After upgrading ArcGIS Server to version 10.5, starting a geocode service published from an address locator that is stored in a geodatabase fails to create an instance and returns an error in the ArcGIS Server logs

Error Message

When upgrading ArcGIS Server 10.4.1 and earlier to 10.5, hosted geocode services that reference a locator in a geodatabase fail to create an instance, and return an error message in the Server logs:

Failed to initialize server object 'geocode_br501': 0x80004005: Working with locators in geodatabases is no longer supported

Cause

If address locators were published as geocode services by reference and were stored in a geodatabase (file or enterprise) prior to 10.5, they no longer start if ArcGIS Server is upgraded to ArcGIS Enterprise 10.5 by keeping the existing site. An error message is returned in the ArcGIS Server error logs when the service is restarted.

Solution or Workaround

1. Copy and paste the address locator from the geodatabase to a file folder in ArcCatalog or use the Data Management > General > Copy geoprocessing tool.
2. Republish the address locator to ArcGIS Server.