I am experiencing critical issues with WinDRBD on a specific Windows Server 2019 machine. While the same installers work perfectly on other identical servers, this particular node is failing with the following symptoms:
1. Installation Issue (Version 1.1.20):
When attempting to install WinDRBD v1.1.20 with Administrator privileges, the installation process fails to complete.
2. Runtime Issue (Version 1.1.7):
WinDRBD v1.1.7 installs successfully, but any attempt to run drbdadm.exe results in an application error: “The application was unable to start correctly (0xc000014f).”
System Environment:
OS: Windows Server 2019 Standard (Version 1809)
Questions:
Since 1.1.20 fails at the installation stage while 1.1.7 fails at runtime, does this point to a specific missing system update or a DLL conflict common to Windows Server 2019?
Are there any specific local security policies (GPO) or “Hardening” settings that are known to block WinDRBD’s driver initialization or drbdadm execution?
What are the core dependencies for the WinDRBD installer and drbdadm.exe that I should verify on this problematic server?
I would appreciate any insights into why one server would behave so differently from others in the same environment.
Which WinDRBD installers are you using? Are you using the ones from the Linbit download area (which require testsigning be set) or from the customer area (which do not have the requirement). If you are using the evaluation installers, please make sure that your machine is in testsigning mode (bcdedit /set TESTSIGNING YES and reboot) before running the installer. Also make sure that you are using the latest WinDRBD release, 1.1.7 is very old already.
Please let me know if the above solves your issues, if not please provide more details (installer error messages, installer log file, …).
Thank you for your prompt response. I would like to clarify my current environment and provide additional details regarding the issues I am facing.
1. Signed Installers and Testsigning Mode: I am currently using signed installers, not the evaluation versions. v1.1.20 is the latest signed version I have in my possession. Please note that I am unable to switch the server to testsigning mode due to strict internal security policies. Therefore, I must use officially signed drivers.
2. Installation and Runtime Issues: As mentioned previously, v1.1.20 fails at the installation stage, preventing me from even completing the setup. v1.1.7 installs successfully but fails with the 0xc000014f error upon execution.
3. Closed network environment and logs: The server where the issue occurred is located in a closed network with restricted access. Due to these security constraints, it is difficult to immediately extract the files. We will provide the installer logs if available on the system.
4. Request for the Latest Signed Installer: In the meantime, I would like to test with the latest signed version of WinDRBD to see if more recent updates resolve these issues. Could you please provide access or a link to download the most recent officially signed installer?
It looks like you are a Linbit client. In order to have officially signed WinDRBD installers you need to have an active Linbit subscription. Could you please log in to my.linbit.com and file a support case? The Linbit support team will be happy to assist with the latest WinDRBD versions and assistance for solving your installation / drbdadm issues.