Forum Discussion
exMSFT
Jun 21, 2019Copper Contributor
Server 2008 unresponsive after WIndows Update
We've got a Windows Server 2008 that we're planning to migrate from in a few weeks. Unfortunately, yesterday when Windows Update froze and the system was rebooted, not much works. We can login normally, but we can't launch any app. Even something as simple as starting an MMC doesn't do anything. The computer just acts like it's busy. It does have some services running, and the file shares work, but we can't RDP into the box and can't manage it locally. I can start a normal Command Prompt, but not with Administrative privileges.)
I booted the Install Disk and opened up a command prompt to run the System File Checker and it came up with errors that it said it corrected them, but the symptoms persist. ChkDsk also was ran without any errors. I've even tried throwing the Install disk into the box and run setup to "upgrade" (from Windows,) but it just sits there. I can start TaskMgr, but can't actually do anything with it.
I think the server is trying to start a service, but I'm not sure. Since I was able to open up a command prompt when booting from the Windows Server Install Disk, I was able to start EventVwr (which I can't do from a normal startup) and see a ton of errors, but they all appear to be isolated around failures that a dependent service has failed. (it looks like it has something to do with AD / LDAP, and since this is the domain controller for a small network, I can't login locally from Safe Mode - even though we know the original Administrator password - and even reset it using command prompt.)
Edit: I was able to pull up the list of started services (normal command prompted) and noticed that DHCP Server isn't started, but since I can't start anything privileged, I can't start it.)
What do I look for next?
Thanks in Advance
Hopefully there are other domain controllers where can seize roles, perform metadata cleanup and move on.
- exMSFTCopper Contributor
Unfortunately, they lost their other DC a while back (hardware failure) and never replaced it (small organization didn't have $$$ for redundancy.) If I can get them back up and get their data off, I'll make sure to get them setup correctly - probably offloading most of it to the cloud, but we'll see.
I let it sit there for a while and noticed that slowly some services, like DHCP are starting and I can now open a privileged Command Prompt and even Control Panel. I'm thinking that an update got corrupted and I can uninstall it and see what happens? Unfortunately, I feel like I'm shooting in the dark since they logged in and "Last Known Config" is no longer an option and most of the "normal" modes of fixing this haven't worked.
Better option is if it eventually starts up then I stand up a new one ASAP
I'd use dcdiag / repadmin tools to verify health correcting all errors found before starting. Then stand up a new one (no newer that 2016 in case FRS is still used) , patch it fully, license it, join existing domain, add active directory domain services, promote it also making it a GC (recommended), transfer FSMO roles over, transfer pdc emulator role, use dcdiag / repadmin tools to again verify health, when all is good you can decommission / demote old one.
Other options are to verify system and servicing health by running;
sfc /scannow
also system update readiness tool
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/947821
Then check for errors in;
%SYSTEMROOT%\Logs\CBS\CheckSUR.log