XADM: Error Message: "The Command Lodctr Dsactrs.ini Failed, Returning an Error Code of <32>" when You Install Exchange Server 5.5 (265870)

SYMPTOMS

When you install Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 on a Hewlett-Packard (HP) NetServer LPr using the HP NetServer Navigator CD Version L 15, you have the option to install the HP NetServer Agents and Symantic PC Anywhere 8.0. These options are selected by default. The installation of Windows NT proceeds normally with no issues as does the Windows NT 4.0 service pack installation. When the installation is finished, eight HP processes will start referencing different agents.

When you then install Exchange Server 5.5, just after the files are copied from the CD and you receive the message that states that Exchange Server 5.5 is installing the services and updating the registry, you receive the following error message:

The command lodctr dsactrs.ini failed, returning an error code of 32

NT Error Code 32= The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process.

CAUSE

This error is returned because the file is locked open. For example, the processes used by the HP agents have a lock on the following files:

Perfc009.dat
Perfh009.dat

There are eight processes that you can view in Task Manager starting with the letters "hp" that are running and part of the HP NetServer agents. These processes have a lock on the Perfc009.dat and Perfh009.dat files that Exchange Server 5.5 updates during installation.

This lock causes the Exchange Server 5.5 installation to fail.

RESOLUTION

To resolve the issue and complete the installation, follow theses steps:

In Control Panel, click Add/Remove Programs.
Remove the HP NetServer agents.
Restart the server.
Finish installing Exchange Server 5.5. The installation will now perform cleanly.

WORKAROUND

To work around this issue, and if certain processes do not end (for example, HPmos.exe), disable all the HP services, then reboot the server. This ends all processes that are running, and ensures that the HP services do not restart until issue is resolved.

MORE INFORMATION

The third-party products that are discussed in this article are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding the performance or reliability of these products.