"Server" Service Issues

[Jeff Nokes]

Hi,
I'm currently setting up a home network for my parents, where they
have one main pc that acts as a file/print server, running Windows
2000 Prof. I'm just using the standard file and printer sharing
service, which means I'm going to need the "Server" service running at
all times. The issue I'm having is that the "Server" service doesn't
start up when the machine boots, eventhough it is set to automatically
start up upon boot. When I open the service control manager (SCM)
after boot-up, I can manually start the "Server" service without any
issues or errors. But, the service will only run for an hour or two,
and then just stop randomly. At that time, I can open the SCM again
and start it manually again, and everything is OK for the next hour,
and so on ...

One thing I've noticed is the "services.exe" process is running, even
if the "Server" service or SCM is not running, not sure if that's
normal or not. When monitoring "services.exe", when I start up the
"Server" service, I can see elevated activity in the process for about
a second, and then it just goes back to a steady-state condition, with
the "Server" service now flagged as running.

Through all of this, there isn't one event recorded in any of the
event logs. I've tried setting the Recovery options for this service
but Windows doesn't let you since the "Server" service runs in the
same process as the SCM. I've resorted to running a batch on boot-up
that will start the service via a 'NET START', and also I have a
schedular running that will attempt a "NET START' every 10 min, I
don't know what else to do. This seems to work OK to keep their
file/printer sharing going, but it seems like a 'hack' to me, I
shouldn't have to do this.

I've re-installed the latest service pack (SP4), I've downloaded and
installed every update possible, I've looked on Microsoft's KB, found
nothing. I've scoured the web and newsgroups, still can't find any
matching situation. I've never ran into this problem before ... weird
....

If anyone has any suggestions, I'd sure like to hear them. Thanks in
advance for any help you offer.

Regards,
- Jeff

 

[Dave Patrick]

You'll probably need to fix the event log problem first. The temporary fix;
You might try changing the file properties to "Overwrite as needed"

Then; Control Panel|Administrative Tools|Services|Event Log Service|General,
set the "Startup Type:" to "Disabled" restart the pc, then delete (or move)
the corrupt *.evt file(s) from %windir%\system32\config then set the Event
Log Service "Startup Type:" back to "Automatic", restart for effect.

The more permanent fix;
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;829246&Product=win2000

--
Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft MVP [Windows NT/2000 Operating Systems]
Microsoft Certified Professional [Windows 2000]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect


:
| Hi,
| I'm currently setting up a home network for my parents, where they
| have one main pc that acts as a file/print server, running Windows
| 2000 Prof. I'm just using the standard file and printer sharing
| service, which means I'm going to need the "Server" service running at
| all times. The issue I'm having is that the "Server" service doesn't
| start up when the machine boots, eventhough it is set to automatically
| start up upon boot. When I open the service control manager (SCM)
| after boot-up, I can manually start the "Server" service without any
| issues or errors. But, the service will only run for an hour or two,
| and then just stop randomly. At that time, I can open the SCM again
| and start it manually again, and everything is OK for the next hour,
| and so on ...
|
| One thing I've noticed is the "services.exe" process is running, even
| if the "Server" service or SCM is not running, not sure if that's
| normal or not. When monitoring "services.exe", when I start up the
| "Server" service, I can see elevated activity in the process for about
| a second, and then it just goes back to a steady-state condition, with
| the "Server" service now flagged as running.
|
| Through all of this, there isn't one event recorded in any of the
| event logs. I've tried setting the Recovery options for this service
| but Windows doesn't let you since the "Server" service runs in the
| same process as the SCM. I've resorted to running a batch on boot-up
| that will start the service via a 'NET START', and also I have a
| schedular running that will attempt a "NET START' every 10 min, I
| don't know what else to do. This seems to work OK to keep their
| file/printer sharing going, but it seems like a 'hack' to me, I
| shouldn't have to do this.
|
| I've re-installed the latest service pack (SP4), I've downloaded and
| installed every update possible, I've looked on Microsoft's KB, found
| nothing. I've scoured the web and newsgroups, still can't find any
| matching situation. I've never ran into this problem before ... weird
| ...
|
| If anyone has any suggestions, I'd sure like to hear them. Thanks in
| advance for any help you offer.
|
| Regards,
| - Jeff

 

[Jeff Nokes]

Hi Dave,
Thanks for your reply. I may have misworded my description a little.
I meant to say I don't see any entries for the "Server" service, but
everything else looks normal. I went ahead and selected the
"Overwrite as needed" and increased the size anyway, but I think they
are working properly. I'm just not seeing any information about the
"Server" service in them.
Thanks again,
- Jeff

You'll probably need to fix the event log problem first. The temporary fix;
You might try changing the file properties to "Overwrite as needed"

Then; Control Panel|Administrative Tools|Services|Event Log Service|General,
set the "Startup Type:" to "Disabled" restart the pc, then delete (or move)
the corrupt *.evt file(s) from %windir%\system32\config then set the Event
Log Service "Startup Type:" back to "Automatic", restart for effect.

The more permanent fix;
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;829246&Product=win2000

--
Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft MVP [Windows NT/2000 Operating Systems]
Microsoft Certified Professional [Windows 2000]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect


:
| Hi,
| I'm currently setting up a home network for my parents, where they
| have one main pc that acts as a file/print server, running Windows
| 2000 Prof. I'm just using the standard file and printer sharing
| service, which means I'm going to need the "Server" service running at
| all times. The issue I'm having is that the "Server" service doesn't
| start up when the machine boots, eventhough it is set to automatically
| start up upon boot. When I open the service control manager (SCM)
| after boot-up, I can manually start the "Server" service without any
| issues or errors. But, the service will only run for an hour or two,
| and then just stop randomly. At that time, I can open the SCM again
| and start it manually again, and everything is OK for the next hour,
| and so on ...
|
| One thing I've noticed is the "services.exe" process is running, even
| if the "Server" service or SCM is not running, not sure if that's
| normal or not. When monitoring "services.exe", when I start up the
| "Server" service, I can see elevated activity in the process for about
| a second, and then it just goes back to a steady-state condition, with
| the "Server" service now flagged as running.
|
| Through all of this, there isn't one event recorded in any of the
| event logs. I've tried setting the Recovery options for this service
| but Windows doesn't let you since the "Server" service runs in the
| same process as the SCM. I've resorted to running a batch on boot-up
| that will start the service via a 'NET START', and also I have a
| schedular running that will attempt a "NET START' every 10 min, I
| don't know what else to do. This seems to work OK to keep their
| file/printer sharing going, but it seems like a 'hack' to me, I
| shouldn't have to do this.
|
| I've re-installed the latest service pack (SP4), I've downloaded and
| installed every update possible, I've looked on Microsoft's KB, found
| nothing. I've scoured the web and newsgroups, still can't find any
| matching situation. I've never ran into this problem before ... weird
| ...
|
| If anyone has any suggestions, I'd sure like to hear them. Thanks in
| advance for any help you offer.
|
| Regards,
| - Jeff

 

[Dave Patrick]

I've never heard of the server service just stopping for no reason and on
top of that not writing an event to the system log.

--
Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft MVP [Windows NT/2000 Operating Systems]
Microsoft Certified Professional [Windows 2000]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect


:
| Hi Dave,
| Thanks for your reply. I may have misworded my description a little.
| I meant to say I don't see any entries for the "Server" service, but
| everything else looks normal. I went ahead and selected the
| "Overwrite as needed" and increased the size anyway, but I think they
| are working properly. I'm just not seeing any information about the
| "Server" service in them.
| Thanks again,
| - Jeff