Errors creating ArcSDE repository and authenticating new ArcSDE instances in Post Install

I recently installed the new ArcGIS Server 10 and ArcSDE 10 for SQL Server in a lab environment using a staging license.

The default SDE database (running the esri_sde service on port 5151) was installed without errors, but when I tried setting up a second SDE-enabled database I had some issues that I would like to share.

I used DBO schema to create a single spatial database. I got as far as to the repository setup which told me that “The ArcSDE repository was unsuccessfully completed. Would you like to view this error”. The error turned out to be a blank file so not much info there. However when I tried again I was given the following warning “The geodatabase already exists. If you want to upgrade the geodatabase see the ArcSDE installation guide for instructions”. I had a look at the database and it looked like all the SDE-tables were already created so I decided to proceed.

Next thing up was authorization. I chose to “authorize with ESRI now using the internet” and typed my authorization number. It got as far as “Authorizing software” before it gave me an error: “Unspecified error no valid features found in the received authorization data. Please check the data you entered and try again.”

So I tried again – this time with the option “Authorize at ESRI’s website or by email to receive your authorization file.”. Well I got the file and the same thing happened. Strangely enough the AUTH_KEY value in SDE_Server_config table contained what seemed like valid data so I decided to go ahead and create the service. The service started, always a good sign.

I couldn’t find any more info about this on the net but was able to reproduce the problem together with an ESRI techician, and it turns out the issues are known to happen if you run ArcGIS Server and ArcSDE on the same Windows server. I use this config for now because this is a lab environment so I’m not worried about performance. I guess it’s not pretty, but as long as it still works I’m a happy camper. Hopefully someone else can use this info, because ESRI does not seem to want to publish it on their website. Afterall, a bug is not really a bug until someone notices it. Apparently.

Update: I was just informed by ESRI that this problem will be taken care of in the next Service Pack.