How do I configure windows server dashboard when it is already configured and won't let me open it anymore?

Question

About a week ago I had a hardware failure on my server. Ever since this has been fixed, the Windows Server Essentials Dashboard will no longer run, giving me the error "You cannot run until configuration is complete." This server has been running for about two years and the dashboard has always worked. In the server manager, the configuration does not run like it did the first time it needed setup nor are there any notifications or post-installation configurations pending in the top right. It seems like I have tried everything short of reinstalling the server OS or removing and re-adding the essentials experience roll. I hesitate to do this because I do not want to have to re-setup each user account. Has anyone else had the essentials dashboard mess up in this way or know how to fix it?

Answer 1

Few things to give you hint on this.
Are ther any System events erros in event viewer. Some faulting module or something.

Else - Try below steps :
Please try to open Dashboard in Safe Mode:
Start icon on taskbar – Windows Server Essentials – Windows Server Essentials Dashboard(safe mode)

If you can open it in Safe Mode, then, click Settings on Dashboard, select Safe Mode, disable add-ins one-by-one to determine which add-in is causing the issue.

If problem persists in safe mode, please using “sfc /scannow” to check/repair system files. besides, please try to re-name folder “Addins” located at “C:\Program Files\Windows Server\Bin\“ to be “Addins.old”, re-start system and re-open Dashboard to check the result.

Answer 2

Hi,

Please check if you can find the Dashboard log to see if there is any clue, which was mentioned in below article. The log file location is c:\programdata\microsoft\windows server\logs

https://windowsserveressentials.com/2013/11/11/windows-server-2012-r2-essentials-you-do-not-have-permission-to-open-the-dashboard/

Windows server essential provides reliable ways to perform regular backups of your server and backups of your network computers. So, would you mind restoring data from a successful backup on the server to see if the problem can be resolved?
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server-essentials/manage/manage-backup-and-restore-in-windows-server-essentials#:~:text=Windows%20Server%20Essentials%20provides%20reliable,without%20restoring%20the%20entire%20computer.&text=The%20data%20is%20backed%20up%20to%20an%20external%20USB%20drive.

Thanks,
Eleven

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