vCenter Server service won't start

[DwightKSchrute]

We have two instances of vCenter Server running, one in our Production Network and one in our Test/Dev network. The Production Network's vCenter Server was installed with an Oracle 10g DB, and the Test/Dev Network's vCenter Server was installed with the builtin Microsoft SQL Express 2005 DB. The Production vCenter Server can be restarted without issue, and if the VMware VirtualCenter Server Service doesn't start automatically, it will start manually; however, we just recently rebooted the Test/Dev Network's vCenter Server and now we cannot get the VMware VirtualCenter Server Service to start, even manually. All of the dependent services have been started, and there is no firewall on the server, only on the network, so there shouldn't be a problem with any ports being blocked. Test/Dev vCenter Server was running without issue prior to rebooting it. Currently running 5 ESX 4.0u2 servers with 15 VMs on vCenter 4.0. No changes made to the server before reboot, so there shouldn't be anything that needs to be "undone". Problem has happened before on a previous build of vCenter using the Microsoft SQL Express 2005 DB, and our only previous fix was to tear it down and rebuild it with an Oracle 10g DB. Have searched forums throughout VMware and other websites, and it doesn't appear that anyone else is having this problem. Is there a way to get this to work without having to start from scratch?

[bshubinsky]

Try doing a transaction log backup on the SQL server.

[RParker]

There is usually only one reason vCenter won't start. SQL server isn't connecting.

Try checking the logs for the SQL instance, you said "built in" so I assume that means for test you are using SQL Express (the one that comes with vCenter). If that's true, you can check to make sure there is enough space for the database and that it is running.

Other than that, vCenter should run fine if the database isn't corrupt or the SQL instance is available, and passwords logins haven't changed.

[DwightKSchrute]

The database is not running, and I haven't been able to successfully start it. I get the following error:

Could not start the SQL Server (SQLEXP_VIM) service on Local Computer.

Error 1053: The service did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion.

I seem to recall the other day, using the SQL Server 2005 Surface Area Configuration for Services and Connections, I tried to start the DB and said that "The service did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion, you need administrator privileges to be able to start/stop this service. (SQLSAC)

Now, my Windows account has Admin rights, but I'm guessing that's not what it is asking. I'm no SQL expert, so what exactly is it saying and how do I verify it?

Saw that there was an option in the Surface Area Configuration for

Services and Connections to Add New Administrator. I attempted to do

this and received:

An error has occurred while establishing a connection to the

server. When connecting to SQL Server 2005, this failure may be cause by

the fact that under the default settings SQL Server does not allow

remote connections. (provider: Named Pipes Provider, error: 40 - Could

not open a connection to SQL Server) (Error: 2)

Now, how can I fix this?

[RParker]

Now, how can I fix this?

Open SQL Configuration where the SQL install is.

Go to protocols, IP, make sure remote is enabled for IP protocol.

A better idea is to point ODBC configuration for vCenter to an existing SQL instance on your network, and just move the database to there. Chances are SQL is running somewhere, and all it requires is some space to put the DB file and configure it on the SQL server.

Otherwise you may have to uninstall SQL server, and reinstall it again. Something changed with SQL, it's not normal that it was working, and you reboot, and it's not working anymore.

So look in the vCenter configuration guide it will give you a step by step procedure to install SQL server. Even for testing, I would just use an existing SQL instance, that will be easier and more stable.

[DwightKSchrute]

Go to protocols, IP, make sure remote is enabled for IP protocol.

Remote is enabled for IP protocol and Named Pipes.

A better idea is to point ODBC configuration for vCenter to an existing SQL instance on your network, and just move the database to there. Chances are SQL is running somewhere, and all it requires is some space to put the DB file and configure it on the SQL server.

We don't have an existing SQL instance on the same network, or at least we don't have an MS SQL instance.

Otherwise you may have to uninstall SQL server, and reinstall it again. Something changed with SQL, it's not normal that it was working, and you reboot, and it's not working anymore.

We did this before, and it does work, but we are trying to avoid this scenario once again. We really just want to find out why it does what it does whenever we install the MS SQL EXPRESS 2005 DB, but if we install the Oracle DB, it doesn't happen. Not to mention, it will work fine initially, it is just after a reboot that this problem seems to arise, and when you have to patch and update as often as we do, it would become a huge inconvenience.

[pcerda]

Wich account is SQL Server using to run?

Check out these links, these may help:

http://www.hiteksoftware.com/knowledge/articles/050.htm

http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/sqlexpress/thread/e5ecfdc7-c0ee-4fde-8e2d-17ccfffa19b7

All seems to be about the account used to run SQL Service.




Regards / Saludos

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[DwightKSchrute]

The account that is being used is a user account with admin privileges.

The path is also present in the Environmental Variables.

[pcerda · Accepted solution]

Have you tried reconfigure the account used by the SQL Service?

This should ensure proper permissions are given in order to start the service.

The account must have the following Windows permissions:Log on as a service

Check this link:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/es-es/library/ms143504(SQL.90).aspx#Use_startup_accounts




Regards / Saludos

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VMware VCP-410

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Si encuentras que esta o cualquier otra respuesta ha sido de utilidad, vótalas. Gracias.

If you find this or any other answer useful please consider awarding points by marking the answer helpful or correct. Thank you.

[DwightKSchrute]

I have changed the account used by the service to three different accounts (NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM; NT AUTHORITY\ NETWORK SERVICE; NT AUTHORITY\LOCAL SERVICE) all with failed results. I ran the vpxd.exe -p command to reset the database password, but that hasn't helped either.