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Updated to new version now all devices gone in dashboard


dslabbekoorn

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Okay, this may not be a DP issue, but I did update to the new version and grabbed the latest windows updates on the same day.  Now my dashboard shows everything fine ecept there are no devices/computers on the devices page.  Also the name of my server changed from Media Server to My business server.  The server is in a domain called HOME.local and all the clients are in a workgroup called (what else) WORKGROUP.  The clients were all originally joined to the server using the "skip domain join" registry hack from Microsoft.  They have been working flawlessly since.I have un-installed/re-installed the connector on one computer, it claimed to be still connected to the server when I did it. No change, still not showing in devices page. Shutdown and re-started both client and server several times, no change.A second computer in my network is backing up as I type this but does not show up in devices.  All other pool and server functions I've tried so far work except backup status as it thinks there are no devices so no backups.  I was copying over a file last night and the server crashed to a blue screen (its so cute now) After a restart, things seemed okay until I checked the dashboard and found no computers instead of 4 like there are supposed to be.   I got nothing here so any help/observations would be appreciated.  Off to work  thanks

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Double check that all the "Windows Server" services are started (run "services.msc").

It sounds like one or more of the services are not actually started.

 

Additionally, you can disable specific add-ins tabs on the dashboard (either by remoting in and running the "Dashboard (Safe Mode)" link, or by using the options menu on the login app to "select which add-in's to load" option.)

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After trying your ideas and many others I was about to give up when I read this Google link: http://social.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/2dc66e9b-0fa0-4429-b2d0-322f60ab0511/windows-server-devices-provider-service-not-working?forum=whs2011  It solved the problem.  Seems the xml file the server keeps the device list on (and maybe it's backup too) got corrupted when something caused the blue screen crash.  Renaming the files forced the server to rebuild them and all is good now.  My backups are still there on the server, hope I didn't lose them or I'll have to go through the long initial backup again.  All my devices are back, Yea! I truly think it was Microsoft's updates that did it not DP.  Just wish I'd seen the notification my computer was updating when I upgraded DP.  Just too eager to get the new version.  Too many changes for my poor server to handle at once I guess.  Thanks for your help.

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Well, too many little weird things going on.  Think the crash may have scrambled more than a couple files.  Rather than hunt them down individually I'm going to try to restore a server backup from before it crashed. (Yes I do back it up regularly, I can learn from my mistakes :P )  Never did one one the server itself before, but the process seems straight forward enough.  Hopefully this will squash all the bugs.

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As one that's used the Server Backup a few times, it's almost as awesome as WHS's (or 2012(R2) Essentials') Client restore feature.

 

 

Something else that may work, run "chkdsk c: /r"

And run "sfc /scannow". (though be aware that on 2012 Essentials, that it can "break" the website... but that's easily fixed)

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Sorry to revive an old thread, but after "upgrading" all my networked computers to win 10, 2 will not install the connector or backup.  I had a failed upgrade on my main computer that left me with a black screen, a useless mouse cursor, and for a while a flashing task bar.  This machine only restarted 3 times not 4 lie the other 3 did.  I had my backup drive ( a 3tb standalone usb drive fail and only one good backup of each computer.  It saved me, I restored the c drive and everything works, except the connector.  I uninstalled it and tried to re-install.  Got the connector from the server normally and after I input the admin account info it immediatly pops a error say Cannot connect to the network, server is unavailable.  I can remote into the server, I can see all shares on the server but the connector software will not.  I have been googling this error and tried many "fixes", none work. Now my laptop is effected too as the connector would not function and the uninstall/re-instal has left it in the same state as my desktop.  Both machines now use the Microsoft Account PIN login while the other two that still work properly use a local account login, may be something going on there.  The dashboard still shows both of them as they were before the failure and offline.  All attempts to do anything to them from the server fail, of course.  Now BPA is giveing an error message that I don't have time to check now before work.  I did run sfc / scannow on both the server and client during all this hoo-haw which is why I came back to this thread (your post above) That and the very good help I get from all the brainiacs here in the forum. I'm tried of having a 95% functional network and would like to get my backups going again.  Any ideas or things to check on would be greatly appreciated, I'm getting too old for this, my brain hurts.

 

Dave

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You have to install the connector from microsofts website for Windows 10 support the connector built into r2 doesn't work with win10 unless they have fixed

Correct.

 

However, it should be pushed by Windows Update in the next month or so.

 

 

In the meanwhile, the connector software can be found here:

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=40285

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Unforntunatly, my server is Windows Server 2012 Essentials (not R2) and was working flawlessly until I upgraded to Win 10 on the 2 clients.  The 2 that are failing to install and run the connector are the 2 that I set up to use my Miicrosoft account to login.  They really push that during install and don't give you (any obvious) way to go back to a local account.  The other 2 computers in my little network use local account logins and installed and backup just fine, which is why I'm leaning to that being the at least part of the problem.  Everything else dealing with the server from theses 2 clients seems to work just fine, only connector install and backup seem to be blocked somehow. 

