WF4 Service: The system cannot find the file specified

Question

I have this issue wherein I deployed my WCF and WF services in the server and I configured my WF correctly. However, I encountered a weird error wherein whenever I check my workflow service, it throws me "The system cannot find the file specified". But whenever I test my WCF services, it displays correctly.

Below is the stacktrace of the error.

[Win32Exception (0x80004005): The system cannot find the file specified]

[SqlException (0x80131904): A network-related or instance-specific error occurred while establishing a connection to SQL Server. The server was not found or was not accessible. Verify that the instance name is correct and that SQL Server is configured to allow remote connections. (provider: Named Pipes Provider, error: 40 - Could not open a connection to SQL Server)]
   System.Data.SqlClient.SqlInternalConnection.OnError(SqlException exception, Boolean breakConnection, Action`1 wrapCloseInAction) +5296071
   System.Data.SqlClient.TdsParser.ThrowExceptionAndWarning(TdsParserStateObject stateObj, Boolean callerHasConnectionLock, Boolean asyncClose) +558
   System.Data.SqlClient.TdsParser.Connect(ServerInfo serverInfo, SqlInternalConnectionTds connHandler, Boolean ignoreSniOpenTimeout, Int64 timerExpire, Boolean encrypt, Boolean trustServerCert, Boolean integratedSecurity, Boolean withFailover) +5308555
   System.Data.SqlClient.SqlInternalConnectionTds.AttemptOneLogin(ServerInfo serverInfo, String newPassword, SecureString newSecurePassword, Boolean ignoreSniOpenTimeout, TimeoutTimer timeout, Boolean withFailover) +145
   System.Data.SqlClient.SqlInternalConnectionTds.LoginNoFailover(ServerInfo serverInfo, String newPassword, SecureString newSecurePassword, Boolean redirectedUserInstance, SqlConnectionString connectionOptions, SqlCredential credential, TimeoutTimer timeout) +920
   System.Data.SqlClient.SqlInternalConnectionTds.OpenLoginEnlist(TimeoutTimer timeout, SqlConnectionString connectionOptions, SqlCredential credential, String newPassword, SecureString newSecurePassword, Boolean redirectedUserInstance) +307
   System.Data.SqlClient.SqlInternalConnectionTds..ctor(DbConnectionPoolIdentity identity, SqlConnectionString connectionOptions, SqlCredential credential, Object providerInfo, String newPassword, SecureString newSecurePassword, Boolean redirectedUserInstance, SqlConnectionString userConnectionOptions) +434
   System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnectionFactory.CreateConnection(DbConnectionOptions options, DbConnectionPoolKey poolKey, Object poolGroupProviderInfo, DbConnectionPool pool, DbConnection owningConnection, DbConnectionOptions userOptions) +225
   System.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionFactory.CreatePooledConnection(DbConnectionPool pool, DbConnectionOptions options, DbConnectionPoolKey poolKey, DbConnectionOptions userOptions) +37
   System.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionPool.CreateObject(DbConnectionOptions userOptions) +558
   System.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionPool.UserCreateRequest(DbConnectionOptions userOptions) +67
   System.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionPool.TryGetConnection(DbConnection owningObject, UInt32 waitForMultipleObjectsTimeout, Boolean allowCreate, Boolean onlyOneCheckConnection, DbConnectionOptions userOptions, DbConnectionInternal& connection) +1052
   System.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionPool.TryGetConnection(DbConnection owningObject, TaskCompletionSource`1 retry, DbConnectionOptions userOptions, DbConnectionInternal& connection) +78
   System.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionFactory.TryGetConnection(DbConnection owningConnection, TaskCompletionSource`1 retry, DbConnectionOptions userOptions, DbConnectionInternal& connection) +167
   System.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionClosed.TryOpenConnection(DbConnection outerConnection, DbConnectionFactory connectionFactory, TaskCompletionSource`1 retry, DbConnectionOptions userOptions) +143
   System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection.TryOpen(TaskCompletionSource`1 retry) +83
   System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection.Open() +96
   System.Activities.DurableInstancing.SqlCommandAsyncResult.StartCommandInternal(Boolean synchronous) +566
   System.Activities.DurableInstancing.SqlWorkflowInstanceStoreAsyncResult.StartOperation() +332

[InstancePersistenceCommandException: The execution of the InstancePersistenceCommand named {urn:schemas-microsoft-com:System.Activities.Persistence/command}CreateWorkflowOwner was interrupted by an error.]
   System.Runtime.AsyncResult.End(IAsyncResult result) +495736
   System.Runtime.DurableInstancing.InstancePersistenceContext.OuterExecute(InstanceHandle initialInstanceHandle, InstancePersistenceCommand command, Transaction transaction, TimeSpan timeout) +73
   System.Runtime.DurableInstancing.InstanceStore.Execute(InstanceHandle handle, InstancePersistenceCommand command, TimeSpan timeout) +74
   System.ServiceModel.Activities.Dispatcher.DurableInstanceManager.Open(TimeSpan timeout) +310

[CommunicationException: The InstanceStore could not be initialized.]
   System.ServiceModel.Activities.Dispatcher.DurableInstanceManager.Open(TimeSpan timeout) +409
   System.ServiceModel.Activities.WorkflowServiceHost.AfterInitializeRuntime(TimeSpan timeout) +21
   System.ServiceModel.ServiceHostBase.OnOpen(TimeSpan timeout) +80
   System.ServiceModel.Channels.CommunicationObject.Open(TimeSpan timeout) +310
   System.ServiceModel.Channels.CommunicationObject.Open() +36
   System.ServiceModel.HostingManager.ActivateService(ServiceActivationInfo serviceActivationInfo, EventTraceActivity eventTraceActivity) +91
   System.ServiceModel.HostingManager.EnsureServiceAvailable(String normalizedVirtualPath, EventTraceActivity eventTraceActivity) +598

[ServiceActivationException: The service '/TestHost/WorkflowService.svc' cannot be activated due to an exception during compilation.  The exception message is: The InstanceStore could not be initialized..]
   System.Runtime.AsyncResult.End(IAsyncResult result) +495736
   System.ServiceModel.Activation.HostedHttpRequestAsyncResult.End(IAsyncResult result) +178
   System.ServiceModel.Activation.ServiceHttpModule.EndProcessRequest(IAsyncResult ar) +348782
   System.Web.AsyncEventExecutionStep.OnAsyncEventCompletion(IAsyncResult ar) +9662417

Hope you can shed light on this issue. Thanks!

Answer 1

I found out that the reason why I can't connect is because I'm connecting to the wrong InstanceStore. Changed the configuration there and it's working fine.

Answer 2

From the stack trace, it looks like your are not able to connect with the SQL Server used for the InstanceStore.