HELP: SQL Server 2000 will not start after full system restore

Hi,
I just did a full system backup, memory and hard disk reconfiguration,
and a full system restore of my SQL Server 2000 machine.
SQL Server refuses to start as a service giving the error message:
"could not start the MSSQLSERVER service on the local computer"
"Error 3: the system cannot find the path specified"
It however starts from the command prompt by simply executing:
"C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL\Binn\sqlservr.exe"
Any assistance welcome!Hi
Check what flags you have specified when you start it as a service.
John
"kim@.kasnet.com" wrote:
> Hi,
> I just did a full system backup, memory and hard disk reconfiguration,
> and a full system restore of my SQL Server 2000 machine.
> SQL Server refuses to start as a service giving the error message:
> "could not start the MSSQLSERVER service on the local computer"
> "Error 3: the system cannot find the path specified"
> It however starts from the command prompt by simply executing:
> "C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL\Binn\sqlservr.exe"
> Any assistance welcome!
>|||Hi John,
There are no flags specified as startup parameters... is there
anything else I should check?
Kim
On Tue, 25 Apr 2006 09:48:01 -0700, John Bell
<jbellnewsposts@.hotmail.com> wrote:
>Hi
>Check what flags you have specified when you start it as a service.
>John
>"kim@.kasnet.com" wrote:
>> Hi,
>> I just did a full system backup, memory and hard disk reconfiguration,
>> and a full system restore of my SQL Server 2000 machine.
>> SQL Server refuses to start as a service giving the error message:
>> "could not start the MSSQLSERVER service on the local computer"
>> "Error 3: the system cannot find the path specified"
>> It however starts from the command prompt by simply executing:
>> "C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL\Binn\sqlservr.exe"
>> Any assistance welcome!|||Hi
Check the registry
key[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MSSQLServer\MSSQLServer\Parameters]
You will find entries like:
"SQLArg0"="-dC:\\Program Files\\Microsoft SQL Server\\MSSQL\\data\\master.mdf"
"SQLArg1"="-eC:\\Program Files\\Microsoft SQL Server\\MSSQL\\log\\ERRORLOG"
"SQLArg2"="-lC:\\Program Files\\Microsoft SQL
Server\\MSSQL\\data\\mastlog.ldf"
Check that these files/directories exists. Other possible parameters are
detailed in Books Online topic "sqlservr Application"
John
"velliott@.hdhopwood.com" wrote:
> Hi John,
> There are no flags specified as startup parameters... is there
> anything else I should check?
> Kim
> On Tue, 25 Apr 2006 09:48:01 -0700, John Bell
> <jbellnewsposts@.hotmail.com> wrote:
> >Hi
> >
> >Check what flags you have specified when you start it as a service.
> >
> >John
> >
> >"kim@.kasnet.com" wrote:
> >
> >> Hi,
> >>
> >> I just did a full system backup, memory and hard disk reconfiguration,
> >> and a full system restore of my SQL Server 2000 machine.
> >>
> >> SQL Server refuses to start as a service giving the error message:
> >>
> >> "could not start the MSSQLSERVER service on the local computer"
> >> "Error 3: the system cannot find the path specified"
> >>
> >> It however starts from the command prompt by simply executing:
> >> "C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL\Binn\sqlservr.exe"
> >>
> >> Any assistance welcome!
> >>
>|||I checked the registry entries and the only difference is that there
are single backslashes in the directory path. All other path entries
in the registry are represented the same way.
If this is the problem, my logic tells me that the SQL Server should
not start from the command prompt anyway!
Is there a way to get the service startup process to indicate which
specific path it cannot find?
Kim
On Thu, 27 Apr 2006 00:04:01 -0700, John Bell
<jbellnewsposts@.hotmail.com> wrote:
>Hi
>Check the registry
>key[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MSSQLServer\MSSQLServer\Parameters]
>You will find entries like:
>"SQLArg0"="-dC:\\Program Files\\Microsoft SQL Server\\MSSQL\\data\\master.mdf"
>"SQLArg1"="-eC:\\Program Files\\Microsoft SQL Server\\MSSQL\\log\\ERRORLOG"
>"SQLArg2"="-lC:\\Program Files\\Microsoft SQL
>Server\\MSSQL\\data\\mastlog.ldf"
>Check that these files/directories exists. Other possible parameters are
>detailed in Books Online topic "sqlservr Application"
>John
>
>"velliott@.hdhopwood.com" wrote:
>> Hi John,
>> There are no flags specified as startup parameters... is there
>> anything else I should check?
