I am running sql 2005 sp2 64 bit on a windows server 2003 64 bit cluster.
This has been working in an active/active configuration. I had a problem
though where one of the instances wouldnt startup. I resolved this by
setting the port in the registry and then running the cluster recovery tool
to set a checkpoint. Since then though i am unable to run in active/active
mode. I can move an instance onto another node but because the sql browser
service wont start users cannot connect unless they specify the port. This
is not an option as the port isnt hardcoded into the application they use.
If i try and start the sql browser service on the passive node from the
command line i get the following -

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Shared>sqlbrowser.exe -c
SQLBrowser: starting up in console mode
SQLBrowser: starting up SSRP redirection service
SQLBrowser is successfully listening on 0.0.0.0[1434]
SQLBrowser: failed starting SSRP redirection services -- shutting down.
SQLBrowser: starting up OLAP redirection service
SQLBrowser: Stopping the OLAP redirector

I have seen a few posts but no answers yet. Anyone have any ideas? Should
the sql browser service be able to run at the same time on both nodes?

Regards

Have you run the SP on both nodes?

The Browser service is local to each node and may not have been updated when
the service pack was installed. Don't worry, the SP installer won't try and
update the SQL engine, just any local components like client tools and SSIS.

And yes, the browser service should run on all nodes. It is not a
cluster-wide entity.

--
Geoff N. Hiten
Senior SQL Infrastructure Consultant
Microsoft SQL Server MVP




"mungoblack" <mungoblack (AT) nospam (DOT) com> wrote

Thanks for the reply Geoff. Both nodes are on SP2 and were before the issue
occured where i had to run the recovery tool. I am going to run the SP2
install again to see if that helps. But should the browser service actually
be started on both nodes at the same time or is that not possible? If as you
say the browser service is local and not part of the cluster install then
can i assume it should?

Regards

"Geoff N. Hiten" <SQLCraftsman (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote

Did you check if UDP port 1434 was already claimed by some other process?

Linchi

"mungoblack" wrote:

Yes, the browser service is supposed to be active on all cluster nodes.

--
Geoff N. Hiten
Senior SQL Infrastructure Consultant
Microsoft SQL Server MVP


"mungoblack" <mungoblack (AT) nospam (DOT) com> wrote

I have read a post where it says to change the ssrplistener key in the
registry to 0 to disable. This then allows me to start the sql browser
service, but obviously it then isnt listening on port 1434 so that doesnt
really help. I have read another post which indicates its an issue with the
olap director and that its a problem with the file msmdredir.dll.

It looks like i will have to do a reinstall of sql. As its on a cluster what
is the best way of doing this? We have 2 nodes. Can i simply uninstall sql
completely from the problem node and then when running setup again add it in
as another node on the existing cluster?

Many Thanks


"Geoff N. Hiten" <SQLCraftsman (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote

I had this problem as well and just resolved it with Microsoft support. My
Environment:

SQL 2005 x64 2 node cluster

Upon trying to install SP2, Failed Server Engine to update and remained at
SP1

When I looked more closely to the passive node logs, it stated that it was
not able to START SQLBROWSER.

I had this problem for a while and would from time to time poke at the SQL
Browser to fix the problem, but no luck until today.

It turned out that SQL 2005 x32 was accidentally installed and then
uninstalled before x64 was loaded on the cluster previous to my working here,
and it left the Registry stubs for x32 SQL 2005. SQLBrowser became confused
because it was looking first in the x32 location of the registry for SQL
Server information and only found the stubs, with no data in the registry.

Here are the notes from my technician who solved the issue:

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

<Old Case>

We found the issue appears to be isolated to x64 boxes as we found some left
over registry keys from what appears to have been a 32-bit install that did
not get
completely uninstalled. The current sql server install was 64-bit.

The problematic registry key was:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\ Microsoft SQL
Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQLServer

The Wow6432Node part of the registry should be only for 32 bit applications.
This key was empty but the mere presence of the key confused the sqlbrowswer

service since it was listed as mssql.1 as was the correctly installed 64-bit
instance.

Precise resolution would be to remove the above registry key (assuming there
is no 32 bit install on the box).

---------------
to resolve:

Change current Registry key name

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\ Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.
1\MSSQLServer

TO

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\ Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.
1\MSSQLServer_x

Try to start SQL Browser, and it works

Problem solved. You may want to clean out the registry by deleting that key.
I chose not to until I can verify that all works as expected.

url:http://www.ureader.com/msg/11421019.aspx

I had this problem as well and just resolved it with Microsoft support. My
Environment:

SQL 2005 x64 2 node cluster

Upon trying to install SP2, Failed Server Engine to update and remained at
SP1

When I looked more closely to the passive node logs, it stated that it was
not able to START SQLBROWSER.

