PCBE doesn't recognize SQL Server 2005

[Anonymous user]

Installed newest version of BCDE (Deluxe) fine, agent on the server at issue, server portion on the domain controller server, and console on a different one (PC) as well as on the server in question. Anyway, the server at issue has MS SQL Server 2005 and Windows server 2003, and yesterday everything set up fine, was able to set up controlled shut-down for the server and sql instance. So then today after I had rebooted the server I went in using the APC console to further tweak some settings and noticed that in the shut down portion, that the sql box was no longer checked, and to the right in a yellow colored box it said "not installed". It would not let me put a check in the box for it of course. How do I get the agent to recognize that sql is there and running? or for that matter why has it forgotten it's there? I verified it was in fact running (sql) by going to a few client machines and running the application we use that requires the sql in the first place, and all was working well. Anyone have any ideas why the agent is no longer recognizing sql server?
Thanks in advance.

[Anonymous user]

Installed newest version of BCDE (Deluxe) fine, agent on the server at issue, server portion on the domain controller server, and console on a different one (PC) as well as on the server in question. Anyway, the server at issue has MS SQL Server 2005 and Windows server 2003, and yesterday everything set up fine, was able to set up controlled shut-down for the server and sql instance. So then today after I had rebooted the server I went in using the APC console to further tweak some settings and noticed that in the shut down portion, that the sql box was no longer checked, and to the right in a yellow colored box it said "not installed". It would not let me put a check in the box for it of course. How do I get the agent to recognize that sql is there and running? or for that matter why has it forgotten it's there? I verified it was in fact running (sql) by going to a few client machines and running the application we use that requires the sql in the first place, and all was working well. Anyone have any ideas why the agent is no longer recognizing sql server?
Thanks in advance.

[BillP]

Hi,

I came across the same exact issue recently which I am still investigating but what I have found so far is:

PCBE determines SQL is available when it detects one of the following names in the registered services:

Service name: MSSQLSERVER
Display name: Microsoft SQL

And I have seen where its there and still not working just as you have. What I suggest is, if possible, is:

1.) Can we stop both of the PCBE services - if both are present - APCPBEAgent and APCPBEServer and then change the display name of the SQL service to Microsoft SQL instead of the display name being the service name of MSSQLSERVER (if it happens to be)? So, we just want to change the display name and then restart the two PCBE services and see if anything has changed.

2.) Another option - if you have time - would be to stop the SQL service and the PCBE services and then restart the SQL service and restart the PCBE services. I understand if this cannot be done since its probably a production environment.

Please let me know if you will be able to do this and how it works because I have been investigating this for a couple of days now in another situation.

Hope it helps. I will get you anymore info as it becomes available to me if we dont get anywhere with the above solutions.

[Anonymous user]

Only the agent is on the machine with the issue. The console connects to the server portion which is on the domain controller server.
Anyway, I will go into work on Monday and look at what the names are for the SQL service running. Not sure about changing names of things but I will stop and start the various services and see what happens. We have not gone to production environment on the sql, just testing and validation so I can stop the sql if needed.

If anyone else has some input, by all means please post.

[BillP]

I am still working on this in the different scenario but one other thing-

You havent uninstalled and reinstalled the agent portion yet, have you? You could try that. I was going to say if you HAD, you'd want to double check and make sure you didnt install the basic version (versus the deluxe version) off of the web by mistake.

I'll keep you updated with what I find out relating to this issue as it becomes available to me.

And yeah, if anyone else has seen this, please post.

[Anonymous user]

I went into work and checked the server at issue using the console, and the APC software still hadn't recognized SQL. I then went into services.msc and found APC PBEAgent and it was set automatic and running. I stopped it, waited about 30 seconds, then restarted it, and waited another minute for it to report itself to the APC server that is running on the domain controller. I then started the APC console and low and behold, SQL was now being recognized.

