SharePoint Administration

FatalError: Cannot import site. Export / Import-SpWeb in SharePoint 2010

2011-02-11T08:51:00.000-08:00

Error:
FatalError: Cannot import site. The exported site is based on the template STS#0 but the destination site is based on the template SPS#0. You can import sites only into sites that are based on same template as the exported site.

Import-SPWeb : Cannot import site. The exported site is based on the template STS#0 but the destination site is based on the template STS#1. You can import sites only into sites that are based on same template as the exported site.

Issue:-
In SharePoint 2010 when we use Powershell Commands to Export / Import site collections we get Site Template mismatch errors as now SP 2010 needs to have the same template for the site while importing which was used on the site exported.

In such scenarios when you have migrated from SPS 2003 -> MOSS 2007 -> SP 2010 there will be many old Site templates which are now Obsolete in SP 2010 and not available, due to which it will be very difficult to Import the site.

Resolution / Workaround:-
1. Central Admin -> Application Management -> Create Site Collection
2. During Template selection go to 'Custom' Tab -> Select Template Later.....
3. Run the Import-SpWeb command now and it should import the site collection without any issues.

As we are not selecting any template while creating a Site Collection, it automatically pics up the template which is using while importing the Site Collection.

Claims to Windows Token Service is not starting. SharePoint 2010

2011-02-09T13:26:00.000-08:00

Issue:-
While trying to Start the "Claims to Windows Token Service" we get the error in ULS Logs.

02/03/2011 19:20:50.61 w3wp.exe (0x2714) 0x20D4 SharePoint Foundation Topology 7034 Critical An attempt to start/stop instance of service Claims to Windows Token Service on server did not succeed. Re-run the action via UI or command line on the specified server. Additional information is below. Cannot start service c2wts on computer '.'. bc9bf161-6959-4d80-8410-8b676810da70

Resolution:-
HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WinTrust\Trust Providers\Software Publishing
Value = State
Radix= decimal
Change the value to '146944' to disable CRL checking.

FAST Search Server 2010 for SharePoint - Services not starting

2011-01-27T08:52:00.000-08:00

Issue: After installation a fresh FAST Search Server 2010 for SharePoint (Single Node), 4 main Services were not getting started.

1. Browser Engine
2. SAM Admin
3. SAM Worker
4. QRProxy Service

Error:
Event ID: 7000
Error: 1297: A Privilege that the services requires to function properly does not exist in the service account configuration. You may use the Services Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in (services.msc) and the Local Security Settings MMC snap-in (secpol.msc) to view the serivce configuration and the account configuration.

Troubleshoot:
1. Tried to the Article http://support.microsoft.com/kb/982261
2. That policy was already in place.
3. Checked the group membership of FASTSearchAdministrators group. Fast service account was already added.
4. Added the machine account domain\machine to the group, still did not work.
5. Checked if the user was able to make changes, add/delete items from registry key.

Resolution:
1. Added the Fast Service account domain\fastsrv to the local Group Policy "Increase a process working set"
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd349804(WS.10).aspx#BKMK_26

The Difference Between MOSS 2007 and WSS 3.0

2010-12-29T02:56:00.001-08:00

It always astounds me what Microsoft are willing to bundle with their software, Analysis Services or SSIS (SQL Server Integration Services) with SQL Server for example! They haven't stopped, they bundle Windows Sharepoint Services with Windows Server 2003, with is basically a fully functional SharePoint Server, however they still have SharePoint Server 2007 as a product. So what are the differences? At first glance it doesn't appear to be much, however for tight integration into the enterprise, it seems that MOSS 2007 (Microsoft Office SharePoint Server) is a must! I will highlight the most interesting bits that MOSS 2007 has over and above WSS 3.0 (Windows Sharepoint Services) :
User Profiles support - Allows each user to store profile information
Site Manager - Manage Navigation, Security and look and feel with drag an drop functionality
Enterprise Search Tools - numerous tools to search Sharepoint Sites and Portals across entire enterprises
Business Data Catalog - The Business Data Catalog (BDC) tightly integrates external data, providing access to external data residing within other business applications, and enabling the display of, and interaction with external data
Business data search - Search data residing in your business applications using the BDC (See Above)
Business Data Web Parts - Used for viewing lists, entities, and related information retrieved through the Business Data Catalog
Business document workflow support - Automate document review, approval, signature collection, and issue tracking using workflow applications
Retention and auditing policies - Allows customized information management policies to control retention period, expiration, and auditing
Browser-based forms - Integration with InfoPath, allows integration on to SharePoint of created forms and surveys.
Integrated, flexible spreadsheet publishing - Allows information workers to easily choose what they want to share with others and determine how others can interact with published spreadsheets.
Share, manage, and control spreadsheets - Provides access to spreadsheet data and analysis through server-calculated, interactive spreadsheets from a Web browser. Can help to protect any sensitive or proprietary information embedded in documents, such as financial models, and audits their usage.
Web-based business intelligence using Excel Services - Allows spreadsheets to be broadly and easily shared. Fully interactive, data-bound spreadsheets including charts, tables, and PivotTable views can be created as part of a portal, dashboard, or business scorecard.
Data Connection Libraries - Document Libraries storing ODCs (Office Data Connections), Making one single location for all data connections.
Business Data actions - Easily create actions that open Web pages, display the user interfaces of other business applications, launch InfoPath forms, and perform other common tasks.
Integrated business intelligence dashboards - Rich, interactive BI dashboards that assemble and display business information from disparate sources by using built-in Web parts, Excel spreadsheets, Reporting Services, or a collection of business data connectivity Web Parts.
Report Center - Provides consistent management of reports, spreadsheets, and data connections.
Key performance indicators - A KPI web Part can connect to Analysis Services, Excel Spreadsheets, SharePoint Lists, or manual entered data.
Notification service - Improved allowing workflow users to receive emails by default, and improved triggering and filtering
Single Sign-On (SSO) - Allows the User to log onto a variety of applications with a single user name and password, therefore integrating back office applications, and helps pre-population with integration to the Profile part of MOSS 2007.
Social Networking Part - Connect to Public My Site pages to help establish connections between colleagues with common interests
Personal Site Support - Allows Users to create Personal Web Sites
Content syndication - Use RSS feeds to syndicate content managed in a portal site.

