I finally got around to installing FM Server 7 that I received from last year's developer's conference.

I decided to use a machine that wasn't being used for anything useful, and had all of the system requirements needed. It had a LOT of junk on it, so I decided to reformat and reinstall Windows Server 2000 on it. That went ok.

I then installed FM Server 7 on it, as a "complete" install. That went ok too.

Whenever I try to start the FileMaker Server Helper service, it keep popping up the error "Error 1053: The service did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion". The service was set to automatically start, but it never has "started" since I installed it. Of course, the FM Server service is dependant on the Helper service already being started. So I'm getting nowhere.

I applied the update patch from Filemaker's website. No good. I have also applied all of the multitude of patches for Windows. I have tried to stop all of the other services that I could, then start Helper. That didn't work. Looking through the Event Viewer, nothing indicated that it would interfere with the Helper service.

This seems like more of a Windows problem than anything else. But I just don't know anything more to do Anyone got any ideas/suggestions/helps/etc??

I'm having the same problem and I'm using Microsoft Windows Server 2003. On another forum site, another user reports the same problem and his error turned out to be insufficent RAM on Win computer: http://www.maclane.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=59656&an=0&page=2#59656

Mine is also the same problem. Not enough RAM and processor too slow.

I did a lookup for error 1053 and got 2 different causes. One is permissions for the folder that the service is calling DLLs and the other cause is an incorrect version of the .NET framework. I have no idea what .NET has to do with FileMaker, but that's what it said.

If anyone finds a reason/solution for the error, I sure hope they post it so we can all learn.