Tableau Processes Failing to Enable With Error "Generating configuration files failed for <SERVICE>" When Starting Tableau Server

Issue

When Tableau Server is attempting to start or restart, the job will time out with one or multiple services in an ERROR state which have failed to enable.

This is an example error within the tabadmincontroller_node1-0.log logging output:

2023-10-27 20:39:25.017 +0000 pool-22-thread-1 : ERROR com.tableausoftware.tabadmin.webapp.asyncjobs.JobStepRunner - Running step StartAllServices failed
com.tableausoftware.tabadmin.webapp.exceptions.ServiceOperationTimeoutException: One or more services failed to reach their expected state.
...
dataserver_0.20231.23.0909.1155: Failed to reach requested state. Current state: ENABLE_FAILED
Error Message: com.tableausoftware.tabadmin.exceptions.ConfigurationException: config_failed_generate_config_files:Generating configuration files failed. (errorCode=10)
java.io.FileNotFoundException: C:\Program Data\Tableau\Tableau Server\data\tabsvc\config\dataserver_0.20231.23.0909.1155\tableau.lic (Access is denied)

Environment

Tableau Server 2021 +
Windows Server

Resolution

To resolve this issue, check that the files mentioned in the error output for the various services have the "Hidden" box unchecked.

1. Go to the location of the file mentioned in the error logging within the tabadmincontroller_node1-0.log file where the output mentions "Access is Denied".

The tabadmincontroller_node1-0.log file can be found in the following location:
- Windows(Default Location):
  - C:\ProgramData\Tableau\Tableau Server\data\tabsvc\logs\tabadmincontroller
- Linux(Default Location):
  - /var/opt/tableau/tableau_server/data/tabsvc/logs/tabadmincontroller
An example error output: C:\Program Data\Tableau\Tableau Server\data\tabsvc\config\dataserver_0.20231.23.0909.1155\tableau.lic (Access is denied)
Files that are hidden will have a transparent icon that looks like the following

2. Open the file's properties and uncheck the "Hidden" box then Apply.

3. Perform this action on all the paths that were output in the tabadmincontroller logging.
4. Restart Tableau Server.

Cause

Windows may have inadvertently set certain files/folders to Hidden which is preventing the NT Authority\SYSTEM user from accessing the Tableau Server's process configuration files.