I've been having this issue now for over a week and its killing my POC for MOSS, I uninstalled MOSS and reinstalled it on a different back-end server SQL 2005 and since then I cannot get the Windows SharePoint Services Search to start. Any suggestions?

This really isn't an answer, but... If you have MOSS installed, WSS Search is not important. All you web applications are searchable through the MOSS context.

I'm having the same issue with the same error. This is on a MOSS WFE in an environment without a domain controller. I've seen some others resolve this issue by changing their server name, but that didn't fix the issue for me. I have been able tostart the Office SharePoint Search Service, but not the Windows SharePoint Services Search.

You'll need to ensure that the Search server is selected under the Content Database Settings in Application management.

Thanks for the info. I cannot select the Search server drop-down box under Sontent Database settings. The search service is running on the WSS machine under a domain account Search_Service. What rights should this account have? What rights under SQL Server? I also have another accountunder the Content Access Account. What rights does this account have to have ? Under SQL Server? Thanks, Step van Schalkwyk

I am having the same issue. I am unable to start the service; "Could not access the Search service configuration database" & I am also unable to choose the server in "Select Windows SharePoint Services search server"

Thank you Google & LumbGap! The solution to the problem was posted here: http://lumbgaps.blogspot.com/2007/05/moss-2007-installation-could-not-access.html With the following command and a reboot: stsadm -o renameserver -newservername MYSERVERNAME.that.was.to.long.com-oldservername MYSERVERNAME I hope it works for you - Kind regards, Peter ______________________________________ SYNOPSIS: This problem is caused by the server names in use being too long. It is no good trying to change the name of the database server to be the Netbios name (rather than FQDN) within the Windows SharePoint Services Search Service configuration, you need to change the name of the server being registered to perform the Search service.Before doing this please ensure you take a full backup of your MOSS site collections (if you have any, in my case I didn't as it was a clean install): stsadm.exe -o backup -url <http://hostname> -filename backup.dathttp://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/889236 After the backup perform the following steps to register your search (perhaps also WFE/Index) server using stsadm.exe to invoke the "renameserver" command option.Open a command prompt window and navigate to the folder where stsadm.exe sits. Normally "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\BIN". Use the renameserver command as follows, replacing and with the new and old names of your server:stsadm -o renameserver -newservername -oldservername That should do it. I am told that this command is safe to run as part of your configuration if necessary, although I would recommend you follow the setup procedure in the following site though to avoid it.http://mindsharpblogs.com/bill/archive/2006/06/27/1153.aspx

Renaming the server hasn't worked for me. I think the issue is that I am trying to run in a two server farm without an active directory. All of the WSS services are running on server a while sql server is running on server b. I think the issue is that the search account configured on server a (which has to be a windows account) can't access sql server on server b because it is not a domain account. Does anyone know if running MOSS in a two server farm w/out active directory is supported?

This is clearly an Admin question so how it's survived here (as a customization question) for so long is beyond me. Moving it to Admin.

Are you talking about the Windows SharePoint Services Help Search database? If so, Go to central admin, services on the server, click on the Windows SharePoint Services Help service and create a new database there.

No, it's the Windows SharePoint Services Search service and not the help search.

Have you tried to start it from stsadm? stsadm o osearch action start

Has this issue ever been resolved?I have the exact same problem as PJ_Pistola.Any advice?

Hello Room, I'm newbie to Microsoft MOSS 2007. I run into the Moss 2007 problems "Could not access the Search service Configuration database" when I started the Windows SharePoint Services Search. Enclosed is my Microsoft MOSS 2007 setup environment: 1. Computer A (Domain Controller wtih Window Server 2008 Enterprise) 2. Computer B ( Microsoft SQL Server 2005 with Window Server 2003 SP2) 3. Computer C (Microsoft MOSS 2007 SP1) I'm not clear on the forums' suggestion fixed: stsadm -o renameserver -newservername -oldservername What are my new servername and oldservername? Please help!!!! Thanks in advance. Thanks, Edwin