I had this problem for a while and would from time to time poke at the SQL
Browser to fix the problem, but no luck until today.

It turned out that SQL 2005 x32 was accidentally installed and then
uninstalled before x64 was loaded on the cluster previous to my working here,
and it left the Registry stubs for x32 SQL 2005. SQLBrowser became confused
because it was looking first in the x32 location of the registry for SQL
Server information and only found the stubs, with no data in the registry.

Here are the notes from my technician who solved the issue:

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

<Old Case>

We found the issue appears to be isolated to x64 boxes as we found some left
over registry keys from what appears to have been a 32-bit install that did
not get
completely uninstalled. The current sql server install was 64-bit.

The problematic registry key was:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\ Microsoft SQL
Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQLServer

The Wow6432Node part of the registry should be only for 32 bit applications.
This key was empty but the mere presence of the key confused the sqlbrowswer

service since it was listed as mssql.1 as was the correctly installed 64-bit
instance.

Precise resolution would be to remove the above registry key (assuming there
is no 32 bit install on the box).

---------------
to resolve:

Change current Registry key name

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\ Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.
1\MSSQLServer

TO

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\ Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.
1\MSSQLServer_x

Try to start SQL Browser, and it works

Problem solved. You may want to clean out the registry by deleting that key.
I chose not to until I can verify that all works as expected.

url:http://www.ureader.com/msg/11421019.aspx

I had this problem as well and just resolved it with Microsoft support. My
Environment:

SQL 2005 x64 2 node cluster

Upon trying to install SP2, Failed Server Engine to update and remained at
SP1

When I looked more closely to the passive node logs, it stated that it was
not able to START SQLBROWSER.

I had this problem for a while and would from time to time poke at the SQL
Browser to fix the problem, but no luck until today.

It turned out that SQL 2005 x32 was accidentally installed and then
uninstalled before x64 was loaded on the cluster previous to my working here,
and it left the Registry stubs for x32 SQL 2005. SQLBrowser became confused
because it was looking first in the x32 location of the registry for SQL
Server information and only found the stubs, with no data in the registry.

Here are the notes from my technician who solved the issue:

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

<Old Case>

We found the issue appears to be isolated to x64 boxes as we found some left
over registry keys from what appears to have been a 32-bit install that did
not get
completely uninstalled. The current sql server install was 64-bit.

The problematic registry key was:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\ Microsoft SQL
Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQLServer

The Wow6432Node part of the registry should be only for 32 bit applications.
This key was empty but the mere presence of the key confused the sqlbrowswer

service since it was listed as mssql.1 as was the correctly installed 64-bit
instance.

Precise resolution would be to remove the above registry key (assuming there
is no 32 bit install on the box).

---------------
to resolve:

Change current Registry key name

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\ Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.
1\MSSQLServer

TO

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\ Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.
1\MSSQLServer_x

Try to start SQL Browser, and it works

Problem solved. You may want to clean out the registry by deleting that key.
I chose not to until I can verify that all works as expected.

url:http://www.ureader.com/msg/11421019.aspx

I had this problem as well and just resolved it with Microsoft support. My
Environment:

SQL 2005 x64 2 node cluster

Upon trying to install SP2, Failed Server Engine to update and remained at
SP1

When I looked more closely to the passive node logs, it stated that it was
not able to START SQLBROWSER.

I had this problem for a while and would from time to time poke at the SQL
Browser to fix the problem, but no luck until today.

It turned out that SQL 2005 x32 was accidentally installed and then
uninstalled before x64 was loaded on the cluster previous to my working here,
and it left the Registry stubs for x32 SQL 2005. SQLBrowser became confused
because it was looking first in the x32 location of the registry for SQL
Server information and only found the stubs, with no data in the registry.

Here are the notes from my technician who solved the issue:

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

<Old Case>

We found the issue appears to be isolated to x64 boxes as we found some left
over registry keys from what appears to have been a 32-bit install that did
not get
completely uninstalled. The current sql server install was 64-bit.

The problematic registry key was:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\ Microsoft SQL
Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQLServer

The Wow6432Node part of the registry should be only for 32 bit applications.
This key was empty but the mere presence of the key confused the sqlbrowswer

service since it was listed as mssql.1 as was the correctly installed 64-bit
instance.

Precise resolution would be to remove the above registry key (assuming there
is no 32 bit install on the box).

---------------
to resolve:

Change current Registry key name

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\ Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.
1\MSSQLServer

TO

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\ Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.
1\MSSQLServer_x

Try to start SQL Browser, and it works

Problem solved. You may want to clean out the registry by deleting that key.
I chose not to until I can verify that all works as expected.

url:http://www.ureader.com/msg/11421019.aspx