Documentation
Getting Started
Installation
Data Grid
Approvals
Administration
Account & Security
Integration & Staging
Architecture
Troubleshooting
Important: Always run Command Prompt or PowerShell as Administrator (right-click → "Run as administrator"). Even if you are logged in with an administrator account, Windows does not grant elevated privileges by default. Without elevation, commands like
sc, net start, and scripts that modify C:\Program Files\ will fail with "Access is denied".Database Connection
| Error | Solution |
|---|---|
| "Database not configured" | Open General Settings, enter the database connection details, click Test Connection and Save |
| "Cannot connect to SQL Server" | Verify hostname, instance name, and that SQL Server is running. Check that TCP/IP is enabled in SQL Server Configuration Manager. Make sure the SQL Server Browser service is running (required for named instances) |
| "Port for ... not found" | You entered the database name in the Instance field. The Instance field is for the SQL Server instance name (e.g. SQLEXPRESS), not the database name. In SSMS: if the title bar shows SERVER\SQLEXPRESS, enter SQLEXPRESS. If it shows only SERVER, leave Instance empty |
| "Login failed for 'primentra_svc'" | Verify the password matches setup-db-and-user.sql. Check that SQL Server authentication is enabled (Mixed Mode) |
| "Named instance not found" | SQL Server Browser service is not running. Open services.msc → SQL Server Browser → set to Automatic → Start |
Database Setup
| Error | Solution |
|---|---|
| Port or connection error during setup | Enable both Named Pipes and TCP/IP in SQL Server Configuration Manager → Protocols for [instance]. Restart SQL Server after changes. For named instances, also start SQL Server Browser |
| "Could not create constraint or index" | The primentra_svc account is missing REFERENCES permission (fixed in v26.0.2.20+). Run as sysadmin: USE Primentra; GRANT REFERENCES ON SCHEMA::dbo TO primentra_app; GRANT CREATE SCHEMA TO primentra_app; ALTER ROLE db_ddladmin ADD MEMBER primentra_app; |
| Setup script fails with permission error | Run setup-db-and-user.sql as sysadmin first. The setup script needs CREATE TABLE, ALTER, REFERENCES, and CREATE PROCEDURE permissions |
Windows Service
| Error | Solution |
|---|---|
| Service won't start after installation | Check logs\service.err.log for errors. Most common cause: database not configured yet — open the browser and complete the setup wizard |
| Service stuck in "paused" or keeps restarting | Run scripts\repair-service.bat as Administrator. This reinstalls the service with the correct configuration |
| Port already in use | The installer checks automatically and suggests a free port. Accept the suggestion or enter a different number |
Installation & Upgrade
| Error | Solution |
|---|---|
| "Access is denied" or "DeleteFile failed" | A file is locked by another process. Close services.msc (holds a handle on service binaries), close command prompts in the install folder, and temporarily disable antivirus on C:\Program Files\Primentra\. Manual fix: sc delete Primentra then retry the installer |
| Locked out of the admin account | Open Command Prompt or PowerShell as Administrator in the install folder and run: node scripts\recover-admin.mjs — you must type the full command including node; do not double-click the file |
Log Files
All logs are in logs\ under the installation directory (default: C:\Program Files\Primentra\logs\):
| File | Description |
|---|---|
errorlog.txt | Application error log — API errors, startup issues, stack traces |
service.log | Service stdout — normal application output |
service.err.log | Service stderr — crash details, Node.js errors |
install.log | Installer log — step-by-step record of the installation |
You can also view errors in-app via Settings → Logs, or in Windows Event Viewer under Application → Source: Primentra.
Repair Tools
| Script | Purpose |
|---|---|
scripts\repair-service.bat | Reinstalls the Windows Service — fixes stuck, paused, or failing services |
scripts\change-port.bat 3002 | Changes the port Primentra listens on |
node scripts\recover-admin.mjs | Resets admin account access — lists all users and lets you reset passwords |