Type ' 1 ‐ SQL Server with SQL security (set SQLUser/SQLPass) ' 2 ‐ SQL Server with integrated security ' 3 ‐ Access Database (set AccessPath) ' 4 ‐ DSN (An ODBC DataSource) (set DSN_Name) Application("DBType") = 1 '======================================== '============ SQL SETTINGS ============== Application("SQLServer") = "SQLSERVER" ' Server name (don't put the leading \\) Application("SQLDBase") = "HelpDesk" ' Database name Application("SQLUser") = "sa" ' Account to log into the SQL server with Application("SQLPass") = "sapass" ' Password for account ' ======================================= . . '============= DSN SETTINGS ============= Application("DSN_Name") = "HelpDeskDSN" '======================================== ' Enable Debugging: ' Set to true to view full MS errors and other debug information ' printed. (This will disable most On Error Resume Next statements.) Application("Debug") = False
I highlighted the statement above to show how debugging is turned on. When it is set to ‘True’ you will operate most aspects of the helpdesk in debug mode, or if you will troubleshooting mode. When you operate the helpdesk it will display other information on your screen instead of operating silently. When you have completed the debug mode make sure you set it back to ‘False’.
After you have completed your changes, save it and exit.
8. If you are installing SQL proceed to step 9, otherwise go to step 26.
9. Now we need to setup the SQL database. I used a slightly older version of SQL but this should get you close enough to install it with a more current version.
10. On your SQL server go to Start\Programs\Microsoft SQL Server\Enterprise Manager
11. Click on the little "+" symbol to open Microsoft SQL Servers\SQL Server Group\"Your server name"\Databases
12. Right‐Click on Databases and select New Database.
13. Enter the name you wish the database to be called, like "Helpdesk" and click OK. Make
sure the name of your database matches up with the name you called it in the settings.asp.
14. Now we will initialize the "Helpdesk" database you just created. When you created the database it is essentially blank with no scheme or fields. The good thing is that there is a file that will help us complete the database initialization.
15. From the same SQL Window, locate ”Action View Tools", and click on "Tools" and then SQL Query Analyzer.
16. Don't be intimidated, we are almost done. Select File\Open and browse to the "db" folder where your helpdesk is loaded on your IIS. For example \\yourservername\c$\inetpub\wwwroot\helpdesk\db.
17. In this folder will be a file called "helpdesk.sql", left‐click to select this file and click Open.
18. The schema file should open in the SQL Query Analyzer window. Last but not least, choose the "helpdesk" database from the drop‐down menu.
19. Your window should look like the one above, if so, click the green right‐arrow. You might
see one error because you created the database in advance. Otherwise you can close the windows and exit SQL.
20. The SQL database task should now be complete. 21. The next phase is pretty straight forward but many forget that it is necessary. It is called
an ODBC connector. It sounds more complicated then it is. Basically we have to make sure that the server and IIS can talk to the SQL server. If SQL is located on another machine we need to create a communication highway to it.
22. On the helpdesk server go to Start\Programs\Administrative Tools\Data Sources (ODBC).
In the above picture I have already created the connector. I did it by clicking Add and then locating the SQL Server driver, selecting SQL Server and then click Finish.
23. After you click Finish the following window will display.
My SQL Connector looks like this:
Choose your SQL server from the drop down list.
24. As we finish up you will click Next. The following window will be shown. Choose the correct authentication, we used NT authentication since we will access this helpdesk via the internet.
Click Next. Make sure that the database name in the box shown matches up with the
helpdesk database name created on the SQL server.
Click Next and then Finish.
25. A final screen will display that looks like this:
Click the “Test Data Source” button. You should see:
Make sure this works before continuing. The success means that the proper Data Base Connector is installed and talking with SQL.
26. Now we need to tailor IIS. This phase was pretty straight forward after days of trying to sort out what should be what. So I am saving you a fair amount of time. Open up IIS Manager, Start\Programs\Administrative Tools\Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager. Click the + sign to reveal a folder called “Web Sites”. Right‐Click on the Default Website and select New\Virtual Directory.
27. Make sure that you click the checkbox "Run scripts (such as ASP).
28. Right‐click "hdesktest" folder from the Default Web Site list and choose properties.
29. Click the "Documents" tab and click "Add". Enter each of these and place them in this exact order as shown. Delete index.html which is the default but not used. Click Apply.
30. Right‐click "hdesktest" folder from the Default Web Site list and choose properties, then
select the Directory Security tab. Click the "Edit" button for the Authentication and access control.
31. Uncheck the Enable "anonymous access" and check "Integrated Windows Authentication". Click OK to continue.
32. Here is a gotchya that is mentioned by a few and would take you time to find and correct. Make sure you do this. Go back to the Virtual Directory tab and click on the "Configuration" button. Choose the Options tab and checkmark the "Enable parent paths". Not doing this will cause you to see Visual Basic Errors.
