Bizarre 0x80004005 Spooler Error

[JZapin]

One of my users (me, actually) just started receiving a 0x80004005
Spooler Error upon publishing of a project ("All Items").

Even though I get this error, it seems to publish most of the project
parts:
1) The tasks get published
2) The assignments go out (can see them in the Task folder)

The only thing that doesn't get created is the Windows Sharepoint site!

Here's the bizarre thing: My users don't seem to be having the problem.
In other words, when they publish a new project, get don't get a
spooler error and are do get their SharePoint to appear.

Does anyone have any suggestions on where to hunt down this problem?

JZ

 

[Gary L. Chefetz [MVP]]

JZ:

You should always look first to the server application event log for clues
to what's going on. This may indicate and authentication problem or even
plan file corruption.

 

[dwolf]

JZ,

We have just solved a similar problem with the help of Microsoft.
Check your revision level of your copy of Project Pro and PWA. If your
server is at SP1 and your client is not you may be causing some of
these errors. The other thing to check is have your IT dept check your
revision level of your MDAC compared to that of the server (2.7x vs 2.8
may be the culprit) as well. To check revision of PWA, hover your
cursor over the HELP link when logged into the Home page - revision
level appears in a tip box.

I hope this helps...

--DWolf

 

[JZapin]

Now I'm receiving the same Project Spooler Error with a different
Message Type: Assignment Deleted. This was inititated when I deleted a
task that was already published after it had been rejected by my team
membet and the update successfully applied.

Reviewing the Event Viewer log showed the following errors:
Event Type: Error
Event Source: Microsoft Project Server Tracing Eventlog Provider
Event Category: None
Event ID: 2
Date: 4/28/2005
Time: 9:45:41 AM
User: NT AUTHORITY\LOCAL SERVICE
Computer: COWPROJ02
Description:
Component: PjMsgHlr
File:
C:\Office\devsp\project\WebClient\source\server\pjmsghlr\MsgHandler.cpp
Line: 472
Error Number: 0x80072efd
Description: <Description><![CDATA[Assert Detected. The error code was
also included.]]></Description>

Event Type: Error
Event Source: Microsoft Project Server Tracing Eventlog Provider
Event Category: None
Event ID: 2
Date: 4/28/2005
Time: 9:45:41 AM
User: NT AUTHORITY\LOCAL SERVICE
Computer: COWPROJ02
Description:
Component: PjMsgHlr
File:
C:\Office\devsp\project\WebClient\source\server\pjmsghlr\MsgHandler.cpp
Line: 1199
Error Number: 0x80072efd
Description: <Description><![CDATA[Assert Detected. The error code was
also included.]]></Description>

Event Type: Error
Event Source: Microsoft Project Server Tracing Eventlog Provider
Event Category: None
Event ID: 2
Date: 4/28/2005
Time: 9:45:41 AM
User: NT AUTHORITY\LOCAL SERVICE
Computer: COWPROJ02
Description:
Component: PjMsgHlr
File:
C:\Office\devsp\project\WebClient\source\server\pjmsghlr\MsgHandler.cpp
Line: 1427
Error Number: 0x80072efd
Description: <Description><![CDATA[Assert Detected. The error code was
also included.]]></Description>
___________________________________

Component: msxml3.dll
Description: <Description><![CDATA[A connection with the server could
not be established
]]></Description>


Any other thoughts?

 

[JZapin]

Another piece of information: I am almost certain the problem entails
the communication to Windows Sharepoint (WSS).

I believe this is the case because I've seen the following:
1) When I publish the project, it appears in PWA but the Sharepoint
doesn't get creted.
2) When I add new Resources to tasks (and publish), their assignments
appear in PWA but they don't get access to the WSS.

In both instances, the Project Spooler error occurs.

 

[JZapin]

Does anyone have any thoughts about this? Any suggestions on what to
do to rectify it?

 

[Gary L. Chefetz [MVP]]

Josh:

Any chance that this particular project has a dash or other
non-alpha/numeric character in its name?

 

[Jonathan Sofer - MCP]

Are you on SP1? Did you run the SQL update on the Project server database
as part of the SP1 upgrade? Do you have any inactive resources on your
project that you are trying to publish.

The error with the deleted assignment will happen if you do the steps you
took. To fix the problem, the easiest way, you must save the plan as an mpp
file and delete the project from the server from PWA Admin>Clean up project
server database and re-import the project.

 

[JZapin]

Hi Gary,
First off, it was very nice to meet you and Dale at last week's Rocky
Mountain Project Management Symposium. I really enjoyed your talk and,
especially, your examples of how to successfully implement and
Enterprise Project Management Solution.

Thanks, also, for the reply.

Unfortunately, the culprit does not have any weird characters.
Additionally, I am now getting lots of spooler errors when I used to
not get them. For example, I get spooler errors if I just try to save
a new project to Project Server (not even when I publish). I think I
might take the recommendation of some of the other posts and suggest we
upgrade the server to SP1. Still, no other user in my group is having
a problem.

Let me know if you have any other suggestions before I take the SP1
plunge.

 

[Gary L. Chefetz [MVP]]

Josh:

If it's limited to one project, then I'd suspect corruption in the project
plan. If this is the case, try saving the plan in XML format, delete the
original from the server and import the XML file back into the server and
republish everything.

 

[Aaron Tamblyn]

I agree that in this case it looks like a problem with the project plan
being published because it is limited to that user.

The other day I encountered a problem where the customer had changed
the access to the site from: http://<computername>/projectserver to
http://epm.Companyx.com.au/projectserver

They had appeared to do everything right and PWA was fully operational
via the new address. Project Pro was successfully connecting with the
new address (new address added to trusted sites). Their problem was
that publishing was causing the dreaded 0x80004005 spooler error.

I was able to resolve the spooler error by using
http://epm/projectserver for the Project Pro connection. Does anyone
have any comment on why the fully qualified name was failing to
publish?

Apart from that, in solving spooler errors I look at:
- Check the event logs for anything obvious. You may need to review
these in more detail if you have no luck with the other items below.
- Permissions on the view drop folder (refer to KB on this - this is
especially important for multi server installs)
- Ensure WSS Configuration correctly set in the PWA Admin (Is 'Save
Changes' successful?)
- Review any custom fields that have been configured. If they are
causing errors then rectify the errors.
- Check authentication. If you get a Windows authentication prompt
when you go to the site in PWA then you are going to have problems with
Project Pro if you are using Windows Authentication. The site needs to
be in the 'Trusted Sites' list.
- SP1 applied to both Project Server and to Project Professional
- There may be proxy configuration problems. In the install proxycnfg
is run automatically to enter proxy details. This may not be correctly
set for your organisation.
- Consider rebooting the server

Good luck!

 

[Gary L. Chefetz [MVP]]

Aaron:

You could probably compile a laundry list as long as the one you posted to
solve your problem.

Port Restrictions (1433) - Project Talks directly to the database
Protocol restrictions
DNS issues
etc.