>> Kim
>> On Tue, 25 Apr 2006 09:48:01 -0700, John Bell
>> <jbellnewsposts@.hotmail.com> wrote:
>> >Hi
>> >
>> >Check what flags you have specified when you start it as a service.
>> >
>> >John
>> >
>> >"kim@.kasnet.com" wrote:
>> >
>> >> Hi,
>> >>
>> >> I just did a full system backup, memory and hard disk reconfiguration,
>> >> and a full system restore of my SQL Server 2000 machine.
>> >>
>> >> SQL Server refuses to start as a service giving the error message:
>> >>
>> >> "could not start the MSSQLSERVER service on the local computer"
>> >> "Error 3: the system cannot find the path specified"
>> >>
>> >> It however starts from the command prompt by simply executing:
>> >> "C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL\Binn\sqlservr.exe"
>> >>
>> >> Any assistance welcome!
>> >>
>>|||Hi
The double backslashes are from an export of the registry check other
registry values such as
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MSSQLServer\Setup]
John
"velliott@.hdhopwood.com" wrote:
> I checked the registry entries and the only difference is that there
> are single backslashes in the directory path. All other path entries
> in the registry are represented the same way.
> If this is the problem, my logic tells me that the SQL Server should
> not start from the command prompt anyway!
> Is there a way to get the service startup process to indicate which
> specific path it cannot find?
> Kim
> On Thu, 27 Apr 2006 00:04:01 -0700, John Bell
> <jbellnewsposts@.hotmail.com> wrote:
> >Hi
> >
> >Check the registry
> >key[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MSSQLServer\MSSQLServer\Parameters]
> >
> >You will find entries like:
> >"SQLArg0"="-dC:\\Program Files\\Microsoft SQL Server\\MSSQL\\data\\master.mdf"
> >"SQLArg1"="-eC:\\Program Files\\Microsoft SQL Server\\MSSQL\\log\\ERRORLOG"
> >"SQLArg2"="-lC:\\Program Files\\Microsoft SQL
> >Server\\MSSQL\\data\\mastlog.ldf"
> >
> >Check that these files/directories exists. Other possible parameters are
> >detailed in Books Online topic "sqlservr Application"
> >
> >John
> >
> >
> >"velliott@.hdhopwood.com" wrote:
> >
> >> Hi John,
> >>
> >> There are no flags specified as startup parameters... is there
> >> anything else I should check?
> >>
> >> Kim
> >>
> >> On Tue, 25 Apr 2006 09:48:01 -0700, John Bell
> >> <jbellnewsposts@.hotmail.com> wrote:
> >>
> >> >Hi
> >> >
> >> >Check what flags you have specified when you start it as a service.
> >> >
> >> >John
> >> >
> >> >"kim@.kasnet.com" wrote:
> >> >
> >> >> Hi,
> >> >>
> >> >> I just did a full system backup, memory and hard disk reconfiguration,
> >> >> and a full system restore of my SQL Server 2000 machine.
> >> >>
> >> >> SQL Server refuses to start as a service giving the error message:
> >> >>
> >> >> "could not start the MSSQLSERVER service on the local computer"
> >> >> "Error 3: the system cannot find the path specified"
> >> >>
> >> >> It however starts from the command prompt by simply executing:
> >> >> "C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL\Binn\sqlservr.exe"
> >> >>
> >> >> Any assistance welcome!
> >> >>
> >>
> >>
>|||John,
The registry keys in error were:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSSQLServer\ImagePath]
and
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSSQLServer\Performance\Library]
Both contained the DOS version of the path (eg.
C:\Program~1\Micro~2\...) to the relevant binaries.
I expanded the paths and the service started without error!
Many thanks for your patience and invaluable assistance!!!
Kim
On Thu, 27 Apr 2006 09:50:02 -0700, John Bell
<jbellnewsposts@.hotmail.com> wrote:
>Hi
>The double backslashes are from an export of the registry check other
>registry values such as
>[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MSSQLServer\Setup]
>John
>"velliott@.hdhopwood.com" wrote:
>> I checked the registry entries and the only difference is that there
>> are single backslashes in the directory path. All other path entries
>> in the registry are represented the same way.
>> If this is the problem, my logic tells me that the SQL Server should
>> not start from the command prompt anyway!
>> Is there a way to get the service startup process to indicate which
>> specific path it cannot find?
