In our test labs (and occasionally, at a customer’s site), we will encounter an error running the Install or Update Lync Server System wizard at Step2 : Setup or Remove Lync Server Components.  The error looks something like:

This step will configure services, apply permissions, create firewall rules, etc.Executing PowerShell command: Enable-CSComputer -Confirm:$false -Verbose -Report “C:UsersadministratorAppDataLocalTempEnable-CSComputer-[2013_04_07][11_40_53].html”
HostLocalActivateTask execution failed on an unrecoverable error.

Root Cause

We have seen two primary root causes for this error:

1. A failed installation of Lync that is being recovered
2. Installing a fresh copy of Lync on a server which previously had Lync installed

Either way, the error is a PIA as the server has services installed which are causing the wizard all sorts of grief.

Validation of the error

1. Open Lync Server Management Shell
   Important: Remember to run as administrator
2. Execute the command Enable-CSComputer
3. When the command fails, note the location of the detailed results.  This will read something like:
   WARNING: Detailed results can be found at “C:UsersadministratorAppDataLocalTempEnable-CSComputer-d7c83064-2a82-4db9.html
4. Locate and open the html file.  Review the error It will read something along the lines of
   Error: The service name “RTCnnnn” is already in use

Solution

The solution is to delete the services which already exist on the server.

1. Open a command prompt (CMD)
   Important: Remember to run as administrator
2. Enter the following command
   sc delete RTCnnnn
   Where RTCnnnn is the name of the service from the log file
3. Rerun the steps listed in Validation of the error above
4. Repeat as necessary as there may be more than one service causing problems on your install
5. Restarting the server is strongly recommended

Lync 2013 Specific Solution

For Lync 2013, we have identified 6 services which consistently cause the HostLocalActivateTask error.  For Lync 2013, we recommend you perform the following solution:

1. Open a command prompt (CMD)
   Important: Remember to run as administrator
2. Enter the following commands (execute each separately)
   sc delete RTCCAS
   sc delete RTCCAA
   sc delete RTCCPS
   sc delete RTCRGS
   sc delete RTCPDPAUTH
   sc delete RTCPDPCORE
   sc delete RTCATS
3. Restarting the server is strongly recommended