Sharepoint/SQL/Virtualisation and anything else!!

[INeedAUsername]

Hi all,

 

Right firstly let me start off by saying I have really enjoyed reading posts put up by fellow edugeekers and it most definatley has helped me in a few very tight and near misses

 

Now I need you to put your magic on this - this has done both mine and my senior techies head in!!

 

From the start then:

 

We have a sharepoint setup with a seperate SQL 2005 DB for all the data etc. so far so good

 

We are running our of space on the C: drive on the SQL server so we bought a new server ready to take its place.

 

It is build, patched, SQL 2005 installed jobs a good-un.

 

A few options came to mind, reading MS way of doing this was one of them or using virtualistion.

 

Because it is a critical server we thought we would get an image of the old sql server anyway (being about 9 years old) so virtualisation using the free convertor was carried out. It did this whilst the server was still switched on - BONUS

 

This is where the fun begins, we bought a license for VMWare workstation installed and confiured the new virtual server, switched off the old sql server and sharepoint servers, used the image from the old sql database and started the virtual workstation

 

It booted up, wanted to install some drivers it found (USB drivers) and restarted the server. It worked as expected.

 

(on the VM) the C: Drive was expanded using the VMware command and then using EASUS partition software I expanded the drive.

 

After it rebooted, the VM C: Drive showed the new allocated disc space and all was well

 

The SQL services were restarted as normal procedure and all was well.

 

Started the Sharepoint Services Server first and waited for it to complete then started the MOSS Server and started its needed services.

 

Logged onto the MOSS Server to view the central admin page and it came up, showing the SQL server as the data store.

 

Logged onto the VLE and 'an unexpected error has occured' error message came up and nothing else worked

 

Looked around the net with no joy so had to pu everthing back to as it was.

 

Now we have a shrinking database and an urgent need to do something about it!

 

We wont be able to turn the sql db off anytime soon unless it is planned/weekend/after 6pm

 

Any help would greatly be appreciated - or if anyone knows of anyone who maybe upto the job as a consultant (eg do this for us and tell us how you did it!)

 

Thanks in advanced

 

ST

[EduTech]

I cant think straight at the moment, so i will re-read this thread tomorrow morning when i am more awake lol.

 

but, have you re-created the web application on sharepoint and on the database pointed it to your sql server and the instance? and Content Database Name?

 

If you have re-created the web application, then the error is quite important as it could be trying to do anything depending if you had any webparts etc on the main page before hand.. that will no longer be their as you have re-created the web application.

 

Hope that makes sense.

 

James.

[jamesb]

Have you got the full detail of the error available? If everything else is working, it may be something in the VLE configuration.

 

Also it may be worth trying a backup of the SharePoint site through stsadm - then restoring this to a new web application within the same setup. If this works, try restoring it to your virtualized server rather than relying on the image.

[INeedAUsername]

@edutech - no; not created the new web application or pointed it to the sql server - thought the image/virtualisation would take care of that? (maybe totally wrong??) or easy way out

 

@James - will look at the sql event viewer and MOSS error directory to see anything - what should i be looking for?

 

With the new sql server in place we cant connect to any of our VLE or any others we host

 

Forgot to mention that there are alerts setup on the setup so if anything was updated it send an email. This would not be working if the sql db was not being recognised or am i missing something?

 

I think we are nearly there with the virtualisation route - something just doesnt like it which is well annoying

 

Thanks both for your replies; thanks on the way

[EduTech]

Yes Technically if you have just converted your old SQL server, Expanded the C: Drive and Turned your Physical machine off and turned on your new VM it should just work.

 

I have done this in the past with both my SQL Server and Front End Server for Testing Purposes and it worked fine.

 

SharePoint Should give you a more specific error, check event veiwer on both SQL and FrontEnd Server and see if anything has been flagged up.

 

An error code or anything like that will give us and you more details rather then just ''an unexpected error has occured' ;~)

 

Ta

 

James.

[INeedAUsername]

cheers, starting to look at it now, the sql error log, is that on the virtual sql or the old sql database?

 

if its the virtual one, it is switched off as we need our vle running for the next few weeks

 

MOSS Server - starting to narrow it down with the dates/times will post something relevant in a bit

 

thanks

 

ST

[EduTech]

The error log will be on the SQL Server the SharePoint Server is trying to contact at that moment in time.

 

oh and you dont really want to keep switching SQL Servers

 

James.

[INeedAUsername]

nope dont wanna be doing that!

 

looking at the sql server management studio express, when you double click on the error logs it does nothing, if you right click on it its says refresh only

 

will have a look around the net and see what im missing me thinks

 

ST

[jamesb]

When the error page appeared was it the SharePoint unexpected error page, with a link to Troubleshoot SharePoint errors? If it was then there may be a stack trace in the server's event viewer which'd help.

 

If not then you should take a look at your IIS event logs (System32\LogFiles\somethingincomprehensible I believe). You can find out the path by going into IIS Manager and looking at the web site properties. This might help you narrow it down a little more.

[INeedAUsername]

it was more like an IIS error style if that makes any sense?

 

Will look into the IIS event logs as i havnt done that

 

thanks for the suggestions

 

ST

[EduTech]

Oh right, so it lost the sharepoint theme then and went to an IIS White Boring Page?

 

I have PM'd you

 

James.

[INeedAUsername]

thats right, but what baffles me is that central admin works, the alerts work but cant get onto the vle or any others we have running ??

 

have replied with a PM also

 

Thanks

 

ST

[jamesb]

It sounds like SharePoint is working fine, but the sites are broken. The stsadm backup and restore might be the best way around this.

 

The IIS logs would definitely be worth a look if its an IIS error page, as it may be that SharePoint is actually fine and IIS itself is having problems.

[EduTech]

Yeah i agree james, thats what i was trying to say earlier.

 

I have seen it happen before where the sites just break.. or it just corrupts.. if its what i think it is then yes a simple backup and restore might just correct the errors.

 

Failing that, you could try creating another web application attaching the same content database and see if that one works

 

James.

[INeedAUsername]

@Jamesb does the backup restore mean that i need to transfer the sharepoint moss to a new server as well as the sql server?

 

Trying to find the IIS logs in sharepoint at the mo will get back to you with some data

 

not sure how to attach a db to a new site; again will need to read up on this me thinks

 

thanks both for all your help so far!!

 

ST

[EduTech]

Go to your central admin, click on Content Databases and make a note of the content database.

 

Create a New Web Application, when you get to the database part just type in the content database name that you noted.

 

And follow on as normal, when the new web application is created your database will be their

 

To answer your first question, no you wont have to do that once you have backed it up delete it and then restore

 

James.

[INeedAUsername]

nice one, will try it when i get 5

 

Cheers

 

ST

[INeedAUsername]

OK, managed to get 5 and guess what? it all works!!

 

It was having the services turned on whilst the convertor was creating the image that it didnt like!!

 

Re-cloned the SQL server with all services stopped..Restarted all the servers and all is good now - and it flies, it was taking ages for any documents to upload it just does it in a matter of seconds

 

many thanks for all who helped on/off the forum, to my senior techie who works too hard James (aka edutech) for his advice and Alex Pearce who lives and breaths Sharepoint, many thanks to all could not have done it without you guys!!

 

STariq