# Server 2012 R2 Essentials - Dashboard Does Not Function



## MattGreer (Apr 11, 2019)

I'm a hobbyist with computers. I built a server from scratch and using a guide (_Using Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials _by Terry Walsh and Jim Clark) I installed the OS successfully, setting up backups and users. I added Stablebit Drivepool and Scanner at the beginning; those are the only add-ins/programs I've added with the exception of the APC software to shut the server down should the UPS run out of battery. Added storage, backed stuff up, everything seemed to be just fine for the past couple years. The server has been running just fine for two years.

I don't often log into the server as it does it's job backing up and storing files just fine. Seems to continue doing that. Recently when I try to start the server Dashboard from a client, the screen comes up and says "logging out..." and the window immediately closes. When I try to start the Dashboard on the server itself, it just simply won't come up. I've tried locally on the server as well as from Remote Desktop. Locally and RDP the Dashboard just won't even come up.

I tried restoring from the earliest backup I have but the issue is still there, so I don't know how long this has been a problem. At least two months it seems.

The server seems to be doing its job tho, backups I believe are happening, files are being stored as always, nothing seems amiss. I just don't know enough about the software to use the built-in apps to manage what's going on.

*Questions/Options*

Is there a way to reinstall the Dashboard?
If there's not a way to reinstall the Dashboard, is there a way to move the specific information related to the users and computers to the pool (I use DrivePool) so that when I reinstall the OS I can simply point to those files/database and everything will be restored in some way?

Thanks for your help!

-Matt


----------



## lunarlander (Sep 22, 2007)

Try running an admin command prompt, and use "sfc /scannow". SFC repairs certain kinds of corruption.

If your server does not need to connect to the internet, then don't give it the gateway in IPv4 Properties. Unattended machines are often attacked, and you won't find out until months afterwards.


----------



## MattGreer (Apr 11, 2019)

lunarlander,

Thank you for your help! I'm running that right now.

If I understand your suggestion correctly, I simply go in and delete the gateway from IPV4 properties? Could I also block it from the Internet from my router? Or would that not achieve the same results?

Also, if I do that, will the server still be aware when the client computers need to be updated? I receive alerts from the Server if there are updates/patches that need to be applied to the other computers in my house.

Lastly, as far as updates/patches to the server itself, should I reconnect it periodically to see what's available and what should be applied?

Thank you!


And one more question, I was reading this thread which might provide a clue as to what caused the issue to begin with. I'm curious about the mention of AD at the end of the thread. In order to restore all the client computer backups (saved on separate drives) and the users, permissions, folder permissions, etc., would a backup and then restore of Active Directory put everything back the way it was, so to speak?

-matt


----------



## MattGreer (Apr 11, 2019)

The scan finished and I received the following message:

"Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them. Details are included in the CBS.LOG windir\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. For example... Note that logging is currently not supported in offline scenarios."

Opening the log file, the data starts at 2019-03-26. What I see:


There's a lot of "ignoring duplicate ownership" messages
2019-04-13 11:19:43, Info CSI 000008eb [SR] Could not reproject corrupted file [ml:520{260},l:106{53}]"\??\C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\WPF"\[l:50{25}]"PresentationFramework.dll"; source file in store is also corrupted
There was another message with the word "corrupt" in it but it reports that it was able to repaire the file.

I tried to look for updates to start uninstalling them as per the thread I linked to in my previous post. I can't run the server manager. He's the entry in the application log. Does this provide any clue as to what my issue might be?

Faulting application name: ServerManager.exe, version: 6.3.9600.17238, time stamp: 0x53d0b3e7
Faulting module name: KERNELBASE.dll, version: 6.3.9600.19269, time stamp: 0x5c5e079f
Exception code: 0xe0434352
Fault offset: 0x0000000000008e6c
Faulting process id: 0x2350
Faulting application start time: 0x01d4f21e8a48a43a
Faulting application path: C:\Windows\system32\ServerManager.exe
Faulting module path: C:\Windows\system32\KERNELBASE.dll
Report Id: c8037e35-5e11-11e9-812c-0cc47a097d7b
Faulting package full name:
Faulting package-relative application ID:​
Again, I appreciate whatever help you can provide!

-Matt


----------



## MattGreer (Apr 11, 2019)

So I uninstalled KB4483450 and that resolved the problem. Dashboard came back. And then the server promptly automatically reinstalled the update and rebooted. I have disabled automatic updates...

With such a plain-vanilla server, I wonder why that update would have caused these issues?

Should I report this to Microsoft and if so, how would I do that? Is it even worth it?

-Matt


----------

