Again - guest won't start after powerfail on host

I thought that having Virtual Server would make my virtual server come
up with the operating system, but for some reason mine is not. I
really need some help in getting this to work as intended.

System description:
Host
--------
Dell Dimension 9100 w. Intel Pentium D and 3 Gb RAM
Windows XP Pro SP2 attached to a Domain
Domain controller accessible only via VPN on user cmd
Virtual Server2005R2 SP1

Guest
--------
Windows Server 2003 with 256 Mb RAM
Only task is hosting VPN connections via RRAS
Properties/Startup/Shutdown:
- Action when VS stops: Save State (have also tried Turn off guest)
- Run VM with specific account (user with admin privs)
- When VS starts: Automatically turn on virtual machine if it was
running when Virtual Server stopped

In my case there are two cases when I need the guest to come up:
1) Whenever the host is rebooted (usually because of Windows Update)
2) Whenever there has been a powerfail (happened yesterday morning)

In my case the guest NEVER starts up after VS2005 has been started
(when host is powered back up).

This is driving me nuts since I depend on this VM for connectivity in
and out of the internal network. I used to have a physical Win2000
Server for this purpose on my network, but it was old and noisy so I
decided to virtualize its function by creating the Win2003 guest in
VS2005. Seems like I made a bad decision.

Anyway, my experience makes me wonder how people can rely on VS2005
for running server parks? Manually starting each and every guest after
a power fail seems to be a rather bad idea....

--

Bo Berglund (Sweden)

On Wed, 10 Sep 2008 22:56:16 +0200, Bo Berglund <boberglund@home.se>
wrote:

>I thought that having Virtual Server would make my virtual server come
>up with the operating system, but for some reason mine is not. I
>really need some help in getting this to work as intended.
>
>System description:
>Host
>--------
>Dell Dimension 9100 w. Intel Pentium D and 3 Gb RAM
>Windows XP Pro SP2 attached to a Domain
>Domain controller accessible only via VPN on user cmd
>Virtual Server2005R2 SP1
>
>Guest
>--------
>Windows Server 2003 with 256 Mb RAM
>Only task is hosting VPN connections via RRAS
>Properties/Startup/Shutdown:
>- Action when VS stops: Save State (have also tried Turn off guest)
>- Run VM with specific account (user with admin privs)
>- When VS starts: Automatically turn on virtual machine if it was
>running when Virtual Server stopped
>
>In my case there are two cases when I need the guest to come up:
>1) Whenever the host is rebooted (usually because of Windows Update)
>2) Whenever there has been a powerfail (happened yesterday morning)
>
>In my case the guest NEVER starts up after VS2005 has been started
>(when host is powered back up).
>
>This is driving me nuts since I depend on this VM for connectivity in
>and out of the internal network. I used to have a physical Win2000
>Server for this purpose on my network, but it was old and noisy so I
>decided to virtualize its function by creating the Win2003 guest in
>VS2005. Seems like I made a bad decision.
>
>Anyway, my experience makes me wonder how people can rely on VS2005
>for running server parks? Manually starting each and every guest after
>a power fail seems to be a rather bad idea....

And you've got this set?
When Virtual Server starts: Always automatically turn on virtual
machine

I haven't had any problems with this. Have you verified that the
account that VS is using to start the VMs is correct and has the
correct password?
Anything in the logs regarding this?

--
Cheers,
Steve Jain, Virtual Machine MVP
http://vpc.essjae.com/
I do not work for Microsoft.

On Wed, 10 Sep 2008 15:07:44 -0700, Steve Jain
<noreply.-@-.essjae.com> wrote:

>>
>>This is driving me nuts since I depend on this VM for connectivity in
>>and out of the internal network. I used to have a physical Win2000
>>Server for this purpose on my network, but it was old and noisy so I
>>decided to virtualize its function by creating the Win2003 guest in
>>VS2005. Seems like I made a bad decision.
>>
>>Anyway, my experience makes me wonder how people can rely on VS2005
>>for running server parks? Manually starting each and every guest after
>>a power fail seems to be a rather bad idea....
>
>And you've got this set?
>When Virtual Server starts: Always automatically turn on virtual
>machine
>
>I haven't had any problems with this. Have you verified that the
>account that VS is using to start the VMs is correct and has the
>correct password?
>Anything in the logs regarding this?

I tried again to make a controlled test by doing the following:
- Shut down the guest (in order to configure startup options)
- Told VS to turn off the guest when it stops rather than save state
- Configured my guest to start up using a local admin account
- Set the start delay to 60 s
- Started the guest manually and left it running for some time
- Stopped the VirtualServer service from Service Control Mgr
- Started VS again

It took a very long time with the progress bar slowly advancing and
then I received a message that Virtual Server could not be started!!!
Then the progress bar disappeared and SCM showed the VS service as
starting.
While I was then writing this message reply VS finally shows up as
started.
Now when I go look via VMRC+ I can see the guest as running! :-)

I really wonder why this does not happen when it is most needed, when
disaster strikes and I get a power fail.....

