Home Server Connector Software Will Not Install

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  I am having the exact same problems with (2) Windows Vista Ultimate Machines (x86). I have one Windows Vista Business machine and another with XP Professional and the WHS Connector software installs fine. I have uninstalled and reinstalled the Connector software on the Vista Business and XP Pro machines multiple times without any issues at all.

   

  One the two Vista Ultimate Machines, I am opening the WHS server share and installing the Connector software from there. I tried disabling the firewall on all of the machines but that didn't work. I tried using static IP address with NetBIOS enabled but that didn't work (I didn't think it would since DHCP was working fine on the Vista Business and XP Professional Machines). I can ping the WHS machine by name from the Vista Ultimate machine and if I use ping -a with the IP addrss of the server I get and immediate response as well. I can connect to my WHS website from the Vista Ultimate Machines without an issue. I also made sure that the box labeled “Automatically detect proxy settings” in IE was unchecked.

   

  There appears to be a bug in WHS or the Connector software when it comes to installing the Connector software on a Vista Ultimate machine.

   

  The Connector installation will get as far as recognizing the WHS server name but then at that point it is like the WHS server does not exist or isn't powered on. You cannot retrieve the WHS password hint; you get the same error telling you the operation cannot be completed and to try again later and if it continues contact WHS support. If you purposely type in the wrong password the error says to make sure the WHS is powered on and connected to the network. If you try to open the WHS Console that gets installed before the Connector installation is completed, you get the same error message as when attempting to connect to the WHS Console. Both Vista Ultimate machines behave the same way when attmepting to install the Connector software.

  Saturday, November 24, 2007 1:24 PM
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  The-Judge wrote:

  I am having the exact same problems with (2) Windows Vista Ultimate Machines (x86). I have one Windows Vista Business machine and another with XP Professional and the WHS Connector software installs fine. I have uninstalled and reinstalled the Connector software on the Vista Business and XP Pro machines multiple times without any issues at all.   One the two Vista Ultimate Machines, I am opening the WHS server share and installing the Connector software from there. I tried disabling the firewall on all of the machines but that didn't work. I tried using static IP address with NetBIOS enabled but that didn't work (I didn't think it would since DHCP was working fine on the Vista Business and XP Professional Machines). I can ping the WHS machine by name from the Vista Ultimate machine and if I use ping -a with the IP addrss of the server I get and immediate response as well. I can connect to my WHS website from the Vista Ultimate Machines without an issue. I also made sure that the box labeled “Automatically detect proxy settings” in IE was unchecked.   There appears to be a bug in WHS or the Connector software when it comes to installing the Connector software on a Vista Ultimate machine.

   

  No, there's not.  I am writing this message from VU and I have a nice shiny green home icon on it right now.   Is there a program you have installed on your VUs that's not on the other machines?

   

  The-Judge wrote:

  The Connector installation will get as far as recognizing the WHS server name but then at that point it is like the WHS server does not exist or isn't powered on. You cannot retrieve the WHS password hint; you get the same error telling you the operation cannot be completed and to try again later and if it continues contact WHS support. If you purposely type in the wrong password the error says to make sure the WHS is powered on and connected to the network. If you try to open the WHS Console that gets installed before the Connector installation is completed, you get the same error message as when attempting to connect to the WHS Console. Both Vista Ultimate machines behave the same way when attmepting to install the Connector software.

  Saturday, November 24, 2007 2:43 PM

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  I'm also using it on vista ultimate as well.

   

  I had that error as well. It was because 'automatically detect settings' was turned on. It's in Internet Options/Connections/Lan settings. (edit: looks like you've already checked that)

   

  You will also get this error if you've recently installed IE7 and you haven't went through the setup where you select your search provider and phishing setting.

  Saturday, November 24, 2007 4:37 PM
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  One of the two machines was a clean install of Vista Ultimate (in an attempt to further troubelshoot the problem). All of the IE7 stuff was checked out per all the other troubleshooting suggestions on Connector issues throughout the forum. I tried all of the other troubleshooting tips in the forum before posting and then found this thread with the same issues I have been experiencing with Vista Ultimate. Jason, who started this thread, has almost the same issues as I do. Basically a working system with some machines and not others; he also has a fresh install with Vista Ultimate that won't connect.

