Netserver LH6000 and SQL 6.5

[Pete Thompson]

The situation is that we are in the process of installing new db hardware
and software. We have decided to upgrade the hardware first and keep 6.5
for a couple of weeks and then upgrade to SQL 7 when we have proved that the
hardware is ok.

The problem is that SQL 6.5 will not install on the new hardware. We have a
HP LH6000 with quad Xeon 700Mhz processors and 2 Gb RAM. The setup looks to
be going fine until the SQL Server message "Setup is now installing the
initial SQL Server Configuration. You may continue with another task." is
displayed. We get no error messages but the message stays on screen for
hours. I know that this stage takes a bit of time but we left the system
overnight and it still had not completed by the morning. The sand in the Q
of SQL is still running and task manager states that the process is running.

We are using the totally default options in the ini file on the CD (35Mb
master etc.) there is enough hard disk on the server... I could go on but
in a nut shell I can't see why its not working.

[Jamie Hughes]

Hi Pete,

There are a few things you should double check since you aren't getting any errors, etc.

Follow the steps in this article, making sure you have stopped all but the listed services and make sure the machine is on the network:

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q192/7/10.ASP?LN=EN-US&SD=gn&FR=0

Please post back and let us know how it goes.

Best regards,
Jamie Hughes

[Pete Thompson]

Thanks for the suggestion but still no joy.

I followed the list of instructions and stopped a load of services:
WWW Pub
SNMP
HP* (Loads of these, no idea what they do!)
AsrSrvc (Any idea what this does?)
Protected Storage (Any idea what this does?)
Win32SL (Any idea what this does?)

Removed all traces of SQL from registry etc. Reboot with no errors and retry installation. Still does not progress beyond same message as before.

I did a little more digging and found the following 3 errors in the Event Log:
1 - The description for Event ID ( 17052 ) in Source ( MSSQLServer ) could not be found. It contains the following insertion string(s): Message: 4002, State: 1, Severity: 14.
2 - The description for Event ID ( 17052 ) in Source ( MSSQLServer ) could not be found. It contains the following insertion string(s): Severity: 2 Error:10003, OS: -1 Login incorrect..
3 - The description for Event ID ( 17052 ) in Source ( MSSQLServer ) could not be found. It contains the following insertion string(s): Unable To Write To MailSlot.

I am logged on as Domain Administrator, the server is a backup domain controller and the SQL Exec logon I have set up has all the correct user rights.

[Jamie Hughes]

Hi Pete,

What NT service pack are you running on this machine? I'm going to get with an SQL engineer and run all of those errors by him and I'll get back to you. Please post back with your NT version and service pack level.

On those services you asked about, the ones that begin with HP are usually Top Tools agents or other hardware related services. The asrsrvc is the automatic restart service - hardware related. Protected Storage is an NT service that must be running. The win32sl is the Windows 32 service layer service, which you also need running.

Best regards,
Jamie Hughes

[Jamie Hughes]

Hi Pete,

I think I found some answers for you.

On the install of 6.5, you will need to uninstall the NetServer agents. This is a Microsoft problem that was corrected in sql 7.0. Stopping the agents will not work so you will need to uninstall the management software (NSA or Top Tools). After installing 6.5, you can reinstall the management software. This is documented in the Netserver Agents README file on your Navigator CD in the Known Issues - Installing SQL 6.5 section.

You should review the Readme file because it also has a description of all of the agents and services that are installed with the management software, known issues, etc. This will answer your questions about the services you see running.

I'm not sure what version of the Netserver Navigator you have and I don't have one on hand right now to give you the directory it's located in. You can do a search on the CD for README*.*. It's probably in the Top Tools or Agents subdirectory.

I did find an older copy of the README on the web you can check out. Go to this page and then click on the link that says Netserver Agent for Windows NT README.

http://www.hp.com/toptools/readmes.html

Please post back and let us know if you are able to get sql installed after removing the agents.

Best regards,
Jamie Hughes

[Pete Thompson]

Cheers Jamie

We are running NT4 with SP6a.

Thanks

[Pete Thompson]

Jamie

I found the file you refer to. We have uninstalled the NetServer agents. The readme file talks about problems under the registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServicesSNMPParametersExtension Agents.
We don't even have that key on our server!
Top tools is not installed.

The Netserver version we have came with the LH6000. It is L.18.04.5

Same errors I'm afraid.

The MS Q document you refered to in your first reply states that for NT4 non clustered Enterprise Edition you need to have the TCP/IP service running. Although we are not running the Enterprise Edition I have basically checked the services listed in the doc. The only difference we have is that in stead of the TCP/IP service we have a servive called "TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper". In case this was an error in the automated HP installation routine I removed the TCP/IP protocol and reinstalled it but the service name remained the same. This may be a red herring but I just want to give you as much information as possible.

Thanks for sticking at this one.

[Jamie Hughes]

Hi Pete,

It still sounds like you have some of the Netserver agents installed, whether you installed Top Tools or not. The services that you were asking about - the ones that started with HP - those are the agents that need to be removed prior to installing SQL. It sounds like the management software didn't install correctly either since you have the services, but the registry key is not there.

How far along have you gotten with this install? Did you install NT from the Navigator CD or from an NT CD? You need to get those Netserver agents uninstalled from the system, somehow. You could wipe the disk and try a fresh install from the Microsoft CD - not the Navigator - to make sure none of the HP services are loaded or installed.

Since this is a new server, you should be able to call the customer support center and ask them how to remove those services and/or agents. You can call 970-635-1000. Press option 3 for a product you have already purchased and then follow the prompts for your Netserver model. I would give the NetServer engineer all of the details and ask them how to uninstall those agents, since the readme file is from HP they should be able to help you.

Sorry I can't give you more details on how to get rid of those services. The netserver team will be the best place to help you with the agents problem.

Best regards,
Jamie Hughes

[Jamie Hughes · Accepted solution]

Hi Pete,

Did you get this problem resolved? I just spoke to a NetServer hardware engineer and he said it sounds like the agents were installed but perhaps you didn't install the management software.

The automated NT install off of the NetServer Navigator has an option when you are installing to install the Agents - and it is checked by default.

The NetServer engineer said you should see the Agents under the Start - Programs menu and there should be an option to remove or uninstall the agents. If it is not under Programs, he said the install may have failed. You might have to reinstall the Agents from the CD to be able to uninstall them (!).

I'm sorry that you've had so much trouble with this but we really think the agents are what is interfering with the sql install. Please let us know how it's going.

Best regards,
Jamie Hughes

[Pete Thompson]

Jamie. Thanks for pointing us in the right direction. It was the agents causing the problems although we could not uninstall them. Evenyually we reinstalled from scratch and un-checked the install option. After that it worked fine.

Thanks again

[Ben_16]

Just in case you want to know after the fact, here is how to uninstall the agents and solve the issue without reinstalling:
install the same agents over the existing or damaged ones. Reboot. use the uninstall option from Add remove or through the program menu, netserver agents, unistall. DELETE SHARED FILES. REBOOT.

If needed reinstall the newest version.

Ben