Can't start SOS Server

[lbauer]

There are a number of reasons the SOS Server service may fail to start. Check the Windows Event log and the SOS Server log.txt file in the SOS Server directory for error messages that can help to troubleshoot this problem:

1) In SOS 4.0 and 4.1 only: Service cannot be started. System.ArgumentException: Illegal characters in path. (Event Log)

Is the SOS Server installed on Windows XP Pro SP2, Windows 2003 SP 1 or Windows 2000 SP 4? There's a known issue with these service packs: http://support.sourcegear.com/viewtopic.php?t=1987

Note: this bug has been fixed in SOS versions 4.1.2 and later.


2) Exception during Login: COM object with CLSID {783CD4E4-9D54-11CF-B8EE-00608CC9A71F} is either not valid or not registered.
(log file)

-- verify that a copy of the VSS Explorer client is installed on the SOS Server machine. It provides the Automation Component that the SOS Server uses to communicate with the VSS database.
http://support.sourcegear.com/viewtopic.php?t=3101

3) \\<path to VSS database>\\srcsafe.ini does not exist! (log file)

-- verify you have configured the path(s) to your VSS database(s) in the SOS Server Manager by browsing to the locations of the srcsafe.ini files.

--if the databases are on a different machine, verify that the account used by the SOS Server service is a domain account with access to the machine/drive/directory where the database resides.

http://support.sourcegear.com/viewtopic.php?t=771

If you still encounter problems, send a copy of the log.txt file to Support@SourceGear.com