   

  I have two working machines and two machines that will not get passed the password entry point when installing the WHS Connector software. The network settings are the same on all the machines, firewalls and antivirus have been turned off, static IP addresses with NetBIOP enabled has been tried, etc., etc., etc. There is also nothing worthwhile in the Event logs on the WHS machine or the client machine to provide any troubleshooting assistance as well.

   

  I am not pointing any fingers but the WHS Connector software seems a bit too finicky if it is not an actual bug. There are several posts about WHS Connector software issues out there so that tells me it's not "plug and play" and just ready for prime time. How do you also explain two working machines and two machines that don't work on the same network with everything identical with the setup and inconfiguration (including all Windows updates, same antivirus sofware, Windows Firewall, etc)? I also can't see how a fresh install of an OS (Vista Ultimate in this case) without anything installed has an issue when other machines install just fine.

   

  I am well beyond the level of a Power User and have plenty of Windows and network troubleshooting experience. How is the average home user going to deal with these types of issues if new machines right out of the box won't connect? 

   

   

  Saturday, November 24, 2007 6:49 PM
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  Well.... I threw in the towel and gave up. The only way I could fix this error when trying to install the Connector software on two different clients (when things had been wokring just fine) was to reinstall WHS. 

   

  An Error Occurred This operation cannot be completed at this time. Please try again later.  If the problem persists, please contact window home server support

   

  That obvisouly means (at least obvious to me) it is not the clients since (nothing was changed on the clients), network configuration (nothing was changed on the network and the WHS machine was configured the same way as it was prior to the re-installation) or the Connector software (since the same software was used to join the clients).

   

  Something happened on the WHS machine that would allow the Connector to install to the point of recognizing the WHS server name but not go any further. Whether it was a Windows Update, an Add-in or something just failed....

   

  I have made an image of of the WHS System disk right at the point Windows reboots after the final installation step. At least I can recover a little quicker if it happens again... and since a few people have been seing this issue, I say it is a safe bet it might happen again.

  Tuesday, November 27, 2007 1:55 PM
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  i have had the exact same problem on XP sp2 machine, the connector finds the server and asks for password then; An error..

   

  Ive tried just 2 minutes ago, while reading this thread, with the same result. Then suddenly i noticed that the time and date was totally wrong on the computer. So i correct the computer time and..VOILA! It works...after three days i can actually connect.

   

  Mvh

   

  Leckin

   

  Tuesday, January 29, 2008 6:56 PM
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  [re-posting from a different thread]

   

  I've found a solution to my problem of not being able to install the Windows Home Server Connector software, so I'm updating all the threads in which I posted about this problem...with the solution! I've been working with one of the WHS team members trying to find a solution to the problem of the software giving me an error after asking for the password, and after all sorts of troubleshooting and head-scratching, he was out of ideas, except one: disconnect my router from my cable modem and try again. So here's what I did:

   

  1) Pulled power plug from router

  2) Pulled power plug from cable modem (in my case a Motorola modem on the SHAW network)

  3) Re-connected power to the router

  4) Ran the WHS Connector software on all three of the machines it wouldn't install on previously...and it worked!

  5) Pulled power plug from router

  6) Re-connected power to the cable modem

  7) Re-connected power to the router

   

  All the machines are connected and working great! I don't know why this worked - likely something DNS related (no, I wasn't using OpenDNS on the router) - but I'm glad I can now back up all my computers rather than just some of them.

  Wednesday, March 5, 2008 5:29 PM
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  The problem as mentioned in the previous post is definitely a DNS issue.  In the MS connector troubleshooting guide, it will tell you to disable DDNS in your router during installation of the connector.  I, too, just pulled the phone line out of my DSL router during initial installation, and the problem was solved.  It is interesting to note that in the subsequent times I restored the server, wiping all data, I did not have the DNS issue. 

   

  Thursday, March 6, 2008 2:53 PM
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  First - thanks to Jason it's sharing solutions in this way that keeps fourms alive....

