Restore error following ISA SP1 (Full Version)

All Forums >> [ISA Server 2004 Misc.] >> ISA Firewall Appliances



Message

dhoefer -> Restore error following ISA SP1 (25.Oct.2005 4:07:00 PM)

Wondering if anyone else has run into this and found a solution. I've been evaluating/playing with a DL320 ISA appliance for a few weeks to get a feel for the capabilities (I'm new to ISA). Everything has been fine to this point, but I have hit an issue with restoring backup and export files that generate an error saying that "The MSDE feature is currently not installed." then proceeds to explain how to enable it through Add/Remove properties, which doesn't work either as the applet for ISA reports the uninstall file is missing.

I had applied SP1 for ISA and Win Server 2003 a couple weeks ago, so decided to run the factory restore on the server in an effort to track down when the problem with the backup files started. After restoring the factory image, restores and imports seemed to work fine, but as soon as ISA SP1 was installed (didn't bother with W2k3 SP1 yet), the MSDE error surfaced again when trying to restore a backup or import a configuration file. So, at this point I have no way to restore the configuration in case of a problem. Anybody else running into this on HP's appliance? Any solutions or suggestions?

Thanks in advance.



tshinder -> RE: Restore error following ISA SP1 (31.Oct.2005 9:57:00 PM)

Hi Dennis,

That's pretty interesting, as I thought that ISA SP1 was installed with the disk image.

Tom



dhoefer -> RE: Restore error following ISA SP1 (3.Nov.2005 8:41:00 AM)

Tom,

From what HP is telling me, the current image they're using does contain ISA SP1, and I'd assume W2K3 SP1 as well, but the image shipped with my server didn't have either one. I've been able to consistently reproduce the error and uncover a couple other issues at the same time by wiping and restoring the factory image. HP's response so far is that they have not created a supported procedure yet for applying the SP. They started to offer to send me a copy of the newest image, which contains the SP, but then realized that I only have a hardware support contract and would need to purchase software support first. My response was that the inability to create and restore configuration information on a firewall was a basic functionality flaw and that I shouldn't have to pay additional money to get base features that work. They need to either provide a new image, or produce their own SP that works correctly with their existing image and hardware.

I was told it might take a week for them to get back to me, so I'm twiddling my thumbs for a few days to see where we go from here. I'm putting this in place initially for OWA access, but also want to evaluate possibly moving some existing branch office VPN hardware to ISA (I'll be posting a VPN question soon). At this point, I'm not sure I'd go the appliance route a second time, might feel more comfortable building my own, at least I'd know that I have access to all the functionality that Microsoft intended.

Tom, thanks for the work you do, your ISA 2004 book was an absolute bargin for someone taking their first look at ISA, and combined with the knowledge you, and others pass along through this forum, is, as they say, priceless.

I'll let you know what, if any, resolution I finally get from HP on this issue.



tshinder -> RE: Restore error following ISA SP1 (3.Nov.2005 9:39:00 AM)

Hi Dennis,

Thanks for the kind words about the book [Big Grin]

Your experience with the HP crew doesn't seem characteristic to me. I know some of the folks on the ISA appliance team and they're very responsive to their customers, so it sounds like something is falling through the cracks here.

Yes! Let us know how this all works out. I'm hoping for a happy ending to this story.

Thanks!
Tom



dhoefer -> RE: Restore error following ISA SP1 (3.Nov.2005 1:19:00 PM)

Tom,

I was hoping for a happy outcome myself! After being handed off late last week to another group within HP, I was contacted this morning for some additional information, but later in the morning, received the following response from HP:

Dennis,

I have researched your situation and it has come to the conclusion, you will need to go back to the company where you purchased the equipment to see if they can provide you with an upgraded disk. In order for you to get the disk directly from HP you will need to purchase software support. If the seller is unable to provide the disk for you, you can call HP products 800-282-6672 and they will be able to help you.

Sorry I'm not able to help you further.

Regards,

Donna Curry
Hewlett-Packard Services
209-832-5530/Phn
501-621-6029/Fax

I haven't made the contact yet with CDW, but not sure I'll hold my breath on the outcome of that either. Frankly, I'm disappointed in the response, I had spent a couple days wiping and reimaging the system, just to nail down and verify the problem while I worked with HP on it. I just consider it a major customer service blunder for a company to make me jump through this many hoops and this much expense when they could simply send out the $5 set of CD's and have it overwith. Instead, they turn what had been a fairly well handled support issue on its head. My first thought after getting the email response was that I've purchased my last HP ISA appliance, and probably my last HP server! Dell and IBM, here I come.

Frustrating! Thanks for letting me vent a little.



tshinder -> RE: Restore error following ISA SP1 (3.Nov.2005 3:03:00 PM)

Hi Dennis,

I'm glad we could provide a place for you to vent!

I'm forwarding this link to some people who might be able to help, or at least explain.

Thanks!
Tom



tshinder -> RE: Restore error following ISA SP1 (3.Nov.2005 11:29:00 PM)

Hi Dennis,

Your problem is being sent up the food chain an higher ups are taking care of it. Write to me at tshinder@isaserver.org for details.

Thanks!
Tom



spouseele -> RE: Restore error following ISA SP1 (17.Nov.2005 8:43:03 PM)

Hi Dennis,

this week we have experienced the same problem with the HP DL320 ISA appliance. After implementing http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;897716 , we got also the error "The MSDE feature is currently not installed" when trying to restore a backup. We've contacted HP and I can tell you that the support was very bad. First, they didn't even want to register a support ticket because it was a software problem.

We have then investigated ourself the problem further and found out that the issue seems to happen with those appliance installed with the HP CD’s REV J dated September 13, 2005. With previous versions of the CD's the problem didn't appear when installing KB897716.  
 
