My trials with Microsoft Fax Server on Win2K3

calendarMar 19, 2004 · 2 min read · Uncategorised  ·
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What a nightmare, I tried to change the settings on our 2K3 servers fax server and chaos reigned, all I wanted to do was add a modem!.

The key problem was that the Fax Server Manager would not connect to the fax service, so you cannot edit anything.

I quick look on newgroups showed I was not alone with this problem, but the answers are sketchy. Basically they boiled down to don't put your fax on a AD Domain Controller. As we only have one 'live' server this is not the most helpful solution.

Anyway this is how I got it fixed (after much trial and error):

  1. Load the Default Domain Controller Secuirty Policy (on Admin tools), make sure you select the controller and not the general Domain Security Policy.
  2. Drill down to Windows Settings/Security Settings/Local Policies/User Rights Assignment
  3. Edit Generate Security Audits and add Administrators, NETWORK SERVICE, LOCAL SERVICE
  4. Force this change to be propogated out on whatever refresh timer is setup (or use secedit /refreshpolicy machine_policy /enforce). I did the former and got a coffee!
  5. Now this last step appeared to be the key stage for me, and it was the one that was not in any newsgroups I found, load the fax manager with the service stopped, it automatically starts the service and all seems good in the world.

So the moral of the story, don't fiddle with the fax server if it running

Richard