33. Now Right‐Click on the "admin" folder under the hdesktest IIS structure and choose properties.
34. Choose the "Documents" tab and it should look like the following.
35. Believe it or not you should be real close to a functional helpdesk system. Here are a couple of pre‐flight checks. Right‐Click "hdesktest" and click "Browse".
36. You may be prompted to login if you are using Access. If you receive an error like this:
If you do make sure that you verify that the file path where the helpdesk??.mdb file is located. If you’re lucky you will see this for Access Users, if so continue to step 37.
37. One last check is to right‐click on the "admin" folder and click "Browse". You should see
something like this or an error for “language strings”. Proceed to Step 38
38. Use Internet Explorer and connect to: http://your.webserver.com/hdesktest/setup.asp. You should see something like this:
39. Click the "Install/Upgrade Language Strings" button.
When it has completed close down Internet Explorer. Rename the setup.asp to another name.xyz after it successfully completed. You don’t need someone coming along and running this again.
40. Now you will configure your helpdesk. Use Internet Explorer and connect to: http://your.webserver.com/hdesktest/admin You should see the admin login window.
The password by default is "admin" without the quotes.
41. You are essentially done unless you want to use email confirmation. In that case move on to step 36.
42. The Email piece of this was a learning experience even though I am pretty well versed in Microsoft Exchange. Here are a few KEY notes that are extremely important and without them you may not have your email running. I will even go as far to say that without them you may be left to "think" that rebuilding your IIS or Exchange server is necessary. Don't believe everything that Microsoft enters on their knowledgebase.
Notable Point 1: For those of you wishing to use email, Microsoft Windows 2003 does not come loaded with the library cdonts.dll. As you would soon learn, Windows 2003 Server does not use CDONTS as it was deprecated for use with CDOSYS. CDOS is the new Microsoft email sending component (read more on Microsoft Website). If your not certain what I just said, at face value the way Microsoft used to send mail is no longer true with Windows 2003.
Notable Point 2: Since CDONTS isn't loaded by Windows 2003, you can get the library and simply install it for use in the new environment, yay! You can download it fromhttp://www.webhostgear.com/cdonts.zip. Download it and place it aside for now if you will use Liberum email on Windows 2003.
1. In the Helpdesk Administrative Menu choose "Configure Site". make sure that email is set to "CDONTS". The Authentication should be set to NT.
2. If you have Microsoft Windows 2003 with Exchange Server installed, you will need to manually install the cdonts.dll from the .zip you downloaded in Notable Point 2. Place the cdonts.dll into the c:\windows\system32 directory.
3. From the command prompt execute the following:
regsvr32 C:\Windows\System32\cdonts.dll
4. One last important item, you will need to grant modify access to the "Drop" folder in IIS. Here is how you do it.
5. Go to the location where IIS is, for example C:\Inetpub\mailroot.
6. Right‐Click the Drop folder and choose Properties and then Security. Add an entry with "Modify Access", IUSR_your server.
That should just about do it. I hope you found this informative and helpful. If you have any questions or comments i would love to hear from you at [email protected].
Symptom, Fault and Fix Section
Problem When performing a search via the helpdesk menu you receive and "Application Error". Number: ‐2147217900 Source: Microsoft OLE DB Provider for SQL Server Description: Cannot use a CONTAINS or FREETEXT predicate on table 'problems' because it is not full‐text indexed. The SQL Query string is using bad syntax..... Even though the situation described above operated with the solution described below, the helpdesk code doesn't attempt to use fulltext indexing if it's disabled in the settings. It your case it was enabled in the helpdesk code but not in the sql server, causing your error. And it's
very desirable to utilize fulltext searches if available, it significantly reduces the server load as opposed to using sql only searches. Solution Go to the Administrative Menu\Configure Site Change KB‐SQL Full‐Text Searches: to Disable
Problem Error! Command: INSERT INTO tblLangStrings (id, variable, LangText) VALUES (1, 'AccessDenied', 'Access denied') Number: ‐2147467259 Source: Microsoft JET Database Engine Description: Operation must use an updateable query Solution Check permissions
Problem HTTP Error 500 Solution With 2003, you need to enable parent paths. The instructions are below: * Click Start‐>Programs‐>Administrative Tools‐>Internet Information Services * Expand Web Sites and right click the web site you want to enable this for (i.e Default Web Site), click Properties * Click the Home directory tab and click the Configuration button * Click on the Options tab * Check the box Enable Parent Paths
Problem Application Error Number: ‐2147220991 (0x80040201) Source: Description: Exception 0xc0000005 was generated at address 0x74bae93c Solution Email portion of the helpdesk is not operating with email properly. Disable email and the error may go away while you begin to troubleshoot further.
