29 réponses à ce sujet

[rosey1579]

You've all been there. You've all screamed, shouted and cried. I am currently about to impale my computer with a spear. The stupid toolset doesn't work. I have been scouring all the posts in the forums, but I can't understand the instructions they give to solve it!

Please can somebody make a guide for dummies!

I am a self confessed Dummy!

Don't let the database error claim another victim! 

[luna1124]

It says cannot connect to database? I only had that error once, I reinstalled the whole thing (database included) and have not had that particular error since.

[rosey1579]

I reinstalled it. I redownloaded it! STILL DOESN'T WORK! But for you, I will try again. Any specific options?

[Jeffonl1]

If you can paste the error message here maybe we can figure it out.   In general db connection errors are related to authorization.
but first
Ensure that the SQL Server 2005 Express server process is running.
Check this by:
1. Start → Control Panel (classic view) → Administrative Tools → Services
2. Scroll down and check that "SQL Server (SQLEXPRESS)" has the status of "Started". Start it if it is not already started.

Ensure that the SQL that the built-in account of the local system is used:
1. Start SQL Server Configuration Manager
2. Right-click on the SQL server name that you created
3. Select 'Properties'
4. On the Log On tab, set the option Log on as: to
"Built in account, Local System"
5. Restart Service and close Sql Server Config Mgr

[rosey1579]

Where do you get the error code?

[rosey1579]

Oh. Offline

[rosey1579]

COME BACK!

[Jeffonl1]

Hi
You should check to see if the SQL Server is running;
You can do this by going to 'Administrator Tools' in your Control Panel. (It may be under System&Security in your panel)
In the list you should select (click) 'Services'
A list will appear...
Scroll down to SQL SERVER.... there should be an instance called BWDATOOLSET (Bioware DA Toolset)
Right click and select properties
A window will appear: there are two things to check: The status should be 'Running' and set to 'Automatic Startup'
If 'Running' the server is likely okay. If stopped, try to start it

This window has multiple tabs. If you Select 'Logon" you can see the logon account.
The logon account is usually "Built in account, Local System"; but it can be Network Service with the current windowsuser password.

And while I'm thinking of it, the SQL Browser Service should also be running.

The error message should be in a pop-up when to try to run the toolset.
Alternatively you can look in your program list for Microsoft SQL Server 2005, and there should a utility to show the error log...

As a side note SQL 2005 is not compatible with Win8, but it should still run...

[DarthGizka]

The 2005 edition of SQL Server that ships with the toolset works well enough under Windows 8.1 (a.k.a. WinNT 6.1) to support the toolset itself. The server has quite a few problems with that Windows version (mostly related to permissions) and this makes it a pain to work with. However, the toolset runs perfectly fine with it.

 

I got fed up with having to run my own programs with admin rights in order to connect to the database, and so I reconfigured the toolset to use the free teaser edition ('Express') of SQL Server 2008 R2.

 

In any case I think Rosey should tell us what the bloody problem is. Like what's happening, or what's failing to happen. Error messages that may pop up. Something concrete.

[rosey1579]

I just assumed you knew what the database error was. The wiki says it is just a general error and that one should troubleshoot. But the files I am supposed to look in to find errorlogs don't exist! The database error reads as follows:

 

Unable to connect to database

 

Run the toolset configuration program and verify

your settings or search the toolset wiki

http://social.biowar.../wiki/datoolset to help with this issue

 

The toolset must now exit

 

I tried everything they said. I promise. Which is why I look to you learned scholars for help. I HOPE THAT'S ENOUGH INFO

[Jeffonl1]

Let us know when you've tried those few steps... I hope we can it working for you...
Are u using win7?
I found this:
http://social.biowar...troubleshooting
seems to be what you want, I trust
Good luck
If you need some clarification, for example on how to restore the database, we can help... the language in the database world can be a bit confusing lol

[DarthGizka]

The wiki has a page that deals specifically with the "Unable to connect to database" thing.

On newer 64-bit systems the toolset database ends up under "%ProgramFiles(x86)%\DAODB". On 32-bit systems it should look similar, just without the "(x86)" bit.

The subdirectory "MSSQL.1" holds the toolset's installation of SQL Server 2005 Express; the log files are in "%ProgramFiles(x86)%\DAODB\MSSQL.1\MSSQL\LOG".