--

Bo Berglund (Sweden)

On Thu, 11 Sep 2008 00:35:07 +0200, Bo Berglund <boberglund@home.se>
wrote:

>On Wed, 10 Sep 2008 15:07:44 -0700, Steve Jain
><noreply.-@-.essjae.com> wrote:
>
>>>
>>>This is driving me nuts since I depend on this VM for connectivity in
>>>and out of the internal network. I used to have a physical Win2000
>>>Server for this purpose on my network, but it was old and noisy so I
>>>decided to virtualize its function by creating the Win2003 guest in
>>>VS2005. Seems like I made a bad decision.
>>>
>>>Anyway, my experience makes me wonder how people can rely on VS2005
>>>for running server parks? Manually starting each and every guest after
>>>a power fail seems to be a rather bad idea....
>>
>>And you've got this set?
>>When Virtual Server starts: Always automatically turn on virtual
>>machine
>>
>>I haven't had any problems with this. Have you verified that the
>>account that VS is using to start the VMs is correct and has the
>>correct password?
>>Anything in the logs regarding this?
>
>I tried again to make a controlled test by doing the following:
>- Shut down the guest (in order to configure startup options)
>- Told VS to turn off the guest when it stops rather than save state
>- Configured my guest to start up using a local admin account
>- Set the start delay to 60 s
>- Started the guest manually and left it running for some time
>- Stopped the VirtualServer service from Service Control Mgr
>- Started VS again
>
>It took a very long time with the progress bar slowly advancing and
>then I received a message that Virtual Server could not be started!!!
>Then the progress bar disappeared and SCM showed the VS service as
>starting.
>While I was then writing this message reply VS finally shows up as
>started.
>Now when I go look via VMRC+ I can see the guest as running! :-)
>
>I really wonder why this does not happen when it is most needed, when
>disaster strikes and I get a power fail.....

Are you in a domain? My setup is and I have my VMs go to save state,
domain admin account is used for starting them up, 120 second delay. I
had to VMs on this server, no problems starting them up, one was 2nd
AD and DHCP, other was email server. Moved the DHCP to my Hyper-V
box, but my email server VM still launches without any trouble.

Maybe up your delay to 120s

--
Cheers,
Steve Jain, Virtual Machine MVP
http://vpc.essjae.com/
I do not work for Microsoft.

On Wed, 10 Sep 2008 16:27:59 -0700, Steve Jain
<noreply.-@-.essjae.com> wrote:

>On Thu, 11 Sep 2008 00:35:07 +0200, Bo Berglund <boberglund@home.se>
>wrote:
>
>>On Wed, 10 Sep 2008 15:07:44 -0700, Steve Jain
>><noreply.-@-.essjae.com> wrote:
>>
>>>>
>>>>This is driving me nuts since I depend on this VM for connectivity in
>>>>and out of the internal network. I used to have a physical Win2000
>>>>Server for this purpose on my network, but it was old and noisy so I
>>>>decided to virtualize its function by creating the Win2003 guest in
>>>>VS2005. Seems like I made a bad decision.
>>>>
>>>>Anyway, my experience makes me wonder how people can rely on VS2005
>>>>for running server parks? Manually starting each and every guest after
>>>>a power fail seems to be a rather bad idea....
>>>
>>>And you've got this set?
>>>When Virtual Server starts: Always automatically turn on virtual
>>>machine
>>>
>>>I haven't had any problems with this. Have you verified that the
>>>account that VS is using to start the VMs is correct and has the
>>>correct password?
>>>Anything in the logs regarding this?
>>
>>I tried again to make a controlled test by doing the following:
>>- Shut down the guest (in order to configure startup options)
>>- Told VS to turn off the guest when it stops rather than save state
>>- Configured my guest to start up using a local admin account
>>- Set the start delay to 60 s
>>- Started the guest manually and left it running for some time
>>- Stopped the VirtualServer service from Service Control Mgr
>>- Started VS again
>>
>>It took a very long time with the progress bar slowly advancing and
>>then I received a message that Virtual Server could not be started!!!
>>Then the progress bar disappeared and SCM showed the VS service as
>>starting.
>>While I was then writing this message reply VS finally shows up as
>>started.
>>Now when I go look via VMRC+ I can see the guest as running! :-)
>>
>>I really wonder why this does not happen when it is most needed, when
>>disaster strikes and I get a power fail.....
>
>Are you in a domain? My setup is and I have my VMs go to save state,
>domain admin account is used for starting them up, 120 second delay. I
>had to VMs on this server, no problems starting them up, one was 2nd
>AD and DHCP, other was email server. Moved the DHCP to my Hyper-V
>box, but my email server VM still launches without any trouble.
>
>Maybe up your delay to 120s

My XP-Pro host *is* on a domain, but I am located 6000 miles from the
"home" network and I can access the domain LAN only via VPN on user
command.
I get lots of stuff like this in the Event Log:

"An error has occured during the creation of Service Connection points
for Virtual Server in Active Directory. Either a domain controller is
not available to complete the operation or there is a security problem
accessing the domain. This operation will be retried the next time the
service starts. Error 0x8007054b - The specified domain either does
not exist or could not be contacted."

