chrbb Posted January 6, 2011 Posted January 6, 2011 Came in this morning to find the server has a blank screen, cursor moving but no login screen. Used remote desktop to access to connect to server, after call to server company:o, everything seems ok, nothing in event viewer, no new updates, no unexpected shutdown. So waited til playtime and from remote desktop set the server to restart. It went through the motions disconnected me from remote desktop but .......... the server hasn't restarted and now I can't use remote desktop it's disconnected! Any suggestions, server still working with access to all shares etc, but I now can't connect to it. Don't want to do a 'press the button' shutdown.
cpjitservices Posted January 6, 2011 Posted January 6, 2011 Thats very strange, have you got a nearby 2003 server ? or can you install a VM somewhere of 2003. I was maybe thinking MSGINA has gonna a miss, If you can copy it to the system32 folder on the server from another working 2003 server this MAY solve your problem, however it's getting in to the server to do it, have you tried RDP again ? You might have to run a Linux Live CD and copy the files over through that. Hope this helps.
chrbb Posted January 6, 2011 Author Posted January 6, 2011 Tried RDP again, not reconnecting me, presumably when it went through the motions of shutting down it disconnected me and refuses to reconnect. Was able to access services via an xp computer and RDP is still running.
cpjitservices Posted January 6, 2011 Posted January 6, 2011 OK have you anyway to bring the server down for a bit so you can copy over MSGINA ? I'm not saying this will work but it's worth a shot if it is the gina that's corrupt somehow - or if you can run a chkdsk /r
glennda Posted January 6, 2011 Posted January 6, 2011 open up services and then connect to the server - check the terminal services service is running if not then i think its trying to shutdown - has stopped terminal service role and not closed network connections hence access to the shares but very strange tho!
cpjitservices Posted January 6, 2011 Posted January 6, 2011 This is very stranbge for a server to do this, but like I say try copying MSGINA and try a chkdsk /r if you can get into your server.
IanT Posted January 6, 2011 Posted January 6, 2011 try to remotely reboot it, on your computer, go to Start > Run > type in shutdown -i then type in the server name, pick restart and see if it reboots after that. if its an exchange server, remotely connect to the services and stop the exchange services.
glennda Posted January 6, 2011 Posted January 6, 2011 This is very stranbge for a server to do this, but like I say try copying MSGINA and try a chkdsk /r if you can get into your server. would it not affect the login screen for RDP tho? Edit: actually ts uses something else! But then the MSgina is only the image - and gives you an error saying msgina cannot be loaded and if the server has not been off the Msgina cannot be over written as its loaded as windows boots and is not unloaded untill shutdown
chrbb Posted January 6, 2011 Author Posted January 6, 2011 (edited) Terminal services still running. I use purgos although not normally on the dc, will change the credentails to domain admin and try to reboot it that way. Quite concerned though that rebooting may break it all together! Edited January 6, 2011 by chrbb
glennda Posted January 6, 2011 Posted January 6, 2011 Terminal services still running. try restarting the service - if not then i think it needs the power pulling then on again.
chrbb Posted January 6, 2011 Author Posted January 6, 2011 Not able to restart the service, the options not available.
IanT Posted January 6, 2011 Posted January 6, 2011 try to remotely reboot it, on your computer, go to Start > Run > type in shutdown -i then type in the server name, pick restart and see if it reboots after that.
Little-Miss Posted January 6, 2011 Posted January 6, 2011 Do you have APC UPS Software on your server? It did something similar to me...
glennda Posted January 6, 2011 Posted January 6, 2011 Do you have APC UPS Software on your server? It did something similar to me... try running shutdown -f -r -m \\servername that will actually tell you if there is a shutdown in progress sounds to me as if its stuck trying to shutdown
chrbb Posted January 6, 2011 Author Posted January 6, 2011 Do you have APC UPS Software on your server? It did something similar to me... Yes I have - what did you do?
Little-Miss Posted January 6, 2011 Posted January 6, 2011 Ah! I was lucky and eventually i got a login screen. I had to go into Services and disable anything to do with the APC software. Apparently there is a known issue with 2k3 and the APC Software. Will looks for link now!
Little-Miss Posted January 6, 2011 Posted January 6, 2011 Either that and risk a reboot into safe mode!
chrbb Posted January 6, 2011 Author Posted January 6, 2011 Tried everything, start run shutdown -i, purgos(vnc), disabling APC re-enabling APC and using that to shut it down. In the end it was a hold the button in restart and then shut my eyes til it started again! Everything up and running again.
glennda Posted January 6, 2011 Posted January 6, 2011 Sounds just like windows getting all upset with itself!!
chrbb Posted January 6, 2011 Author Posted January 6, 2011 Well the server is 4 years old next month and we're going out for quotes soon. However, I suppose this could have happened no matter how old the server. When's it's your one and only server it's a bit worrying! So ........... when the new one is set up, I want to run this one as a member server but ready to step up to take over if the new one fails. Any ideas on the best way to do this? Want to be able to give myself some breathing space if one server fails. It's not an admin server so not so worried about data being accessible straightaway, but want school to be able to logon and use the internet.
chrbb Posted January 13, 2011 Author Posted January 13, 2011 Well it happened again this afternoon, unlocked login to setup the sophos script (to disable end of life message) did everything I needed to, locked server again, went back half an hour later to find blue screen. Server working fine, remote desktop shows everything still running. So I've left it, it might sort itself out or I'll have to reboot it tomorrow!
cpjitservices Posted January 13, 2011 Posted January 13, 2011 Damn! - Again!, thats a bit of bad news. Lets hope it sorts itself out. Although I'd be tempted of a re-image of that server.
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