[sims] New SIMS install not letting users log on

[Number6]

Hi all.

 

Everything seems to be going awry at the moment and the jobs keep piling up!

 

New SIMS server - brand new hardware, Server 2008. We're migrating our existing SIMS setup to the new server.

 

Our DB manager installed SIMS onto the server and migrated the database. SQL was installed from the Capita disk. We had the devils own job getting it to work but eventually we did after a day and a half of solid work and hair pulling!

 

We've set up two workstations to access the new server. The problem is this:

 

No one can login. We get as far as the username and password entry screen but every attempted login is rejected with a "user unable to login, reason 0 (zero)". This happens for any user including sysman.

 

If we work directly on the server then any user can login as a user and SIMS works flawlessly, so it doesn't appear to be a server or DB issue.

 

We have raised a support issue with capita which is still open. We've tried their first recommeded set of fixes to no avail. Capita are now head scratching.

 

The workstations have had all traces of previous SIMS installs removed, firstly via add/remove progs and then a manual deletion of any remaining folders. This is followed by a registry clean, a reboot and a further registry clean before reinstalling. So we're fairly sure there are no remnants of connect files or any rogue registry entries. We've tried all this twice now. All appropriate network drives and connect files point to the right place.

 

Does anyone have any ideas we can try? I really need to get this fixed today as I'm on holiday for two weeks after today.

 

Thanks all.

[matt40k]

Few thoughs:

 

Check sims.ini, make sure setups is point to the new servers setups

Make sure the user has access rights to the s drive (sims share)

Make sure the firewall is opened up. (MSSQL,HTTP:8080(DMS),File sharing)

If you installed MSSQL 2005 standard\enterprise, enable TCP\IP

Checking the connect.ini (c:\program files\sims\sims .net\connect.ini)

[Number6]

Hi Matt

 

Sims.ini has all the correct settings as far as I can see.

 

Permissions should be fine because the workstations in question ran sims happily before, and if I change the network drive back to the old sims server the WS can access it just fine.

 

SQL was installed from the Capita disc as part of the SIMS setup, we didn't use any other instance of SQL.

 

My only other thought is that SQL permissions may be wrong but how do we check or change this on the Capita install?

[Ian_ICTDS]

Hi 6

 

Detaching and re-attaching the database using DBAttach usually re-creates the SQL users if something has gone wrong with the migration. Might be worth giving that a go.

 

Ian.

 

EDIT: Just noticed you said everything's fine on the server so DBAttach probably won't make a difference. Sorry. Might be still worth having a go though.

[Number6]

Hi Ian

 

We did that yesterday to no avail.

 

I don't anyway think it's a sims user problem per se, users can log into sims if they're working directly at the server, just not from a workstation.

[Ian_ICTDS]

Hmmmmm. I often find problems like this are down to the Connect.ini files on the workstations.

 

Do the clients PCs local connect.ini files (C:\Program Files\SIMS\SIMS .net) point directly to the server eg:

 

[sIMSConnection]

ServerName=SIMSSERVER\SIMS2005

DatabaseName=sims

DatabaseMode=OnLine

CommandTimeout=1000000

 

Or do you have a redirect:

 

[sIMSConnection]

Redirect=S:\sims

 

If you have a redirect, changing the path to a UNC path can sometimes help. Also worth checking that the connect.ini that the redirect is pointing to has the correct details.

 

If you don’t have a redirect and have the server details written in then check if they are correct. It should be in the format above.

 

Good luck.

 

Ian.

[Wils86]

ohh i might now why it aint working, before i left my work i shifted sims on to our new 64 bit server 2008 server. (almost went on a murderous rampage by the way) What i found was one or two people could log on so try every one with admin rights.

 

What happened is when you dettach and reattach a database sometimes, a user password is reset to the default one you get when you first register a user. You know the kind, goes like THDIBWIW3J or something like it.

 

If you can get in you'll find most peoples passwords have being reset. sorry Im not more helpful.

[Number6]

ohh i might now why it aint working, before i left my work i shifted sims on to our new 64 bit server 2008 server. (almost went on a murderous rampage by the way) What i found was one or two people could log on so try every one with admin rights.

 

What happened is when you dettach and reattach a database sometimes, a user password is reset to the default one you get when you first register a user. You know the kind, goes like THDIBWIW3J or something like it.

 

If you can get in you'll find most peoples passwords have being reset. sorry Im not more helpful.

 

We're aware of this and tried all the new and old passwords.

 

Same result - can't login, reason 0

[Number6]

Hmmmmm. I often find problems like this are down to the Connect.ini files on the workstations.

