VirtualCenter 2.5 service won't start

[dingding]

my virtual center service startup failed in a windows server 2003 standard, the error in event manager is:

Event ID 1000 (Vmware VirtualCenter Server) cannot be found. The local computer may not have the necessary registry information or message DLL files to display messages from a remote computer. You may be able to use the /AUXSOURCE=flag to retrieve this description. Failed to initialize Vmware VirtualCenter Shutting down..

but i can RDP to the OS and successfully start up the service manully.

so weird.

[Jasemccarty]

Do you have SQL installed on the same box?

Sometimes when you reboot, if SQL isn't 100% up and running before the VC Service attempts to start, it will timeout, and fail to start.

Jase McCarty

http://www.jasemccarty.com

[admin]

Do you mean that when the server boots up, the service fails to start but you can start the service manually later?

Is the database running on the same server? Perhaps it's failing because the database hasn't fully started.

If so, make the VC service dependant on it.

The vpxd log file will contain the startup error.

They are usually located in C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\Logs

or do a search for vpxd*.log

[dingding]

the SQL server is in the same box.

[dingding]

Do you mean that when the server boots up, the service fails to start but you can start the service manually later?

YES

Is the database running on the same server? Perhaps it's failing because the database hasn't fully started.

If so, make the VC service dependant on it.

Yes.

but how to make the VC service depend on it? it seems this can't be modified in services.msc

[rpartmann]

Hi,

Virtual center can not start when the Database is not running yet.

In this case you might add a depency for MSSQL in VC in the registry.

--> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/193888

hth,

Reinhard.

ps: Award points if you find answers helpful. Thanks.

[Jasemccarty · Accepted solution]

Look in the registry at this key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\vpxd

Open up the item "DependOnService" (it is a REG_MULTI_SZ value), and add MSSQLSERVER (which should be the name of your SQL Service)

You can verify this by going to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSSQLSERVER and make sure that it exists. It could be slightly different if you are using SQL with a named instance.

Jase McCarty

http://www.jasemccarty.com

[dingding]

i meet this problem again, and this time i use the approach all of you tell me to solve the problem successfully.

i don't know the exact services which vpxd depend on,but i add all services with prefix MSSQL, and they are:

MSSQL$MSDE_VC

MSSQL$SQLEXP_VIM

MSSQLServerADHelper

maybe add MSSQL$SQLEXP_VIM is enough

[kjb007]

You can also go into the service properties of virtual center, and add them through the GUI. Which services need to be restarted depends on which instance your actual vc database is housed in. Add them both to be safe.

-KjB

[dingding]

but i can't, the property is not editable.