This is just a few of the extras you get in MOSS 2007, and I have highlighted those that are more angled to Business Intelligence! As for the cost, you can find that here: (In USD$ I am afraid) http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepointserver...

KB article 2345304 SharePoint Security update

2010-12-15T15:26:00.000-08:00

Issue: SharePoint is down after applying KB 2345304
Env: Mostly seen in WSS 3.0 FARM
Error: Cannot connect to Config db or PSConfig fails with Access Denied errors or while file uploads in the Document library we get Access Denied errors.

Resolution:
1. Go to SQL management studio expand the Databases
2. Go to the properties of SharePoint Configdb -> Options -> Auto Close parameter set to "False".

When this security update is applied, the SQL databases are closed and for that we need to change the "Auto Close" option to "False" from "True"

Do the same for all the SharePoint Databases in use and then run the PSConfig wizard.

Your client does not support opening this list with Windows Explorer

2010-11-23T10:45:00.000-08:00

Issue:- SharePoint Windows Explorer View not working on IE 8
Env:- Windows Server 2008, Windows 7
Error:- "Your client does not support opening this list with Windows Explorer"

Resolution / Workaround:
1. On Windows Server 2008 Install "Desktop Experience" Feature. This will install the "Web Client service. Keep it to Automatic and make sure its Started.
2. Use IE 8 32 bit version and browse the SP site and check the explorer view. By Default it will open IE 8 64 bit version which continues to give the error regardless the "Web Client" service being started.

Note:
=======
Note sure about the difference between this behaviour in IE 8 32 and 64 bit versions. But on both Windows server 2008 and Windows 7, both the versions are installed by default.

Report Builder Report Download 401 Unauthorized Error

2010-06-16T22:21:00.000-07:00

Environment:-
Server1 -- SQL services, SQL reporting services all 2008 R2 64bit, SharePoint installation 2010 and Reporting services add-in

Server2 -- SharePoint installation with Central Administration hosted 2010, Reporting services add-in .

Issue:- While downloading Report Builder report Externally (from Internet) it does not download and gives a "Cannot Retrieve error"

Error:- PLATFORM VERSION INFOWindows : 5.0.2195.262144 (Win32NT)
Common Language Runtime : 2.0.50727.42
System.Deployment.dll : 2.0.50727.42 (RTM.050727-4200)
mscorwks.dll : 2.0.50727.42 (RTM.050727-4200)
dfdll.dll : 2.0.50727.42 (RTM.050727-4200)
dfshim.dll : 2.0.50727.42 (RTM.050727-4200)

SOURCESDeployment url :
http://URL/ReportServer/ReportBuilder/ReportBuilder.applicationERROR SUMMARYBelow is a summary of the errors, details of these errors are listed later in the log.
* Activation of http://URL/ReportServer/ReportBuilder/ReportBuilder.application resulted in exception. Following failure messages were detected:
+ Downloading http://URL/ReportServer/ReportBuilder/ReportBuilder.application did not succeed.
+ The remote server returned an error: (401) Unauthorized.
COMPONENT STORE TRANSACTION FAILURE SUMMARYNo transaction error was detected.WARNINGSThere were no warnings during this operation.OPERATION PROGRESS STATUS* [08/05/2008 09:33:39] :
Activation of http://URL/ReportServer/ReportBuilder/ReportBuilder.application has started.

Tried and tested
So many blogs and articles online on this issue that I have lost count how many read and how many times I might have deleted and recreated web applications. As most of the articles and blogs suggest to enable Annonymous Access on the ReportBuilder Virtual directory in IIS, but SQL 2008 reporting services does not create this Virtual directory in IIS so how do we give annonymous access??? Broken my head on this issue with my colleagues and lot of hours reading long msdn and technet articles but all in vain...

Resolution:-
1. Browse to Central Administration of SP 2010
2. Application Management
3. Manage Web applications -> Select the Web Application which will be used for SSRS
4. Select Authentication Providers -> Select "Enable Annonymous Access" checkbox
5. Click Ok.

This will setup the most required annonymous access for the virtual directories in IIS and Report builder will start downloading from Internet also. Hope this helps to many out there. Also to mention our SP site was also configured with Kerberos and SSL using a Hostheader.

.WMV Documents are not visible after uploading in Doc lib in Sharepoint 2007

2010-04-22T04:07:00.000-07:00

Environment: Sharepoint 2007 x64bit
IIS 7.0
Windows server 2008 SP2

When we try uploadig documents in sharepoint 2007 doc lib, it was giving me error due to big file size.
After research got the technet article as http://support.microsoft.com/kb/925083 which says that we need to do changes in web.config file for that web application along with settings in IIS related to connection timeout.

Increase the maximum upload size

Click Start, All Programs > Administrative Tools, and then click SharePoint Central Administration > click Application Management.
Under SharePoint Web Application Management > Web application general settings.
On the Web Application General Settings page, click the Web application that you want to change.
Under Maximum upload size, type the maximum file size in megabytes that you want, and then click OK.

Increase the connection time-out setting

By default, the IIS connection time-out setting is 120 seconds. To increase the connection time-out setting in IIS 7.0 , follow these steps:
Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager.
Selecet the site for which you want to imcrease the connection time out settings > on right had side, click advanced settings
Under Behavior, click on the + sign for connection limit and edit the connection time out settings (seconds) to 360(as per required).

Add the executionTimeout value

Use Notepad to open the Web.config file. By default, this file is in the following location:
Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Web server extensions\12\TEMPLATE\LAYOUTS
Add the executionTimeout value that you want. For example, replace the value as follows.

Existing code (Note: remove -- from the tags)
<--location path="upload.aspx">
<--system.web>
<--httpRuntime maxRequestLength="2097151" />
<--/system.web>
<--/location>

Replacement code (Note: remove -- from the tags)

<--location path="upload.aspx">
<--system.web>
<--httpRuntime executionTimeout="999999" maxRequestLength="2097151" />
<--/system.web>
<--/location>

After you change the file, click Save on the File menu.
Use Notepad to open the Web application Web.config file. By default, this file is in the following folder:

Inetpub\wwwroot\wss\VirtualDirectories\VirtualDirectoryFolder

Change the following line in the file.

