MSDTC will not go Online

[JoshP]

I am trying to install MSDTC as a clustered resource on a 2 node Windows
Server 2003 SP2 cluster. I have enabled network msdtc on both nodes using
the add / remove program wizzard. I then add the DTC resource and attempt to
bring it online, it fails.

Here are some errors from the application log:

MS DTC log file not found. After ensuring that all Resource Managers
coordinated by MS DTC have no indoubt transactions, please run msdtc
-resetlog to create the log file.

---------------------

MS DTC Transaction Manager start failed. LogInit returned error 0x3ee.

---------------------

Could not start the MS DTC Transaction Manager.

----------------------

Please help.

[JoshP]

I have followed the document you referenced. One issue is that the article
says do NOT bring the MSDTC resource online until you follow the steps in
<kbarticle>. Well when you open component services snapin the resource
automatically tries to go online.

[JoshP]

I followed the directions once again and here is what happens:

On Node 1:
Create DTC resource per instructions.
Leave DTC resource offline.
Open add/remove programs and add enabled network DTC.

As soon as I enabled network DTC in add/remove programs the DTC resource in
cluster adminsitrator attempts to go online and repeatedly fails.

Why doesn't this work as before (before SP1/Sp2)?

[Ryan Sokolowski [MVP]]

I think you're doing things in the wrong order. Please make sure you are
carefully reading the steps in the KB I referenced.

Network DTC must be enabled (ie: installed ) first, then the MSDTC resource
can be clustered.


Steps to enable network DTC access
1. Click Start, point to Control Panel, and then click Add or Remove
Programs.
2. Click Add/Remove Windows Components.
3. Select Application Server, and then click Details.
4. Select Enable network DTC access, and then click OK.
5. Click Next.
6. Click Finish.
7. Restart the computer.
If you are running Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 (SP1), you must follow
these additional steps: 1. In Control Panel, open "Component services".
2. Expand Component Services, expand Computers, right-click My
Computer, and then click Properties.
3. On the MSDTC tab, click Secuity Configuration under Transaction
Configuration, click to select the Network DTC Access check box under
Secuity Settings, and then click to select the following check boxes under
Transaction Manager Communication: . Allow Inbound
. Allow Outbound

4. You cannot select Mutual Authentication Required. Therefore, click
to select one of the following check boxes: . Incoming Caller Authentication
Required
. No Authentication Required
Note For more information about these options, click the following
article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
899191 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/899191/) New functionality in
the Distributed Transaction Coordinator service in Windows Server 2003
Service Pack 1 and in Windows XP Service Pack 2
5. Make sure that the Logon Account is set to
NTAUTHORITY\NetworkService.
6. Click OK. A message box explains that the MS DTC Service will be
stopped and restarted, and that all dependent services will also be stopped
and restarted. Click Yes.

Note If this is a Majority Node Set (MNS) cluster, do not use the MNS
resource as the storage device for MS DTC. MS DTC requires a storage
resource such as a physical disk.
7. Restart the computer.







This section documents how to install MS DTC through Cluster Administrator
on all nodes in a cluster. You only have to install the MS DTC once in
Cluster Administrator and MSDTC will be configured on all nodes in the
cluster. You do not have to install MS DTC manually on each node. 1. Start
Cluster Administrator. To do so: a. Click Start, and then point to All
Programs
b. In Administrative Tools, click Cluster Administrator.

2. Create a Group Named "MSDTC Group" that contains a Physical Disk,
Network Name, and an IP Address. To do so: a. In the File Menu select New,
and then click Group. The New Group Wizard is available.
b. Follow the instructions that the New Group Wizard provides
to create the MSDTC Group.
Note When creating the MS DTC, moving the resource group into a group
other than SQL Server or Exchange Server group is highly recommended.
Creating the MS DTC resource in its own resource group and assigning it to a
separate cluster group keeps the resource highly available.

Note If you create the resource in the same cluster group, and if
Resource A has failed over, Resource B will also failover. When you create
the resouce in a different cluster group, even when Resource A has failed
over, the resource B does not failover. Creating Cluster Resouces in the
different cluster groups decreases unnecessary failovers of the Cluster
Resouces.

Important After the new group for MS DTC is created you must create
the Network Name, IP address and Physical Disk for Msdtc. You may already
have the physical disk resource that can be moved into the new group. After
the MS DTC Group is created you must create the IP address resource, Network
Name resource and the Physical disk resources. You may already have a
physical disk resource that must be moved into the new MS DTC group.
3. Create an IP address resource: a. Right-click the MS DTC group,
and then click New\Resource.
b. Type a descriptive name such as MSDTC IP Address.
c. In Resource Type, click IP Address, click to select the
MSDTC Group check box, and then click Next.
d. In Possible Owners, click Next unless you do not want MS DTC
to run on a particular node.
e. In Dependencies, do not add any dependencies, and then click
Next.
f. In TCP/IP Address Parameters, select the public network,
type the unique static IP address for MS DTC, and then click Next.
g. Click Finish, and then click OK to confirm that the resource
has been created.

