I purchased SQL Server 2014 64 bit and had been working on tabular models for a few weeks, when the service stopped working.  I'd go to start it and would get the message that the service started then stopped.  The SQL Server database and reporting services both start just fine. It was working fine on my Windows 7 Home Premium laptop, and then just stopped.  I'm not sure if it was a Windows update that caused it, or if something else changed, but the service just won't start anymore.

Microsoft "support" has been abysmal.  More than a week ago, I forked over $500 out of desperation to get it to work again, and all I got was a support rep who had me do a trace and upload the log.  And in the viewer the errors are the same, "The service cannot be started: Server failed to start listening on any network port."

Since then, nothing.  I keep emailing them and calling them, and all I get are responses saying "when's the best time to call you" and "sorry we've had a big influx of calls."  No matter how many times I tell them the hours I can be reached, this is the only response I keep receiving.  Well, to be honest, one rep called me at midnight and another one called after 10:30 PM, like those are viable times to work on the issue.

What does one have to do to get Microsoft to provide the support they FORCE you to pay for up front?

Hi McSQL,

According to your description, you only have SSAS service fail to start and throw"The service cannot be started: Server failed to start listening on any network port.". Right?

In this scenario, please go to the eventviewer to see what happens when you start SSAS service. For this error, it could be the permission issue of service account for SSAS so that the service unable to use the port. Please change it into a build-in account, like Local System. Please refer to the Shanky_621's reply in the feedback below:

https://connect.microsoft.com/SQLServer/feedback/details/387163/mssqlolapservice-start-request-failed

Regards,

Hi Simon, thanks for your reply, but that's not the problem because it's already using service account that's always had permissions.  In fact, it was working for weeks and just stopped.  I don't know what changed on my Windows 7 64 bit laptop between the time it did work and it didn't, it might have been a Windows update, change in my anti-virus...not sure, because I hadn't started it in about two or three weeks, so it's difficult to isolate.

If anyone from Microsoft is reading this, can you please let me know what's going with REG: 215082013061846002, because the people who've been assigned this case are LITERALLY ignoring it.

Thanks.

Like Simon said, if you try to start the service and they go into the Windows Event Viewer and check the application log (which you can find in Computer Management under System Tools -> Event Viewer -> Windows Logs -> Application) You should find more information about the failure there.

Otherwise you can try checking the SSAS log file which is usually located at a location like:

%ProgramFiles%\Microsoft SQL Server\MSAS11.MSSQLSERVER\OLAP\Log\msmdsrv.log

It may also have more information about why the service can't start.

Hi Darren, thanks for responding.  I remember you being helpful with other questions I've had in the past.

In the Windows viewer, it's the same message every time I try to start the service:

"The service cannot be started: Server failed to start listening on any network port."

I showed this message to the first person I called at Microsoft.

I've also sent them the msmsdsrv.log multiple times, too, the smoking gun in that file is:

(8/31/2015 10:22:08 PM) Message: The flight recorder was started. (Source: \\?\C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSAS12.MSSQLSERVER2\OLAP\Log\msmdsrv.log, Type: 1, Category: 289, Event ID: 0x41210005)
(8/31/2015 10:24:07 PM) Message: The service cannot be started: Server failed to start listening on any network port. (Source: \\?\C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSAS12.MSSQLSERVER2\OLAP\Log\msmdsrv.log, Type: 3, Category: 289, Event ID: 0xC1210000)
(8/31/2015 10:24:07 PM) Message: Service stopped. (Source: \\?\C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSAS12.MSSQLSERVER2\OLAP\Log\msmdsrv.log, Type: 1, Category: 289, Event ID: 0x41210001)

The above, is from a more recent attempt at starting...this same message persists for weeks in the log, when the problem initially started.

Microsoft support is deplorable.  I got a call from them yesterday saying they have to wait from someone on another team to look at it, even as the case has been open for two weeks now.

Hmm sounds like you ended up in the wrong queue. I think the trick with most big support organisations is to be able to get that first person who answers the phone to transfer you to the correct department.

When you installed SQL Server it should have installed a tool called "SQL Server Configuration Manager". If you start that up it the default view will show you a list of all the SQL Services that you have installed. If you double click on your SSAS instance it should show you a properties dialog for the service.

My suggestion would be to try switching to one of the built in accounts like "Local Service" or "Network Service" and see if SSAS starts up (There are start and stop buttons on the properties dialog itself). If it does you can stop it and try switching back to your other account and try starting it again.

It sounds to me like there might be some sort of permissions issue with the service account. The SQL Server Configuration Manager has some extra code to make sure that the account has the correct permissions set so switch to one of the built in accounts then switch back may reset these.

If that does not work you could go through this article
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms175371.aspx?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396 
and manually double check all the permissions, maybe the "Log on as a service" privilege has been removed. 
 

Hi Darren, thanks again for replying. 

The MS rep I spoke with almost two weeks ago (yes, it's been that long) tried using those accounts, and creating new ones with similar permissions, to no avail.

This wouldn't be as frustrating if SSAS 2014 never worked on this machine, but it did.  The first installation was dimensional and the second was a seperate instance for tabular, and both were working just fine.  I hadn't changed any permissions for anything on this machine (it's just a laptop used by me, not a server used by many people with many different accounts and settings), the service just stopped working, and I can't figure out why, and, apparently, neither can Microsoft.  All I've heard from Microsoft in the last four days was a phone call from one of their reps saying "the person who was supposed to work in this wasn't in the office today, don't worry, we'll get on it, (insert some other excuse here), etc...."

Again, if anyone at Microsoft is reading this, it's been almost two weeks and there's STILL no progress on REG: 215082013061846002, and I'll I've been getting is phone calls every other two or three days with some excuse as to why no one is helping on this issue.  Can you please look into this, or suggest an even higher level of escalation or manager I could contact about this?