Dynamics AX 2012 on Windows Server 8 Beta with SQL 2012 RC0

3. March 2012 Leave a comment

Microsoft recently released Windows Server 8 Beta and Windows 8 Consumer Preview. So my first though was about running Dynamics AX 2012 on Server 8 and Windows 8. However, installing AX 2012 on Server 8 failed due incompatibility with windows installer. But Windows Server 8 and Windows 8 Betas still come with an upgrade option. So I had the idea install AX 2012 on Server 2008 R2 and upgrade to Windows Server 8 Beta.

Prolog (the IBM x3400 thing)

We’ve bought an IBM x3400 M3 server for a customer. We’re still waiting for some hard disks to deliver, so the server is unused and becomes my testing platform for the moment. Installing Windows 8 Beta was straight forward, but as mentioned installing AX 2012 failed. So next I failed installing Windows Server 2008 R2 because no hard disk was found (missing driver). The solution:

Download drivers from IBM IBM ServeRAID M Series and MR10 SAS Controller Driver for Windows
Extracting them, copy the win2k8r2-64 directory on USB stick (2nd Image, Yellow USB stick)
Start Windows Server 2008 R2 installation from DVD and provide drivers from USB

IBM x3400 M3 and Raid driver on USB for Windows Server 2008 R2 installation

Windows Server 2008 R2, SQL Server 2012 RC0

Next I’ve joined the new 2008 R2 server to our domain. Loving Betas, Previews and other unstable stuff I’ve installed SQL Server 2012 RC0 to serve as database server for AX.

Installed .NET Framework 3.5.1 Feature using Server Manager
Installed .NET Framework 4.0 Full package
Installed NDP40-KB2390372-v2-x64 patch for .NET 4.0
Installed C++ Runtime Environments from AX 2012 DVD
Installed SQL Server Native Client
Installed Report Viewer 2012 from AX 2012 DVD
Installed Identity Foundation from AX 2012 DVD
Installed Open XML SDK for Office from AX 2012 DVD
Installed SQL Server 2012 RC0 full featured

SQL Server 2012 RC0 Full Featured

Pizza Break

Ham, Eggs, Bacon, Onion and Corn, Coke and Tiramisu

Admin’s workplace

Dynamics AX 2012

AX on SQL 2012 RC0 is a little bit tricky, because even database creation failed. So I’ve set up an AOS using another SQL Server 2008 R2 with an existing AX 2012 database and baseline. Next I restored an AX 2012 database from a backup in SQL 2012 RC0 and configured the AOS to use it. Works as it should. However, the reporting extensions are not compatible with RC0 and installation failed.

AX 2012 using SQL 2012 RC0

Upgrade to Windows Server 8 Beta
Installed Windows Server Backup Feature from Server Manager and create a backup
Downloaded Server 8 ISO
Extracted it and copied it onto an USB stick using xcopy *.* /s/e/f u:\\
Started Upgrade from DVD or USB
The Upgrade took quite a lot of time until windows was ready

Windows Server 8 Beta Data Center Edition with GUI

Upgrade an existing Installation

Windows Server 8 Beta is starting up, …

Finally! Windows Server was upgraded from 2008 R2 to 8 Beta

Repairing Dynamics AX

Well, Windows as upgraded successfully but Dynamics AX is not working any more Trauriges Smiley Starting the AOS results in an error. Reviewing the windows event error logs brings up the details:

Object Server 01: Error accessing registry: Cannot open key SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Dynamics Server\6.01. Error code: 0

Object Server 01: The directory "C:\Windows\system32\\bin" does not exist or access to it has been denied by the operating system.

Object Server 01: The home directory for Axapta (C:\Windows\system32\) does not match the required structure or can not be accessed. Please check installation, configuration and access rights.

Object Server 01: Server terminated unexpectedly with 10 exitcode.

The reason is an missing registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\DynamicsServer\601

I solved this issue by importing an AX configuration from another server’s registry

Opened an RDP session to an other 2008 R2 server running an AX 2012 AOS
Start > Run > regedit
Navigated to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\DynamicsServer\60
Exported the registry key as file (Context Menu > Export)
Copied the .reg file the Server 8 Beta desktop and imported it
There are a lot of settings and paths in the registry, make sure these settings apply to your w8 server
Started the Server Configuration Utility and changed the database setting back to localhost
Started the AOS
Started the Client