CODEWITHSUNDEEP
tfstfsbuildtfs-2015
Sacha K
Sacha K

Reputation: 642

Can't install TFS 2015 build vNext agent as a service

I'm looking at migrating our builds from the old XAML to the new build system, but I have a problem with configuring the build agent to run as a service.

Configuring the agent to run interactively (in my session on the build server) works. The builds are OK but this is not useable as I have to open a session and start the agent.

Configuring the agent to run as a service with the default NT AUTHORITY\NETWORK SERVICE works. The builds are broken. WiX doesn't like this account and fails during the ICE validation. The drop also fails because this account doesn't have access to the drop folder.

Configuring the agent to run as a service with a domain account fails. The service is not created and I get the following error:

Installing service vsoagent.tfs-server.tfs-build-server-agent1...
Creating EventLog source vsoagent.tfs-server.tfs-build-server-agent1 in log Application...
An exception occurred in the OnAfterInstall event handler of System.ServiceProcess.ServiceInstaller.
System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

The username and passwords are OK, I get a different "bad username or password" error when typing a bad password. The user was used for the old XAML build system on the same build server and is in the local admin group, so it has authorisations AFAIK.

Upvotes: 2

Views: 1079

Answers (3)

PatrickLu-MSFT
PatrickLu-MSFT

Reputation: 51183

To narrow down your issue:

1.Try to Configure the agent to run as a service with another domain account on another computer

2.If you need to change the logon account, don't do it from the services snap-in. Instead, From an elevated Command Prompt, run: C:\Agent\Agent\VsoAgent.exe /ChangeWindowsServiceAccount

update

If you upgrade your TFS2015 to TFS2015update1. Do not just use the simple update agent in the web interface. You need download the agent from web and reconfigure it in the cmd.

Upvotes: 0

Sacha K
Sacha K

Reputation: 642

I was running TFS 2015, I upgraded to 2015 update 1 then forced an agent update in the web interface. After that it works, I can configure the agent to run as a service using a domain account.

Agent.Version is still saying 1.83.2 in the web interface, but the files are actually different in the agent folder. An agent.old folder is left after the upgrade and you can see that VsoAgent.exe and VsoAgentService.exe have a different size and version. Also the agent.old folder has 138 files in 46 folders, but the agent folder has 157 files in 53 folders.

Upvotes: 1

quadroid
quadroid

Reputation: 8950

I Had the same issue with the WIX validation. But i did not try to reconfigure the agent (not due to problems,just due to pure laziness), instead i did just change the account to a domain account using the services overview. restarted the machine and everything did work fine.

Upvotes: 0

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