MSSearch.exe takes 100% cpu, and "Can not be administered..."

[Chris Crowe [MVP]]

Subject: SQL Server 2000 - mssearch.exe using 100% cpu permanantly
From: "chris crowe" <ch...@adrock.com>

We have just installed a SQL server 2000 Standard version 1 processor
license on a Windows 2000 server.

When I tried to configure a full text catalog I got the following error
"The Microsoft search service could not be administered under the
present user account"

Today 2 days later I noticed that the server is running at 100% cpu and
the MSSEARCH.EXE service is taking it all.

This is a new server and still in development, but I do not know where =
to go with this problem.

The MSSearch.exe runs as a service to implement full text indexing of =
SQL server data. If we reboot it instantly returns to 100%, if I kill
the process using "KILL" and then restart the service it again instantly
jumps to 100% cpu.

Note: the MSSearch.exe process never uses more than 2MB of ram

The machine is a compaq prolient 3000 with 500MB ram running Windows
2000 Server.

Any help would be appreciated...

Chris Crowe [MVP, MCP+i]
IIS FAQ Web Site
www.iisfaq.com

[John Kane]

Chris,
Do you have the "Microsoft Search" (MSSearch.exe) service started up under a
DOMAIN\account?
If so, change it back to to "System Account" (LocalSystem) and then stop and
re-start the the "Microsoft Search" (MSSearch.exe) service. We have the
symptoms you've described when the the "Microsoft Search" (MSSearch.exe)
service is started under a non-LocalSystem account. Note, the the "Microsoft
Search" (MSSearch.exe) service should always be started under LocalSystem.
Regards,
John

"Chris Crowe [MVP]" <ch...@iisfaq.com> wrote in message
news:MPG.14c75916a...@msnews.microsoft.com...

[Umachandar Jayachandran]

Ha, I had the same problem on my laptop & PC (both WIN2K servers). Did
you do any thing after the SQL Server setup was done - like changing service
account using control panel etc? I was just wondering what you did to get
this problem & compare with my scenario also. Otherwise, you have to try
what John suggested & see if it resolves the problem for you.

--
Umachandar Jayachandran
SQL Resources at http://www.umachandar.com/resources.htm
( Please reply only to newsgroup. )

[Topogigio]

"John Kane" <jk...@microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:3a5ca85b$2...@news.microsoft.com...

> Chris,
> Do you have the "Microsoft Search" (MSSearch.exe) service started up under
a
> DOMAIN\account?
> If so, change it back to to "System Account" (LocalSystem) and then stop
and
> re-start the the "Microsoft Search" (MSSearch.exe) service. We have the
> symptoms you've described when the the "Microsoft Search" (MSSearch.exe)
> service is started under a non-LocalSystem account.

Yes, I has the same beahvior..

But for his other problem (about adminstration)?

[Chris Crowe [MVP]]

In article <ekcJx#4eAHA.1512@tkmsftngp05>, umach...@yahoo.com says...

> Ha, I had the same problem on my laptop & PC (both WIN2K servers). Did
> you do any thing after the SQL Server setup was done - like changing service
> account using control panel etc? I was just wondering what you did to get
> this problem & compare with my scenario also. Otherwise, you have to try
> what John suggested & see if it resolves the problem for you.

Hi,
With the help of John, I got the 100% problem sorted out. It was
related to the account. I put it back to the System Account and the 100%
cpu usage went back to normal.

I now have another problem where I can not create a full text catalog
because of the account.

The exact message is "The Microsoft search service could not be

administered under the present user account"

I have not yet got this sorted, John has given me lots of things to
check, but so far nothing has worked.

Chris

--
For IIS ADSI based scripts checkout www.iisfaq.com/adsiscripts

Chris Crowe [MVP]
IISFAQ Web Site
www.IISFAQ.COM

[Umachandar Jayachandran]

>> The exact message is "The Microsoft search service could not be
>> administered under the present user account"

Well, I could never get this sorted out. I tried everything that John
suggested. You may have better luck. The only thing left is to uninstall
SQL2000 & install again which I will not get to for some time. BTW, my setup
is as follows:

WIN2K Server (Stand-alone no network card etc)
SQL65
SQL70 + SP3
SQL2000 Dev
SQL2000 Ent

[Topogigio]

"Umachandar Jayachandran" <umach...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:eWatjsbfAHA.1888@tkmsftngp04...

> >> The exact message is "The Microsoft search service could not be
> >> administered under the present user account"
>
> Well, I could never get this sorted out. I tried everything that John
> suggested. You may have better luck.

I too...

The only thing left is to uninstall
> SQL2000 & install again which I will not get to for some time.

I have the problem on the production server: I can't uninstall and reinstall
all...

BTW, my setup
> is as follows:
>
> WIN2K Server (Stand-alone no network card etc)
> SQL65
> SQL70 + SP3
> SQL2000 Dev
> SQL2000 Ent

I have W2K Server + SQL2K Ent...

bye

[Chris Crowe [MVP]]

In article <#GbR73gfAHA.1756@tkmsftngp05>,
nonscr...@questoindirizzo.it says...

>
> "Umachandar Jayachandran" <umach...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:eWatjsbfAHA.1888@tkmsftngp04...
> > >> The exact message is "The Microsoft search service could not be
> > >> administered under the present user account"
> >
> > Well, I could never get this sorted out. I tried everything that John
> > suggested. You may have better luck.
>
> I too...
>
> The only thing left is to uninstall
> > SQL2000 & install again which I will not get to for some time.
>

Hi all,

Well John cracked it (for me anyway). We found through a lot of
searching what the problem was on my machine. The Microsoft Search
service has a registry key that contains the applications that are
configured to use the Search Service. In my case there were 0
applications configured.

check this registry key for any SUB KEYS.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Search\1.0\Applications

In my case there were no sub keys (There should be a sub key called
SQLServer)

John game me a script to run which checked these services, but on my
machine it failed.

After a lot of checking by John he suggested I remove a registry key to
say that the full text search had been installed and reinstall the Full
Text service.

Well this did the trick, the serivce installed (no reboot required) and
bang a full text catalog.

The soluition that John found to my problem was this:

1) Load RegEdit.exe
2) Goto this registry key

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\MSSQLServer\Tracking

Find the item named

{E07FDDA7-5A21-11d2-9DAD-00C04F79D434}

and rename it (I put an X in the front of it)

This tricks SQL server into thinking that the Fulltext service is not
installed.

Then load the SQL 2000 install program from the CD and run through it
until you get to a dialog that asks if you want to "Add components to
your existing installation" and select "Server Components" and the sub-
component "Full Text Search" should not be check marked. Please, "check
mark" it and click on Next to continue the installation taking all other
defaults you previously selected during your initial installation. If
the sub-component "Full Text Search" is already "check marked", we may
need to delete a different Registry tracking key to "re-install" FTS.

After the install I checked the registry and the SQLServer subkey was
there.

Let me know how you get on.