   

  Secondadly it didn't solve the problem for me - I've tried

  • reinstalling/repairing the dotnet installation
  • checking this isn't caused by a certificate error (a solution identified on another thread)
  • turning off my firewall
  • I've reinstalled WHS - (prompted by a different problem)
  • oh and not installing the software on Feb 29th!

  So, I've got two computers (one vista ultimate, one XP) on which both connectors installed fine). But installing on to my Vista Business laptop just won't happen.

   

  It seems there are mutliple causes to this problem and we could all do with more information beyond the message 'This operation cannot be completed at this time' - to resolve the problem.

   

  I've been trying to resolve this since November 2007 - so, anyone out there tried anything else with success to solve this problem?

   

   

   

   

  Thursday, March 13, 2008 10:52 AM
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  Well here's my little twist  on things . . . I've been having the same problem as described in this post (with a ZoNet router and Windows Vista Ultimate SP1), but pulling the Cable Modem cord out of my router fixed and let me install the Connector software . . .

   

  The problem is, however, that as soon as I reconnected the router to my cable modem, I was unable to log back into my WHS.  Do I have to stay off the internet entirely to use this thing???

   

  Seriously, any ideas on how I should proceed?  The DDNS is disabled by default on my router, and I don't know what else to do.

  Monday, March 17, 2008 8:01 AM
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  Thank You Jason!!

  2 in the morning and now I can go to bed. Your 7 step plan worked.

   

  Saturday, April 19, 2008 6:06 AM
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  I think, I have yet to find the proof, that if you are doing some heavy downloading or have been downloading for a long period of time that with the motorola modems, they tend to have a sort of power down state where you are limited in your ports and functions.  I had an issue not to long ago with connection to the WHS console on a already installed computer, then decided to turn off any devices that were downloading "anywhere," let the modem and router relax a few days and voila - everything worked fine.
  I too had a new Vista Ultimate computer and get this error message and will try the 7 step method, if indeed it works, try giving your router and modem a day or two to relax and get back its strength.  This advice may sound weird but it has worked for some of my problems before after hours of help from HP and Linksys tech with no avail.
  

  Saturday, November 1, 2008 6:40 AM
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  I am having this same problem with 2 different clients. Both are XP OS. I tried the 7 step solution and it fixed the problem on my machine that had XP Media but not on the machine that has XP Pro. I also tried resetting the dates as suggestion in one of the posts, but that didn't work.

  So now I am at a stand still. What really aggravates me though, is that all of the posts on this thread are from 2008 or 2007 and MS doesn't seem to have figured out how to fix or prevent this problem. Has a solution been found and I just haven't opened the correct thread or is this a problem that MS has decided to ignore?

  Does anyone have any suggestions as to what else I can try?

  Wednesday, September 8, 2010 3:31 PM
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  Same problem here.  I've had WHS since it was in beta. Built my own system from spare parts and have since upgraded the hardware to new.  Never had a problem for a couple years now with multiple XP and Win7 computers being backed up without problem.  Then one of my Win7 laptops was away from the local network for about a month and now that it's back it won't back up.  I tried running the discovery.exe but that failed.  I uninstalled the connector software and now am stuck in this thread.  I've tried every solution I can find (in this thread and other threads) and still get the same "cannot be completed at this time" message.  Trying to figure out what changed ...

   

  Wednesday, November 24, 2010 3:28 PM
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  I realize I'm replying to a mostly dead thread and on top of that replying to myself ... but at any rate my problem is resolved.  It turns out TCP ports 55000 and 56000 were not open on the server firewall.  I added an entry for each port in the Windows Firewall Exceptions and the connector installed successfully.  Don't know how they got closed or if that's a new requirement or what.

  BTW, the connector troubleshooter in the toolkit is quite a good piece of programming.

  Thanks.

  Wednesday, November 24, 2010 5:21 PM
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  I know this is an old thread, but it's one of the firsts to pop up on Google for this issue.

  I was able to find the WHS on my network, Remote Desktop into the WHS, and pretty much be able to do anything but use or (re)install the connector software.

