ADNM - Unable to Login, Possible licensing issue?

[Dave N]

Hi there,

Just wondering if anyone has encountered this problem. The ADNM does not allow me to log in with the Administrator log in details specified in the manual - heres what I have tried and the conclusion I have come to.

• AMS Tool, can connect fine to our local SQL database with sa
• Database can be created/deleted etc no problem
• License file specifies we have 26 licenses remaining, file is also located in relevant DATA folder
• Administrator/admin is not the issue.

The reason I am unable to log into the ADNM is most likely due to the "avast! Management Server" service refusing to run with error: 2147418125 - which, with a little research I found was a result of some licensing condition not being fulfilled.

Now, so far other solutions to this problem found on this very forum have not been successful. I have contacted our seller via email to see if he has any information for me, but since AMS Maintenance Tool confirms that the license is valid and working, I am wondering if there is some sort of bug preventing the service from recognising its validity.

Specifications for server:
Windows Server 2003 SP2 x64
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 x64
Primary usage as RAID configured active directory server.

[Dave N]

Ok I have been provided with information that could potentially fix this problem, unfortunately in my case this does not work but I'll post it here as a reference should you be having similar problems, it may work for you.

• Go to Add/Remove Programs
• Select "Management Tools"
• Scroll down and select "Repair"
• Open AMS Management Tool and load the license, copy to server

As I mentioned, this does not work to fix my particular problem. Any ideas?

[scythe944]

Make sure that your license.dat file is where it is supposed to be.

Recently, on new installations of Avast on 2008 servers, when asked to copy the license file after loading it, the file never got copied.

I had to actually move the license.dat file to C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Management Tools\Data then restart the avast management server service in order for it to work.

[Dave N]

Make sure that your license.dat file is where it is supposed to be.

Recently, on new installations of Avast on 2008 servers, when asked to copy the license file after loading it, the file never got copied.

I had to actually move the license.dat file to C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Management Tools\Data then restart the avast management server service in order for it to work.

Thanks mate. As it happens this I had considered and tried this already and it does not solve the problem.

I've been pretty busy this week which has meant I've had an excuse for not getting this deployed but shortly I will have to start making excuses! haha

Anyone else any suggestions?

[Dave N]

I'm reluctant to start whining about this but I can't dedicate my full time job to simply trying to get this installed.

Once the license had been sold to us it seems we're abandoned on this as I'm convinced that there is no comprehensive list of problems that cover all of the issues that are bundled with this software! What worries me most is that because we have chosen Avast! to be our antivirus solution, how can I guarantee my employer that it will actually do it's job given that the mere installation of this thing doesn't work as intended.

My coworker and I have done the legwork diagnosing this problem, if Avast! will refund us we're happy to go with another company and provide to them the information on why this bug prevents installation so that they may inform any potential new customers that their software simply doesn't work on some server platforms.

It's ludicrous to be in a situation where the community has to discover workarounds to get a fairly standard piece of network software installed, but then you know this or you wouldn't be posting here

Good luck everyone, I shall keep this thread updated if we ever come to a solution - as ever, any ideas appreciated.

- D

[scythe944]

that their software simply doesn't work on some server platforms.

I understand your frustration, but I've successfully installed the ADNM console and have gotten it to work on Win2k, 2k3, and 2k8 so far, and they're all working just fine.

What you haven't said is whether or not you got the license moved to the correct place and that the Avast Management Server service starts and runs.

If the service doesn't continue running, there's a problem with the license file.  Either it can't access it due to permissions, or it's not where it's supposed to be.

I know that support can be a little touchy, as well as the network installation, but support here is great and the new version should be ready soon for network deployments too.  That will hopefully bring us a whole new ADNM console that is built around 2K8 and should work fine.

If you do need help, you can email support at support @ avast.com or visit the support center (which will be revamped here soon too, from what I've heard) http://support.avast.com/

Any more information from your event logs would be helpful, so that we can move forward in troubleshooting this...

[Dave N]

What you haven't said is whether or not you got the license moved to the correct place and that the Avast Management Server service starts and runs.

I have said that. Either way to recap; It's in the correct place, I double checked, put it in there myself manually - I established a fortnight ago that it was a licensing issue as highlighted in my original post. I have had the license resent and tried loading with the AMS tool and manually.

[scythe944]

Alright, sorry about that.

