Interpreting Output from Server Manager Commands

The Server Manager command in Windows Server® 2008 generates output about its operations, and displays highlights of the output on the screen. Server Manager also writes much more verbose output to a text-only log file. You can also configure Server Manager to write the results of command-line operations to an XML-based results file.

This section identifies and describes the codes and the messages that are found in Server Manager command output files.

Where to find and store Server Manager command-line output

By default, Server Manager writes command output to a text-only log file, logname.txt, located at %WINDIR%\Temp\ServerManager.log.

Note

Although this log stores output about the operations of the Server Manager command, the output is very verbose and not in a user-friendly format. This log file is useful if it is necessary to contact Microsoft Product Support Services about Server Manager operations.

You can change the default name and location of the log file by adding the -logPath option to the Server Manager line command, ServerManagerCmd.exe. For more information about the -logPath option and the syntax of ServerManagerCmd.exe, see Overview of Server Manager Commands.

In addition to the text-only log file that Server Manager creates by default, you can command Server Manager to store the results of its operations in an XML file with a name and a location that you provide. The option for specifying the name and the location of an XML results file is -resultPath.

The -logPath and -resultPath options are used at the command prompt, regardless of whether you are using an answer file with the Server Manager command to specify a list of roles or features for removal, or whether you are installing or removing a single item directly at the command line. For more information about the Server Manager command line answer file, see Creating an Answer File for Server Manager Commands.

Examples

The following examples show how you specify the name and the path to an XML results file in the Server Manager command.

Example of results file specification in a command with an answer file

ServerManagerCmd.exe -inputPath C:\CmdLine\Remove_roles.xml -resultPath C:\CmdLine\010107.xml

In the preceding example, an administrator has created an answer file named Remove_roles.xml, containing commands to remove several roles from a server. The administrator has specified a results file name and location, C:\CmdLine\010107.xml.

Example of results file specification in a command without an answer file

ServerManagerCmd.exe -install npas -setting InstallAsPartOfServerFarm="false" -setting Language="en-us" -allSubFeatures -r C:\CmdLine\Results\010107.xml -restart

In the preceding example, an administrator has instructed Server Manager to install Network Policy and Access Services. Note that the command name for the role, npas, is not case-sensitive.

In this example, all role services of Network Policy and Access Services are installed as requested, with the -allSubFeatures option. The administrator uses the short form of the -resultPath option, -r, to specify a results file name and path. Finally, the administrator uses the -restart option to instruct Server Manager to restart the computer, if necessary, once installation of the Network Policy and Access Services role is complete.

Descriptions of output messages

This section describes the output and the results returned by Server Manager, in both a text-only log file and an XML-based results file.

Text-only log file

The following table identifies and describes messages that the Server Manager command writes to the console window, and to the text-only log files that it creates by default.

Message Exit code Text string Notes

Success, no need to restart

0

Success: Installation succeeded.

Success: Removal succeeded.

The different messages might vary slightly, depending on whether the user specified roles or features in the command.

Success, restart is required

3010

Success: Installation succeeded. A restart is required.

Success: Removal succeeded. A restart is required.

This code is returned when a restart is required. After restarting the computer, you might need to run Server Manager in the Windows Server 2008 user interface to complete required configuration for roles or features.

Argument not valid

4

ArgumentNotValid: Argument not valid {argument}

ArgumentNotValid: Missing the answer file path

ArgumentNotValid: Missing log file path

ArgumentNotValid: Feature not valid: '{name}'. The name of the feature was not found.

ArgumentNotValid: Role not valid: '{name}'. The name of the role was not found.

ArgumentNotValid: The following name has already been specified in the input path: {name}

ArgumentNotValid: The following setting has already been specified in the input path: {setting}

ArgumentNotValid: Not a valid feature. '{name}' is a role.

ArgumentNotValid: Not a valid feature. '{name}' is a role service.

ArgumentNotValid: Not a valid role. '{name}' is a feature.

ArgumentNotValid: Invalid role. The name '{name}' is for a role service.

ArgumentNotValid: Not a valid role service. '{name}' is a feature.

ArgumentNotValid: Not a valid role service. '{name}' is a role.

Occurs when a user provides an argument that does not exist or omits a required part of a specified argument in the Server Manager command line.

Different messages are displayed, depending on the argument that requires attention.

{argument} represents the incorrect argument specified by the user.

{name} represents the incorrectly specified name of the role, role service, or feature.

{setting} represents the name of an incorrectly specified or duplicated reference to a setting for a role, role service, or feature.

Error opening or reading input file

110

ReadError: Answer file does not exist: {0}

ReadError: Failed to read the answer file: {0}

ReadError: Failed to load the answer file: {0}. {1}

Occurs if the Server Manager command-line interface cannot read or locate the answer file provided by a user. Different messages are displayed for the same error code (110), depending on the specific reason that the answer file could not be loaded.

{0} represents the path and name specified by the user.

{1} represents the exception found by Server Manager.

The recommended troubleshooting, if this error message occurs, is to verify that you have provided the correct name and path to your XML answer file, and verify that the answer file validates to the Server Manager answer file schema and uses the correct element structure. For more information about the correct setup and appearance of a Server Manager command answer file, see Creating an Answer File for Server Manager Commands.

Insufficient permissions or credentials

5

Error: Server Manager can be run only by a member of the built-in Administrators group on the local computer. You should install and remove roles and features only with elevated permissions.

This error occurs if the supplied user credentials do not have local administrative rights on the server, or if a user has not opened the Command Prompt window with elevated permissions. To do this, right-click the Command Prompt executable file, or, on the Start menu, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as administrator.

No change needed

1003

NoChange: No changes were made because the roles and features specified in the answer file are already installed, or have already been removed from the local computer.