Thing is though, I rebooted the server at issue and the same problem returns. I shouldn't have to manually stop and restart the APC PBEAgent every time I reboot the server. As an aside, when I looked at the properties of the APC PBEAgent in the services.msc screen, I did notice the file paths didn't look like they should, they had part of the path folder names followed by ~ (tildes) Wish I had an example but I don't. In any event, I went into the registry by searching for APC, and found the entries and corrected them so they look like the full correct paths like this for example. C:\Program Files\Acronis\TrueImageHome\TrueImage.exe Whereas before it sorta looked like this: C:\Progra~\Acroni~\TrueIm~\TrueImage.exe I'm sure we've all seen that before. Anyway, it didn't correct the issue at hand but I thought it should be corrected to be sure. I'll go out on a limb here and say it seems to me that the SQL is starting after the APC PBEAgent, and that's why it's not being recognized, whereas if SQL was running then the APC agent started, much like when I restart it after the machine has been up, then maybe it would see it as it should. Oh, and do the technical support people from APC respond here or do I need to address them specifically thru separate channels?

[BillP]

I am an APC employee and work for the single phase escalation technical support team. I have forwarded this off to the software department since it pertains to what I had been working on. I will also reply back with any other information but you're right, it's a hassle to have to do that.

[BillP]

another idea I thought of is to possibly create a dependency for the PBEAgent so that it wont start until the SQL service starts.

only problem is with that is for some reason the SQL service doesnt start, the PBEAgent wont incase you still need to get to it.

i definitely brought up with our software department when you encountered though.

[Anonymous user]

OK, I will wait to contact APC support until I hear something back from you. Hopefully we don't have to do that dependency thing. What about the option that says something about interacting with desktop? Oh, and is there a way to control the start order of things besides using the dependency process? I'm curious to see if having that APC agent start as late as possible during the boot process would cause any change. If you need me to post a system information breakdown for the server let me know. It's all fairly new stuff though.

[BillP]

well!

I appreciate all of your input and everything because what you did, even though it makes no sense to me, solved my other customer's problem. Considering we had uninstalled and reinstalled while SQL was running i would think has the same effect as stopping and restarting...

also, from APC's software department: Note that application shutdown support of MS SQL Server 2005 is not available in PCBE 7.0.5. This support is planned for PCBE 8.0.1 (which is currently under development).

But regardless, you got it working.

The interact with desktop option - i am only familiar with enabling that when a command file is ran through Powerchute, where the service launches the command file and needs to interact with the desktop.

I have something I'd like to run by you privately because it involves editing the registry and I rather not post it here so people get into trouble. I will send you an email with it if thats alright and we can see if its something you'd like to try.

[Anonymous user]

I made the registry changes you suggested in the email, but I left out anything related to the PCBE server portion, as that is not on the machine with the issue, just the agent is. I made the registry changes exactly other than that, nothing more or less, and as near as I can tell it is not fixed. I rebooted the server and it showed that the agent is recognizing SQL Server 2005 and displays the current shut-down scheme etc., but then on subsequent re-boots, I noticed it was not recognizing it again. I'm going to go in and make sure the registry edits are still in there as they should be, but for now it's not corrected.

[BillP]

same issue?

[Anonymous user]

Trying to nail down what causes it to not work right at times. I manually stopped and started the PCBE agent, and on the next boot sql server was recognized. I'm going to do another re-boot tomorrow and see if it still works. Hopefully your engineers are working on a fix. Oh, and my dept just bought this deluxe software for $300 like a month ago, so when this new version comes out will we get the next version free upgrade? I can prove we just bought it as well.

Message was edited by: goldbadge

[BillP]

usually if its within 6 months of purchase, we can upgrade it for free.

as i mentioned prior, SQL 2005 isnt officially supported by PCBE Deluxe 7.0.5..it will be supported by 8.0 Deluxe which as far as i know is due out anytime..i havent seen it on the site yet.

[Anonymous user · Accepted solution]

OK cool, we just bought this about 4-6 weeks ago. I rebooted the server 2 times on Friday and everything worked after each. My only guess is that the re-boot where it didn't work maybe there had been an update to one if the installed softwares that triggered it to not work. But for now I guess we'll say it's fixed as like I said the last few times everything started and worked right. I'll keep an eye on it though until this next upgrade comes out.