Existing line (Note: remove -- from the tags)

<--httpRuntime maxRequestLength="51200" />

Replacement line (Note: remove -- from the tags)

<--httpRuntime executionTimeout="999999" maxRequestLength="51200" />

After you change the file, click Save on the File menu.
Exit.
Restart the site from IIS and try uploading the required .wmv file
You will be surprised to see that there was no error and it seems as if the file got uploaded.
What is this!!!!!

When you browse to that document library, you will be surprised to see that the file is not there :(

Yes... this is where we need to do some more changes in web.config file for IIS 7.0 users
The changes are as follows:

Adjusting File Size Limit in IIS 7

The problem is that in IIS 7 on Windows 2008 Server, the web application will reject any file that is larger than 30 MB. You can increase the maximum file size by adding the following code to in the web.config file:
(Note: remove -- from the tags)

<--security>
<--requestFiltering>
<--requestLimits maxAllowedContentLength=”2000000000″ />
<--/requestFiltering>
<--/security>

and inplace of the

<--httpRuntime executionTimeout="999999" maxRequestLength="51200" />

that we changed earlier, we need to increase the value to '2000000000' from '51200'

<--httpRuntime executionTimeout="999999" maxRequestLength="2000000000" />

With the above maxAllowedContentLength and Max RequestLength, users can upload files that are 2,000,000,000 bytes in size. This setting will work right away without restart IIS services.

Enabling Barcodes for Library or List

2010-04-09T02:10:00.000-07:00

Configure Barcoding system (Barcode) in SharePoint for Document libraries and Lists.

Note:- We can configure the Barcodes for only Document and List libraries in SharePoint 2007
Barcoding is configured for unique identification of Physical assests in the company. SharePoint generates the Unique Barcode values automatically out of the box.

Steps to Enable the Barcode Policy at Site Collection level.
1. Browse to the site where you need to configure Barcodes.
2. Click Site Actions -> Site Settings -> Modify All Site Settings -> Site Collection Policies
3. Click on Create to create the Policy
4. Enter the desired Name and Policy Statement
5. Select the Enable Barcodes checkbox -> Click OK

The Site Collection Policy will be created, now we need to activate this policy for a library or list. The steps are same for both. It needs to be activated at the Content Type level.

Steps to Activate the Policy to a List
1. Browse to the List -> Select Settings -> List Settings -> Advanced Settings -> "Yes" for Allow Managment of Content Types -> OK
2. Click on the Content Type (by Default Item will be shown) -> Select Information Managment Policy Settings -> Select Use a Site Collection Policy -> from drop down, the one we created in above steps -> Click OK

Now when you start Adding items using the Content Type to which the Policy was applied, Barcodes will be generated. Modify the View to show the columns "Barcode" and "Barcode Value"

ORA-01036: illegal variable name/number

2010-03-12T13:10:00.000-08:00

Error:- ORA-01036: illegal variable name/number
Env:- Crawling Oracle database and views from SP BDC using SSO.

I had used BDC Meta Man to create the ADF file and after that it was giving the below error while doing full crawl. After working with the BDC support, I found out that the Identifiers we specify in the tool are suppose to be unique in data. Once selecting those Unique identifiers, import the ADF file again and crawl from SharePoint, it will work fine.

Log Name: Application
Source: Office SharePoint Server
Date: 3/12/2010 10:08:30 AM
Event ID: 5701
Task Category: Business Data
Level: Error
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: server name
Description:
Could not run query/stored proceedure 'Select ORACLE STRING QUERY Pooling=True;User ID=readonly;Integrated Security=False;Persist Security Info=false;User ID=readonly;' in App Domain 'DefaultDomain'. The full exception text is: ORA-01036: illegal variable name/number

Event Xml:
event xmlns="a href="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event/a>">
5701
2
1330 0x80000000000000 10916226
Application Servername

Select ORACLE STRING QUERY Pooling=True;User ID=readonly;Integrated Security=False;Persist Security Info=false;User ID=readonly;
DefaultDomain
ORA-01036: illegal variable name/number

The error code returned was 0x800706b9 - Configuring SSO for first on fresh installation

2010-02-22T21:59:00.000-08:00

I was trying to resolve this error since almost a week and was about to give up. Had tried all the following steps to resolve the issue.

1. Removed the quotes from ssosrv registry key for ImagePath key (as per research on other sites)
2. Made the SSO service account a member of DomainAdmins account.
3. Rebooted the server, stopped the service, re-entered the credentials and password for the service account in Services.msc and started the service
4. Configured the service account in Central Adminstration - Service Accounts for SSO

All the steps you can possibly find on google I had tried and still was getting the below error in the ULS Logs and event viewer.

02/22/2010 20:43:40.65 SSOSRV.EXE (0x1518) 0x162C SharePoint Portal Server SSO 0 Medium NetUserGetInfo said User username exists 02/22/2010 20:43:40.65 SSOSRV.EXE (0x1518) 0x162C SharePoint Portal Server SSO 0 Medium Destroying CCommandEx 02/22/2010 20:43:40.65 SSOSRV.EXE (0x1518) 0x162C SharePoint Portal Server SSO 0 Medium Destroying CSessionEx 02/22/2010 20:43:40.65 SSOSRV.EXE (0x1518) 0x162C SharePoint Portal Server SSO 0 High ::RpcServerUseProtseq() failed with rpc error 1721 02/22/2010 20:43:40.65 SSOSRV.EXE (0x1518) 0x162C SharePoint Portal Server SSO 0 High Error code is: -2147023175 02/22/2010 20:43:40.65 SSOSRV.EXE (0x1518) 0x162C SharePoint Portal Server SSO 0 Critical One or more RPC services for the Microsoft Single Sign-on (SSOSrv) service failed to start. The error code returned was 0x800706b9. For more information, see the Microsoft SharePoint Products and Technologies Software Development Kit (SDK). 02/22/2010 20:43:40.65 SSOSRV.EXE (0x1518) 0x162C SharePoint Portal Server SSO 0 High CRPCService::RegisterRPCInterface() failed to register ISingleSignonConfiguration 02/22/2010 20:43:40.65 SSOSRV.EXE (0x1518) 0x162C SharePoint Portal Server SSO 0 High Error code is: -2147023175 02/22/2010 20:43:40.65 SSOSRV.EXE (0x1518) 0x162C SharePoint Portal Server SSO 0 Critical User domain\username failed to configure the single sign-on server. The error returned was 0x800706b9. Verify this account has sufficient permissions and try again.