Is this the reason I am having problems? Why does VS2005 need to
"contact" the domain?

I am logged on to the host using a domain account, which is a domain
admin account.

--

Bo Berglund (Sweden)

On Thu, 11 Sep 2008 07:16:03 +0200, Bo Berglund <boberglund@home.se>
wrote:


>
>My XP-Pro host *is* on a domain, but I am located 6000 miles from the
>"home" network and I can access the domain LAN only via VPN on user
>command.
>I get lots of stuff like this in the Event Log:
>
>"An error has occured during the creation of Service Connection points
>for Virtual Server in Active Directory. Either a domain controller is
>not available to complete the operation or there is a security problem
>accessing the domain. This operation will be retried the next time the
>service starts. Error 0x8007054b - The specified domain either does
>not exist or could not be contacted."
>
>Is this the reason I am having problems? Why does VS2005 need to
>"contact" the domain?
>
>I am logged on to the host using a domain account, which is a domain
>admin account.

That could be related to the problem. What happens if you try to run
your VMs using a local admin account?

--
Cheers,
Steve Jain, Virtual Machine MVP
http://vpc.essjae.com/
I do not work for Microsoft.

On Fri, 12 Sep 2008 15:15:52 -0700, Steve Jain
<noreply.-@-.essjae.com> wrote:

>On Thu, 11 Sep 2008 07:16:03 +0200, Bo Berglund <boberglund@home.se>
>wrote:
>
>
>>
>>My XP-Pro host *is* on a domain, but I am located 6000 miles from the
>>"home" network and I can access the domain LAN only via VPN on user
>>command.
>>I get lots of stuff like this in the Event Log:
>>
>>"An error has occured during the creation of Service Connection points
>>for Virtual Server in Active Directory. Either a domain controller is
>>not available to complete the operation or there is a security problem
>>accessing the domain. This operation will be retried the next time the
>>service starts. Error 0x8007054b - The specified domain either does
>>not exist or could not be contacted."
>>
>>Is this the reason I am having problems? Why does VS2005 need to
>>"contact" the domain?
>>
>>I am logged on to the host using a domain account, which is a domain
>>admin account.
>
>That could be related to the problem. What happens if you try to run
>your VMs using a local admin account?

I made a test just before going on vacation where I shut down my
guest, changed the properties to run under a local (admin) account and
to start the vm on VS startup.
Then I shut down and started VS2005 from the Services applet. It took
a really *long* time before VS was in a running state, but then when I
looked via VMRC+ it showed my guest as running....

I have not yet tried the power-down then power-on approach on the host
so I can't say that it will work then. I'll have to find a free slot
of time big enough to chance the test. ;-)

--

Bo Berglund (Sweden)

I downed my UPS on the weekend for battery maintenance, and came up with a
similar problem.
I have one DC as a guest and one standalone physical DC I'd like to
eventually get rid of.

While it had it all down, I wanted to see if the virtual DC guest would come
up ok and supply the domain around it.
The Virtual Server service said "starting", but would not start without the
physical DC plugged in.

So which do you need to set to a local account? The VS account, or the
individual VM accounts?
I'm trying to get a handle on how it (doesn't) work together.

I would have thought the VS account might prevent it from starting, but
since it said "starting" instead of "could not start", maybe the failure of
the VM's auto-starting *prevented* the VS service from completing?

--
Dave Harry


"Bo Berglund" <boberglund@home.se> wrote in message
newstgad4doipajn8lf847df8fo2pcpu5pijh@4ax.com...
> On Fri, 12 Sep 2008 15:15:52 -0700, Steve Jain
> <noreply.-@-.essjae.com> wrote:
>
>>On Thu, 11 Sep 2008 07:16:03 +0200, Bo Berglund <boberglund@home.se>
>>wrote:
>>
>>
>>>
>>>My XP-Pro host *is* on a domain, but I am located 6000 miles from the
>>>"home" network and I can access the domain LAN only via VPN on user
>>>command.
>>>I get lots of stuff like this in the Event Log:
>>>
>>>"An error has occured during the creation of Service Connection points
>>>for Virtual Server in Active Directory. Either a domain controller is
>>>not available to complete the operation or there is a security problem
>>>accessing the domain. This operation will be retried the next time the
>>>service starts. Error 0x8007054b - The specified domain either does
>>>not exist or could not be contacted."
>>>
>>>Is this the reason I am having problems? Why does VS2005 need to
>>>"contact" the domain?
>>>
>>>I am logged on to the host using a domain account, which is a domain
>>>admin account.
>>
>>That could be related to the problem. What happens if you try to run
>>your VMs using a local admin account?
>
> I made a test just before going on vacation where I shut down my
> guest, changed the properties to run under a local (admin) account and
> to start the vm on VS startup.
> Then I shut down and started VS2005 from the Services applet. It took
> a really *long* time before VS was in a running state, but then when I
> looked via VMRC+ it showed my guest as running....
>
> I have not yet tried the power-down then power-on approach on the host
> so I can't say that it will work then. I'll have to find a free slot
> of time big enough to chance the test. ;-)
>
> --
>
> Bo Berglund (Sweden)