Workflow "Failed on Start (retrying)"

Question

 

Hi All,

 

I have deployed the AbsenceVacationSchedule.wsp from the MS Applications Template pack for WSS 3.0.  The deployment I did in my test environment worked without problems (as is usually the way).  But now I have deployed the solution to my live environment the Setup and ApproveReject workflows will not start.  The user interface reports the error: "Failed to Start (retrying)".

 

I have also checked in the log file and found the following:

 

10/15/2007 13:45:23.05  OWSTIMER.EXE (0x08EC)                    0x091C Windows SharePoint Services    Workflow Infrastructure        98d8 Unexpected System.Reflection.TargetInvocationException: Exception has been thrown by the target of an invocation. ---> System.InvalidOperationException: Cannot continue the current operation, the performance counters memory mapping has been corrupted.     at System.Diagnostics.SharedPerformanceCounter.ResolveOffset(Int32 offset, Int32 sizeToRead)     at System.Diagnostics.SharedPerformanceCounter.CalculateAndAllocateMemory(Int32 totalSize, Int32& alignmentAdjustment)     at System.Diagnostics.SharedPerformanceCounter.CreateCategory(CategoryEntry* lastCategoryPointer, Int32 instanceNameHashCode, String instanceName, PerformanceCounterInstanceLifetime lifetime)     at System.Diagnostics.SharedPerformanceCounter.GetCounter(String counterName, String instanceName, Boolean enableReuse, PerformanceCounterInstanceLifetime lifetime)     at System.Diagnostics.SharedPerformanceCounter..ctor(String catName, String counterName, String instanceName, PerformanceCounterInstanceLifetime lifetime)     at System.Diagnostics.PerformanceCounter.Initialize()     at System.Diagnostics.PerformanceCounter..ctor(String categoryName, String counterName, String instanceName, Boolean readOnly)     at System.Workflow.Runtime.PerformanceCounterManager.CreateCounters(String name)     at System.Workflow.Runtime.PerformanceCounterManager.SetInstanceName(String instanceName)     at System.Workflow.Runtime.WorkflowRuntime.StartRuntime()     at Microsoft.SharePoint.Workflow.SPWinOeHostServices..ctor(SPSite site, SPWeb web, SPWorkflowManager manager, SPWorkflowEngine engine)     --- End of inner exception stack trace ---     at System.RuntimeMethodHandle._InvokeConstructor(Object[] args, SignatureStruct& signature, IntPtr declaringType)     at System.RuntimeMethodHandle.InvokeConstructor(Object[] args, SignatureStruct signature, RuntimeTypeHandle declaringType)     at System.Reflection.RuntimeConstructorInfo.Invoke(BindingFlags invokeAttr, Binder binder, Object[] parameters, CultureInfo culture)     at System.RuntimeType.CreateInstanceImpl(BindingFlags bindingAttr, Binder binder, Object[] args, CultureInfo culture, Object[] activationAttributes)     at System.Activator.CreateInstance(Type type, BindingFlags bindingAttr, Binder binder, Object[] args, CultureInfo culture, Object[] activationAttributes)     at System.Reflection.Assembly.CreateInstance(String typeName, Boolean ignoreCase, BindingFlags bindingAttr, Binder binder, Object[] args, CultureInfo culture, Object[] activationAttributes)     at Microsoft.SharePoint.Workflow.SPWorkflowManager.LoadPluggableClass(String classname, String assembly, Object[] parameters)     at Microsoft.SharePoint.Workflow.SPWorkflowManager.GetService(String objClass, String objAssm, SPSite parentSite, SPWeb parentWeb, SPWorkflowEngine engine)     at Microsoft.SharePoint.Workflow.SPWorkflowManager.RunWorkflowElev(SPWorkflow originalWorkflow, SPWorkflow workflow, Collection`1 events, SPRunWorkflowOptions runOptions)

