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Core Installation randomly corrupting?

Proposed Answer Core Installation randomly corrupting?

  • Wednesday, January 05, 2011 5:47 AM
     
     
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    Hi everyone,

    I'm running into a problem that is likely going to prevent production adoption of Core R2, and likely adoption of Windows as a whole within the company I work for.

    We've got an extensive VMWare set up and I've been deploying Core R2 boxes to it. However, randomly, some servers seem to just corrupt themselves, specifically, random files just dissapear. For example, one server I was able to use Server Manager to remote to, then all of a sudden Powershell dissapeared on that server and Server Manager could no longer connect.

    Running sconfig and choosing to allow remote server manager management would result in the script bombing out saying it can't find the specified file. Presumably some sort of Powershell file.

    Looking at the output of /get-features I can see Powershell is disabled - yet it was enabled previously! Choosing to enable it via sconfig results in sconfig acting like it's done, but it hasn't. Manually typing out the dism command line simply fails, can't find the files.

    The first server I had corrupt itself was so far gone I couldn't do any real trouble shooting beyond getting output indicating the system that runs Services itself was gone.

    Any ideas? The most that was done on the servers was .Net2 and .Net3 were enabled. I'm not sure if the errors started appearing after a random reboot or not.

     

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  • Thursday, January 06, 2011 9:59 AM
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    Hi,

    Currently, we have not found any known issues that Windows Server 2008 Server Core or other editions will corrupt. Meanwhile, please collect the following information:

    1. Do you use dynamic disks on these servers? Was update KB962975 installed? 
    2. Does this issue coincide with any special events, such as the installation of some software?
    3. What’s the exact error when you tried to install PowerShell?
    4. When this issue happens, can you access the files on the disk of the problematic server properly?
    5. Does this issue exist on Windows Server 2008 servers which are installed on a physical machine?

    In addition, please try the following:

    1. Run chkdsk on the problematic server.
    2. Run sfc /scan.
    3. If it is possible, please install Windows Server 2008 Server Core on a physical machine. Does the same issue exist?

    Meanwhile, please collect the event logs for further research. Export Event Log, ZIP and send the file to tfwst@microsoft.com.

    Thanks. 

    This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights. Please remember to click "Mark as Answer" on the post that helps you, and to click "Unmark as Answer" if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.
     
  • Tuesday, January 11, 2011 1:52 AM
     
     
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    --------------------------------
      Configure Remote Management
    --------------------------------


    1) Allow MMC Remote Management
    2) Enable Windows PowerShell
    3) Allow Server Manager Remote Management
    4) Show Windows Firewall settings

    5) Return to main menu

    Enter selection: 3

    Setting Windows PowerShell execution policy to remotesigned...
    Enabling Server Manager cmdlets...

    Configuring Remote Server Manager settings...
    C:\Windows\System32\en-US\sconfig.vbs(968, 5) (null): The system cannot find the
     file specified.

    This is the error, and this is exactly how it happens. It's happened to me 4 times now.

    sfc /scannow shows no issues.

    chkdsk shows no issues.

    The KB article you show for dynamic disks is not relevant as the HDD is 25gb in size.

    Can't install on a physical at this time.

    And having just tried to enable Powershell again, it's worked with no fuss. But how would Powershell randomly decide to disable itself?

     
  • Monday, January 17, 2011 8:13 PM
     
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    Hi !

    I agree with Mervin

    please try the following:

    Also check HDD and also memory
    1. Run chkdsk on the problematic server.
    2. Run sfc /scan.
    • Proposed As Answer by Ahmet Abdagic Thursday, February 17, 2011 8:07 AM
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  • Thursday, January 27, 2011 2:08 AM
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    When we say corruption, is this referring only to the connection/communication failure we're seeing with Server Manager, or are there additional problems that are experienced?

    Also:
    What version of VMWARE are we running on? If this is an ESX server, do we have the version of the VMWARE installation?