Log Name: ApplicationSource: Office SharePoint ServerDate: 2/22/2010 2:23:07 AMEvent ID: 6517Task Category: SSOLevel: ErrorKeywords: ClassicUser: N/AComputer: servername.domain.com Description:User domain\username failed to configure the single sign-on server. The error returned was 0x800706b9. Verify this account has sufficient permissions and try again.
1358321 Application servername.domain.com domain\username 0x800706b9

Resolution:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/246784
1. Go to this registry path HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Rpc\Internet

"Ports" key was having the value 5000-50002 with no spaces ( like other articles which mentioned to remove spaces )

2. I changed the value to 0-65335 without any spaces or hitting the enter key, Click OK

3. Restart the server.

Now SSO was Configured without any error. If you check the above registry key, the values will be changed back to what it was before. Dont change them again, if your SSO is configured, dont temper with that registry again.

Upgrade windows 2003 32 bit DC to windows 2008 64 bit DC

2009-11-18T14:05:00.000-08:00

Adding Windows Serve 2008 R2 AD DS in Existing Windows Server 2003 32 bit forest

Prepare Windows Server 2008 R2 64 bit
1. Install windows Server 2008 R2 from the installation DVD [ http://www.petri.co.il/how-to-install-windows-server-2008-step-by-step.htm ]
2. Give a Static IP address to the server.
3. Configure the Preferred DNS server as the Windows server 2003 DC.
4. Install the updates from the following site. http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/. This should install the needed SP2 and post hot fixes.
5. Join the Machine to the Domain as a Member Server. Reboot the Server.

Installing Pre-Requisites
Make sure that .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 is installed.

Preparing Windows Server 2003 Forest for Windows Server 2008 R2 DC
Prepare the Forest
1. Log-on to the Windows 2003 DC Schema Master with the Enterprise Admins, Schema Admins, and Domain Admins groups privileges to prepare the Forest for Windows Server 2008 R2 DC.
2. Insert the Windows Server 2008 R2 DVD into the DVD drive.
3. Run Command Prompt as Administrator.
4. Run the following command from the DVD.
a. D:\support\adprep\adprep /forestprep [ Note: If it is Windows Server 2008, it will be D:\sources\adprep\adprep /forestprep ]
5. If you have multiple Windows Server 2003 DC’s, let the replication finish or use replmon to manually replicate the Domain Controllers before preparing the Domain for Windows Server 2008 R2 DC.

Prepare the Domain
1. Log-on to the Infrastructure master with Domain Admin privileges.
2. Insert the Windows Server 2008 R2 DVD into the DVD drive.
3. Run command prompt as Administrator.
4. Run the following command from the DVD.
a. D:\support\adprep\adprep /domainprep [ Note: If it is Windows Server 2008, it will be D:\sources\adprep\adprep /Domainprep ]
5. If you have multiple Windows Server 2003 DC’s, let the replication finish or use replmon to manually replicate the Domain Controllers before preparing the Domain for Windows Server 2008 R2 DC.
Note: For other Deployment scenarios please follow this link. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc771433(WS.10).aspx

Adding Windows Server 2008 R2 as an Additional Domain Controller.
1. Open Server Manager. Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Server Manager.

2. In Roles Summary, click Add Roles.

3. If necessary, review the information on the Before You Begin page, and then click Next.

4. On the Select Server Roles page, click the Active Directory Domain Services check box, and then click Next.

5. If necessary, review the information on the Active Directory Domain Services page, and then click Next.

6. On the Confirm Installation Selections page, click Install.

7. On the Installation Results page, click Close this wizard and launch the Active Directory Domain Services Installation Wizard (dcpromo.exe).

8. On the Welcome to the Active Directory Domain Services Installation Wizard page, click Next.

9. On the Operating System Compatibility page, review the warning about the default security settings for Windows Server 2008 R2 domain controllers, and then click Next.

10. On the Choose a Deployment Configuration page, click Existing forest, click Add a domain controller to an existing domain, and then click Next.

11. On the Network Credentials page, type the name of any existing domain in the forest where you plan to install the additional domain controller. Under Specify the account credentials to use to perform the installation, click My current logged on credentials and then click Set. In the Windows Security dialog box, provide the user name and password for an account that can install the additional domain controller. To install an additional domain controller, you must be a member of the Enterprise Admins group or the Domain Admins group. When you are finished providing credentials, click Next.

12. On the Select a Domain page, select the domain of the new domain controller, and then click Next.

13. On the Select a Site page, select a site from the list or select the option to install the domain controller in the site that corresponds to its IP address, and then click Next.

14. On the Additional Domain Controller Options page, make the following selections, and then click Next:
1. DNS server: This option is selected by default so that your domain controller can function as a Domain Name System (DNS) server. If you do not want the domain controller to be a DNS server, clear this option.

15. If you selected Use advanced mode installation on the Welcome page, the Source Domain Controller page appears. Click Let the wizard choose an appropriate domain controller or click Use this specific domain controller to specify a domain controller that you want to provide as a source for replication to create the new domain controller, and then click Next.

16. On the Location for Database, Log Files, and SYSVOL page, type or browse to the volume and folder locations for the database file, the directory service log files, and the system volume (SYSVOL) files, and then click Next.
Windows Server Backup backs up the directory service by volume. For backup and recovery efficiency, store these files on separate volumes that do not contain applications or other nondirectory files.

17. On the Directory Services Restore Mode Administrator Password page, type and confirm the restore mode password, and then click Next. This password must be used to start AD DS in Directory Service Restore Mode (DSRM) for tasks that must be performed offline.

18. On the Summary page, review your selections. Click Back to change any selections, if necessary.
To save the settings that you have selected to an answer file that you can use to automate subsequent AD DS operations, click Export settings. Type the name for your answer file, and then click Save.
When you are sure that your selections are accurate, click Next to install AD DS.

19. On the Completing the Active Directory Domain Services Installation Wizard page, click Finish.

20. You can either select the Reboot on completion check box to have the server restart automatically or you can restart the server to complete the AD DS installation when you are prompted to do so.

