Has anyone figured out why some SQL Server 2000 installations receive  
  
the error "Error running script: replsys.sql(1)" when trying to run the  
  
Service Pack 4 install program?  
  
The error message in the replsys.out file is identical:  
  
[DBNETLIB]General network error. Check your network documentation.  
  
[DBNETLIB]ConnectionRead (recv()).  
  
I have disconnected everything/everyone that could attach to the SQL  
  
Server. I have checked my network packet size and found nothing wrong  
  
with it (these were other suggestions that I have seen for this  
  
problem).  
  
I have SQL 2000 Ent. Ed. with SP 3a running on Windows 2003 Ent. Ed. SP  
  
1 and all Windows Updates that are currently available. I am running on  
  
dual Xeon 3 GHz processors and 8 GB of physical RAM. I do not have  
  
replication running (although I am in the process of setting it up).  
  
Any help would be greatly appreciated.  
  
Curt Mader (a friend in need...)

I will reply to my own message and tell you how my issue was resolved  
  
(with the help of a Microsoft Phone Support person in India and to the  
  
detriment of my wallet to the tune of $245). Hopefully this will help  
  
any other who are having this same problem...  
  
Here's the short version:  
  
I had switched the account that SQL Server uses to start and I did this  
  
through the Services MMC. This caused the SQL Server to not listen  
  
properly on LPC(shared memory). Apparently replsys.sql uses this  
  
protocol to communicate with the SQL Server.  
  
1) In the registry, made a backup copy of the LPC key under  
  
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MSSQLServer\MSSQLserver\SuperSocketNetLib  
  
2) Then delete the LPC key under  
  
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MSSQLServer\MSSQLserver\SuperSocketNetLib  
  
(Disclaimer: I make no guarantees to anyone who messes with the  
  
registry)  
  
3) Using the Services MMC I set the SQL Server startup account back to  
  
the Local System account and restarted the SQL Server instance.  
  
4) Changed the SQL start up account to domain account using the SQL  
  
Enterprise Manager and again restarted that instance of SQL Server.  
  
Ta-da! The SP4 installation worked!  
  
Here are some other MS KB links that the tech support guy sent to me:  
  
Potential causes of the "SQL Server does not exist or access denied"  
  
error message            http://support.microsoft.com/?id=328306  
  
How to troubleshoot the "Cannot generate SSPI context" error message  
  
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;811889  
  
How to troubleshoot connectivity issues in SQL Server 2000  
  
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;827422  
  
HOW TO: Transfer Logins and Passwords Between Instances of SQL Server  
  
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;246133  
  
-Curt Mader (I got by with a little help from my friends (at Microsoft  
  
tech Support))...

Oh yeah, I should point out that in step 4 you MUST use the SQL Server  
  
Enterprise Manager to switch the startup account to a domain or local  
  
user account. This sets that user up to have the proper rights to run  
  
LPC...  
  
-Curt Mader (I think it's time for some Golden Slumber)