Problem with new installation of C10 BI - can't do the initial startup

[Tim86]

I've seen a similar issue posted before, but the solutions didn't help me, so I'll start my own topic.

I installed Cognos 10.1 BI Server on a Windows 2008 R2 Enterprise server.  64-bit OS.  4 GB memory.  I opened Cognos Configuration and made the changes per the installation guide.  When I run the Configuration test, everything passes.  I created a content manager database in SQL Server 2005, and set it up to connect using Windows Authentication with an account that is an admin on both the database and also an admin on the Cognos BI server.  I used telnet to confirm port 1433 is not blocked between the servers.  I changed Data Execution Prevention to "Turn on DEP for essential Windows programs and services only".  Despite my best efforts, I continue to get the error below when I try to start Cognos. I've done a full day of Google searching for the various errors listed, and I failed to find a solution that works for me.  I even tried re-creating a new content manager database, with no change in results.

Successfully launched a test JVM with the memory setting of '1024'. Note that this does not guarantee that the IBM Cognos service will start and run successfully.

To see which JVM options are based on this setting, view ibmcognos_location/bin/bootstrap_<OS>.xml and see your JVM documentation for an explanation of those options.
16:02:14, 'LogService', 'StartService', 'Success'.
16:02:14, CAF input validation disabled.
16:02:14, CAF Third Party XSS checking disabled.
16:02:18, CM-CFG-5063 A Content Manager configuration error was detected while connecting to the content store.  CM-SYS-5003 Content Manager is unable to access the content store. Verify your database connection parameters, and then contact your database administrator for assistance.  Failed Logon:com.jnetdirect.jsql.JSQLException: Connection failed, no login ack received url:jdbc:JSQLConnect://1asql02:1433/cm/trustedAuthentication=true/applicationName=IBM_C8_CM Cause: Failed Logon:com.jnetdirect.jsql.JSQLException: Connection failed, no login ack received url:jdbc:JSQLConnect://1asql02:1433/cm/trustedAuthentication=true/applicationName=IBM_C8_CM    Runtime Exception stack trace:  com.jnetdirect.jsql.JSQLException: Failed Logon:com.jnetdirect.jsql.JSQLException: Connection failed, no login ack received url:jdbc:JSQLConnect://1asql02:1433/cm/trustedAuthentication=true/applicationName=IBM_C8_CM     at com.jnetdirect.jsql.JSQLDriver.connect(JSQLDriver.java:302)     at java.sql.DriverManager.getConnection(DriverManager.java:322)     at java.sql.DriverManager.getConnection(DriverManager.java:273)     at com.cognos.cm.dbstore.CMDbStoreFactory.getJDBCConnection(CMDbStoreFactory.java:1937)     at com.cognos.cm.dbstore.CMDbStoreFactory.getInitialConnection(CMDbStoreFactory.java:1758)     at com.cognos.cm.dbstore.CMDbStoreFactory.initContentIndependentBeforeLock(CMDbStoreFactory.java:1958)     at com.cognos.cm.dbstore.CMDbStore.initializeContentIndependentBeforeLock(CMDbStore.java:3840)     at com.cognos.cm.server.CMServlet.initializeContentStoreContentIndependentBeforeLock(CMServlet.java:2122)     at com.cognos.cm.server.CMServlet.init(CMServlet.java:1894)     at com.cognos.cm.server.ContentManager.start(ContentManager.java:403)     at com.cognos.cm.server.ContentManagerLifecycleHandler.start(ContentManagerLifecycleHandler.java:62)     at com.cognos.pogo.services.DefaultHandlerService.start(DefaultHandlerService.java:94)     at com.cognos.pogo.services.DispatcherServices.startInititalServices(DispatcherServices.java:388)     at com.cognos.pogo.transport.PogoServlet$PogoStartup.run(PogoServlet.java:604)     at com.cognos.pogo.util.threads.SafeThread.safeRun(SafeThread.java:70)     at com.cognos.pogo.util.threads.SafeThread.run(SafeThread.java:61) 
16:02:18, 'ContentManager', 'getActiveContentManager', 'Failure'.
DPR-CMI-4006 Unable to determine the active Content Manager. Will retry periodically.
16:02:18, 'com.cognos.pogo.contentmanager.coordinator.ActiveCMControl', 'pogo', 'Failure'.
DPR-DPR-1035 Dispatcher detected an error.
null
16:03:14, 'CPS Producer Registration Service', 'StopService', 'Success'.
16:03:14, 'EventService', 'StopService', 'Success'.
16:03:14, 'MetadataService', 'StopService', 'Success'.
16:03:14, 'IndexDataService', 'StopService', 'Success'.
16:03:14, 'AgentService', 'StopService', 'Success'.
16:03:14, 'AnnotationService', 'StopService', 'Success'.
16:03:14, 'IndexUpdateService', 'StopService', 'Success'.
16:03:14, 'HumanTaskService', 'StopService', 'Success'.
16:03:14, 'JobService', 'StopService', 'Success'.
16:03:14, 'DeliveryService', 'StopService', 'Success'.
16:03:14, 'DimensionManagementService', 'StopService', 'Success'.
16:03:14, 'com.cognos.pogo.services.DefaultHandlerService', 'pogo', 'Failure'.
DPR-DPR-1035 Dispatcher detected an error.
null
16:03:14, 'MonitorService', 'StopService', 'Success'.
16:03:14, 'ReportService', 'StopService', 'Success'.
16:03:14, 'ContentManagerCacheService', 'StopService', 'Success'.
16:03:14, 'camAsyncAA', 'StopService', 'Success'.
16:03:14, 'IBM Cognos Enhanced Search Service', 'StopService', 'Success'.
16:03:14, 'ReportDataService', 'StopService', 'Success'.
16:03:15, 'GraphicsService', 'StopService', 'Success'.
16:03:15, 'com.cognos.pogo.services.DefaultHandlerService', 'pogo', 'Failure'.
DPR-DPR-1035 Dispatcher detected an error.
null
16:03:15, 'BUX Service', 'StopService', 'Success'.
16:03:15, 'com.cognos.pogo.services.DefaultHandlerService', 'pogo', 'Failure'.
DPR-DPR-1035 Dispatcher detected an error.
null
16:03:15, 'SystemService', 'StopService', 'Success'.
16:03:14, 'IndexSearchService', 'StopService', 'Success'.
16:03:15, 'BatchReportService', 'StopService', 'Success'.
16:03:15, 'Fragment Server Service', 'StopService', 'Success'.
16:03:15, 'ContentManagerService', 'StopService', 'Success'.
16:03:15, 'QueryService', 'StopService', 'Success'.
16:03:15, 'LogService', 'StopService', 'Success'.
[ ERROR ] CFG-ERR-0103 Unable to start IBM Cognos service.
Execution of the external process returns an error code value of '-1'.