Note:- Once the replication is done between the 2003 DC and 2008 DC, you can either change their Static IP addresses or change the DHCP settings for preferred DNS servers, to point it to the new 2008 DC. The same above steps can be taken to add another Additional 2008 DC.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alternate Access Mapping error

2009-11-03T14:52:00.000-08:00

Issue:- Not able to change any settings in AAM
Error:-
Unexpected end of file while parsing Name has occurred. Line 29, position 13. at System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.Throw(Exception e)
at System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.ParseQName(Boolean isQName, Int32 startOffset, Int32& colonPos)
at System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.ParseElement()
at System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.ParseElementContent()
at System.Xml.XmlLoader.LoadNode(Boolean skipOverWhitespace)
at System.Xml.XmlLoader.LoadDocSequence(XmlDocument parentDoc)
at System.Xml.XmlDocument.Load(XmlReader reader)
at System.Xml.XmlDocument.LoadXml(String xml)
at Microsoft.SharePoint.Administration.SPAlternateUrlCollection.HasMissingUrl(String xml)
at Microsoft.SharePoint.Administration.SPContentDatabase.UpdateAlternateAccessMapping(SPAlternateUrlCollection collection)
at Microsoft.SharePoint.Administration.SPAlternateUrlCollection.UpdateAlternateAccessMappingInContent()
at Microsoft.SharePoint.Administration.SPAlternateUrlCollection.Update()
at Microsoft.SharePoint.ApplicationPages.EditOutboundUrlsPage.BtnSave_Click(Object sender, EventArgs e)
at System.Web.UI.WebControls.Button.OnClick(EventArgs e)
at System.Web.UI.WebControls.Button.RaisePostBackEvent(String eventArgument)
at System.Web.UI.Page.RaisePostBackEvent(IPostBackEventHandler sourceControl, String eventArgument)
at System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequestMain(Boolean includeStagesBeforeAsyncPoint, Boolean includeStagesAfterAsyncPoint)

This above error comes after installing April Cumulative pack for SharePoint 2007

This is the extract from the article http://support.microsoft.com/kb/973410 , which is included in the August cumulative update http://support.microsoft.com/kb/974982

"You have a Web application that has more than five incoming URLs. You cannot change Alternate Access Mappings (AAM) settings after you install the 2007 Microsoft Office system cumulative update that was released in April 2008"

There is one more article which has the same issue of editing URL's for more than 5 zone entrie, but does not have the parsing error. Still in this article there is no resolution given by MS. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2000628

Change Secondary Schema to IE7 for SharePoint Designer 2007

2009-09-30T00:34:00.000-07:00

Error:- "In Internet Explorer 6.0 the tag "" is not permitted.

In SharePoint Designer 2007, we need to change the Secondary Schema to IE7 so that certain tags would render without any errors.

On the machine where SharePoint Designer 2007 is installed:
1. Browse to %SystemDrive%\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\OFFICE12\SCHEMAS\HTML
2. Copy the IE6_0.XSD and then rename the copied file to IE7_0.XSD
3. Open the IE7_0.XSD file using Notepad or Visual Studio and edit the following lines:
<-- xsd:schema color="#ff0000" targetnamespace="'http://schemas.microsoft.com/intellisense/<--font" version="1.0"><--xsd:schema color="#ff0000" targetnamespace="'http://schemas.microsoft.com/intellisense/<-- xsd:schema version="1.0" targetNamespace='http://schemas.microsoft.com/intellisense/ie7' elementFormDefault='qualified' xmlns='http://schemas.microsoft.com/intellisense/ie7' xmlns:xsd='http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema' xmlns:vs='http://schemas.microsoft.com/Visual-Studio-Intellisense' xmlns:fp='http://schemas.microsoft.com/FrontPageScripting'
vs:clientom="ie6_0dom.tlb"
vs:ishtmlschema="true"
vs:isserverschema="false"
vs:htmlflavor="4.0"
vs:MultipleScriptLanguages="true"
vs:cssschema="CSS 2.1"
vs:SuccinctFriendlyName="Internet Explorer 7">
Note: the DOM reference for client side IntelliSense (vs:clientom=”ie6_0dom.tlb) remains the same.
Save and close the file.

Next, open your registry and browse to:[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Common\Schemas\] Note: This is on 32bit version machines

If you are using Windows Server 2008, 64bit machine
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Office\Common\Schemas

Create a new key and name it ie7_0.xsd and then create the following string values:
Value Name:- Abbrev Name
Value Data:- IE7
Value Name:- File
Value Data:- html\\ie7_0.xsd
Value Name:- Friendly Name
Value Data:- Internet Explorer 7.0
Value Name:- URI
Value Data:- http://schemas.microsoft.com/intellisense/ie7

Now, restart SharePoint Designer 2007 and click on Tools > Page Editor Options… In the Secondary Schema drop down select Internet Explorer 7.0. Click OK.

SharePoint 2010 Security Options

2009-08-20T01:45:00.000-07:00

Note:- This is subject to change as this is not the Final release

The new options in 2010 we can see are in General Security and Information Policy
In General Security we have new options like,
1. Configure Managed Accounts. :- The service accounts used in SP 2010 are registered or we can register them manually before using the Account for a service.

When you Edit or Add a User account, you will get below options.

2. Configure password Change settings. :- In SP 2010 we have an option to change/reset service account passwords either Manual or Automatic selection. In either ways SharePoint will send notification email to User or Group of Users as configured in this setting.

3. Manage WebPart Security. :- This is quite Self Explanatory.
4. Configure Secure Token Service. :- Not exactly sure about this token service, but surely its related to other Applications and FARM’s who can use this (.svc) URL as endpoints for communication between them.

5. Manage Trust. :- It gives a message “There are no Trusted Identity Providers defined.”

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

New Features in SharePoint 2010

2009-08-19T05:32:00.001-07:00

Note:- These are subject to change as this is Beta Version.
There would be many others which I have missed, but these are the ones which are visible easily.

