Reset Password for SharePoint Farm Service accounts

Sample Batchfile to reset password for various Service accounts used in SharePoint environment :

Use the following syntax to run the script:
FileName.bat DomainName\UserName NewPassword

@echo off
rem other app pools
echo *** Updating app pool passwords
"%commonprogramfiles%\Microsoft Shared\Web server extensions\12\BIN\Stsadm.exe" -o updateaccountpassword -userlogin %1 -password %2 -noadmin
rem central admin
echo *** Updating Central Admin password
"%commonprogramfiles%\Microsoft Shared\Web server extensions\12\BIN\Stsadm.exe" -o updatefarmcredentials -userlogin %1 -password %2
rem ssp - new
echo *** Updating ssp password for new installs
"%commonprogramfiles%\Microsoft Shared\Web server extensions\12\BIN\Stsadm.exe" -o editssp -title "SharedServices1" -ssplogin %1 -ssppassword %2
rem ssp - upgrade
echo *** Updating ssp password for upgraded installs
"%commonprogramfiles%\Microsoft Shared\Web server extensions\12\BIN\Stsadm.exe" -o editssp -title "Default Web Site" -ssplogin %1 -ssppassword %2
rem osearch
echo *** Updating osearch password
"%commonprogramfiles%\Microsoft Shared\Web server extensions\12\BIN\Stsadm.exe" -o osearch -farmserviceaccount %1 -farmservicepassword %2
echo *** MANUAL UPDATE NEEDED. To update the password, visit the SSP Web application page, click Search Settings, and then click Default Content Access Account.
rem spsearch
echo *** Updating spsearch password
"%commonprogramfiles%\Microsoft Shared\Web server extensions\12\BIN\Stsadm.exe" -o spsearch -farmserviceaccount %1 -farmservicepassword %2
echo *** Updating spsearch content access account
"%commonprogramfiles%\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\BIN\stsadm.exe" -o spsearch -farmcontentaccessaccount %1 -farmcontentaccesspassword %2
rem restarting IIS
echo *** Doing soft restart of IIS
iisreset /noforce
echo on

Report Viewer Web parts for SharePoint
Two types of Report Viewer Web parts are available :
1. Web Parts which come with SQL Server Reporting Services
2. Web Parts which come with the Reporting Services Add-in for Sharepoint
Though both web parts have same name the difference between them is that the web parts which come with the add-in will work only with Reporting Services in SharePoint Integrated Mode.
The web parts which come with SQL Server Reporting Services work with Reporting Services in native mode.

The SSRS web parts can be found on the server where Reporting Services is installed. The default location is “C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Tools\Reporting Services\SharePoint\RSWebParts.cab”. To install these web parts, copy the RSWebParts.cab file on the SharePoint Server and run the following command at the command prompt.
“STSADM.EXE -o addwppack -filename "RSWebParts.cab" -globalinstall

System requirements for SharePoint Server 2010:

• SharePoint Server 2010 will be 64-bit only
• SharePoint Server 2010 will require 64-bit Windows Server 2008 or 64-bit Windows Server 2008 R2
• SharePoint Server 2010 will require 64-bit SQL Server 2008 or 64-bit SQL Server 2005.

So, what can you do today to get into the best shape for SharePoint Server 2010?

1. Deploying 64-bit is our current best practice recommendation for SharePoint 2007.
2. Deploy Service Pack 2 and check SharePoint 2010 Upgrade Checker that’s shipped as part of the update. The Upgrade Checker will scan your SharePoint Server 2007 deployment for many issues that could affect a future upgrade to SharePoint 2010.

Locking down SharePoint Application pages

SharePoint 2007 application pages (_layouts) can be locked down to prevent users from accessing them. This is helpful not only in preventing users from accessing application pages they don’t need to be accessing on a public facing web site, but also in preventing search engines from crawling application pages.

To lock down your SharePoint 2007 application pages, use the STSADM command:

stsadm -o activatefeature -url -filename ViewFormPagesLockDown\feature.xml

This can be unlocked using :

stsadm -o deactivatefeature -url -filename ViewFormPagesLockDown\feature.xml

Note: By default, this SharePoint 2007 feature is deactivated, unless the site was created using the “Publishing Site” template

How to become a MVP

To become an MVP you should do following regularly

• Active Participation in Communities
• Writing Technical Articles
• Participation in Technical Groups
• White Papers
• Speaker in Conferences
• Speaker in Webinars

Free SharePoint webparts

Check the list available at Mark Kruger Blog :
http://www.sharepointblogs.com/mkruger/archive/2007/06/26/free-sharepoint-web-parts-3rd-party.aspx

Important announcement on SharePoint Service pack 2
There is a bug in SP2, which Microsoft is currently working on and will soon release a hot fix. During the installation of SP2, a product expiration date is improperly activated. This means SharePoint will expire as though it was a trial installation 180 days after SP2 is deployed. Also, while installing the SP2 on WSS 3.0, you may get the following error : "The detection failed, this can be due to a corrupted installation database". Please read through the Microsoft SharePoint blog for more details.