In any case, in your AMS tool, can it talk with the SQL server (the Test DB connection option)?

You might need to contact sales AT avast.com and see if there's something screwy with your license file.  Maybe they generated it incorrectly.

What does the AMS tool say when you look at the license information?  Are there the correct numbers of licenses for each product, and a correct expiry date on the license?

Your computer's date/time are correct, right?

[Dave N]

"Your computer's date/time are correct, right?"

This solved the problem mate.

I have to say, I didn't come across this as a potential problem in any of the documentation. May be a useful inclusion to the next installation manual.

Ok, we're done with getting the service started, now time to figure out why the ADNM won't log in or detect the SQL server despite the main tool verifying its existence - this software is a challenge to install to say the least!

Thanks for the help.

- D

[scythe944]

This solved the problem mate.

Good to hear.

I have to say, I didn't come across this as a potential problem in any of the documentation. May be a useful inclusion to the next installation manual.

I guess they just imply that the computer's date / time should always be correct.  It should be, but sometimes not.

Ok, we're done with getting the service started, now time to figure out why the ADNM won't log in or detect the SQL server despite the main tool verifying its existence  - this software is a challenge to install to say the least!

Thanks for the help.

Alrighty, well, if the service is starting and still won't let you in, we should be getting another error now.  Sorry about it being a pain to install.  Sometimes it's flawless, sometimes it's a pain.  Again, once you get it running, it's pretty easy.

So, what do you get for the error?  Anything in the event log?  It may be an incorrect user/pass for the SQL database that was created either when you installed ADNM with MSDE, or with your own version of MS SQL Express 2000, 2003, 2005, or whatever.

I've found that the servicename\username was usually required in order for the Avast service to login properly to the SQL database.  I know that it says that it tests fine, but I think it just verifies that a SQL service is running, I don't think (I can't remember) if it actually checks to see if it can login and has correct permissions to that instance as well.

Now that we have the correct time / date, it may be worth while to remove avast from the server entirely, remove the SQL database, and just start over.

Then we can take it one step at a time and verify that everything is going correctly.

Again, as I stated in the ADNM v5 wishlist: (http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=54073.msg493215#msg493215)  I hate SQL > Avast interaction and wish they'd use something like MySQL instead, but we can only hope.  I don't even know if it's possible or not, since I'm not a programmer.

Let us know what's going on, and we (or I) will try to help you further.

[Dave N]

Perhaps I was a bit pre-emptive on the "problem fixed"!

Heres the state of play at the moment.

Services
"avast! Management Server" Service - Sometimes will run, sometimes won't.. seems sporadic. I can sit there until I'm blue in the face with it giving me license errors (0x7fff000d) and then if I take a break I can come back to find the service will run just fine.

"avast! iAVS4 Mirror HTTP Server" - Runs fine consistently.

ADNM
- Loads up fine
- Does not detect server
- When server is entered manually, will not allow Administrator/admin to login regardless of wether the elusive management server service is running.

AMS Maintenence
- Verifies license key exists and there are 25 licenses
- Verifies Database is compabible
- Database can be created and deleted as SQL connection is fine.

I have included some screenshots to help you get a better picture of what's happening.

Unable to Login - regardless of whether service is running


Verified Data Connection


Verified recognition of licensing


The elusive Service - May or may not run..

[scythe944]

Thanks for all the screenshots. That must have taken some time.

I'm sure you're frustrated with it... I would be.

Maybe my previous post is the best way to go.

Now that we have the correct time / date, it may be worth while to remove avast from the server entirely, remove the SQL database, and just start over.

Then again, I'd really like some real input from some Avast people too, I wish they'd come around more often.

[Dave N]

Ok so I have now resolved the problems here.

For anyone who comes across this thread with the same problem, it can be solved by reinstalling ADNM with the SQl database already active. The problem is caused by an error that allows ADNM to believe it is making database connections when it actually isnt. With the database already in place, and reinstalling (using your login details for your sql database upon install too) it seems to fix it.

Long road but we're here finally, thanks to people who have helped and put up with me moaning about this!

- Dave

[scythe944]

Great!  Again, sorry for all of the frustration.

Let us know if you have any more problems...

[fseoer2010]

I just want to say:You might need to contact sales AT avast.com and see if there's something screwy with your license file.  Maybe they generated it incorrectly.