SSDT "Internal Error: Ese could not be initialized"

Question

Hello, I've installed SSDT RTM on top of Visual Studio 2010 Pro SP1 but when I start new SQL Server Database Project this error occurs:
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Microsoft Visual Studio
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The file ‘C:\Users\admin\Documents\Visual Studio 2010\Projects\Database1\Database1.dbmdl’ could not be created. If that file exists, it might be locked by another application.  Refer to the Output Window for more details.  The exception message is 'Internal Error: Ese could not be initialized. ; Cannot access file, the file is locked or in use'.
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OK   
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Microsoft Visual Studio
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Internal Error: Ese could not be initialized.
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OK   
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There is no Database1.dbmdl created. This error happens even if I run devenv as Administrator. I've also tried repairing SSDT and running devenv /ResetSettings I haven't tried other user profile (built-in Administrator) yet. Is this a known error or should I report it on https://connect.microsoft.com/VisualStudio/Feedback ?

SQL programs installed: 

New project wizard: 

Windows 7 x86 ENU SP1 b7601
Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Version 10.0.40219.1 SP1Rel Professional - ENU
Microsoft .NET Framework Version 4.0.30319 SP1Rel
Microsoft SQL Server Data Tools 10.3.20225.0

Answer 1

Strange thing! A new SQL Server Database project has been created successfully under built-in Administrator:
runas /user:Administrator "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 10.0\Common7\IDE\devenv.exe"

I suspect some registry entries or files/folders doesn't have correct access rights. I have similar strange error under domain admin account with Installaware installer (Embarcadero Delphi XE2) and there is no error under built-in Administrator. Any thoughts how to troubleshoot the issue or nail it down? Thanks.

Answer 2

I too am having the same problem. I think someone should open up a connect ticket.

Answer 3

Thank you! I'll try it as soon as I'll be available.

Answer 4

Bug report created https://connect.microsoft.com/VisualStudio/feedback/details/739651/ssdt-internal-error-ese-could-not-be-initialized

Answer 5

Hi,

With your domain admin account:

- You see a similar error with a different program that is trying to access different directories?

- In VS, are you able to create a different project type? A C# project or other?

Thanks!

Sarah

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Sarah McDevitt Program Manager SQL Server Data Tools

Answer 6

Hi Sarah,

regarding you question "You see a similar error with a different program that is trying to access different directories?" could you be more specific about:
1) what error other than 'Internal Error: Ese could not be initialized. ; Cannot access file, the file is locked or in use', which is very specific to VS2010, could it be?
2) what different program? In the 2nd post I've mentioned Installaware installer for Embarcadero Delphi XE2, no other programs so far.
3) what directories do you suspect?

>- In VS, are you able to create a different project type? A C# project or other?
Yep, no problems with other project types. I've installed Nuget and IronPython. It works nicely. However I'm not a .NET programmer and don't use VS2010 for my work.

Best regards,
Ilya

Answer 7

Yes I was asking about the issue with Embarcadero Delphi XE2, you mentioned you get a similar error, could you provide details?

This may be an issue outside of VS that is being hit by VS as well.

Thanks.

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Sarah McDevitt Program Manager SQL Server Data Tools

Answer 8

OK, I'll try to. This is not the issue with Embarcadero Delphi XE2 itself but its installer. Assume for instance you load online installer from http://altd.embarcadero.com/download/radstudio/xe2/delphi_xe2_4429_win_esd.exe (6,76Mb) and run it "Run as administrator" being just a user included into local Administrators group on non-domain computer or a user included into Domain administrators group on a domain computer. The main point you are not logged in as built-in local Administrator. In that case you receive:
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InstallAware Wizard
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Setup resource decompression failure
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OK
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or complete picture
Installaware leave no logs, I just hope that someday origins of the issue may become clear. Until that I have to run the installer as local Administrator.

Answer 9

Imagine, there is a workaround! I've changed user TEMP environment variable from %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Temp to another folder, for instance, C:\Temp. SSDT can create new projects from the SQL Server Database Project templates and Embarcadero installer can run from under domain administrator account. However, after deleting and recreating %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Temp folder with all default permissions and changing TEMP environment variable back, same error happens again. Could you look at TEMP folder permissions and conclude what is wrong with them?

cacls "c:\temp"
c:\temp BUILTIN\Administrators:(ID)F
        BUILTIN\Administrators:(OI)(CI)(IO)(ID)F
        NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:(ID)F
        NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:(OI)(CI)(IO)(ID)F
        BUILTIN\Users:(OI)(CI)(ID)R
        NT AUTHORITY\Authenticated Users:(ID)C
        NT AUTHORITY\Authenticated Users:(OI)(CI)(IO)(ID)C

icacls "c:\temp"
c:\temp BUILTIN\Administrators:(I)(F)
        BUILTIN\Administrators:(I)(OI)(CI)(IO)(F)
        NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:(I)(F)
        NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:(I)(OI)(CI)(IO)(F)
        BUILTIN\Users:(I)(OI)(CI)(RX)
        NT AUTHORITY\Authenticated Users:(I)(M)
        NT AUTHORITY\Authenticated Users:(I)(OI)(CI)(IO)(M)

Successfully processed 1 files; Failed processing 0 files
cacls "C:\Users\admin\Local Settings\Temp"
Access is denied.
icacls "C:\Users\admin\Local Settings\Temp"
C:\Users\admin\Local Settings\Temp NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:(I)(OI)(CI)(F)
                                   BUILTIN\Administrators:(I)(OI)(CI)(F)
                                   LVS\admin:(I)(OI)(CI)(F)

Successfully processed 1 files; Failed processing 0 files

Answer 10

Investigating Access denied error on cacls "C:\Users\admin\Local Settings\Temp" I came to strange permission on %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings folder itself (see pics). It is DENY for Everyone list folder/read data this folder only ACE.

C:\Users\admin>cacls "C:\Users\admin\Local Settings"
C:\Users\admin\Local Settings Everyone:(DENY)(special access:)
                                       FILE_READ_DATA
                              NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:(OI)(CI)(ID)F
                              BUILTIN\Administrators:(OI)(CI)(ID)F
                              LVS\admin:(OI)(CI)(ID)F

After removing this ACE all known errors were gone:
- cacls "%USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Temp"
- new SQL Server Database project
- Embarcadero installers
- Chrome browser began auto updating extensions which I've always had to do manually.

Could you explain why that DENY ACE was in place and what its purpose?

Answer 11

I don't have any insight as to why your permissions were set that way - from an SSDT perspective we don't affect those settings of course. I'm glad you found a solution to the issue and are unblocked!

Thanks,

Sarah McDevitt

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Sarah McDevitt Program Manager SQL Server Data Tools

Answer 12

Please tell me, what permissions are set on yours %USERPROFILE%\Local settings folder. I'm curious. Thank you.

Answer 13

The Everyone user group is not listed -- other groups have Full Control (user account, Administrators).

Thanks,

Sarah McDevitt

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Sarah McDevitt Program Manager SQL Server Data Tools

Answer 14

This is very strange, I see DENY setting for Everyone user group on each user profile and Default user on Windows Server 2008 R2 and WS 2008 too.
> cacls "Local Settings"
C:\Users\Default\Local Settings Everyone:(DENY)(special access:) FILE_READ_DATA
...
> icacls "Local Settings"
Local Settings Everyone:(DENY)(S,RD)
...

"%USERPROFILE%\Local Settings" is a symbolic link to "%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local" but the latter doesn't have this DENY setting for Everyone. As a consequence the output of cacls on physically same folder TEMP is different:
> cacls %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Temp
OK
> cacls "%USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Temp"
Access is denied.