10/15/2007 13:45:23.68  OWSTIMER.EXE (0x08EC)                    0x091C Windows SharePoint Services    Workflow Infrastructure        98d8 Unexpected System.Reflection.TargetInvocationException: Exception has been thrown by the target of an invocation. ---> System.InvalidOperationException: Cannot continue the current operation, the performance counters memory mapping has been corrupted.     at System.Diagnostics.SharedPerformanceCounter.ResolveOffset(Int32 offset, Int32 sizeToRead)     at System.Diagnostics.SharedPerformanceCounter.CalculateAndAllocateMemory(Int32 totalSize, Int32& alignmentAdjustment)     at System.Diagnostics.SharedPerformanceCounter.CreateCategory(CategoryEntry* lastCategoryPointer, Int32 instanceNameHashCode, String instanceName, PerformanceCounterInstanceLifetime lifetime)     at System.Diagnostics.SharedPerformanceCounter.GetCounter(String counterName, String instanceName, Boolean enableReuse, PerformanceCounterInstanceLifetime lifetime)     at System.Diagnostics.SharedPerformanceCounter..ctor(String catName, String counterName, String instanceName, PerformanceCounterInstanceLifetime lifetime)     at System.Diagnostics.PerformanceCounter.Initialize()     at System.Diagnostics.PerformanceCounter..ctor(String categoryName, String counterName, String instanceName, Boolean readOnly)     at System.Workflow.Runtime.PerformanceCounterManager.CreateCounters(String name)     at System.Workflow.Runtime.PerformanceCounterManager.SetInstanceName(String instanceName)     at System.Workflow.Runtime.WorkflowRuntime.StartRuntime()     at Microsoft.SharePoint.Workflow.SPWinOeHostServices..ctor(SPSite site, SPWeb web, SPWorkflowManager manager, SPWorkflowEngine engine)     --- End of inner exception stack trace ---    at System.RuntimeMethodHandle._InvokeConstructor(Object[] args, SignatureStruct& signature, IntPtr declaringType)     at System.RuntimeMethodHandle.InvokeConstructor(Object[] args, SignatureStruct signature, RuntimeTypeHandle declaringType)     at System.Reflection.RuntimeConstructorInfo.Invoke(BindingFlags invokeAttr, Binder binder, Object[] parameters, CultureInfo culture)     at System.RuntimeType.CreateInstanceImpl(BindingFlags bindingAttr, Binder binder, Object[] args, CultureInfo culture, Object[] activationAttributes)     at System.Activator.CreateInstance(Type type, BindingFlags bindingAttr, Binder binder, Object[] args, CultureInfo culture, Object[] activationAttributes)     at System.Reflection.Assembly.CreateInstance(String typeName, Boolean ignoreCase, BindingFlags bindingAttr, Binder binder, Object[] args, CultureInfo culture, Object[] activationAttributes)     at Microsoft.SharePoint.Workflow.SPWorkflowManager.LoadPluggableClass(String classname, String assembly, Object[] parameters)     at Microsoft.SharePoint.Workflow.SPWorkflowManager.GetService(String objClass, String objAssm, SPSite parentSite, SPWeb parentWeb, SPWorkflowEngine engine)     at Microsoft.SharePoint.Workflow.SPWorkflowManager.RunWorkflowElev(SPWorkflow originalWorkflow, SPWorkflow workflow, Collection`1 events, SPRunWorkflowOptions runOptions)

10/15/2007 13:45:23.05  OWSTIMER.EXE (0x08EC)                    0x091C Windows SharePoint Services    Workflow Infrastructure        72fu Unexpected Load Workflow Class: System.Reflection.TargetInvocationException: Exception has been thrown by the target of an invocation. ---> System.InvalidOperationException: Cannot continue the current operation, the performance counters memory mapping has been corrupted.     at System.Diagnostics.SharedPerformanceCounter.ResolveOffset(Int32 offset, Int32 sizeToRead)     at System.Diagnostics.SharedPerformanceCounter.CalculateAndAllocateMemory(Int32 totalSize, Int32& alignmentAdjustment)     at System.Diagnostics.SharedPerformanceCounter.CreateCategory(CategoryEntry* lastCategoryPointer, Int32 instanceNameHashCode, String instanceName, PerformanceCounterInstanceLifetime lifetime)     at System.Diagnostics.SharedPerformanceCounter.GetCounter(String counterName, String instanceName, Boolean enableReuse, PerformanceCounterInstanceLifetime lifetime)     at System.Diagnostics.SharedPerformanceCounter..ctor(String catName, String counterName, String instanceName, PerformanceCounterInstanceLifetime lifetime)     at System.Diagnostics.PerformanceCounter.Initialize()     at System.Diagnostics.PerformanceCounter..ctor(String categoryName, String counterName, String instanceName, Boolean readOnly)     at System.Workflow.Runtime.PerformanceCounterManager.CreateCounters(String name)     at System.Workflow.Runtime.PerformanceCounterManager.SetInstanceName(String instanceName)     at System.Workflow.Runtime.WorkflowRuntime.StartRuntime()     at Microsoft.SharePoint.Workflow.SPWinOeHostServices..ctor(SPSite site, SPWeb web, SPWorkflowManager manager, SPWorkflowEngine engine)     --- End of inner exception stack trace ---     at System.RuntimeMethodHandle._InvokeConstructor(Object[] args, SignatureStruct& signature, IntPtr declaringType)     at System.RuntimeMethodHandle.InvokeConstructor(Object[] args, SignatureStruct signature, RuntimeTypeHandle declaringType)     at System.Reflection.RuntimeConstructorInfo.Invoke(BindingFlags invokeAttr, Binder binder, Object[] parameters, CultureInfo culture)     at System.RuntimeType.CreateInstanceImpl(BindingFlags bindingAttr, Binder binder, Object[] args, CultureInfo culture, Object[] activationAttributes)     at System.Activator.CreateInstance(Type type, BindingFlags bindingAttr, Binder binder, Object[] args, CultureInfo culture, Object[] activationAttributes)     at System.Reflection.Assembly.CreateInstance(String typeName, Boolean ignoreCase, BindingFlags bindingAttr, Binder binder, Object[] args, CultureInfo culture, Object[] activationAttributes)     at Microsoft.SharePoint.Workflow.SPWorkflowManager.LoadPluggableClass(String classname, String assembly, Object[] parameters)

