SQL Larry
Thanks Jag and Dhericean for your continuing suggestions.
Shared memory is enabled in the client network utility. Nevertheless, I tested this on a 3rd server. Regardless of the client network utility setting for shared memory, the SQL Server on my desktop system (version 8.00.194) starts up listening on TCP, Shared Memory, and Named Pipes.
I had previously inspected the registry settings for both the ailing server and another that is using shared memory properly. However, I wasn't sure which keys affected which functions. The Lpc key exists at the specified registry location for both, but I noticed version differences.
The ailing server is at SP3a (8.00.818) as is its O:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL\Binn\ssmslpcn.dll file.
The server working properly is at SP4 (8.00.2040) and ists ssmslpcn.dll file is 8.00.2039.
There is a reference to a shared memory bug in the bug fix list for SP4 (http://support.microsoft.com/ kbid=888799). The bug is briefly described at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/830366/EN-US/. I haven't seen such errors, and this sounds like something that would occur after SQL Server is already running. The errorlog indicates that share memory is not used from the onset.
2007-04-10 09:44:14.51 server SQL server listening on TCP, Named Pipes.
Regarding the LPC key, I tested this on my desktop system. The errorlog indicates the server is listening on shared memory, but the LPC key is missing when the server is on or off.
So, I still puzzled.
Thanks again, and keep your ideas coming.