Event Log Error 3221229574 from Service Control Manager (223397)

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, proceed through the following checklist of items on the Cluster Node that the MSDTC fails to start on. If none of the items in the checklist help resolve the issue, then you will have to remove and reinstall the MSDTC on the Cluster Server computer.

Before performing the following steps, take the MSDTC service offline if it is not already. It is also advisable to set the Advanced Properties of the MSDTC Cluster Resource to "Do Not Restart," and then move the Resource Group with the MSDTC Resource in it to the Node on which the MSDTC Resource fails to start.

1. From a command line, type the following:

   DAC

   This should launch the MSDTC Admin Console. From the Admin Console, click the Advanced Tab. Verify that the Drive and Location for the MSDTC log is correct.
   
   If the MSDTC Admin Console does not run, then proceed directly to Removing the MSDTC.
2. Make sure the Msdtc.log file exists in the MSDTC Log directory location determined from Item 1. If this directory does not exist, then create it manually.
3. Check permissions to the MSDTC LOG directory and files (Everyone Full Control).
4. Delete the Dtcxatm.log file..
5. If the MSDTC Admin Console is still open, close it. From a command line, type the following:

   DAC

   This should launch the MSDTC Admin Console. From the Admin Console, click the Advanced Tab, and then click the "Reset Log" button. If a log file already exists, and you are asked if you want to delete it, choose "YES."
   
   If the MSDTC Admin Console will not run, then proceed directly to removing the MSDTC.

If the above steps did not resolve the problem and the MSDTC will still not come online, then you must remove and reinstall the MSDTC on the Cluster Server computer. Use the following steps to remove the MSDTC from both nodes on the Cluster Server computer, and then reinstall the MSDTC.

To remove the MSDTC, do the following:

1. Move the Cluster Resource Group to Node A where you want to install the MSDTC Resource onto. If SQL Server is installed and clustered on the system, it is recommended that you install the MSDTC into the SQL Server Cluster Group.
   
   DO NOT INSTALL THE MSDTC INTO THE DEFAULT CLUSTER GROUP!
2. On Node A, go to a command prompt and type the following:

   msdtc -remove

3. On Node B, go to a command prompt and type the following:

   msdtc -remove

4. Remove the MSDTC instance from the Cluster Resource Group.

To reinstall the MSDTC, do the following:

1. From a command prompt on node A type the following:

   msdtc -install -d %windir%\system32 -l <location of MSDTC log file on shared disk> -v <Name of virtual server in the resource group you wish to install the MSDTC instance into.>

   NOTE: If the incorrect path is used on the "-d" switch, an Event 7000 with source of Service Control Manager will be logged in the System Event Log. It will have the following Description:
   The MSDTC service failed to start due to the following error: The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.
2. If the version of either the Msdtc.exe or the Msdtc.dll file on Node B is newer than 1997.11.532.0, then from a command prompt on Node B type the following:

   msdtc -join %windir%\system32

   -or-

   msdtc -join

Note: If you are installing or reinstalling the MSDTC Resource into a SQL Server Cluster Group, you must add the SQL Server resource into the MSDTC dependency list. If this is not performed, then the SQL Server group may take up to five minutes to failover.