4. Create a Network Name resource: a. Right-click the MS DTC group,
and then click New\Resource.
b. Type a descriptive name such as MSDTC Network name.
c. In Resource Type, click Network name, click to select the
MSDTC Group check box, and then click Next.
d. In Possible Owners, click Next unless you do not want MS DTC
to run on a particular node.
e. In Dependencies, add the MS DTC IP address as a resource
dependency, and then click Next.
f. In Name, type the network name for the MS DTC resource, and
then click Next.
g. Click Finish, and then click OK to confirm that the resource
has been created.

5. Create a "Physical disk" resource.

Note You may already have a physical disk resource created. If so, you
will have to move this physical disk resource into the MS DTC group and go
to the next step. a. Right-click the MS DTC group, and then click
New\Resource.
b. Type a descriptive name such as MSDTC Physical disk.
c. In Resource Type, click Physical disk, click to select the
MSDTC Group check box, and then click Next.
d. In Possible Owners, click Next unless you do not want MS DTC
to run on a particular node.
e. In Dependencies, do not add any dependencies, and then click
Next.
f. In Disk Parameters, click the physical disk that you will
use for MS DTC.
g. Click Finish, and then click OK to confirm that the resource
has been created.

6. Right-click the MS DTC Group, and then click New\Resource.
7. Type a name, such as MSDTC Resource.
8. In Resource Type, click to select Distributed Transaction
Coordinator, verify that the MSDTC Group is selected, and then click Next.
9. In Possible Owners, click Next unless you do not want MS DTC to run
on a particular node.
10. In Dependencies, press and hold the CTRL key on the keyboard,
select both the Physical Disk and Network Name that you created in step 2,
and then click the Add button.
11. Click Finish, and then click OK to confirm that the resource has
been created.

Note You should not put the MS DTC resource online before you follow
the instructions in Microsoft Knowledge Base article 817064 to enable
Network DTC Access.
12. Complete the steps that are documented in Knowledge Base article
817064.
13. Right-click the MSDTC Resource, and then click Bring Online.

[DavidEll]

I am having the same issue with Windows 2003 SP2, was there a resolution other than someone pasting a Microsoft article?

[David Ell]

I have a two node Windows 2003 R2 SP2 cluster (x64).

I want to install MSDTC into its own Resource Group

I have followed the steps listed in Q301600 (exactly) and still the MSDTC
resource fails.

My Steps:
1. Create MSDTC resource group
2. Create IP address resource in MSDTC group
3. Create Network Name resource in MSDTC group
4. Create Physical Disk resource in MSDTC group
5. Create DTC resource in MSDTC group
Note: I did not bring any resources online
6. Enable Network DTC Access
!7. TRY to configure MSDTC

When I run the Component Services MMC it automatically tries to start the
MSDTC resource and then fails....

Should I stop the cluster service first?

[David Ell]

You must have missed the Notes section at the top of the KB

Notes•
You should not put the MS DTC resource online before you follow the
instructions in the Microsoft Knowledge Base (KB) 817064 article to enable
Network DTC Access.

For Windows Server 2003-based computers that are running Service Pack 1 or a
later service pack, do not follow the steps in the KB817064 article yet.
First, you must complete the steps in the following "More information"
section to add the MS DTC resource to the cluster. Then, you can follow the
steps in the KB817064 article to complete the configuration.

[David Ell]

The article is not written well as is very ambigous. For example the Summary
says to install it afterwards but "Method 2" says to install it first...

I have tried all differents combinations without success. It works like a
charm if the MSDTC resource is in the Cluster group but not in its won group.

Looks like I will try to get a resolution elsewhere...

[Edwin vMierlo [MVP]]

"David Ell" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> The article is not written well as is very ambigous. For example the
Summary
> says to install it afterwards but "Method 2" says to install it first...
>
> I have tried all differents combinations without success. It works like a
> charm if the MSDTC resource is in the Cluster group but not in its won
group.
>
> Looks like I will try to get a resolution elsewhere...

your resolution is

Step 1) follow KB 817064
Step 2) then follow KB 301600 - Method 2

really

[David Ell]

This is true ONLY if you use the Cluster group for the DTC resource.

This does not work when placing the DTC resource in its own group.

I found a workaround that works 100% of the time as others had the same
issue as me with W2K3 R2 SP2..

[KFeng]

I followed the docs for Component Services. I read all the docs and it's no help.

Is this only affecting WIndows 2003 x64? Does anyone know? I installed in the past for Windows 2003 x32 and had no issues which lead me to believe if this only affecting the X64 version.

[TJ]

We have some similar problems with MSDTC. I agree that the kb is not written
very well and is confusing on the correct order to apply on a Server 2003 R2
SP2 system. Could you share your workaround that solved things for you?
Thanks!

"David Ell" wrote:

> This is true ONLY if you use the Cluster group for the DTC resource.
>
> This does not work when placing the DTC resource in its own group.
>
> I found a workaround that works 100% of the time as others had the same
> issue as me with W2K3 R2 SP2..