 

Do the clients PCs local connect.ini files (C:\Program Files\SIMS\SIMS .net) point directly to the server eg:

 

[sIMSConnection]

ServerName=SIMSSERVER\SIMS2005

DatabaseName=sims

DatabaseMode=OnLine

CommandTimeout=1000000

 

Or do you have a redirect:

 

[sIMSConnection]

Redirect=S:\sims

 

If you have a redirect, changing the path to a UNC path can sometimes help. Also worth checking that the connect.ini that the redirect is pointing to has the correct details.

 

If you don’t have a redirect and have the server details written in then check if they are correct. It should be in the format above.

 

Good luck.

 

Ian.

 

We use a redirect to a mapped drive.

 

I'll try playing with UNC paths, I haven't tried this yet although I have to admit I was contemplating it.

 

Thanks, I'll have a play now.

[Number6]

Nope

 

Changing connect.ini to a unc path made no difference.

[Ian_ICTDS]

Next I would try putting the server details directly into the local connect.ini rather that an redirect just to completely rule that out.

 

After that I would install SQL Management Studio Express from the Microsoft website on the workstation. Then use that to log into the SQL server just to see if you’ve defiantly got SQL connectivity.

 

Ian.

[Mcshammer_dj]

on the server

 

go to SQL 2005 and check that the surface configuration is set to allow remote access to the server

[Number6]

Next I would try putting the server details directly into the local connect.ini rather that an redirect just to completely rule that out.

 

After that I would install SQL Management Studio Express from the Microsoft website on the workstation. Then use that to log into the SQL server just to see if you’ve defiantly got SQL connectivity.

 

Ian.

 

Done the server details, no difference.

 

Trying the SQL Management now.

[Ian_ICTDS]

Good luck. If SQL Management Studio can’t connect you usually get a decent error message to investigate.

[Number6]

on the server

 

go to SQL 2005 and check that the surface configuration is set to allow remote access to the server

 

Yep, remote access by TCP/IP (not named pipes) is enabled.

[Mcshammer_dj]

I had the same problem at one of our schools, I ended up using a spare server 2003 and am due to visit to try and fix on Monday.

 

Up until noe we have not had any problem with SIMS on a 64bit server at all.

 

What type of network do you have at the school?

[Number6]

I had the same problem at one of our schools, I ended up using a spare server 2003 and am due to visit to try and fix on Monday.

 

Up until noe we have not had any problem with SIMS on a 64bit server at all.

 

What type of network do you have at the school?

 

It's an SBS 2003 network currently although the medium term plan is to switch to server 2008.

 

1 x SBS box

1 x NAS box

2 x 2003 servers, one of which is sims

 

+ the new 2008 server

[Number6]

SQL management studio cannot connect to, or apparently even find the server instance. It returns a 'named pipes' error with various error numbers.

 

Does this mean it's insisting on a named pipes connection? This is not set up on the server, only TCP/IP

[Ian_ICTDS]

It's worth turning named pipes on to see if it helps. Can you post the error here and I'll see if I recognise it?

 

Ian.

[Mcshammer_dj]

I would enable all the protocols and see what happens.

[matt40k]

Turn the firewall off.

 

Did once have a DNS issue, so used the ip \sims2005 in the connect.ini. Might be worth a shot.

[Number6]

Still no joy.

 

I've tried everything suggested above including using IP in connect.ini

 

SQL Management Studio connects fine if installed on the server but will not connect remotely from the workstation.

 

However, SQL MS will connect quite happily to the original sims DB on the old server. Hence the problem can't be firewall, network or workstation related, it has to be something to do with SQL.

 

I've enabled all connection methods to SQL. I've stopped and restarted SQL. Is there anything else I can try?

[Number6]

It's worth turning named pipes on to see if it helps. Can you post the error here and I'll see if I recognise it?

 

Ian.

 

Sorry, I missed your request.

 

Here's the error:

 

TITLE: Connect to Server

------------------------------

 

Cannot connect to athena\sims2005.

 

------------------------------

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

 

An error has occurred while establishing a connection to the server. When connecting to SQL Server 2005, this failure may be caused by the fact that under the default settings SQL Server does not allow remote connections. (provider: SQL Network Interfaces, error: 26 - Error Locating Server/Instance Specified) (Microsoft SQL Server, Error: -1)

 

For help, click: Source: ID: ( ) - Events And Errors Message Center: Message Details

 

------------------------------

BUTTONS:

 

OK

------------------------------

[greatone]

Have you checked that remote connections have been enabled in the Surface Area Configuration utility?

 

Start / Programs / SQL 2005 / Configuration Tools / Surface Area Configuration

[Ian_ICTDS]

Turn the firewall off.

 

Did once have a DNS issue, so used the ip \sims2005 in the connect.ini. Might be worth a shot.

 

Have you tried this? Can the workstations ping the server by name?