To correct the problem, open regedit and go to the key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Fpc\Storage\Array-Root\Arrays\{.....}\Servers\{.....}\msFPCIsMSDEInstalled. It should have a value of 1 instead of 0 (DWORD). That explains of course the error message but not why that key has changed with implementing KB897716. 
 
HTH, 
Stefaan 
 
 



tshinder -> RE: Restore error following ISA SP1 (18.Nov.2005 3:23:38 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: spouseele

Hi Dennis,

this week we have experienced the same problem with the HP DL320 ISA appliance. After implementing http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;897716 , we got also the error "The MSDE feature is currently not installed" when trying to restore a backup. We've contacted HP and I can tell you that the support was very bad. First, they didn't even want to register a support ticket because it was a software problem.

We have then investigated ourself the problem further and found out that the issue seems to happen with those appliance installed with the HP CD's REV J dated September 13, 2005. With previous versions of the CD's the problem didn't appear when installing KB897716.  
 
To correct the problem, open regedit and go to the key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Fpc\Storage\Array-Root\Arrays\{.....}\Servers\{.....}\msFPCIsMSDEInstalled. It should have a value of 1 instead of 0 (DWORD). That explains of course the error message but not why that key has changed with implementing KB897716. 
 
HTH, 
Stefaan 
 
 


Hi Stefaan,

That's very interesting! How did you figure this out? Its not exactly on obvious fix!

Thanks!
Tom



tshinder -> RE: Restore error following ISA SP1 (22.Nov.2005 3:44:23 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: dhoefer

Tom,

I was hoping for a happy outcome myself! After being handed off late last week to another group within HP, I was contacted this morning for some additional information, but later in the morning, received the following response from HP:

Dennis,

I have researched your situation and it has come to the conclusion, you will need to go back to the company where you purchased the equipment to see if they can provide you with an upgraded disk. In order for you to get the disk directly from HP you will need to purchase software support. If the seller is unable to provide the disk for you, you can call HP products 800-282-6672 and they will be able to help you.

Sorry I'm not able to help you further.

Regards,

Donna Curry
Hewlett-Packard Services
209-832-5530/Phn
501-621-6029/Fax

I haven't made the contact yet with CDW, but not sure I'll hold my breath on the outcome of that either. Frankly, I'm disappointed in the response, I had spent a couple days wiping and reimaging the system, just to nail down and verify the problem while I worked with HP on it. I just consider it a major customer service blunder for a company to make me jump through this many hoops and this much expense when they could simply send out the $5 set of CD's and have it overwith. Instead, they turn what had been a fairly well handled support issue on its head. My first thought after getting the email response was that I've purchased my last HP ISA appliance, and probably my last HP server! Dell and IBM, here I come.

Frustrating! Thanks for letting me vent a little.


Hi Dennis,

Did this end up working OK for you?

Thanks!
Tom



tshinder -> RE: Restore error following ISA SP1 (23.Nov.2005 3:56:15 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: tshinder

Hi Dennis,

That's pretty interesting, as I thought that ISA SP1 was installed with the disk image.

Tom


TEST.



spouseele -> RE: Restore error following ISA SP1 (23.Nov.2005 7:57:55 PM)

Hi Tom,

did you lock this topic by accident? I needed to unlock it.

It took us more than 2 two days to find that damned regkey. When we just wanted to give up, we did a brute search through the registry for MSDE and bingo... there was the solution by sheer luck... [;)]

HTH,
Stefaan



tshinder -> RE: Restore error following ISA SP1 (24.Nov.2005 1:06:47 AM)

Hi Stefaan,

I must have done that by accident. I thought I was subscribing to the thread, guess I locked it instead :)

Wow! That must have been a lot of work!

Thanks!
Tom



RedDog -> RE: Restore error following ISA SP1 (26.Nov.2005 12:58:03 AM)

Just thought I'd mention this:

Was moving MSDE to a different drive, changed to text logging first. When I tried to switch back
to MSDE (pointing to the different drive), I got the "MSDE not Installed...." error.  I uninstalled ISA,
tore my hair out, etc.  Finally just restored from HP image.  After svcPacks, all back up and running, I
went to change logging, same error!!!!!!

It was then that I discovered this thread, could have saved myself some time if I had done a broader
search.  Did the fix, and no problems.

Anyway, my point: in an earlier post, it was said: "HP CD’s REV J dated September 13, 2005. With previous versions of the CD's the problem didn't appear when installing KB897716."   I wanted to mention that these HP CD's are from approx 1 year ago, so it can happen with earlier CD's.
 
HP has a ISA "companion CD", which does not give you all the options when installing/re-installing from it.
 
So, my next question, because the restore process sets up FW logging on D drive, a tempdb.mdf is already created. I can move the logging to E drive, but can't delete the tempdb.mdf on D drive, how can I do that?
 
Thanks



spouseele -> RE: Restore error following ISA SP1 (26.Nov.2005 5:31:47 PM)

Hi RedDog,

check out http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/isasdk/isa/logs.asp .

HTH,
Stefaan



spouseele -> RE: Restore error following ISA SP1 (12.Jan.2006 9:22:24 AM)

Hey guys,

Microsoft has reproduced the issue on the HP appliance.  They will be incorporating a fix into SP2.  [:)]
 
In the meantime here's the workaround recommended by them:
 
- for customers that already have the issue: start Server service, run repair, stop server service
 
- for images with SP1 / post SP1 updates: start server service before running the patch

HTH,
Stefaan



tshinder -> RE: Restore error following ISA SP1 (12.Jan.2006 6:46:30 PM)

Hi Stefaan,

Thanks!
Tom



Page: [1]