The data files end up in "%ProgramFiles(x86)%\DAODB\Data"; they are named "bw_dragonage_content.mdf" and "bw_dragonage_content.ldf". Neither the directory nor the files should be compressed, and they must be accessible for the user running the toolset. That user needs to have administrative rights, because of the way the old server thing is broken.

In the service control applet the relevant service is named "SQL Server (BWDATOOLSET)"; its startup type should be set to "Automatic" to avoid having to start the service manually before running the toolset. The service control applet can be started by invoking the "Run" option of the start menu and typing "services.msc", or by right-clicking "This PC" in an explorer window, picking "Manage", and then navigating to "Services" under "Services and Applications".

[rosey1579]

Which errorlog file must be used? In the DAODB/MSSQL.1/MSSQL/LOG there are 5. There are also 4 log files. Am I in the right folder? How do I read an errorlog?

I did consult that toolset wiki, the error message tells me to. I just couldn't find the folders. I did a system search for ERRORLOG and it comes up with a lot of readme files for various other games. I set SQL to automatic startup.

 

In other news: BWDATOOLSET SQL thing is set to automatic startup and my folder does say program files(x86). Should I set it to local machine as suggested? Should I allow it to interact with desktop?

[rosey1579]

I'll try to figure out the full manual install again.

[DarthGizka]

I'd recommend opening the newest log file, and to look at its end. That should have the information regarding your latest attempt at starting the toolset.

 

Don't change anything yet. First we have to find out what's going on.

 

Regarding the service "SQL Server (BWDATOOLSET)": does it say "running" in the status column?

[rosey1579]

Alright. I heave reached the last step, made it to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE, but there is no bioware tab. Where do I find it? Must I take out the disk?

[DarthGizka]

Your desire for quick, decisive action is admirable. However, you'll probably get your toolset up and running more quickly if we identify and fix the problem.

 

Action: start the toolset, wait for it to complain, close it. Open the log file whose time stamp indicates that it has just been updated. Report your findings.

 

Action: start the service control applet to find out whether the BWDATOOLSET server instance is actually running. Report your findings.

[rosey1579]

I would do that, but I just reconfigured the toolset.

[DarthGizka]

Then you are much braver than I am - I chickened out and simply hacked the info in the registry.

 

Anyway, let's focus on the SQL server first. Is BWDATOOLSET listed as 'running' in the services applet?

[luna1124]

I honestly do not know. All I did was reinstall everything, including the database and it has been working ever since. Sorry.

[Sunjammer]

Alright. I heave reached the last step, made it to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE, but there is no bioware tab. Where do I find it?

If you have a 64-bit machine it will be HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432\BioWare\...etc.

[Jeffonl1]

I reinstalled everything as well. It happened because the database didn't appear to install correctly. All those 'help' notes in the tutorial and database error help page in wiki are too damn convoluted and I used to work in the computer field! How are lay people supposed to understand it? Did they get their most technical mind to write it? Yeesh. I much prefer the creation kit from bethesda's skyrim. I did some real mod damage with that!

Just try reinstalling everything. It's a matter of the database loading right. I got an error each time I had to install the toolset. The first time I don't even remember what it was. The second time it was that the database was wonky and didn't install properly. I tried all the other things I could figure out then just said screw it and reinstalled. Worked like a charm. Just waited patiently what it was loading. The other thing I did was I installed the 2008 version as part of my earlier fixes which *might* have made some kind of difference but I have no clue. I still let it install through the process and then it worked fine. No problems at all in loading it after reinstall.

I think it goes more to the problems with the database installing. It's not like we're messing around with intricate things here. It's a basic install then start up. So the likely candidate is that the database didn't install properly or fully.

I don't think you need to reconfigure the toolset at all. I did that too yesterday as a matter of fact. It didn't help. That's when I reinstalled. But this is just my thought on the matter after doing this just yesterday (or was it the day before... oh how they blur together....)

Just remember there are two parts to the install: the database engine and then the database. We need to be sure the engine is installed before looking at the database... Installed and running....
If we know the engine is alive we can restore the database .
Help if we know the win version...
It is probably an authorization problem that is preventing connection, but we won't know until Rosey can find the error logs.

[DarthGizka]

It is probably an authorization problem that is preventing connection, but we won't know until Rosey can find the error logs.

