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"Wait on the Database Engine recovery handle failed" while installing SQL Server 2008

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I worked on a customer service request where SQL Server 2008 Enterprise edition installation was throwing error:

Wait on the Database Engine recovery handle failed.

After examining SQL Error log from the Setup logs folder, noted:

2010-08-27 17:15:04.51 spid7s Starting up database 'mssqlsystemresource'.

2010-08-27 17:15:04.52 spid7s The resource database build version is 10.00.1600. This is an informational message only. No user action is required.

2010-08-27 17:15:04.65 spid7s Error: 15209, Severity: 16, State: 1.

2010-08-27 17:15:04.65 spid7s An error occurred during encryption.

If we see the step at which it is failing, we can make a guess that SQL Server is not able to load the self-signed certificate. We have seen similar issues with SQL Server 2005 Express installation as noted in KB 920114 but the service account used in my case was a domain account.

Still, the logic of KB article above applied here. SQL Server creates a self-signed certificate to encrypt all login credentials and it needs access to the PROTECT folder in the user profile to store it. In my case, Protect folder was missing in the location %USERPROFILE%\Application Data\Microsoft\

When I created the Protect folder and gave Full permission to the SQL Server service account, SQL Server started successfully.

Comments

  • Anonymous
    March 15, 2011
    How can we create a Protect folder?

  • Anonymous
    March 15, 2011
    You should be able to do that by Right click -> Properties -> New Folder

  • Anonymous
    July 24, 2011
    Sorry, this didn't work for me.  Not sure what my problem is yet.  Been waiting hours for a new dvd to download to try that.