1. Database failover options, dependant on SQL mirroring.
2. Search, people, BDC, Excel Services all working as individual entities providing robust and
easy to maintain environment.
3. Access Database Integration at server level.
4. Fast Search Server.
5. Lotus Notes Connector for Crawling data.
6. New Connection options for importing User Profiles from different directories other than AD.
7. In-Built Monitoring and Health check on servers.
8. Enhanced options of Site Usage Reports, trimming reports and storing them directly to a library. Web Analytics Report.
9. Direct Edit option using SharePoint Designer 2010 only. Out of the box workflows can also be
edited.
10. New Site Templates [ bugs, projects, charity, Enterprise Wiki ]
11. Enhanced RSS Feed options. Tagging Options.
12. Major My Site template changes. Combination of facebook and newsgator features.
13. Granular Backup and Restore options for site collections and Individual Lists.
14. Recover data from unattached content databases.
15. GUI mode to integrate SQL Reporting services.
16. PowerShell Scripting and Management Console available.
17.Silverlight webpart and few more.
18.External Content Type options
19.Connection to any external application of another FARM which has service app .svc extension (not sure what is this as I am not into developing)

Enterprise Search 2010 SharePoint

2009-08-19T05:09:00.000-07:00

Testing out of the box Enterprise Search 2010

Note:- This is subject to change as this is not from the final release.
1. Wildcard (*) is supported.

2. The “Notes” section in PPT files is also indexed. It is not so in MOSS 2007

3. “AND”, “OR”, “NOT” are taken as Boolean operators. “and”, “or”, “not” are taken as normal words

4. Query without the brackets [windows near services] will give results where only these 3 words exist in the file.

5. Double Quotes [ “ ” ] work.

6. ‘+’ ‘-‘ are not taken as Boolean operators in 2010 when used with phrases.

7. Query without the Brackets [ windows –author:greg ]. Here the string is taken as an operator. This will show all files with “windows” in it but not the one whose author is “Greg”.

8. Query without the Brackets [ windows author:greg ]. Here the string is taken as an operator. This will show all files with “windows” in it but only the one whose author is “Greg” and not other files.

9. [ title:xxx ] [ -title:xxx ] works as expected.

10. [ auther:greg title:tech ed ] will show 1 file.

11. [ auther:greg -title:tech ed ] will show 0 file. “No results matching your search were found”

12. [ 1/4 ] [ “1/4” ] both work as it works in Longitdue. Same set of results.

13. [ windows AND ( sharepoint OR services) ] works the same way in both.

In 2010 Search Results page. On the left hand side below options are given.

When we Edit the Search Results page. The following webparts are shown.

Sharepoint 14 Installation [ Beta Version ]

2009-08-16T22:16:00.000-07:00

Fresh Installation of SharePoint 2010 [ SP 14 Beta Version ]

Fortunately I got a hand on the Beta Version of SharePoint 2010 (SP14). I have included only those screenshots which are different from MOSS 2007 installation. other steps and configuration are the same as MOSS 2007 installation.

Running the Setup of Beta Version.

Pre-Requisites Check. Lot of softwares to be installed. It needs Internet connection enabled on the server.

During PSConfig, this is the new window we get related to "Passphrase Password"
Once PsConfig finishes Successfully and the Services are started, SQL Databases are created as below.

RegEdit Screenshot

Features of SharePoint 2010

2009-07-26T22:51:00.000-07:00

New features Sneak Preview of SharePoint 2010
Though the features and look and feel of the new product is farely good, I will not be surprised to find double the bugs in that product as SharePoint 2007.

Upgrade and Central Administration is quiet a relief to look at but then again it depands on how smoothly it works on large enterprises where already a lot of customization is done. Microsoft has still not released anything on SharePoint 2010 Basic installation or upgradation path from that type of installation. Will have to wait and watch......

Capture Site Collection deleted immediately

2009-07-20T01:01:00.000-07:00

Even though SharePoint 2007 has a wonderful feature of Recycle Bin, its disadvantage is that it does not capture Site Collections Deleted. If we have to restore the deleted Site Collection, get it from the backup and if no backup, forget the site and re-create again.

I hope that archiving of a Site Collection feature is introduced in SharePoint 2010, but in the mean time, we can still use an open source tool, easy to deploy on the SharePoint FARM given by CodePlex.

This tool will capture the deleted site collection immediately and send a mail to the Site Administrators with the name of the person who deleted the site. Also allowing you to restore the site if needed immediately.

Microsoft IT Site Delete Capture LE 1.0

Event ID 5586, Cannot generate SSPI context

2009-07-13T01:51:00.000-07:00

You get "Cannot connect to Configuration database" while accessing Central Administration or any SharePoint sites.

In Event Viewer we get the below error on the SharePoint server.

Event Type: ErrorEvent Source: Windows SharePoint Services 3Event Category:
Database Event ID: 5586
Date: 7/13/2009
Time: 12:36:31 AM
User: N/A
Computer: COMPUTERNAME
Description:Unknown SQL Exception 0 occured. Additional error information from SQL Server is included below. Cannot generate SSPI context.
For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

While trying to connect using connect.udl file, it gives the same error "Cannot generate SSPI Context"

On the SQL 2005 Server we get the below error.

Event Type: Error
Event Source: MSSQLSERVER
Event Category: (4)
Event ID: 17836
Date: 6/25/2009
Time: 11:51:45 PM
User: N/A
Computer: COMPUTERNAME
Description:
Length specified in network packet payload did not match number of bytes read; the connection has been closed. Please contact the vendor of the client library. [CLIENT:IP of SP Server]

Quick Resolution:- Reboot the SQL Server 2005

Error Troubleshooting:-
How to troubleshoot the "Cannot generate SSPI context" error message
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/811889

This is related to some SPN configurations gone incorrect on the SQL server.

Resolution:-
Logon to the server using Domain Admin rights.
Download Setspn.exe from Microsoft site to set the SPN's for the SQL server.

At command prompt go to the location where setspn.exe was installed.
C:\Program files\support tools>setspn -L MyDomain\MyUserName
Registered ServicePrincipleNames for CN=MyUserName Service Account, OU=Service Accounts, DC=MyDomain,DC=com: mssqlsvc/MyServer1.MyDomain.com:MyPort mssqlsvc/MyServer2.MyDomain.com:MyPort mssqlsvc/MyServer3.MyDomain.com:MyPort

If you are getting the error (Cannot generate SSPI context), you will not find the SQL server name in the list displayed by the command.

To Register your SQL server type the following command.
setspn -A MSSQLSvc/MyServer.MyDomain.com:1433 MyAccount

Note:- MyServer will be the SQL server name to which you are not able to connect.

Again run the setspn -L MyDomain\MyUserName command, you should find your SQL servers FQDN registered.