 
10/15/2007 13:45:23.68  OWSTIMER.EXE (0x08EC)                    0x091C Windows SharePoint Services    Workflow Infrastructure        72fu Unexpected Load Workflow Class: System.Reflection.TargetInvocationException: Exception has been thrown by the target of an invocation. ---> System.InvalidOperationException: Cannot continue the current operation, the performance counters memory mapping has been corrupted.     at System.Diagnostics.SharedPerformanceCounter.ResolveOffset(Int32 offset, Int32 sizeToRead)     at System.Diagnostics.SharedPerformanceCounter.CalculateAndAllocateMemory(Int32 totalSize, Int32& alignmentAdjustment)     at System.Diagnostics.SharedPerformanceCounter.CreateCategory(CategoryEntry* lastCategoryPointer, Int32 instanceNameHashCode, String instanceName, PerformanceCounterInstanceLifetime lifetime)     at System.Diagnostics.SharedPerformanceCounter.GetCounter(String counterName, String instanceName, Boolean enableReuse, PerformanceCounterInstanceLifetime lifetime)     at System.Diagnostics.SharedPerformanceCounter..ctor(String catName, String counterName, String instanceName, PerformanceCounterInstanceLifetime lifetime)     at System.Diagnostics.PerformanceCounter.Initialize()     at System.Diagnostics.PerformanceCounter..ctor(String categoryName, String counterName, String instanceName, Boolean readOnly)     at System.Workflow.Runtime.PerformanceCounterManager.CreateCounters(String name)     at System.Workflow.Runtime.PerformanceCounterManager.SetInstanceName(String instanceName)     at System.Workflow.Runtime.WorkflowRuntime.StartRuntime()     at Microsoft.SharePoint.Workflow.SPWinOeHostServices..ctor(SPSite site, SPWeb web, SPWorkflowManager manager, SPWorkflowEngine engine)     --- End of inner exception stack trace ---     at System.RuntimeMethodHandle._InvokeConstructor(Object[] args, SignatureStruct& signature, IntPtr declaringType)     at System.RuntimeMethodHandle.InvokeConstructor(Object[] args, SignatureStruct signature, RuntimeTypeHandle declaringType)     at System.Reflection.RuntimeConstructorInfo.Invoke(BindingFlags invokeAttr, Binder binder, Object[] parameters, CultureInfo culture)     at System.RuntimeType.CreateInstanceImpl(BindingFlags bindingAttr, Binder binder, Object[] args, CultureInfo culture, Object[] activationAttributes)     at System.Activator.CreateInstance(Type type, BindingFlags bindingAttr, Binder binder, Object[] args, CultureInfo culture, Object[] activationAttributes)     at System.Reflection.Assembly.CreateInstance(String typeName, Boolean ignoreCase, BindingFlags bindingAttr, Binder binder, Object[] args, CultureInfo culture, Object[] activationAttributes)     at Microsoft.SharePoint.Workflow.SPWorkflowManager.LoadPluggableClass(String classname, String assembly, Object[] parameters) 

 

I have looked in this forum and searched the web for a solution but I can't find anything.  I would be extremely grateful to anyone who can assist me with this issue.

 

Thanks,

Stuart

Answer 1

Hello

 

Have you tried this topic yet: http://forums.microsoft.com/TechNet/Search/Search.aspx?words=performance+counter&localechoice=9&SiteID=17&searchscope=forumscope&ForumID=1207 

 

Look at  Goncalo Feijao 's post. Those workflows are atleast a bit tricky but I would try those instructions at first. Also searching with performance counter word could give you a hint what to do.

 

 

 

Answer 2

 

Hi Saccehoo,

 

Thanks for the quick reply.  I have tried the command as described in Goncalo's post:

Lodctr c:\Windows\Microsoft.Net\Framework\v3.0\Windows Workflow Foundation\perfcounters.ini

 

Windows responded with:

Counters for Windows Workflow Foundation 3.0.0.0 are already installed

 

And this made no difference.  Workflows still aren't starting and I'm still getting the same errors in the log files.  I also tried rebuilding the performance counters using "lodctr /R", still to no avail.

 

I am now searching the web for the error specific to the performance counter memory mapping.

 

Thanks,

Stuart

Answer 3

 

i think your solution is right, it works for me simply,,,

but it take a while to elimenate all the problems.....

http://blogs.msdn.com/wael/archive/2008/01/11/workflow-failed-on-start-retrying.aspx

Answer 4

I had a different scenario in which one of the two OOTB workflows was not working. I banged my head on the table for some hours before I opened up the SPD, opened up the xoml file and clicked on finish. Somehow the workflow got disassociated with the list and this action reassociated it. Now that I think of it, there was SP1 deployed 3-4 days back in the environment. I wonder if that caused the problem.