 
DragonAgeToolset.exe contains an embedded manifest which makes it run with elevated privileges on newer Windows versions. For one thing, this is totally unnecessary and it makes users form bad habits. For another, it masks a lot of permission problems by making connections succeed anyway, even with the 2005 edition of SQL server.
 
One program that does have problems with permissions is ConfigureToolset.exe. It does not contain a godmode manifest, meaning you can run it as a mere mortal. However, the database of a default install cannot be accessed without elevated privileges. This means that it will not appear in the database dropdown list displayed by ConfigureToolset.exe; you can still type the correct database name into the corresponding input field though. Even without admin privs the program will succeed in writing the information to the registry, because it writes to the user hive (HKEY_CURRENT_USER) instead of the local machine hive.
 
To be precise, it writes a new connection string to the REG_SZ value DatabaseConnection under HKCU\Software\BioWare\Dragon Age\Toolset\Environment. If this value exists then the toolset will use it instead of the corresponding DefaultDatabaseConnection in the local machine hive under HKLM\Software\Wow6432Node\BioWare\Dragon Age\Toolset\Environment.
 
The machine-wide toolset configuration under HKLM contains two more references to the DA content database, but as DatabaseName/ServerName pairs instead of connection strings:

HKLM\Software\Wow6432Node\BioWare\Dragon Age\Toolset\Common\MSSQL_IO
HKLM\Software\Wow6432Node\BioWare\Dragon Age\Toolset\TlkGenerator\Database\MSSQL
 
Like DefaultDatabaseConnection, these will continue to point at the old database, whether it exists or not. The consequences of that are impossible to predict, since these entries should not exist at all in a sanely structured system. It is possible that other, secondary toolset programs reference them instead of using the authorative info from HKCU/DatabaseConnection and HKLM/DefaultDatabaseConnection.
 
My advice is to meow them all (tack ".meow" onto the contents to keep things from going quietly wrong and to give you a hint what's up if you see a catty error message) except for HKCU/DefaultDatabaseConnection, or to delete the HKCU value and make all three HKLM values point to the same database.
 
ConfigureToolset.exe can be useful to find out whether the invoking user can connect to a given server instance, and whether that server instance makes the DA content database accessible at the invoking user's privilege level. However, the server selection dropdown list will not get populated unless the SQL Server Browser service is running (which is *not* needed for running the toolset). You can test without that service, but you have to type in the new server instance info if you want to change it. The database dropdown will get populated in any case, because that info comes from the selected server instance and not from the browser service.
 
Without SQL Server Management Studio it isn't exactly easy to find out where the database files for a given server instance actually reside (as opposed to where they should be located or where you think they are). The sqlcmd utility gets installed by default in most cases, so you could do something like this:
 

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Tools\Binn>sqlcmd -L

Servers:
    MAGNUM\BWDATOOLSET
    MAGNUM\SQLX2008R2

(2 rows affected)

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Tools\Binn>sqlcmd -Y 79 -S .\SQLX
2008R2 -Q "select name from master.sys.databases where owner_sid != 1"
name
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
dao_ts
bw_dragonage_content

(2 rows affected)

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Tools\Binn>sqlcmd -Y 79 -S .\sqlx
2008r2 -Q "select physical_name from dao_ts.sys.database_files"
physical_name
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
k:\data\SQLX2008R2\dao_ts.mdf
k:\data\SQLX2008R2\dao_ts.ldf

(2 rows affected)

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Tools\Binn>sqlcmd -Y 79 -S .\sqlx
2008r2 -Q "select physical_name from bw_dragonage_content.sys.database_files"
physical_name
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
k:\data\SQLX2008R2\bw_dragonage_content.mdf
k:\data\SQLX2008R2\bw_dragonage_content.ldf

(2 rows affected)

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Tools\Binn>sqlcmd -Y 79 -S .\BWDA
TOOLSET -Q "select physical_name from bw_dragonage_content.sys.database_files"
physical_name
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
C:\Program Files (x86)\DAODB\Data\bw_dragonage_content.mdf
C:\Program Files (x86)\DAODB\Data\bw_dragonage_content.ldf

(2 rows affected)

 
Two caveats: listing available server instances requires the SQL Server Browser service to be running, and it will likely take a while even so. The other commands do not. The third command likely requires an admin mode shell if there are rights problems, like with the 2005 edition of SQL Server. Instances of newer editions normally don't, if they have been set up for the pleasure of the computer's owner.