In recent past, I was assisting a client in installing SQL Server clustered instance in a Windows Cluster. There were many errors encountered and I learned a lot from this experience. In this blog, we would learn about Microsoft Cluster Service (MSCS) cluster verification errors which might appear during installation or AddNode.
We got the below error and as we can see, it was a setup “rule” failure rather than an installation error.
Setup wizard failed with the rule — Microsoft Cluster Service (MSCS) cluster verification errors. Once we have this error, we would not be able to proceed next unless we fix it or follow KB to skip this rule.
From the Detail.txt we found the below error:
Slp: Initializing rule : Microsoft Cluster Service (MSCS) cluster verification errors
Slp: Rule applied features : ALL
Slp: Rule is will be executed : True
Slp: Init rule target object: Microsoft.SqlServer.Configuration.Cluster.Rules.ClusterServiceFacet
Slp: Validation Report not found on Node1.
Slp: Validation Report not found on Node2.DomainName.com.
Slp: Rule ‘Cluster_VerifyForErrors’ detection result: Is Cluster Online Results = True; Is Cluster Verfication complete = False; Verfication Has Warnings = False; Verification Has Errors = False; on Machine Node1
Slp: Evaluating rule : Cluster_VerifyForErrors
Slp: Rule running on machine: Node1
Slp: Rule evaluation done : Failed
Slp: Rule evaluation message: The cluster either has not been verified or there are errors or failures in the verification report. Refer to KB953748 or SQL Server Books Online for more information.
Now, everyone might think we already have a KB Article 953748. It also has a workaround and almost all the client with whom I have interreacted, just use that method. But this client was interested to know why such error is occurring. We had discussed a few issues in Part 1 of this blog and you can find it here SQL SERVER – Install Error: Microsoft Cluster Service (MSCS) Cluster Verification Errors – Part 1.
In this blog, we will discuss another scenario which produces the same error, but the solution is different.
Cluster Validation report not present in the cluster nodes
If the respective file is not found in the given location, we would see it clearly mentioned in Detail.txt file as shown below:
<DateTime>Slp: Validation Report not found on Node1.DomainName.com
<DateTime>Slp: Validation Report not found on Node2.DomainName.com
If you use one of my favorite tool and a procmon trace and you will notice entries like below. The user might have deleted/moved the given file. The report is usually located under – C:\Windows\Cluster\Reports
Date & Time: <DateTime>
Event Class: File System
Operation: CreateFile
Result: NAME NOT FOUND
Path: \\Node1\admin$\Cluster\Reports\Validation Data For Node Set 83ADA46DDCA6617CB8C1C06A947DF511909FFD34.xml
Date & Time: <DateTime>
Event Class: File System
Operation: CreateFile
Result: NAME NOT FOUND
Path: \\Node2.DomainName.com\admin$\Cluster\Reports\Validation Data For Node Set 83ADA46DDCA6617CB8C1C06A947DF511909FFD34.xml
SOLUTION/WORKAROUND
If you have moved this file, please move it back to the location. Else re-run Windows Cluster validation to generate a new report and this new report will be used by the setup the next time when it runs.
I would write another blog in the same series as I found multiple reasons for such behavior. Stay tuned! Please comment and let me know if you found some more causes and ways to fix it.
Reference: Pinal Dave (https://blog.sqlauthority.com)
First appeared on SQL SERVER – Install Error: Microsoft Cluster Service (MSCS) Cluster Verification Errors – Part 2