Microsoft have released a hotfix to resolve the bogus “Computer Monitoring Error” issue that some users have encountered after their servers updated to the UR2 release. The hotfix is not available for direct download, you’ll need to click the “View and Request Hotfix Downloads” link to email support for the hotfix. If you’ve experienced the issue, let us know how the fix works for you.
Below are the links to the specific KB Articles for each platform and an overview of the issue for Windows Home Server 2011.
Windows Home Server 2011
Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials
Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials
Symptom
After you updated a server that is running Windows Home Server 2011 with the Update Rollup 2 for Home Server 2011, you receive the warning “Computer Monitoring Error” in the Home Server 2011 Launchpad or Dashboard. You receive this warning every 30 minutes.This happens after the system installs Update Rollup 2. You find the following exceptions in the SharedServiceHost-AlertServiceConfig.log file.
120222.003152.9814: NetworkHealthEngine: Exception happened in Microsoft.WindowsServerSolutions.NetworkHealth.Engine.BinaryActionDefinition: System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object. at Microsoft.WindowsServerSolutions.Servicing.Alerts.MacClientUpdateCondition.Run(IActionContext context)
Additionally, this can occur when you have removed a previously connected network computer from the server.The log file is located in the following folder:
%Programdata%\Microsoft\Windows Server\Logs
You do not receive a warning reminding you to update your Mac client connector. There is no effect on other alerts or product features.Cause
This occurs when one of the Alert evaluation components in Home Server 2011 tries to iterate through the records of all client computers in the network. It throws an unhandled exception when the component accesses the record of a client computer that was removed.
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Article by Alex Kuretz
I'm Alex Kuretz, and I'm the founder of MediaSmartServer.net. I was the Lead Test and Integration Engineer at HP for the MediaSmart Server until April 2008 when I moved on to other opportunities outside HP. I've kept active in the Windows Home Server community, creating several add-ins and helping users make the most of their Home Servers.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Alex, thanks for the info. This was an annoying problem. I installed the hotfix last night and it seems to have fixed it on my WHS 2011 system. Probably no surprise to anyone but after the hotfix is installed, the server will push the connection client to any systems connected to the server. You’ll have to reboot each client but after that the Monitoring Errors are gone!
Alex, thanks for the update. I recieve that message multiple times a day but when I checked the log file I did not have the listing:
120222.003152.9814…………..
Does this mean that this hotfix will not solve my issue?
I’m afraid I don’t know, if you try the hotfix let us know how it works for you.
Alex, I have not installed this hotfix. Reading the documentation and terms the warnings are pretty bad. It basically says that it is not a fully tested fix and to use it at your own risk. Data loss or server issues are possible. I would rather have the harmless but annoying computer monitoring error than a major issue with a hotfix. It even recommends waiting until it is fully tested and released in a future update.
I don’t want to be a Beta tester for Microsoft anymore.;)