Cannot connect to project server 2003

[Jerry]

Hi,

I'm getting the following error trying to connect to project server 2003
using proj. prof 2003 sp2:

"Cannot connect. Project was unable to establish a connection with the
selected project server. This could be caused by a loss of connectivity or
problems with the project server or database."

I have no problems connecting from the web browser. I am using the project
server administrator login in both cases. I've tried completely uninstalling
and reinstalling office 2003/ project pro 2003 and still get the same error.
I've verified that I can login to the SQL Server instance that resides on the
same physical machine as the project server install. This used to work fine,
but I have no idea what may have changed to cause this to start failing.
Please advise...

Thanks,
Jerry

 

[Rod Gill]

I had the same error at a client's site a few weeks ago. They had (for
various architectural reasons I won't go into) a firewall to pass through to
get to their Project Server. That firewall had the ODBC port (1433?) blocked
which Project Professional uses to read from the database. Outlook Web
Access doesn't use that port (just port 80 I think) which is why PWA worked
fine and Project Professional couldn't connect.

So is there a firewall that has recently blocked the ODBC port in your
setup?

 

[jmac60]

I am having the same issue. Event viewer says "access clash using the same
SPID and Mode. SPID # 57" . There are 10 licenses installed.

 

[Jerry]

Both my client machine and the project-server/sql db (same machine) are on
the same lan segment. I can log into sql server from my client machine.
There's no firewall between them. Any other ideas?

Thanks..
Jerry

 

[Gary L. Chefetz [MVP]]

Jerry:

Some basic troubleshooting to help narrow things down: Does this happen only
to you, or for everyone? Does it happen only on one machine, or every
machine you logon to?

 

[Jerry]

It only happens on one particular client machine. I can connect fine to the
same project-server/db server from a second machine.

I tried pointing the problematic client machine to a second project-server
instance and got the same error. And again, a different client machine can
successfully connect to the second project-server instance.

Thanks in advance...

 

[Gary L. Chefetz [MVP]]

Jerry:

It sounds like your user profile on the affected machine may have become
corrupt. You might first try flusing your browser cache and deleting your
cookies before you take the step of renaming your old user profile, forcing
the creation of a new one and then migrate your profile artifacts (favorites
and such) from one profile to the other.

 

[Jerry]

I tried clearing the browser cache & cookies with no luck. To re-gen the
profile, do I just simply re-name/move the folder under "Documents and
Settings" for my userid and log back in? Before I do this, is there anything
specific within my profile that can be cleaned (e.g. under "Application
Data") or is this more trouble than it's worth?

Thanks,
Jerry

 

[Gary L. Chefetz [MVP]]

Jerry:

Logon to the machine with a generic domain admin logon, and in Windows
Explorer, rename the profile with a ".bak" Log off and logon using your
credentials and a new profile will be created. You can move your favorites
and other application data to the new folder structure from the old.

 

[Jerry]

I don't have a domain profile, but I created a new local machine user and get
the same error. I did notice these 2 messages in the application event log
from the NETWORK SERVICE user that seems to coincide when I first try
connecting. These messages were there for my original user account/profile.
Does this ring any bell?:

Event Type: Warning
Event Source: MsiInstaller
Event Category: None
Event ID: 1001
Date: 6/29/2006
Time: 7:37:59 PM
User: NT AUTHORITY\NETWORK SERVICE
Computer: HTAM3015
Description:
Detection of product '{913B0409-6000-11D3-8CFE-0150048383C9}', feature
'PROJECTFiles' failed during request for component
'{DB4D80D5-413C-47DE-8F73-D84F1E6D3498}'

For more information, see Help and Support Center at
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.


and


Event Type: Warning
Event Source: MsiInstaller
Event Category: None
Event ID: 1004
Date: 6/29/2006
Time: 7:37:59 PM
User: NT AUTHORITY\NETWORK SERVICE
Computer: HTAM3015
Description:
Detection of product '{913B0409-6000-11D3-8CFE-0150048383C9}', feature
'PROJECTFiles', component '{3967A909-D36D-47EE-9E4A-9E78862ECF86}' failed.
The resource 'HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MSProject.ALL.9\Display\1033' does not exist.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

 

[Gary L. Chefetz [MVP]]

Jerry:

Then we need to look at characteristics specific to this machine to find the
source of interference. Can you describe the machine and its software? New
machine or old?

 

[Jerry]

It's an e-machine M6809 laptop (Athlon 64 3200+, 2GHz, 1.25 Gig RAM) running
Win XP Home SP2. I use it for a development machine, so it has a few flavors
of visual studio, install-shield plus the usual Norton antivirus and a whole
lot more stuff... I don't recall installing anything between the time it was
working and when it stopped. What other details can I provide that might be
helpful?

Thanks,
Jerry

 

[Gary L. Chefetz [MVP]]

Jerry:

How are you intending on authenticating? Project Server authentication?
Sorry, I'm not familiar with connecting to Project Server using XP Home
version.

 

[itsofun]

Hi folks,

Just my two pence here...

If you are running Norton Antivirus 2006, the Office Plug-in protection
will break the ms-project client connection to the project server
This nice Norton "feature" will also bring connectivity problems for
other applications.

Turning off Auto-Protect will not help you here.

What put me on the track is MS-Access.. Try the "get external data"
then link a database using files of type "ODBC" and nothing happens!
Funny enough it it does not seem to affect Excel.

Solution: Norton Antivirus Options - un-tick the Office Plug-in, et
voila!

Cheers,

JC.

 

[Jerry]

Wow! You hit it the nail on the head. I happen to be running NAV 2006. I
unchecked the office plugin-option and I was able to connect. I've been
running it for a few months, but I didn't start having problems until a few
weeks ago. Thank you very much for the tip!

Thank you too, Gary, for trying. I appreciate all of your help...

Jerry

 

[itsofun]

No probs Jerry.. Happy to hear that it helped
That stuff has been driving me crazy for the last 2 days and I thought
I was really going to turn unsane.
This is an unexpected behaviour of Norton 2006 since the same feature
in previous versions was not interferring at all.

A good way to resolve such problems is to use VMWARE and try from a
fresh image install, gradually adding stuff and saving the previous
image at each step (or group of steps).. This is what I do for Windows
updates for instance. The problem with Norton 2006 is that for some
mysterious reasons it won't block you straight away - it may take
several days or weeks...

Bravo Symantec! Regression testing was not too good on this one

Cheers,

JC
(e-mail address removed)

 

[Gary L. Chefetz [MVP]]

JC:

Thanks for posting your solution. I think I'll add this to our FAQs!