What to do when your ArcGIS Server service refuses to start?
Firstly don’t panic! There are a couple of things to check before you panic;
- Check the ..\arcgisserver\directories\logs\XXX\server logs directory. Were the log files updated when you tried to start the service? If they were then the failure is probably related to a rogue service crashing the server. Check the service log files for any error messages.
- If the server logs aren’t updating then the problem is most likely with the service itself. Check the service logs directory under (ArcGIS\Server\framework\etc\service\logs). These will usually give you some clues as to the problem.
- Still not starting? Check the permissions on the “arcgisserver” folders. Are they correct? If not run the “Configure ArcGIS Server Account” utility.
- Still not starting? Check the permissions on the ArcGIS\Server folder. You may need to apply these manually.
If none of that works its probably time to call Esri support.
