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Microsoft Alert: Big Problem With SharePoint Service Pack 2

Microsoft on Friday announced that there's a problem for those who applied Service Pack 2 (SP2) to Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 (MOSS 2007) -- namely, it's timed to expire in 180 days.

In addition to MOSS 2007, other products were affected by the service pack problem. Those products include "Project Server 2007, Form Server 2007, Search Server 2008 and Search Server 2008 Express," according to Microsoft's announcement.

Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 is not affected, the announcement added.

Microsoft is currently working on a hotfix and a knowledgebase article to remedy the SP2 problem. Basically, applying the SP2 update resets the product's activation as if the trial version of the software were installed.

IT pros who installed SP2 should check Microsoft's SharePoint Team blog here for details and updates. The knowledgebase article is expected to be available in less than 48 hours. Microsoft plans to describe a workaround solution in its knowledgebase article.

"To work around this issue customers will need to re-enter their Product ID numbers (PID) on the Convert License Type page in Central Administration," the SharePoint team explained in its blog. Users can retrieve their product ID at Microsoft's Volume Licensing Service Center Web page here.

Data aren't affected by the SP2 problem, according to Microsoft. However, the software will cease to work for end users after 180 days if the hotfix or workaround isn't applied.

For those trying to install MOSS or Windows SharePoint Services on Windows Server 2008 R2, you need to use the SP2 versions of those applications, according to this Microsoft blog.

Microsoft first publicly unveiled the availability of SP2 for MOSS 2007 and Office server products toward the end of April. At worst, early installers of SP2 have used up 24 days of the 180-day "trial" period.