PS2007 Background Services Failing (Event ID 8017)

[Mr Curious]

We have an issue where the background services (event / queuing / timer
service) on the Project Server are failing (Event ID 8017 which turns up
very little on the Internet apart from being described as "8017 General
Error / Could not bind to Active Directory configuration context. Error
code: %1"), which has led to queue events building up in the server.

This means that the server of course can not be used.

The Shared Services Provider and PWA was configured with the SSP Service
Account credentials provided by the IT department, which appears to be
in line with the deployment guide and other documentation we have received.

Does anyone have any insight in to background service failure and
possibly Event ID 8017?

The only thing I can think of is that infrastructure updates were
applied last week, possibly around the time this may have started
although I am not certain for sure when this problem started.

 

[Paul Conroy]

General Troubleshooting tips, not necessarily specific to 8017.

Check the SSP account is enabled and that the password has not expired.
Check the SSP account can access a global catalogue server (run dsa.msc from
PWA server whilst logged in as SSP user).
Log onto the server with the SSP user to create a local profile.
Check the ULS logs and Upgrade logs for any additional errors.
Have you installed SP1?

 

[Paul Conroy]

Also check the server is running Windows Server 2003 SP2 or Windows Server
2008 with the latest updates. You might want to consider re-applying the
Service Pack for the OS in case any features were added from downstream code.

 

[Mr Curious]

Solution

http://blogs.msdn.com/brismith/archive/2007/12/13/so-how-did-we-ship-sp1-so-early.aspx#6809408

1. Run "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Web Server
Extensions\12\bin\psconfig –cmd upgrade –inplace b2b –wait –force".
2. In registry editor add/modify the following values on
"HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control":
a) ServicesPipeTimeout DWORD 60000 (decimal).
b) WaitToKillServiceTimeout changed to “120000â€.
3. Reboot the server