[There's a reason that Yoda is the unofficial mascot of SBS. Size indeed matters not.] Are you getting an error referring to #50070: Unable to connect to the database STS_Config? - THE OFFICIAL BLOG OF THE SBS "DIVA"
Sat, Mar 27 2004 15:20 bradley

Are you getting an error referring to #50070: Unable to connect to the database STS_Config?

From a post in the newsgroups....

“Based on my research, this problem could be caused because the SharePoint
Timer Service failed to contact the SharePoint database while the SBS is
rebooting. In SBS 2003, the SharePoint Timer Services is used to send
notifications and performs scheduled tasks of WSS. It needs to access the
SharePoint database when starting. Since the Veritas Backup exec software
is installed on the server box and several backup exec related services
have started during the reboot, these services could cause the SharePoint
database from being mounted in a timely manner, thus, causing the problem
to occur.

I reproduced this problem in my test machine. After the MSSQL$SHAREPOINT
service has stopped, this error message will be logged in the application
log. You may now try to manually start this service to see if the problem
will still occur.

1. Start-->Run-->Type 'services.msc' (without the quotation marks) and
press Enter.

2. In the Services console, stop the 'SharePoint Timer Services'. Check the
status of the 'MSSQL$SHAREPOINT' service, make sure it has been started and
then restart the 'SharePoint Timer Services'. The problem should be
resolved.

If there is no problem with the manually service startup, we can set a
service dependent of the SharePoint Timer Service. Please try the following
steps:

1. Start-->Run-->Type 'Regedit' (without the quotation marks) and press
Enter.

2. In the registry editor, navigate to the following registry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SPTimer

3. Right-click the blank area in the right panel, click
'New'-->'Multi-String Value'.

4. Input the value name 'DependOnService' (without the quotation marks) and
then double-click the newly created value. In the value data area, type
'MSSQL$SHAREPOINT' and click 'OK'.

5. Close the registry editor and reboot the server box.“

Filed under: ,

# So I just moved around the furniture a bit...

Thursday, May 27, 2004 7:16 PM by TrackBack

# re: Are you getting an error referring to #50070: Unable to connect to the database STS_Config?

Monday, June 07, 2004 6:18 AM by bradley

This issue is now covered by a KB article: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;840685

# So Exchange SP1 seems to have hosed your Companyweb?

Thursday, July 01, 2004 4:01 PM by TrackBack

Have no fear, young grasshopper . . .

So I'm applying Exch SP1 on the server here at the office (been running it at home for a little while). So I finish the install and notice that I can't access my Companyweb site . . .

# #50070: Unable to connect to the database STS_Config?

Friday, December 24, 2004 12:46 PM by bradley

This behavior occurs if the version of the Oledb32.dll file on the computer is not 2.8 or a later version. This is likely when you have upgraded to Windows Server 2003. Simply installing MDAC 2.8 will NOT upgrade the dll.

Aroudn 20% (source: Microsoft Tech Support) of "cannot connect to configuration" error is caused by the older Oledb32.dll issue

This also causes the error "Error accessing database. Verify that the database server name and the instance name (if present) are correct. Also, ensure the configuration database administration account has sufficient permissions on the server or instance and the service corresponding to your SQL Server instance is running. "

<a href='http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;883547'>Knowledge base article "Unable to connect to database" error</a>

# re: Are you getting an error referring to #50070: Unable to connect to the database STS_Config?

Tuesday, May 31, 2005 5:26 PM by bradley

We have configured the Sharepoint Timer service to depend on the MSSQL$SHAREPOINT service (as per the instructions above) but are still receiving the #50070 error message on startup. It would appear that Sharepoint is running OK but we'd like to have a clean event log. The Sharepoint Timer service is running under an NT AUTHORITY/NETWORK SERVICE logon whereas all the other associated (SQL) services are running as Localsystem. In IIS the MSSharePointAppPool is using the "Local System" identity and the StsAdminPool is using the "Network Service" identity. Is this correct?

# re: Are you getting an error referring to #50070: Unable to connect to the database STS_Config?

Monday, September 12, 2005 7:38 PM by bradley

I have the same problem, Sharepoint timer is dependant on the MSSQL$SHAREPOINT service. Oledb32.dll is the correct version.
I'm still getting #50070: Unable to connect to the database STS_Config error. and when I try to get to company web I get Server Error in '/' Application.-- See whole error below.
All services are running fine. This started Right after SP1.
Anyone have more ideas?
Should I load SQL tools and poke around in MSDE?


Thanks
Scott
--
Server Error in '/' Application.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The resource cannot be found.
Description: HTTP 404. The resource you are looking for (or one of its dependencies) could have been removed, had its name changed, or is temporarily unavailable. Please review the following URL and make sure that it is spelled correctly.

Requested Url: /default.aspx


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Version Information: Microsoft .NET Framework Version:1.1.4322.2300; ASP.NET Version:1.1.4322.2300

# re: Are you getting an error referring to #50070: Unable to connect to the database STS_Config?

Monday, June 05, 2006 8:40 AM by rg

i had the same error #50070, when i installed sql server tools and checked for the dbs, i saw that SPSconfigDb is in suspect state, i reseted its status, but did not work still suspect, i also restarted the timer service and configured registry entry, but still no luck, (also when i checked the services, there were nothing likeMSSQL$SHAREPOINT, which really weird,
Any ideas?

# re: Are you getting an error referring to #50070: Unable to connect to the database STS_Config?

Sunday, June 25, 2006 2:37 PM by Chaun Goins

Ran in to the same problem... checked the OLEDB version, it was good. Set the dependency, still no luck. Went back to basics... the event log says it can not connect to the STS_Config database so I thought hey lets see if there is an STS_Config database. Turns out it was there but the directory had been renamed to Data Backup - 20060617111405. I copied the directory and renamed it to Data and BINGO! We’re back in business.

Make sure you have a DATA directory in this folder:

C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL$SHAREPOINT

BTW... this was on an SBS 2003 Server and the problem started after applying SBS SP1 (and all of its prerequisites).

# re: Are you getting an error referring to #50070: Unable to connect to the database STS_Config?

Wednesday, July 12, 2006 9:49 AM by Rudi Hoelzer

I had the same problem too. Here is what I did to resolve the problem. First I made the changes desribed in http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;840685. After this I still couldn't connect to my http://companyweb. A closer look showed that the companyweb  was not upgraded to SharePoint. So I used the KB from MS described in http://support.microsoft.com/kb/894903 and after this it works fine. The Event log stays clean and I can access http:\\companyweb without any problems.

# re: Are you getting an error referring to #50070: Unable to connect to the database STS_Config?

Wednesday, September 27, 2006 3:25 AM by Damir Kovacevic

I have the same problem, only i haven't manage to resolve it... It's a SBS 2003 Server with SP1, and i have a 'Data' folder in the right place, and all the changes were made, but still no luck. My event log is full of errors, it's generating them every 5 seconds, and i don't see a way out... Please HELP... Best regards Damir