Occurs if the roles, role services, or features specified in the answer file to be installed are already installed on the computer, or if the answer file requests their removal and Server Manager found that they did not exist on the computer or have already been removed. In other words, this message occurs if the actions specified in the command result in a null operation.

An instance of a Server Manager wizard is already running on this computer

1004

Error: Another user is running a wizard in the Server Manager user interface.

If one of the Server Manager wizards (Add Roles, Add Features, Add Role Services, Remove Roles, Remove Features, Remove Role Services) is already running, attempts to run the Server Manager command line to install or to remove roles, role services, or features fail. Server Manager prevents conflicting user changes to the software packages installed on a server by running only one tool at a time. Either the command-line tools or a Server Manager wizard can be run at one time, but not both simultaneously.

A failure occurred while collecting the list of installed roles or features, or while installing or removing the items specified by the user.

1000

Error: Installation of one or more roles, role services, or features failed. Check the Server Manager log for additional information and try again.

Error: Removal of one or more roles, role services, or features failed. Check the Server Manager log for additional information and try again.

The different messages might vary slightly, depending on whether the user specified roles or features in the command.

Same as error 1000, except that a restart is required by this error to undo any changes made to the computer.

1001

Error: Installation of one or more roles, role services, or features failed, and a restart is required to undo any changes made to the computer. Check the Server Manager log for additional information and try again.

Error: Removal of one or more roles, role services, or features failed, and a restart is required to undo any changes made to the computer. Check the Server Manager log for additional information and try again.

Error: Installation of the role, role service, or feature failed because the computer must be restarted to complete another installation or removal. After restarting the computer, try to install the role, role service, or feature again.

Error: Removal of the role, role service, or feature failed because the computer must be restarted to complete another installation or removal. After restarting the computer, try to remove the role, role service, or feature again.

The different messages might vary slightly, depending on whether the user specified roles or features in the command.

Generic error

1002

Error: Generic error. {0}

This is a generic error for which there is no troubleshooting information available. In the event you receive this error, it is recommended that you verify the syntax of your command, verify that you are logged onto the local computer as a member of the Administrators group, and retry the command.

{0} represents the exception found by Server Manager.

XML results file

The following is an example of the XML results file created by Server Manager when the -resultPath or -r option is added to the Server Manager command, and a path and name are provided in the option.

<ServerManagerConfigurationResult
Action="Install"
Time="2006-11-29T14:26:39"
Language="en-US"
Success="true"
RequiresReboot="false"
xmlns="https://schemas.microsoft.com/sdm/Windows/ServerManager/Configuration/2007/1">
<Message Level="Information">Start Installing...</Message>
<Role DisplayName="DHCP Server"
Id="DHCP"
Success="true"
RequiresReboot="false"
RequestedBy="UserSpecified">
<Message Level="Information">Succeeded: [DHCP Server] </Message>
</Role>
<Message Level="Information">Install succeeded.</Message>
</ServerManagerConfigurationResult>

The following table identifies and describes elements and attributes found in the results file.

Element or Attribute Description

ServerManagerCommandLineResult

Heading element; container for entire file.

Action

Identifies whether the results shown are for an installation or a removal operation.

Time

Displays the date and the time that the operation was completed.

Language

Displays the language code for the localized messages included in the results. (In the example, this is English-United States.)

Success

Displays the value "true" if the action was successful for all roles, role services, and features specified in the command; "false" if the action failed for one or more roles, role services, or features.

RequiresReboot

Displays the value "true" if you must restart the computer because of the successful installation or removal operation; "false" if no restart is required.

Xmlns

This attribute references the Server Manager command-line XML schema definition.

Message

All informational, warning, and error messages are included in the body of the XML file. A general message about the entire operation is found at the top level. However, if a message applies to a specific role, role service, or feature, the message is contained within the specific element for that item. Messages are localized in the language specified by the Language attribute.

Message attributes:

  • Level
    Describes whether the message is informational, a warning, or an error.
  • Code
    If applicable, displays a numerical error or message code. Server Manager error and message codes are described in this topic, in the text-only log file section.

Role, Role Service, or Feature

Role, Role Service, or Feature elements can occur multiple times in the results file, depending on the objects for which the Server Manager command-line answer file requests installation or removal.

Role, Role Service, or Feature attributes:

  • DisplayName
    Localized name of the role, role service, or feature.
  • Id
    The command name for the role, role service, or feature. A list of command names for roles, role services, or features is available in Overview of Server Manager Commands.
  • RootParent
    Name of the parent object for the value specified in the DisplayName attribute. For example, the parent object of the Request Filtering role service is Web Server.
  • Success
    Displays a value of "true" if the action specified in the Action attribute was successful on the object specified in DisplayName, and "false" if the action failed.
  • RequiresReboot
    Displays a value of "true" if the installation or the removal of the object specified in the DisplayName attribute requires a restart of the computer, and "false" if no restart is required.
  • Skipped
    Displays a value of "true" if the roles, role services, or features specified in the answer file to be installed are already installed on the computer, or if the answer file requests their removal, and Server Manager found that they did not exist on the computer, or have already been removed. In other words, this attribute has a "true" value only if the actions specified in the command result in a null operation. Displays a value of "false" if Server Manager completed the actions specified in the command
  • RequestedBy
    Displays the reason a role, role service, or feature was installed or removed. There are four possible values.
    • Direct request of a user
    • Required by dependency of another role, role service, or feature
    • A container object was installed or removed, and this object is selected by default
    • All child objects of a container role, role service, or feature were selected (for example, the user added the -allSubFeatures option to the Server Manager command)
  • Message
    See the Message description in the preceding row. Messages nested within Role, Role Service, or Feature elements are specific to that object only.