Checklist before Planning System requirements for Deploying Sharepoint

2009-07-12T22:09:00.000-07:00

Questionnaire

=> Access SharePoint sites from Internet (Y/N) If Yes,
No. of Current users who will be accessing SharePoint sites.
No. of Users projected to Access SharePoint sites by next 5 yrs.

=> No. of Current users who will be accessing SharePoint sites. (Intranet)
=> No. of Users projected to Access SharePoint sites by next 5 yrs. (Intranet)

=> Data to be uploaded on the SharePoint sites (in GB/TB)
=> Data to be uploaded on the SharePoint sites (in GB/TB) in next 5 years

=> No. Of Geographical Site locations

=> Requirement of Incoming Email Libraries (Y/N)
=> Requirement of Search Functionality (Y/N)

=> Search Usage (Heavy/Average)
Heavy - Using Customised/Enhanced Search/Federated Search
Heavy - Support for searching external data stores.
Average - Out of the box Search Functionality

=> Use of InfoPath Services and Excel Services (Y/N)
=> Usage of MySites (Y/N)
=> Usage of Business Data Catalog (Y/N)

=> Sites Redundancy/Failover Requirements?
=> Plan to Customize SharePoint Sites (Y/N)

=> Support for Multiple Language (Y/N)

=> Recovery Server Hardware and then restore sites on Production site.

Note: Some questions may not relate exactly to the hardware, but it will depand on performance suggesting to add more WFE servers to the FARM or no

Glitch after installing Service Pack 2 on MOSS

2009-07-12T21:35:00.000-07:00

As usuall Microsoft has done it again and I am not surprised. There is no single patch or Service Pack released by Microsoft which is uncontroversial. Even after Service Pack 2 release of MOSS, it makes sure that they keep getting calls to PSS support.

When you install the 2007 Microsoft Office servers Service Pack 2, the product expiration date is activated incorrectly
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971620

Link to download WSS 3.0 SP2
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=79BADA82-C13F-44C1-BDC1-D0447337051B&displaylang=en

Link to download SP2 for MOSS 2007
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=b7816d90-5fc6-4347-89b0-a80deb27a082&displaylang=en

Read more information on SP2
http://technet.microsoft.com/hi-in/office/sharepointserver/bb735839(en-us).aspx

Cannot perform this operation. The file is no longer checked out or has been deleted.

2009-06-13T05:19:00.000-07:00

Issue:- You get the error while you check-in a file in SharePoint library.

Resolution:-
1. Site Actions -> Site Settings

2. Go to "Site content types" click on the "Document" content type.

3. The status for the Title column should be "Optional" and not "Hidden".

On MOSS server Contents Site & SSP are using same web application & search is broken

2009-04-08T21:57:00.000-07:00

Issue:
In case we use single web application for Content & SSP in MOSS (Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007) & search breaks at some point.
We create a new SSP by creating another web application.
Now if we try to change associations to use the newly created SSP,
We are not able to do that because the content site is also a Shared Services "Administration Host"

Resolution:
Last good full farm backup when search was working, if we don't have it

Workaround:
1. As usual start with all possible backups (A full farm backup may fail due to this bad ssp)
2. Backup content databse attached to content site
3. Detach it from existing web application & attach to new web application
(stsadm -o restore may not work)
4. From Central admin>Application Management>Delete Site Collection
5. Delete /ssp/admin site collection
6. IISReset
7. Go to Shared Services Administration & change associations
8. Make new ssp Default
9. Delete old ssp without removing databases
(if we keep old ssp search on new ssp may not work)
10. Run full crawl of content sources & check search after it completes

Note:
We lose old ssp configurations for example Audiences
In case of major issues revert back to last good backup
NOT recommended on Production Servers

Uninstall Microsoft##SSEE (Windows Internal Database Engine which comes with WSS3.0)

2009-02-16T13:02:00.000-08:00

Backup all the SQL databases for the Microsoft##SSEE SQL instance
or Copy or rename folder 'C:\WINDOWS\SYSMSI\SSEE\MSSQL.2005\MSSQL\Data\ [Uninstall does not remove the folder though :-)]
Run the command below to uninstall that instance:
msiexec /x {CEB5780F-1A70-44A9-850F-DE6C4F6AA8FB} callerid=ocsetup.exe

Enable this Form to be filled out by using a browser - checkbox is grayed out while publishing an InfoPath Form

2009-02-06T10:02:00.000-08:00

Issue:- "Enable this Form to be filled out by using a browser" checkbox is grayed out while publishing an InfoPath Form.

Even if we try to forcefully Activate the Enterprise Site Collection Feature using stsadm, it does not resolve the issue.

By default when you Browse to the main Site Collection -> View All Site Contents. You should be able to see "Form Templates" by default if the Site Collection "Feature Office SharePoint Server Enterprise Site Features" is Activated.

If the Form Templates is not visible even if "Office SharePoint Server Enterprise Site Features" is Activated then follow the below steps

Resolution:-

1. Open the Main Site Collection in SharePoint Designer.

2. Select the root URL and Right Click -> NEW -> SharePoint Content -> Select Document Library -> Select Form Library -> Under options type the name as "FormServerTemplates". Click on OK.

3. The Library will be created. Right click on "FormServerTemplates" -> Select Properties -> On settings Tab change the name to "Form Templates" and uncheck the option "Use a template for new documents"

4. Click OK. Now you will see the "Form Templates" on the view all site content page.

5. Deactivate and Activate "Office SharePoint Server Enterprise Site Features" once again and now You should be able to publish the InfoPath form with "Enable this Form to be filled out by using a browser" checkbox Enabled.

How to identify the template used to create a site..

