Changing SQL startup account

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Luke - 24 Feb 2005 23:38 GMT

I just can't seem to get this working right. I want to make it just a
regular domain user in a W2k domain on a 2003 server running sql 2000 sp3.
Everything is in place from what I see. It actually works too...until you
reboot. I don't konw what is wrong. Perhaps someone knows about this
error.

SQL Server could not find the default instance (MSSQLSERVER) - please
specify the name of an existing instance on the invocation of sqlservr.exe.

I think I reinstalled this about 10 times now, I'll do it again if it makes
it work too.

Yes, I get the same error loging in as the accound and trying to run the
sqlservr manually.

I'm guessing it is something from one of the policies when it reboots?
Or maybe the service start after the initial install/change in the
Enterprise Manager and the service starts out of context?

Any help from someone who did this before would be great. Because at this
point I don't even think it will work.

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Kevin McDonnell [MSFT] - 25 Feb 2005 00:48 GMT

Check the NT Application Event logs for errors while SQL is starting.
May be problems with the account you're using to start the service with or
if you've changed /moved database files
to another drive location etc.

Also, check the sqlstp.log for errors as well during initial setup.

Thanks,

Kevin McDonnell
Microsoft Corporation

This posting is provided AS IS with no warranties, and confers no rights.

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Luke - 25 Feb 2005 19:03 GMT

Ok,
I think I'm on the right track here, It looks like the registry
permissions are the ones at fault. Regmon proves useful again. I can go
and set the permissions manually on the following keys:
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MSSQLSERVER\MSSQLServer\CurrentVersion
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MSSQLSERVER\\Setup

This I have done previously and SEM does this too.

Of course I can set the permissions, but.... they disappear after I restart
the sql service. That is the only access denied message in regmon. The
ntfs permissions are still correct, just the registry. Has anyone run into
this before? I never came across permissions in the registry being modified
by any application that was not being setup.

And now I have, setting the permissions on the registry keys while the
cluster service was controlling the service did not properly replicate over
to the corresponding cluster server. Thus the permissions being reverted
after setting them while the service was in a "offline" state...created a
difference which was overridden by the cluster service's replication.

Why did this happen? I'm sure anyone in the group can tell me why this
occurred. And I'm gonna leave this out.

> Check the NT Application Event logs for errors while SQL is starting.
> May be problems with the account you're using to start the service with or
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>
> This posting is provided AS IS with no warranties, and confers no rights.

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Kevin McDonnell [MSFT] - 26 Feb 2005 00:12 GMT

You failed to mention this was a SQL Cluster in your original post.

You can't make manual changes to the SQL registry keys as the Windows
Cluster checkpoint will just roll back the changes
you made manually.

It sounds like you have both a non-Clustered default instance and a
Clustered instance.

My advice would be to open a case with PSS SQL Support to resolve this.

Thanks,

Kevin McDonnell
Microsoft Corporation

This posting is provided AS IS with no warranties, and confers no rights.

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Simon - 28 Feb 2005 04:25 GMT

Luke,

We had a very similar situation, and we followed the solution in:

http://groups.google.com/groups?q=logon+as+service&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&s
elm=1310c01c12f1d%2410d20180%24a5e62ecf%40tkmsftngxa07&rnum=3

However, we weren't using clusters so this might not be appropriate.

Simon.

> I just can't seem to get this working right. I want to make it just a
> regular domain user in a W2k domain on a 2003 server running sql 2000 sp3.
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
> Any help from someone who did this before would be great. Because at this
> point I don't even think it will work.

Reply to this Message