    =====

    From a powershell perspective, if the system decided to disable powershell just like that, we will need the event logs on the system so we can see what has happened to cause Powershell to be disabled.

    Eventvwr --- Application And Services Logs --- Microsoft --- Windows --- Powershell

    It would also be a good idea to review the system event logs.

    This will tell us what happened with powershell, and why it was turned off.

    KetanT | Microsoft
     
  • Friday, February 04, 2011 6:36 AM
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    Hi Andrew,

    Update?

    KetanT | Microsoft
     
  • Wednesday, April 06, 2011 1:59 PM
     
     
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    Hi Andrew,

    Update?

    KetanT | Microsoft


    Ketan,

    I've same issue with my 2008 Server Core.

     

    Enter number to select an option: 4


    --------------------------------
      Configure Remote Management
    --------------------------------


    1) Allow MMC Remote Management
    2) Enable Windows PowerShell
    3) Allow Server Manager Remote Management
    4) Show Windows Firewall settings

    5) Return to main menu

    Enter selection: 3

    Setting Windows PowerShell execution policy to remotesigned...
    Enabling Server Manager cmdlets...

    Configuring Remote Server Manager settings...
    C:\Windows\System32\en-US\sconfig.vbs(968, 5) (null): The system cannot find the
     file specified.

    It's on physical box and running Hyper-V Host. I was trying to install Symantec Backup Exec Agent to take backup for my Hyper-V Clients and ends up with Dot Net error. So, I need to allow remote management in order to install Framework on core box.

     

    Thanks

    Nishant

     
  • Friday, April 08, 2011 11:45 AM
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    Hi,

    It is running "Configure-SMRemoting.ps1 file when you select number 3 for "Allow Server Manager Remote Management". Are you missing that file?

    Eventually, that ps1 is enabling remoting for powershell V2. Can you manually run enable-psremoting, let us know if it fails. when you run that command, it also asks  you to create default firewall rules required for it, let it complete as per defaults.

    Also, if required, remoting can be pushed through GPO. I'll check if I could find a resource around that and post it here.

     

    Ketan Thakkar | Microsoft Online Community Support
     
  • Saturday, April 16, 2011 6:01 AM
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    Hi Nishant,

    any luck?

    Ketan Thakkar | Microsoft Online Community Support
     
  • Tuesday, August 16, 2011 7:56 AM
     
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    I had the same Problem, but on a phisical machine and with R2 SP1.

    Solved reinstalling the feature:

    1- DISM /Online /Disable-Feature /FeatureName:MicrosoftWindowsPowerShell

    2- DISM /Online /Enable-Feature /FeatureName:MicrosoftWindowsPowerShell

    3- reboot the server

    4- running again sconfig

    It worked for me.

     

     



    • Proposed As Answer by ranstett Sunday, August 21, 2011 3:33 PM
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  • Tuesday, November 01, 2011 8:56 PM
     
     
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    I am in almost the same situation than yours, C:\Windows\System32\en-US\sconfig.vbs(968, 5) (null): The system cannot find the file specified. But I've never can start the sconfig.cmd before, since the Core installs, with FeatureName:MicrosoftWindowsPowerShell enbled, this error is the response.

    My Windows Core is not in "en-US" location, my default is spanish "es-ES", so I've searched the language folders in System32 for the scripts, and they are all located in "es-ES" folder, instead of the "en-US" where is the default (and the only) location for the sconfig.vbs. My home-made solution was to copy the scripts files from original installation folder to the "en-US" folder.

    Now sconfig.cmd works for me and in spanish as should be. This issue seems to be the usual MS nitghtmare with the language and locations hardcoding the full path.

     
  • Tuesday, May 01, 2012 7:44 PM
     
     
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    worked for me also, thanks
     
  • Monday, May 14, 2012 8:07 PM
     
     
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    Seems that the SP1 update "corrupts" the Powershell installation in some cases. This did the trick!

    You know you're an engineer when you have no life and can prove it mathematically

     
  • Wednesday, July 04, 2012 12:14 PM
     
     
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    Works like a charm !!