 

The failed install on my main computer showed me why I need a backup on that machine, it would have been a complete clean re-install otherwise.  But Now that the 3tb backup drive that failed has been replaced, 2 computers can install connector and use it to backup again and 2 computers cannot even install connector, though they both can see the backup drive over the network just fine.  Could this be some type of permissions thing, could the microsoft logins comps be coming at the server differently and the server is "rejecting" them somehow? 

 

The BPA on the server no longer contais any errors other than complaining about the lack of ehanced security on IE running on the server, so I fixed that by naming the certificate is WSS to match the servername, now everyone can see everyone else an 2 comps install connector and backup fine.  Any logs or things I can run/lookat to provide additional info to sort this out?  The Windows 2012 Client/Server Log collector will no longer work since they are no longer connected to the server and I'm not great at reading logs but I can find them for any who are, this has got to be some setting that got scambled during the failed upgrade to Win 10 and then the restore to the C: drive on the affected client. 

 

Interesting thing, the laptop was connected and working fine.  It seems to clone settings from the other microsoft account computer, even the desktop and login graphics changed when I used the PIN login on it as well, I did not change them or any other settings on it when I went with the PIN login, it seems to have picked them up over the network as the desktop background was only on my main computer and never transfered to the laptop.  Now the laptop behaves (and fails) exactly like the desktop, but I changed nothing on it, it fails in mirror image to the desktop.  It seems the are shaing more that graphics, maybe (bothched) settings as well.

 

Wel this ramble has gone on long enough for today.

 

Still in need of help in Michigan, :(

 

Dave

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If you're using Windows 10, you absolutely MUST download the connector software from Microsoft directly, and install that. 

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=40285

 

If you don't, it just won't work. Period. End of story.  I can't help you any more if you don't have the right version. 

 

 

Make sure that you use the download link and grab the correct Windows 10 version of the connector software. 

Once you've installed that, it should create a "Windows Server Essentials" folder in teh start menu. Open that and run the config wizard. This should walk you through everything and finish installing the connector software and setup backups for the system (like normal).

 

 

Additionally, if you don't want to join the domain, you need to run that registry command before starting the configuration. Otherwise, it will want to join the domain, and you will need to make sure the DNS configuration is correct on the client machines.

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Sorry but I thought I mentioned that I was running Windows Server 2012 Essentials (not R2) in my previous post.  The new connector will not install on my server, I tried.  I'm getting to the point where I don't have the time or energy to pursue this issue any more and I'm thinking of a different backup system using the server/pool as a giant hard drive. (I know a novel concept)  Is it still an issue putting backups on the pool?  I remember having problems along with others getting it to work with the in the box backup from WSE2012.  Had to go with a non-pooled drive.  If this is no longer a problem, I can uninstall the connectors from all computers and run a third party backup solution.  I have both Acronis and Marcium licenses for all my comps.  Maybe I could go that route. 

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Sorry if I missed that.

 

 

However, if you're using Server 2012 Esssentials, then you may need to edit a config file to add support. 

 

Details here:

http://blogs.technet.com/b/sbs/archive/2015/07/23/client-connector-availability-with-windows-home-server-small-business-server-and-windows-server-essentials-for-supported-client-os.aspx

(check appendix A)

 

 

 

If that's still not working post at the tech net forums, and hopefully, somebody will see it. Otherwise, I'm not sure why it's not working (if you want, send me the logs from "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows Server\Logs" and I'll take a look)

 

Regards

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I've seen that site, it just says that the connector out of the box (built in) should work.  I can connect and download that connector fine, but when I try to install it I get the cannot connect to network - server not available error message, which is rubbish.  I can see and access the server from all computers The connector uninstalled and re-installed on the other 2 computers but refuses to on the desktop and laptop I upgraded  to win 10 and used the Microsoft Account PIN login.  Changing back to a local login did mot help the connector install at all. :(

 

I'll check the logs and pass them on, Thanks.for taking a look,

 

On my other question, can the pool be used as a backup destination for WSE2012, Acronis, Marcium and the like or is that still a problem?

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I've seen that site, it just says that the connector out of the box (built in) should work.  I can connect and download that connector fine, but when I try to install it I get the cannot connect to network - server not available error message, which is rubbish.  I can see and access the server from all computers The connector uninstalled and re-installed on the other 2 computers but refuses to on the desktop and laptop I upgraded  to win 10 and used the Microsoft Account PIN login.  Changing back to a local login did mot help the connector install at all. :(

 

I'll check the logs and pass them on, Thanks.for taking a look,

 

On my other question, can the pool be used as a backup destination for WSE2012, Acronis, Marcium and the like or is that still a problem?

 

Try running "cmd /k ipconfig /all" on a system that works and one that doesn't. Compare the DNS Server. if that's different, then that may be the issue. 

Otherwise, try running "nslookup servername" on the different systems and see if that comes up different, as well. 

 

 

 

As for the backup destination, yes, you should be able to use the pool. You'll want to use the actual console for it (located in the "Administrative Tools", or by running "wbadmin.msc" on the server), and not the dashboard wizard. And you'll want to backup to a volume (not a disk dedicated to backups). 

And Acronis, Macrium and the like should have no issues with using the pool as a backup destination as well. 

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