  I Remoted into the WHS and pulled up the Services. World Wide Web Publishing Service was disabled. I changed its setting to Manual and started it. The Connector Software installed without a problem.

  Good luck.

  -Josh

  Saturday, July 30, 2011 5:25 PM
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  Majorly old thread, but I wanted to second Josh's comment above to help others.  All of the sudden, my Connector wouldn't work.  Its noteworthy that a rebuild of the WHS fixes the problem.  Thats because this is a server problem.  In my case, same issue as Josh:  My World Wide Web Publishing Service was not running.  When I tried to start it, it actually wouldnt start.  I had to track this to the "dependent services" tab to understand why.  Turns out the IISAdmin Service, a dependent service, would not start.  Googling the errors, basically my IIS metabase file was corrupt, and a restore of a backup of that file did the trick.

  Friday, October 14, 2011 7:04 AM
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  Tom, Can you go into more detail about the errors, and restoring the backup file?  I'm having this issue, and have tried everything short of a reinstall, which I do not want to do, but nothing is working.

   

  Thanks.

  Sunday, October 30, 2011 2:26 PM
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  For Windows Home Server v1, the IIS MetaBase files are located in the %WINDIR%\system32\inetsrv folder as MBSchema.xml and MetaBase.xml. You’ll also find a MetaBack folder here that contains backups of the MetaBase files.

   

  Go to Control Panel, Administrative Tools, and open the Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager. When that opens, right click on the %ServerName% (local computer) node, and select All Tasks->Backup/Restore Configuration to see all backups and change history. You’ll probably see one backup created when IIS was originally installed followed by a series of “Automatic Backup” entries. Note that the “Automatic Backup” entries are actually a history of all changes made to the IIS configuration. Each time changes to the MetaBase are persisted to disk, IIS stores the changes to the history as an automatic backup.

   

  You might also read “Restore the Metabase” on O’Reilly that describes how to restore the MetaBase even if you can’t get Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager to run. Hopefully this information will get you back up and running quickly without having to reinstall IIS.

   

  IIS MetaBase

  http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/WindowsServer2003/Library/IIS/43a51d34-7c81-413b-9727-ec9a19d0b428.mspx?mfr=true

   

  Working with the IIS MetaBase

  http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/WindowsServer2003/Library/IIS/43a51d34-7c81-413b-9727-ec9a19d0b428.mspx?mfr=true

   

   

  "thefoolisme" wrote in message news:1e42251c-20df-4837-a6f3-71efa0bdc305...

  Tom, Can you go into more detail about the errors, and restoring the backup file?  I'm having this issue, and have tried everything short of a reinstall, which I do not want to do, but nothing is working.

   

  Thanks.

  Sunday, October 30, 2011 6:46 PM
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  Greg, 

   

  Thank you for your response with the details in it.  I will look at this before I do my re-install.  

   

   

  Sunday, October 30, 2011 7:16 PM
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  The bottom line is that it is a name resolution issue. The workstation was unable to resolve the name of the server to its IP address. In the case presented as the answer, resetting the internet router caused the workstation to forget about what it knew and didn't know, and start over. It was then successful in resolving the name.

  I just had this issue as well. My connector would not open the console, and I could not reinstall it. I could browse to the WHS IP address and download the connector installer, and it would get as far as finding the server. Once it found the server, it showed the name, said it was downloading software, showed a percentage indicator, and then failed with the error indicated at the top of the thread.

  Reading this thread turned me on to the fact that it was a simple name resolution problem. I could ping the WHS by IP but not by name.

  I set the WHS to a static IP address outside the router's DHCP range, added an entry to the HOSTS file on the workstations, and updated my spreadsheet where I keep my static IP addresses documented.

  Then my connector worked fine. I had this problem on two workstations. The same solution worked for both.

  
  

  • Edited by Scovndrel The Destroyer Wednesday, January 4, 2012 10:33 PM
  • Proposed as answer by Scovndrel The Destroyer Wednesday, January 4, 2012 10:33 PM

  Wednesday, January 4, 2012 10:32 PM