SP2a How quick?

[J Burford Fields]

The tech ran SP2a; says it was only a msi file, and that it ran without
any completed message.

Does that sound right?

 

[Marc S.]

J,

What part of the installation of SP2a are you referring to? The SQL, Project
Server or WSS template part?

If I remember correctly only the installation of SP2a for the WSS project
template files quits without prompting any messages.

Hope this helps...

Marc

 

[J Burford Fields]

I was refering to the Project Server portion. Just a MSI file that
completes quickly?

If the upgrade is in then I'm looking at problems that I hoped it would
resolve, reading the postings of others. Nuts.

J

 

[Marc S.]

J,

What build number is displayed if you hover over 'Help' in PWA in the top
right corner? If you have applied SP2a without any additional hotfixes you
should have version 11.2.2005.1801.15 I would guess.

Let us know...

Marc

 

[J Burford Fields]

I'm seeing 11.1.2004.1707.15

J,

What build number is displayed if you hover over 'Help' in PWA in the top
right corner? If you have applied SP2a without any additional hotfixes you
should have version 11.2.2005.1801.15 I would guess.

Let us know...

Marc

 

[Marc S.]

J,

11.1.xxx indicates that you have installed Project Server 11 (which is 2003)
and Service Pack 1, meaning that your installation of the SP2a has obviously
failed.

Trying applying the SP2a again and make sure you log on to the server with
admin account.

Let us know...

Marc

 

[J Burford Fields]

Thanks Marc.

As I suspected.

What I think happened is that the Project Server is running on a VMWare
virtual server. They did the upgrade using a remote session. I will
bet you dollars to donuts that the upgrade presented messages on the
console that they never saw in the terminal session.

I taught a vbscript class once, with remote students, learning of the
requirement only the morning of the class. Their messages were showing
up on the computer they were remoted into. I got the lowest eval's I
ever received from one student in that class. Anyway...

I raised that possibility with the tech's. Their lead responded that
virtual machines don't have consoles!?

Joy. It's always the non-technical problems that are the hardest, for
me.

J

 

[Gary L. Chefetz [MVP]]

JB:

You're thinking this one a bit, too hard. They didn't miss anything on the
console, they simply didn't read directions. What's happened here is that
the installation is three step process, the first, and most significant of
which, your tech person missed. This is the requirement to upgrade the
database before installing the quiet msi file. The SP download cotains three
files: A sql script, the Project Server bits upgrade and a WSS upgrade. All
three must be applied correctly or you break your system.

 

[J Burford Fields]

Hi Gary,

They reported runing all the scripts in the first part. Howbeit, they
may have run them via the rconsole...

On subsequent attempts we've not run the first part again, however.

My impression is that something in the database changed as we get a
message in PWA: "An error occurred while trying to access resources
stored on the database. Either there are too many resources, or the
Project Server may not have the correct DSN configuration. Contact
your server administrator." This pops up when anyone tries to access
the Resource Center in PWA. Clicking OK lets them continue to the View
Assignments selection.

Thinking too hard... very diplomatic I frequently urge a friend
not to let the sound of her own wheels drive her crazy.

J

 

[J Burford Fields]

Ah! But we did not run the third part as we don't use WSS. That
doesn't mean that somebody didn't install it, and it just hasn't been
working though....

J

 

[Gary L. Chefetz [MVP]]

JB:

This symptom, too, is a classic indication that the SQL script was not run
correctly. When you say "through the console," what do you mean? If you run
this using Query Analyzer, selecting the correct database is critical, and
not intuitive for non-regular users of query analyzer. Anyway, the answer is
the same.

 

[J Burford Fields]

I meant that we were running updates via rconsole to Project server
running in a virtual machine, not from the local machine. By console I
meant the VM console on its host machine.

How hard would it be for me, a non SQL person to run the first part and
get it right? Is there something else the technicians should have been
told about running the SQL part? I think they did their best to follow
the SP2a directions.

J

 

[Gary L. Chefetz [MVP]]

JB:

Like I said, if they used Query Analyzer, and they're not familiar with the
QA interface, it's very easy to get it wrong. More importantly, the symptoms
you're reporting don't suggest anything different.

 

[J Burford Fields]

Thanks, Gary.

I passed this along. It sounds to me like he is familiar enough with
Query Analyzer. We may have some questions about SQL Server
partitioning, but we are pretty sure it is only one partion.

J