After 2 days of troubleshooting, reinstalling, reconfiguring, browsing forums, reading tech net and MSDN articles, and watching boring Microsoft "training" videos that teach you nothing, I think it's time to tuck my tail between by legs and ask for some help... 
OS: Server 2003 (i originally started with Server 2008 Beta 3 but after it wouldn't even load up central administration or sometimes not get through setup and error on some attempts, i wiped the system and installed server 2003.. Yes, i installed the full version of SQL server x64 and sharepoint server 2007 x64)
I only had the 32 bit edition of server 2003 so that was installed along with the 32 bit sharepoint server 2007, using the included SQL server 2005 express. Everything installs fine but after many many failed attempts at troubleshooting, i still cant figure out why I only get "Create", "Edit Page", and "Site Settings" when i create a new site collection. On the top level sites of these pages, i still only get these three options.
I tried creating new web applications and even new Shared Service Providers, with new web apps in it, and i still see the same results. Every walkthough or troubleshooting guide always references the more complete list of "edit page", "create page", "create site", "Show Page Editing toolbar", "View all site content", "View reports"(with drop down menu), "site settings"(with drop down menu), and "manage content and structure".
The only time I've ever seen this menu is when going through the wizard after installing sharepoint and it displays the demo/sample site "Home". Any Microsoft troubleshooting guide or walkthrough that talks about creating a site says you should be able to create a site through sharepoint central administration and tells you to create a new web application and then create a site collection. Most of them go on to explain other parts of sharepoint and at some point ask you to go to the site actions menu and click on one of the options thats on the expanded version of this menu. Also, if it helps, Any and all users entered on any configuration pages always had admin level access.
What's really makes me PO'ed is that none of Microsoft's content ever addresses this, they all just assume you have the full expanded menu, which is not the case..
Help....!??!?!?!!?!?!?!? Thanks
OS: Server 2003 (i originally started with Server 2008 Beta 3 but after it wouldn't even load up central administration or sometimes not get through setup and error on some attempts, i wiped the system and installed server 2003.. Yes, i installed the full version of SQL server x64 and sharepoint server 2007 x64)
I only had the 32 bit edition of server 2003 so that was installed along with the 32 bit sharepoint server 2007, using the included SQL server 2005 express. Everything installs fine but after many many failed attempts at troubleshooting, i still cant figure out why I only get "Create", "Edit Page", and "Site Settings" when i create a new site collection. On the top level sites of these pages, i still only get these three options.
I tried creating new web applications and even new Shared Service Providers, with new web apps in it, and i still see the same results. Every walkthough or troubleshooting guide always references the more complete list of "edit page", "create page", "create site", "Show Page Editing toolbar", "View all site content", "View reports"(with drop down menu), "site settings"(with drop down menu), and "manage content and structure".
The only time I've ever seen this menu is when going through the wizard after installing sharepoint and it displays the demo/sample site "Home". Any Microsoft troubleshooting guide or walkthrough that talks about creating a site says you should be able to create a site through sharepoint central administration and tells you to create a new web application and then create a site collection. Most of them go on to explain other parts of sharepoint and at some point ask you to go to the site actions menu and click on one of the options thats on the expanded version of this menu. Also, if it helps, Any and all users entered on any configuration pages always had admin level access.
What's really makes me PO'ed is that none of Microsoft's content ever addresses this, they all just assume you have the full expanded menu, which is not the case..
Help....!??!?!?!!?!?!?!? Thanks