[sunosoft]

You would have verified this again and again. But few days back I was trying to install cognos on my laptop, using SQL server 2008 as content store. I also faced similar kind of issue. And It was all about the paramters which I was providing in cognos configuration.

check if database name, server name are correct or not. I was giving schema name instead of DB name.

Did you create separate schema for Cognos ?

[Tim86]

Yes, I've verified the parameters many times, trying to find a mistake.  The strange thing is...when I click on the Content Manager resource test, it passes that test, but still fails to start.  I'm definitely using the db name and not the schema name.  I did create a separate schema, although I don't know who Cognos knows to use that schema, since it doesn't ask me to specify the schema name anywhere.

[Tim86]

I finally figured it out after two days of frustration!  It is now started successfully!  My issue was with the Windows Services "Log On As" setting (which is configured via services.msc).  It was set to "Local System", which I needed to change to the specific user that I intend to use as the Cognos service account.  Even if you are logged in as that user when you are starting Cognos, it will still fail if the Windows service is set to Local System.

The frustrating thing is that I knew this needed to be changed, and I had looked for it multiple times the last couple days, but I wasn't seeing the service appear in the list.  I assumed maybe it wouldn't appear until I started it for the first time, but now I know there must be some other reason I wasn't seeing it.  Somewhere along the line, one of the things I tried must have accidentally made it appear in the list.  If anyone else is struggling with this same issue, here is my suggestion:
1.  In Cognos Configuration, under Environment...IBM Cognos Services, rename the service to something other than the default.  I changed mine to "Cognos 10".  Save and test the configuration.
2.  Check to see if the new service name appears in the Windows Services list; if it doesn't appear yet, restart the server, and check again.
3.  Change the "Log On As" property for that service to the user you intend to use as the Cognos service account.

Hopefully this helps someone who might be struggling with the same problem I experienced.  Sadly, the IBM installation guide doesn't list this in their configuration steps.