PRB: You Receive Error Message: "The replication agent is not registered properly" When the SQL Server Replication Agent Fails (811008)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft SQL Server 2000 (all editions)
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry



WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

SYMPTOMS

The SQL Server Replication Agent may not start, and you receive the following error message:

The replication agent is not registered properly. Rerun SQL Server setup. The step failed. [SQLSTATE 42000] (Error 14151). The step failed.

CAUSE

The Replication Agent that is running on the server may not restart when a named instance of SQL Server is removed from the server and replication is configured on the server. When you remove a named instance of SQL Server, the registry entries that relate to the Replication Agent are removed from the server. This behavior may also occur when the 8.3 name creation on the NTFS file system partition is disabled on the computer where SQL Server is installed. You disable 8.3 name creation on the NTFS partition by setting the NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation registry key to 1.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, follow these steps:
  1. Set the NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation registry key to 0.

    To change the registry key, use these steps:
    1. On the Start menu, click Run.
    2. Type regedit, and then click OK.
    3. Locate the following key in Registry Editor:

      HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CURRENTCONTROLSET\CONTROL\FileSystem
    4. Double-click the NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation key of type REG_DWORD.
    5. Set the Value Data of the registry key to 0, and then click OK.

      Note: By default, the value for the entry is set to 0.
    6. Close Registry Editor.
    7. Restart your computer.
  2. Use one of the following methods to register the replication agents:

    Method 1
    Re-register the Replication Agent executables. To do this, use these steps:
    1. Stop the SQL Server Agent service.
    2. Copy the following command to a batch file:
      snapshot.exe -regserver 
distrib.exe -regserver 
replmerg.exe -regserver 
logread.exe -regserver 
qrdrsvc.exe -regserver
    3. Run the batch file you created in step 2b from the \Microsoft Sql Server\80\Com folder.
    4. Restart the SQL Server Agent service.

    Method 2
    Rebuild the registry. To do this, use these steps:
    1. Insert the Microsoft SQL Server 2000 disk in the CD-ROM drive. If the disk does not run automatically, double-click Autorun.exe in the root directory of the disk.
    2. Click SQL Server 2000 Components, and then click Install Database Server.
    3. In the Welcome screen of the SQL Server Installation Wizard, click Next.
    4. In the Computer Name dialog box, click Next.
    5. In the Installation Selection dialog box, click Advanced Options.
    6. In the Advanced Options dialog box, click Registry Rebuild, and then click Next.
    You will see a message that informs you that Setup rebuilds the registry based on information you supply in the subsequent screens.

    Caution: You must enter the same choices for the setup options as you did for the initial installation. If you do not know or are not sure of this information, do not use this registry rebuild process. Instead, you must remove and re-install SQL Server to restore the registry. To prepare for the registry rebuild, enter the same information and options that you entered during the initial installation of SQL Server in the setup screens as they appear.

    Note: Rebuilding the registry includes re-copying external components such as Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) and Microsoft Distributed Transaction Coordinator (MS DTC).

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce the Behavior

To reproduce the behavior, use these steps:
  1. On a server, install the default instance and two named instances , #1 and #2.
  2. Configure any type of replication between the default instance and the instance that is named #1.
  3. Check to see if replication is working.
  4. Remove the instance that is named #2.

    To remove an instance of SQL Server, use these steps:
    1. On the Taskbar, click Start, point to Control Panel and then click Add/Remove programs.
    2. Select a name for an instance of SQL Server 2000, and then click Remove.
  5. Restart the SQL Server Agent service. Verify that the following Replication Agents fail to start :
    • Distribution Agent
    • Log Reader Agent
    • Merge Agent
    • Snapshot Agent
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:9/24/2003
Keywords:kbSysAdmin kbRegistry kberrmsg kbprb KB811008 kbAudDeveloper
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