  • Anonymous
    June 04, 2012
    I also received the similar error, Can anybody tell me how can i resolve this thing. I am not able to login to the database engine, It says the Database engine service failed Overall summary:  Final result:                  Failed: see details below  Exit code (Decimal):           -2068643839  Exit facility code:            1203  Exit error code:               1  Exit message:                  Failed: see details below  Start time:                    2012-06-05 11:12:34  End time:                      2012-06-05 11:28:24  Requested action:              Repair  Log with failure:              C:Program FilesMicrosoft SQL Server100Setup BootstrapLog20120605_111134Detail.txt  Exception help link:           http%3a%2f%2fgo.microsoft.com%2ffwlink%3fLinkId%3d20476%26ProdName%3dMicrosoft%2bSQL%2bServer%26EvtSrc%3dsetup.rll%26EvtID%3d50000%26ProdVer%3d10.0.1600.22%26EvtType%3d0x9B4E9E2B%400x08A3AE96 Machine Properties:  Machine name:                  BRI  Machine processor count:       2  OS version:                    Windows XP  OS service pack:               Service Pack 3  OS region:                     United States  OS language:                   English (United States)  OS architecture:               x86  Process architecture:          32 Bit  OS clustered:                  No Product features discovered:  Product              Instance             Instance ID                    Feature                                  Language             Edition              Version         Clustered  Sql Server 2005      SQLEXPRESS           MSSQL.1                        Database Engine Services                 1033                 Express Edition      9.2.3042        No          Sql Server 2005      SQLEXPRESS           MSSQL.1                        SQL Server Replication                   1033                 Express Edition      9.2.3042        No          Sql Server 2005      SQLEXPRESS           MSSQL.1                        SharedTools                              1033                 Express Edition      9.2.3042        No          Sql Server 2005                                                          Tools                                    1033                 Express Edition      9.2.3042        No          Sql Server 2005                                                          ToolsClient                              1033                 Express Edition      9.2.3042        No          Sql Server 2005                                                          ToolsClientConnectivity                 1033                 Express Edition      9.2.3042        No          Sql Server 2008      MSSQLSERVER          MSSQL10.MSSQLSERVER            Database Engine Services                 1033                 Enterprise Edition   10.0.1600.22    No          Sql Server 2008      MSSQLSERVER          MSSQL10.MSSQLSERVER            SQL Server Replication                   1033                 Enterprise Edition   10.0.1600.22    No          Sql Server 2008      MSSQLSERVER          MSSQL10.MSSQLSERVER            Full-Text Search                         1033                 Enterprise Edition   10.0.1600.22    No          Sql Server 2008      MSSQLSERVER          MSAS10.MSSQLSERVER             Analysis Services                        1033                 Enterprise Edition   10.0.1600.22    No          Sql Server 2008      MSSQLSERVER          MSRS10.MSSQLSERVER             Reporting Services                       1033                 Enterprise Edition   10.0.1600.22    No          Sql Server 2008                                                          Management Tools - Basic                 1033                 Enterprise Edition   10.0.1600.22    No          Sql Server 2008                                                          Management Tools - Complete              1033                 Enterprise Edition   10.0.1600.22    No          Sql Server 2008                                                          Client Tools Connectivity                1033                 Enterprise Edition   10.0.1600.22    No          Sql Server 2008                                                          Client Tools Backwards Compatibility     1033                 Enterprise Edition   10.0.1600.22    No          Sql Server 2008                                                          Client Tools SDK                         1033                 Enterprise Edition   10.0.1600.22    No          Sql Server 2008                                                          Integration Services                     1033                 Enterprise Edition   10.0.1600.22    No         Package properties:  Description:                   SQL Server Database Services 2008  SQLProductFamilyCode:          {628F8F38-600E-493D-9946-F4178F20A8A9}  ProductName:                   SQL2008  Type:                          RTM  Version:                       10  SPLevel:                       0  Installation location:         E:SQl server 2008x86setup  Installation edition:          ENTERPRISE User Input Settings:  ACTION:                        Repair  AGTDOMAINGROUP:                <empty>  AGTSVCACCOUNT:                 <empty>  AGTSVCPASSWORD:                *****  AGTSVCSTARTUPTYPE:             Manual  ASCONFIGDIR:                   Config  ASDOMAINGROUP:                 <empty>  ASSVCACCOUNT:                  <empty>  ASSVCPASSWORD:                 *****  CONFIGURATIONFILE:             C:Program FilesMicrosoft SQL Server100Setup BootstrapLog20120605_111134ConfigurationFile.ini  FAILOVERCLUSTERGROUP:          <empty>  FAILOVERCLUSTERNETWORKNAME:    <empty>  FTSVCACCOUNT:                  <empty>  FTSVCPASSWORD:                 *****  HELP:                          False  INDICATEPROGRESS:              False  INSTANCENAME:                  MSSQLSERVER  ISSVCACCOUNT:                  NT AUTHORITYNetworkService  ISSVCPASSWORD:                 *****  ISSVCSTARTUPTYPE:              Automatic  MEDIASOURCE:                   E:SQl server 2008  QUIET:                         False  QUIETSIMPLE:                   False  SQLDOMAINGROUP:                <empty>  SQLSVCACCOUNT:                 <empty>  SQLSVCPASSWORD:                *****  X86:                           False  Configuration file:            C:Program FilesMicrosoft SQL Server100Setup BootstrapLog20120605_111134ConfigurationFile.ini Detailed results:  Feature:                       Database Engine Services  Status:                        Failed: see logs for details  MSI status:                    Passed  Configuration status:          Failed: see details below  Configuration error code:      0xBE03358B@1306@24  Configuration error description: Wait on the Database Engine recovery handle failed. Check the SQL Server error log for potential causes.  Configuration log:             C:Program FilesMicrosoft SQL Server100Setup BootstrapLog20120605_111134Detail.txt  Feature:                       SQL Client Connectivity  Status:                        Passed  MSI status:                    Passed  Configuration status:          Passed  Feature:                       SQL Client Connectivity SDK  Status:                        Passed  MSI status:                    Passed  Configuration status:          Passed  Feature:                       SQL Writer  Status:                        Passed  MSI status:                    Passed  Configuration status:          Passed  Feature:                       SQL Browser  Status:                        Passed  MSI status:                    Passed  Configuration status:          Passed  Feature:                       SQL Server Replication  Status:                        Failed: see logs for details  MSI status:                    Passed  Configuration status:          Failed: see details below  Configuration error code:      0xBE03358B@1306@24  Configuration error description: Wait on the Database Engine recovery handle failed. Check the SQL Server error log for potential causes.  Configuration log:             C:Program FilesMicrosoft SQL Server100Setup BootstrapLog20120605_111134Detail.txt  Feature:                       Full-Text Search  Status:                        Failed: see logs for details  MSI status:                    Passed  Configuration status:          Failed: see details below  Configuration error code:      0xBE03358B@1306@24  Configuration error description: Wait on the Database Engine recovery handle failed. Check the SQL Server error log for potential causes.  Configuration log:             C:Program FilesMicrosoft SQL Server100Setup BootstrapLog20120605_111134Detail.txt  Feature:                       Analysis Services  Status:                        Passed  MSI status:                    Passed  Configuration status:          Passed  Feature:                       Reporting Services  Status:                        Passed  MSI status:                    Passed  Configuration status:          Passed  Feature:                       Integration Services  Status:                        Passed  MSI status:                    Passed  Configuration status:          Passed  Feature:                       SQL Compact Edition Tools  Status:                        Passed  MSI status:                    Passed  Configuration status:          Passed  Feature:                       SQL Compact Edition Runtime  Status:                        Passed  MSI status:                    Passed  Configuration status:          Passed  Feature:                       Client Tools Connectivity  Status:                        Passed  MSI status:                    Passed  Configuration status:          Passed  Feature:                       Management Tools - Complete  Status:                        Passed  MSI status:                    Passed  Configuration status:          Passed  Feature:                       Management Tools - Basic  Status:                        Passed  MSI status:                    Passed  Configuration status:          Passed  Feature:                       Client Tools SDK  Status:                       &nb

  • Anonymous
    August 05, 2012
    Where is the rest of the answer???? Where do we create the folder? What do you call it and how do you give the SQL server permissions to access?? Half a job mate! @Steve, here is my response: Folder has to be created in %USERPROFILE%Application DataMicrosoft Folder should be called as PROTECT Permission can be granted to SQL Service account using Folder properties

  • Anonymous
    August 05, 2014
    Hi, great answer really! :-) Please tell me how to give the SQL Server service account full permission to access the folder! a) What's the name of it? b) if it is an account like NT Service oder NT Authority how to add it to the folder permissions, because they can not be picked. Thanks a lot!!!

  • Anonymous
    August 05, 2014
    Protect Folder was there, but not SQL Server Account was permitted. Since neither of the NT Services/ Accounts nor NT Authority/ Accounts show up at my permission window or in AD-List I can not choose those. So I tried "Everyone" and gave full access. Unfortunately, that does not make any difference! What seems to help is to change the Service User to a built in account e.g. Local Service. How ever, in log file the certifications can be generated sucessfully, but now getting Error: 18456, Severity: 14, State: 5.