>> Kim
>> On Thu, 27 Apr 2006 00:04:01 -0700, John Bell
>> <jbellnewsposts@.hotmail.com> wrote:
>> >Hi
>> >
>> >Check the registry
>> >key[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MSSQLServer\MSSQLServer\Parameters]
>> >
>> >You will find entries like:
>> >"SQLArg0"="-dC:\\Program Files\\Microsoft SQL Server\\MSSQL\\data\\master.mdf"
>> >"SQLArg1"="-eC:\\Program Files\\Microsoft SQL Server\\MSSQL\\log\\ERRORLOG"
>> >"SQLArg2"="-lC:\\Program Files\\Microsoft SQL
>> >Server\\MSSQL\\data\\mastlog.ldf"
>> >
>> >Check that these files/directories exists. Other possible parameters are
>> >detailed in Books Online topic "sqlservr Application"
>> >
>> >John
>> >
>> >
>> >"velliott@.hdhopwood.com" wrote:
>> >
>> >> Hi John,
>> >>
>> >> There are no flags specified as startup parameters... is there
>> >> anything else I should check?
>> >>
>> >> Kim
>> >>
>> >> On Tue, 25 Apr 2006 09:48:01 -0700, John Bell
>> >> <jbellnewsposts@.hotmail.com> wrote:
>> >>
>> >> >Hi
>> >> >
>> >> >Check what flags you have specified when you start it as a service.
>> >> >
>> >> >John
>> >> >
>> >> >"kim@.kasnet.com" wrote:
>> >> >
>> >> >> Hi,
>> >> >>
>> >> >> I just did a full system backup, memory and hard disk reconfiguration,
>> >> >> and a full system restore of my SQL Server 2000 machine.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> SQL Server refuses to start as a service giving the error message:
>> >> >>
>> >> >> "could not start the MSSQLSERVER service on the local computer"
>> >> >> "Error 3: the system cannot find the path specified"
>> >> >>
>> >> >> It however starts from the command prompt by simply executing:
>> >> >> "C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL\Binn\sqlservr.exe"
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Any assistance welcome!
>> >> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>>|||<kim@.kasnet.com> wrote in message
news:l0fs421805aj0doegq6e26ft224ll3mj99@.4ax.com...
> Hi,
> I just did a full system backup, memory and hard disk reconfiguration,
> and a full system restore of my SQL Server 2000 machine.
> SQL Server refuses to start as a service giving the error message:
> "could not start the MSSQLSERVER service on the local computer"
> "Error 3: the system cannot find the path specified"
> It however starts from the command prompt by simply executing:
> "C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL\Binn\sqlservr.exe"
> Any assistance welcome!
How did you do your system restore?
We had a situation once where files were robocopied from old hardware to
new. The problem with that was that some files took longer to copy than
others, and this messed up the 8.3 names of those blasted c:\Program
Files\Microsoft ... directories. For example, the SQL Server directory was
MICROS~4 on the old box, but MICROS~2 on the new box. We didn't notice this
until we started getting weird errors like you describe. When we checked
the registry, we found that many keys referenced those directories by 8.3
name. Fixing it was a headache.|||Hi Karen
The OP has found that the registry enties
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSSQLServer\ImagePath]
and
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSSQLServer\Performance\Library]
had 8.3 files names in them, change them to the correct values solved her
problem.
John
"Karen Collins" wrote:
> <kim@.kasnet.com> wrote in message
> news:l0fs421805aj0doegq6e26ft224ll3mj99@.4ax.com...
> > Hi,
> >
> > I just did a full system backup, memory and hard disk reconfiguration,
> > and a full system restore of my SQL Server 2000 machine.
> >
> > SQL Server refuses to start as a service giving the error message:
> >
> > "could not start the MSSQLSERVER service on the local computer"
> > "Error 3: the system cannot find the path specified"
> >
> > It however starts from the command prompt by simply executing:
> > "C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL\Binn\sqlservr.exe"
> >
> > Any assistance welcome!
> How did you do your system restore?
> We had a situation once where files were robocopied from old hardware to
> new. The problem with that was that some files took longer to copy than
> others, and this messed up the 8.3 names of those blasted c:\Program
> Files\Microsoft ... directories. For example, the SQL Server directory was
> MICROS~4 on the old box, but MICROS~2 on the new box. We didn't notice this
> until we started getting weird errors like you describe. When we checked
> the registry, we found that many keys referenced those directories by 8.3
> name. Fixing it was a headache.
>
>|||"John Bell" <jbellnewsposts@.hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:86E6F2AF-BD89-46C2-88BB-1329784382E3@.microsoft.com...
> Hi Karen
> The OP has found that the registry enties
> [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSSQLServer\ImagePath]
> and
> [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSSQLServer\Performance\Library]
> had 8.3 files names in them, change them to the correct values solved her
> problem.
Thanks for the update. Glad to hear she was able to fix the problem.