Troubleshooting Services


Objective:

Troubleshoot server services.

  • Diagnose and resolve issues related to service dependency.

  • Use service recovery options to diagnose and resolve service-related issues.

This section discusses dealing with service-related server issues. Services are applications that run in the background to provide critical functions on both workstations and servers. Most of the time, services run quietly and cause no problems. However, if a conflict is found between two services, Windows Server 2003 often stops one or both of them. In addition, services hang from time to time, causing various problems with the network and network resources. For example, if users start having a problem with a printer that functioned normally previously, the problem may be that the Print Spooler service has become stucka common problem many network administrators have experienced.

Server services are managed from the Services console, as shown in Figure 9.28. You can find the Services console in the Administrative Tools folder after you select Start, Programs, Administrative Tools, Services.

Figure 9.28. The Services console allows you to manage and configure server services.


Exam Alert: Locating the Services Console

You can find the Services console in the Computer Management console, which is also located in the Administrative Tools folder. The Computer Management console is a preconfigured console that contains several of the most commonly used administrative tools, including the Event Viewer.


The right pane of the Services console displays basic information about the configured services in the following columns:

  • Name Displays the name of the service.

  • Description Displays a short description of the service and its intended purpose.

  • Status Displays the current status of the service, such as Started, Paused, or Stopped.

  • Startup Type Displays the startup type for the service, such as Automatic or Manual.

  • Log On As Displays the account with which the service logs on to the network when it starts.

You can configure most of a service's properties by right-clicking its name and selecting Properties from the context menu, as discussed in the following paragraphs. You can also start, stop, pause, resume, and restart a service (as applicable, depending on its current status) from the context menu. In the case of a stuck service, such as a printer that stops functioning, using the restart option may clear up the problem and is a good first corrective action to try.

As mentioned, you can configure the properties of a service by right-clicking the service's name in the Service console and selecting Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialog box opens, with the General tab selected, as seen in Figure 9.29.

Figure 9.29. The General tab of the service Properties dialog box allows you to configure the startup type and change the service's properties.


The Log On tab, which is shown in Figure 9.30, allows you to configure the account that the service uses to log on to the network. If the incorrect account or password is supplied here, the service is either not able to start or is not able to function properly. In most cases, you should leave the default configuration as is.

Figure 9.30. The Log On tab of the service Properties dialog box allows you to configure the logon account and password the service uses.


The Recovery tab, which is shown in Figure 9.31, contains options that allow you to configure how the service is to respond after a failure occurs.

Figure 9.31. The Recovery tab of the service Properties dialog box allows you to configure what actions the service is to take upon failure.


You can configure recovery options for the first, second, and all subsequent failure events the service experiences. These are the available options:

  • Take No Action No recovery actions will be taken if the service fails.

  • Restart the Service The service will stop and then start again.

  • Run a Program A program, script, or batch file can be run.

  • Restart the Computer The computer will be shut down and restarted.

The Dependencies tab, which is shown in Figure 9.32, allows you to view the dependency nature of the service. You can view components on which the service is dependent as well as the components that are dependent on the service. This information can help you troubleshoot why services are not functioning properly.

Figure 9.32. The Dependencies tab of the service Properties dialog box allows you to view the dependency relationship with other services.





MCSA(s)MCSE 70-291(c) Implementing, Managing, and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure
MCSA/MCSE 70-291: Implementing, Managing, and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure (Exam Prep)
ISBN: 0789736497
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2006
Pages: 196
Authors: Will Schmied

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