"SPSearch" error when provisioning WSS Search Service

Using the wizard in Central Administration, filling in the fields and clicking the "Start" button I get the error page with one line: "SPSearch (<here listed the username for Search Service Account>)". If I try to perform the same step via command-line, stsadm.exe return the following: " 'start' action failed. Additional information: SPSearch (<accont name here>)". The database is not created. The account I used is full local administrator.

I use SQL Server Express Edition with Advanced Services Service Pack 2 (also tried Service Pack 1). All accounts are local ones as the machine is in workgroup. OS is Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1. WSS and .NET Framework 3.0 are the RTM versions. WSS setup mode is "Web front-end".

The part of WSS log file which refers to the provisioning attempt can be found at http://default.pronichkin.com/temp/spsearch-provisioning-error.txt

Thanks in advance.

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"SPSearch" error when provisioning WSS Search Service

incendy
Thanks a lot! Saved me!
JeryH
Well, I'm silly. All it wanted was username in "server\user" format instead of "user" or ".\user".
imed-deborah
I guess it does make sense to put the domain\ in front of the username. It would have taken me a lot longer to get it though. Thanks for posting!

Gisch
venp
Thanks OP. Saved me some time there too!
saen-jay
Whew - only a few minutes for me, luckily!

Thanks as well for posting this!!
Joel Martinez

I cannot believe this. I was doing the same thing! I have setup more MOSS Farms that I can count and this had me struggling for two days.

Thanks for the post. Although easy it was incredibly helpful.
idar
Well I just made the same mistake as well!
jCarlisle
I made the same mistake. I spent almost a full day on that issue. lol

Thanks for the answer.
e05153
Thanks very much for the tips. I have been struggling with it for two hours until I found this post.
Hugo Soares

Yep same here,

a couple of hours. I can't see why in some parts of the configuration you are asked for domain/user and in other parts although it's needed you are not. get your act together Microsoft!!!!
KitWest
The same problem... Costed me nearly 1 day of googling... I think, MS could write an article in the KnowledgeBase about it.

Thanks for the hint! :-)

Regards,

A.G.
Adam Carpenter
The same thing happens when setting up Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services - a meaningful error message would make such a difference! The target audience for this is always going to be technical people, so even showing us the exception text would be better than "error"...
Pedro Remedios

Can you put an exemple of the command line like :

stsadm -o spsearch -farmserviceaccount Toto\tutu

Because i can't assign the administrator to spsearch. And When i try to launch the service in Sharepoint Services 3.0 i have the error message : SPSearch (Administrator) !!!

help pliz
feby
Just small remark - domainname\username.
"SPSearch" error when provisioning WSS Search Service

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