Cluster is formed by using a local quorum resource after a cluster setup failure in Windows Server 2003 (888160)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition for Itanium-based Systems


Important This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SYMPTOMS

If you set up a new server cluster in Microsoft Windows Server 2003, and the system boot disk, the pagefile disks, and the cluster disks are on the same storage area network (SAN) fabric, a setup failure may occur. In this scenario, the ClusSvc registry subkey may be re-created. Therefore, the ManageDisksOnSystemBuses registry value is removed, and the server cluster is formed by using a local quorum resource.

In Windows Server 2003, you can use the ManageDisksOnSystemBuses registry DWORD value to enable the system boot disk, the pagefile disks, and the cluster disks to be on the same bus.

RESOLUTION

Warning If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

To resolve this problem, install the updated Microsoft Storport storage driver, version 5.2.3790.217, and then modify the registry to add and to enable the ManageDisksOnSystemBuses registry entry in the ClusSvc registry subkey. To do this, follow these steps.

Note These steps must be performed on each node after the node is added to the cluster.
  1. Install version 5.2.3790.217 of the Storport storage driver. This driver is described in the following article:

    883646 The updated Storport storage driver, version 5.2.3790.217, fixes a range of Storport-related problems in Windows Server 2003

  2. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
  3. Locate and then click the following subkey in the registry:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\ClusSvc\Parameters

    Note If you have Service Pack 1 installed, locate and then click the following subkey in the registry:

    HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Clusdisk\Parameters ManageDisksOnSystemBuses

  4. On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click DWORD Value.
  5. Type ManageDisksOnSystemBuses for the name of the DWORD, and then press ENTER.
  6. Right-click ManageDisksOnSystemBuses, and then click Modify.
  7. In the Value data box, type 0x01, and then click OK.
  8. Quit Registry Editor.
After you install the updated Storport storage driver and modify the registry, follow these steps to complete the procedure:
  1. After the first node is running the Cluster service, create new disk resources in Cluster Administrator, and then bring them online.
  2. After all the disks are online, use the procedure in the following article to move the quorum resource from a local disk to a disk resource that is listed in the Cluster Administrator tool:

    280353 How to change the Quorum disk designation

  3. Add the remaining nodes to the cluster, and then install the updated Storport storage driver. Add and enable the ManageDisksOnSystemBuses registry entry in the ClusSvc registry subkey for each node after it is added.
  4. Fail over all the resource groups to each cluster node.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

MORE INFORMATION

For additional information about how to change the quorum on a server cluster, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

259267 Microsoft Cluster Service installation resources

280353 How to change the quorum disk designation

For additional information about how to configure a server cluster, see Windows Server 2003 Help. For more informationinformation about the Windows 2003 SP1 step-by-step method that you can use to configure the quorum disk appropriately in the Cluster Configuration Wizard, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

886569 How to add a registry value to a Windows Server 2003-based computer that you start from a SAN so that the startup disk, the pagefile disks, and the cluster disks are all on the same SAN fabric

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:6/22/2006
Keywords:kbtshoot kbBug kbfix KB888160 kbAudITPRO
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