I installed SQL Server Express 2005 on a Windows Server 2003 machine. The machine is not part of a domain, so SQL Server was installed using a local account.  I am successfully using my SQL Server database on my website and everything is fine except for one problem.  When the machine is restarted, SQL Server service does not start, even though it is configured to restart automatically.  There are several event logs associated with the failure, for example "The SQL Network Interface library could not deregister the Service Principal Name (SPN) for the SQL Server service.  Administrator should deregister this SPN manually to avoid client authentication errors."  or "The SQL Network Interface could not register the Service Principal Name (SPN) for the SQL Server service.  Error 0x54b.  Failure to register an SPN may cause integrated authentication to fall back to NTLM instead of Kerberos."  I don't know how to register or deregister an SPN, but more to the point, I am in over my head and don't know how to proceed without risking creating more problems.  There are other event logs, but I thought maybe these were the most significant ones.  Can someone suggest a course of act

Windows Server 2003 is past end-of-life, and SQL 2005 is very close to end-of-life.

Failure to register a SPN will not cause SQL Server to shut down.

Are you suggesting that the age of the OS is causing the problem?   We are not in a position to upgrade now--hoping to soon--getting SQL Server to run has to happen first, so hope there is a solution.

Here are some msiInstaller logs that might be pertinent:

The description for Event ID ( 11260 ) in Source ( MsiInstaller ) cannot be found. The local computer may not have the necessary registry information or message DLL files to display messages from a remote computer. You may be able to use the /AUXSOURCE= flag to retrieve this description; see Help and Support for details. The following information is part of the event: Product: Microsoft SQL Server Setup Support Files (English) -- Error 1260. Windows cannot open this program because it has been prevented by a software restriction policy. For more information, open Event Viewer or contact your system administrator.
, (NULL), (NULL), (NULL), (NULL), , .

Windows Installer reconfigured the product. Product Name: Microsoft SQL Server Setup Support Files (English). Product Version: 9.00.5000.00. Product Language: 1033. Reconfiguration success or error status: 1603.

Here is some added information.  As nearly as I can figure out, SQL Server service is stopping when the machine reboots after a Windows Update.  So I don't believe the stopping is abnormal, only the failure to restart is.

Hi,

Did you recently change SQL Service password ?

I changed from using "Built-in account" to "This account" inserting administrator credentials in an effort to solve this problem.  It didn't help.

I have only recently installed SQL Server on this machine and am trying to get it to work in conjunction with a website I just installed as well.  SQL Server not restarting is the last problem I need to solve to get everything working. 

I am looking at which SQL Server service pack I am using, and am not quite sure how to tell.  I think I may have gotten hold of a version of SQL Server 2005 that predates any of the service packs.  Maybe installing the one with sp3 would help.

>So I don't believe the stopping is abnormal, only the failure to restart is.

If the service starts and then stops there will be a log file and events from SQL Server telling you why.  If it never starts, then that's a Windows problem of some sort.

SQL 2005 SP4 is here: Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 4 RTM

David

I posted some MsiInstaller logs above.  I think you are right David--the logs do indicate the service fails to start because of a Windows problem, but I'm not having much luck figuring out what the log means or what to do about it.  I don't know why it is mentioning a remote computer.  There is no remote computer involved.  It mentions a software restriction policy.  I could not find any existing software restriction policies.

I have determined that I am using SQL Server 2005 Express sp2 on both my development machine and on the server (production machine) where I am having the problem.  The differences are that the development machine has a Windows 7 OS and is a domain member, so SQL Server was installed by a domain account. 

I hope someone can point me in the right direction with this problem.  I am a developer, not a systems person.  I work for a small organization and everything computer falls in my lap.  I have recently learned vb.net and created the first website I have done solo, have recently learned to use SQL Server after years of Access experience, and just moved my new website to the web server.  I am blundering along and have managed to solve all the problems but this one.  But if I don't seem to know what I am doing, there is a reason for that.  I DON'T KNOW WHAT I AM DOING.  Basic suggestions on how to troubleshoot this problem would be helpful, if anyone has any.  Thanks.

Those warnings you posted are not causing SQL Server to not start.  The last entries in the log should indicate why it is not starting.

Please post the last entries in the log file.  Also look at the Windows Event log on the server.