Repair the Windows Small Business Server 2011 Standard Console if desktop does not load

[Robert Bohacek]

In instances where desktop or start bar does not load follow below steps to repair. It is possible that older server may take up to 3-4 hours to fully start up especially if running MS Exchange. 

1. Go to Task Manager
   
2. Stop explorer.exe process
3. Go to File>New Task (Run)
4. type explorer.exe and Enter

If the Standard Console does not load follow the below steps: Applies To: Windows Small Business Server 2011 Standard

Problem   The Windows SBS 2011 Standard Console continually stops.

Solution  Repair the console by using the following procedure. If the problem is not resolved, run the console in Safe Mode and disable the pages that are stopping.

To repair the Windows SBS 2011 Standard Console

1. Click Start, click Control Panel, and then click Programs.

2. Click Uninstall a Program, click Windows Small Business Server 2011 Standard, and then click Change.

3. On the User Account Control page, click Continue.

4. Click Repair console.

5. If you are prompted to close one or more applications, verify that Automatically close applications and attempt to restart them after a setup is complete is selected, and then click OK.

6. Insert Windows SBS 2011 Standard Disc 2 (Component Technologies for Server Repair) into the server, and then click OK. The repair begins.

7. When the repair is complete, restart the server.

If the console continues to stop, run it in Safe Mode and then disable the pages that are stopping as follows:

To run the Windows SBS 2011 Standard Console in Safe Mode

1. Open a Command Prompt window with administrative privileges. See To open a Command Prompt window as an Administrator.

2. On the User Account Control page, click Continue.

3. Type cd C:\Program Files\Windows Small Business Server\Bin, and then press ENTER.

4. Type console.exe/safe, and then press ENTER.

To disable pages causing the console to stop

1. At the command prompt, open the console configuration file in Notepad by typing notepad C:\Program Files\Windows Small Business Server\Bin\console.exe.config, and then press ENTER.

2. If you know which page is causing the console to stop, disable the page by changing the Safe Mode value from True to False, click File, and then click Save.

   
   

3. Close Notepad.

4. Close the Windows SBS 2011 Standard Console, and then reopen it in Safe Mode to apply the new configuration, and to verify the changes.