I performed an in-place upgrade from 64-bit Server 2008 R2 to Server 2012 R2.  This machine ran Active Directory Web Services. After the upgrade ADWS will not start. I get the following event log error:

Log Name:      Application
Source:        .NET Runtime
Date:          11/21/2014 3:23:02 PM
Event ID:      1026
Task Category: None
Level:         Error
Keywords:      Classic
User:          N/A
Computer:      COMPUTER
Description:
Application: Microsoft.ActiveDirectory.WebServices.exe
Framework Version: v4.0.30319
Description: The process was terminated due to an unhandled exception.
Exception Info: System.ServiceModel.CommunicationObjectFaultedException
Stack:
   at System.ServiceModel.Channels.CommunicationObject.Close(System.TimeSpan)
   at Microsoft.ActiveDirectory.WebServices.WindowsHostService.StartService(System.Object)
   at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.RunInternal(System.Threading.ExecutionContext, System.Threading.ContextCallback, System.Object, Boolean)
   at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(System.Threading.ExecutionContext, System.Threading.ContextCallback, System.Object, Boolean)
   at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(System.Threading.ExecutionContext, System.Threading.ContextCallback, System.Object)
   at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart(System.Object)

Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
  <System>
    <Provider Name=".NET Runtime" />
    <EventID Qualifiers="0">1026</EventID>
    <Level>2</Level>
    <Task>0</Task>
    <Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>
    <TimeCreated SystemTime="2014-11-21T20:23:02.000000000Z" />
    <EventRecordID>65596</EventRecordID>
    <Channel>Application</Channel>
    <Computer>COMPUTER</Computer>
    <Security />
  </System>
  <EventData>
    <Data>Application: Microsoft.ActiveDirectory.WebServices.exe
Framework Version: v4.0.30319
Description: The process was terminated due to an unhandled exception.
Exception Info: System.ServiceModel.CommunicationObjectFaultedException
Stack:
   at System.ServiceModel.Channels.CommunicationObject.Close(System.TimeSpan)
   at Microsoft.ActiveDirectory.WebServices.WindowsHostService.StartService(System.Object)
   at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.RunInternal(System.Threading.ExecutionContext, System.Threading.ContextCallback, System.Object, Boolean)
   at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(System.Threading.ExecutionContext, System.Threading.ContextCallback, System.Object, Boolean)
   at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(System.Threading.ExecutionContext, System.Threading.ContextCallback, System.Object)
   at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart(System.Object)
</Data>
  </EventData>
</Event>

I have exactly the same problem, also started after an in-place upgrade from 2008R2 to 2012R2.

The ADWS Service starts for me, and runs for about a minute - then crashes with the .NET Runtime error, accompanied by an Application Error 1000 event - blaming KERNELBASE.dll:

Faulting application name: Microsoft.ActiveDirectory.WebServices.exe, version: 6.3.9600.16384, time stamp: 0x5215cb7e

Faulting module name: KERNELBASE.dll, version: 6.3.9600.16656, time stamp: 0x5318237f

Exception code: 0xe0434352

Fault offset: 0x00000000000043c8

Faulting process id: 0xd74

Faulting application start time: 0x01d006a9aa6b055c

Faulting application path: C:\Windows\ADWS\Microsoft.ActiveDirectory.WebServices.exe

Faulting module path: C:\Windows\system32\KERNELBASE.dll

Report Id: e8e925a9-729c-11e4-80be-00155dc8ef0b

Faulting package full name:

Faulting package-relative application ID:

Any joy finding a solution/workaround, or any ideas what to try?

• Edited by SysAdminITL 11 hours 52 minutes ago More detail

I have exactly the same problem, also started after an in-place upgrade from 2008R2 to 2012R2.

The ADWS Service starts for me, and runs for about a minute - then crashes with the .NET Runtime error, accompanied by an Application Error 1000 event - blaming KERNELBASE.dll:

Faulting application name: Microsoft.ActiveDirectory.WebServices.exe, version: 6.3.9600.16384, time stamp: 0x5215cb7e

Faulting module name: KERNELBASE.dll, version: 6.3.9600.16656, time stamp: 0x5318237f

Exception code: 0xe0434352

Fault offset: 0x00000000000043c8

Faulting process id: 0xd74

Faulting application start time: 0x01d006a9aa6b055c

Faulting application path: C:\Windows\ADWS\Microsoft.ActiveDirectory.WebServices.exe

Faulting module path: C:\Windows\system32\KERNELBASE.dll

Report Id: e8e925a9-729c-11e4-80be-00155dc8ef0b

Faulting package full name:

Faulting package-relative application ID:

Any joy finding a solution/workaround, or any ideas what to try?

• Edited by SysAdminITL Saturday, November 22, 2014 11:34 PM More detail

Hi,

Compare the registry entries from a server that had ADWS working properly. We will find the registry in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\ADWS\Performance is missing, right?

They were (all REG_DWORD 32) First Counter, First Help, Last Counter, Last Help.

Regards.

Hi,

I just want to confirm what is the current situation.

Please feel free to let us know if you need further assistance.

Regards.

Hi,

we have the same Problem, after an in place upgrade. The registry keys First Counter, First Help, Last Counter, Last Help are there. It is another problem.

Regards

• Edited by Christina_h 1 hour 53 minutes ago

I compared the registry with a working system but the Counters - and all other keys - looked fine.

At the same time as upgrading a DC a colleague was updating an unrelated server, and he started to see similar events in the event log (but for the Dell OpenManage Essentials service, not ADWS). The error was complaining about KERNELBASE.dll which set my spider sense tingling. We knew that this server had Windows Updates pending. Fully updating it solved the problem on that server.

I solved the ADWS problem in the end by fully Windows Updating the DC. In particular, the ADWS Service started successfully after installing KB2919355 and rebooting. That also 'unlocked' a further 59 updates pending. 

After the in-place upgrade I always fully Windows Update but I'm 99% certain that KB2919355 did NOT show up when I did a Check for Updates straight after a reboot so I thought the DC was up-to-date. I then spent hours investigating the ADWS problem and rebooted as part of the diagnostics. It was then that I noticed on the logon screen that there were updates pending...

Moral of the story? Windows Update, then Update again, and again, and again. The length of time it takes to Windows Update after an upgrade from 2008R2 to 2012R2 is painful though.