Beast Posted August 30, 2005 Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 Guys, I work for an IT support comapny and recently experiencing a worryingly increase of Windows 2000 servers that are becoming unresponsive to software installs. Problems are begining randomly, but in effect making it necessary for an application to be reinstalled. However when you try and re-install it - NOTHING. The server wont allow anything to be reinstalled\removed or modified. For example, we have had 2 Backup Exec probs where the BE app freezes when opening. Next step - reinstall, but this just sits ans sits and sits at the Install stage. No errors - just nothing until you end task. Try re-applying SP4 - same scenario, it just sits at the install. Full V.scan done. Just becoming alarmed as this is now the 4th customer with the same problem, meaning a rebuild is inevitable. Any thoughts? Experiences alike? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparky Posted August 30, 2005 Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 Are all these computers connected to Microsofts update system? If so, could a new patch be causing this? What about the AV systems on all these computers? We had problems installing stuff while Norton was running, but they patched this not long ago. Just a thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeX Posted August 30, 2005 Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 I've been seeing this happening more over the last few months. The most recent one ended up being due to a service that wasn't starting correctly, locking up the Service Control Manager (you end up getting "one or more services failed on startup" when you shut down). Check in services that nothing is listed as "starting" rather than started. This was leaving me with similar problems with BackupExec, installing software etc Luke Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colinc Posted August 30, 2005 Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 Just a thought but this isn't linked to the APC software problem is it? We had lots of strange problems that were seemingly totally unrelated to the UPS, the update cured all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beast Posted August 30, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 Cant be linked to APC as APC 's not installed on any of the servers. As for AV - this has been removed or disabled in varying cases (even left running and full scans performed without finding anything) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparky Posted August 30, 2005 Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 Anything in Event viewer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beast Posted August 30, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 [ QUOTE ] Are all these computers connected to Microsofts update system? If so, could a new patch be causing this? What about the AV systems on all these computers? We had problems installing stuff while Norton was running, but they patched this not long ago. Just a thought. [/ QUOTE ] I had this thought also - but automatic updates werent running on any server. - Have discovered another server with the same problem today. Backup Exec wont open - cant reinstall it, cant remove it. Cant service pack it or anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beast Posted August 30, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 Absolutely nothing of relevance! No errors - nothing CPU is low as normal, disk writes are normal. I am counting 5 customer sites so far - all win2k, all seperate entities (i.e nothing to do with one another.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hopsta Posted August 30, 2005 Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 Are you using the same build of servers from an image? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hopsta Posted August 30, 2005 Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 What version of BE are you running and is this fully patched up? Have you tried running the server without BE running and then loading it up see if it hangs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beast Posted August 30, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 [ QUOTE ] Are you using the same build of servers from an image? [/ QUOTE ] Nope! Only likeness is 2k server. Happened to SP3 machines and SP4. Dell hardware, HP Hardware Backup Exec is common in a few situations - but not all. It simply sits on the install and does nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparky Posted August 30, 2005 Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 You say CPU usage is normal. What about RAM? Pagefile? Can you create another user and install on that? Same problems? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beast Posted August 30, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 AD seems fine (where its present on the servers that have been affected) Havent tried installing as another user - good shout!!!! I'll def try that tomorrow, though I fear the same probs. RAM and pagefile - normal. The servers dont look anything from the norm in tems of load. HAve also tried updating Win installer to ver3 to try and fix the install probs - but it dont work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hopsta Posted August 30, 2005 Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 Have you spoken to Veritas? Just looked through their KB and there's nothing obvious there. Might be an odd thing to say but have you tried fully patching a server and then putting BE on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beast Posted August 30, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 [ QUOTE ] Have you spoken to Veritas? Just looked through their KB and there's nothing obvious there. Might be an odd thing to say but have you tried fully patching a server and then putting BE on. [/ QUOTE ] That was my first move - win update - but I cant install anything! No updates (automatically or even if i manually download them and install) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hopsta Posted August 30, 2005 Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 is it giving you an error back? usually Ox???????? top right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hopsta Posted August 30, 2005 Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 Oh, just thinking about the account thing, what account are you using to start the services with? does it have admin rights? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparky Posted August 30, 2005 Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 If you remove BE, can you install other apps without a hitch? Mind you, you have said BE isn't on all machines affected. download and run these apps to spot problems with disk permissions or OS issues. FileMon FileMon monitors and displays file system activity on a system in real-time. This might show the installer failing. There are tons of other really useful and free programs here. Quality tools that have saved my ass many times. http://www.sysinternals.com/FileAndDiskUtilities.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beast Posted August 30, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 I'll give it a go But I cant remove or install anything - managed to run an Exmerge but that dont involve an install, just a copy of dll's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparky Posted August 30, 2005 Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 those programs I posted I think don't technically install - just exes. These "installers"... are they all InstallShield, or MSI? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark_90 Posted August 30, 2005 Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 I've just found this one.. we use BE at most of our sites and I haven't heard anything like this. Some of our sites are 2k and some are 2k3. If you log onto the server locally with a different username with local/domain admin rights, can you start BE or an install program? Maybe the admin profile is shagged? Although this is quite widespread so unlikely.. The domains the servers are in aren't in the same forest are they? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparky Posted August 30, 2005 Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 I think he said the servers are different companies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark_90 Posted August 30, 2005 Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 Ah yes. Must be an update of some sort. It's just started happening, and now they're dropping like flies. Odd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparky Posted August 30, 2005 Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 I wondered if it was an MS issue, or if they were all on the same AV? But it's not. Can't see how they are all dropping now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hopsta Posted August 30, 2005 Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 Only other common thing is them I'do of thought that if it was this widespread then Veritas/Symantec would have spotted something by now and realeased something on their site, usually pretty good. G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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