2009-01-28T15:21:00.000-08:00

hi Friends

I use to wonder in case solution (WSP files) when deployed on the server globally

If the solution are available the sites are also made using those solution . Now I had a Question in my mind that how could I find which templates are bening applied on the site .In case site are moved i.e server is backup is restored over a new server , Creation on new configuration database , Solution are removed etc

At last we end up in getting message

"Page not found' or "Internet Explorer could complete this request " or " Unkown Error"

I created a Aspx file usign the code snipet given below

Code Snippet [ before every tag, '--' is added, you need to remove the hyphens]

==========================================================

<--script type="text/javascript" <--%@ Assembly Name="Microsoft.SharePoint, Version=12.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=71e9bce111e9429c"%>
<--%@ Page Language="C#" MasterPageFile="~/_layouts/application.master" Inherits="Microsoft.SharePoint.WebControls.LayoutsPageBase" %>
<--%@ Import Namespace="Microsoft.SharePoint" %>

<--script runat="server">
protected override void OnLoad(EventArgs e){
SPSecurity.RunWithElevatedPrivileges(delegate()
{
using (SPWeb thisWeb = this.Web)
{
lblWebTempalte.Text = thisWeb.WebTemplate;
lblWebTemplateID.Text = thisWeb.WebTemplateId.ToString();
}
});
}
<--/script>
<--asp:Content ID="Main" runat="server" contentplaceholderid="PlaceHolderMain" >

Web Template: <--asp:Label ID="lblWebTempalte" runat="server" />

Web Template ID: <--asp:Label ID="lblWebTemplateID" runat="server" />
<--/asp:Content>

<--asp:Content ID="PageTitle" runat="server" contentplaceholderid="PlaceHolderPageTitle" >
Site Template Information
<--/asp:Content>

<--asp:Content ID="PageTitleInTitleArea" runat="server" contentplaceholderid="PlaceHolderPageTitleInTitleArea" >
Site Template Information
<--/asp:Content>

<--/script>
===========================================================

Web Template: ----->Web Template ID:

============= ================

ABSENCE ----> Absencevacationschedule ----> 75811

PROJMULTI ---->Budgetingtrackingmultipleprojects ----> 75819

BT ----> Bugdatabase ----> 75801

CALLCENTER ---->Callcenter ---->75812

PROJCHANGE ---->Changerequest ----> 75818

COMPROC ---->Complianceprocesssupport ---->75813

DR ---->Documentlibraryreview ---->75803

EVENTPLAN ----> Eventplanning ---->75814

EXREPORTS ---->expensereimbursementapproval ----> 75815

HELPDESK ---->HELPDESK ---->75816

IT ---->InventoryTracking ---->75804

ITTEAM ---->ITTeamWorkspace ---->75817

JRIM ---->JobRequisition ---->75805

KB ---->KnowledgeBase ---->75806

LL ---->LendingLibrary ---->75807

PATM ---->PhysicalAssetTracking ---->75808

PROJSING ---->ProjectTrackingWorkspace ----> 75820

RER ---->RoomEquipmentReservations ---->75809

ST ---->SalesLeadPipeline ---->75810

List of Out of the box MOSS 2007 Template ID Information

========================================================

NAme ---->Web Template: ----> Web Template ID:

============= ================

GLOBAL ---->Global template" ----> 0

STS ---->Team Site,Blank Site,Document Workspace ----> 1

MPS ---->Basic Meeting Workspace ----> 2

MPS ---->Blank Meeting Workspace ---->2

MPS ---->Decision Meeting Workspace ---->2

MPS ---->Social Meeting Workspace 2

MPS ---->Multipage Meeting Workspace 2

CENTRALADMIN ---->Central Admin Site ----> 3

WIKI ---->Wiki Site ---->4

BDR ---->Document Center ----> 7

BLOG ---->Blog ---->9

SPS ---->SharePoint Portal Server Site ---->20

SPSPERS ---->SharePoint Portal Server Personal Space ---->21

SPSMSITE ---->Personalization Site ---->22

SPSTOC ---->Contents area Template ----> 30

SPSTOPIC ---->Topic area template ---->31

SPSNEWS ---->News area template ---->32

SPSNHOME ---->News Home template ---->33

SPSSITES ---->Site Directory area template ----> 34

SPSCOMMU ---->Community area template ---->36

SPSREPORTCENTER ----> Report Center Site" ---->38

CMSPUBLISHING ---->Publishing and Team Collaboration Site ----> 39

OSRV ----> Shared Services Administration Site ----> 40

SPSPORTAL ---->Corporate Intranet Site ---->47

SRCHCEN ---->Search Center ---->50

PROFILES ---->Profiles ----> 51

BLANKINTERNETCONTAINER ---->Internet Presence Web Site ---->52

BLANKINTERNET ---->Publishing Site ---->53

BLANKINTERNET ---->Press Releases Site ---->53

BLANKINTERNET ---->Publishing Site ---->53

SPSMSITEHOST ----> My Site Host ---->54

SRCHCENTERLITE ----> Search Center Lite ---->90

PWA ---->Project Web Access Site ----> 6221

PWS ----> Project Workspace ---->6215

OFFILE ----> Records Repository ----> 1483

OFFILE---->Records Repository ---->14483

To find out how many Solutions are deployed on the server we can achieve by

Central administration > operation> solution management

We would be finding the List of WSP file or Cab files installed

To find the solution from the Configuration database to you configuration database (Eg Wss_config)

Go to the databases open the table Dbo.objects .you would be finding the List of Solution in inside the tables

Note:- Above Steps would be senario Specfic .before doing any step Its advisable to take a full farm back and Sql back up to be on safe side

Full farm Backup (GUI)

2009-01-28T07:56:00.000-08:00

hi Friends
Recently I faced a issue related to Full farm backup .When I use to take a Full farm backup we use to get error
"object (database name) failed in event OnBackup. for more information, see the error log located in the backup directory. sqlException: BACKUP DATABASE is terminating abnormally.

Digging more in to the issue we came accross many settings. but the one thats solved the problem was a registry entry
We added the registry key “SessTimeout” at the location HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanmanWorkstation\Parameters.
We gave the value as 360 for SessTimeout

Here is the article you can check
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;102981

Schedule Automatic WSS3.0 Backups

2009-01-27T09:12:00.000-08:00

Back up a farm by using the Stsadm command-line tool (Windows SharePoint Services 3.0)
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc288541.aspx

Back up a farm by using SQL Server Tools (Windows SharePoint Services 3.0)
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc288402.aspx

How to schedule a database backup operation by using SQL Server Management Studio in SQL Server 2005
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=930615

Restore a farm after a configuration database problem (Windows SharePoint Services)
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc512814.aspx

MOSS/WSS3.0 DISASTER RECOVERY STEPS

2009-01-23T11:52:00.000-08:00

From File system backup following:
1.C:\inetpub\wwwroot
2.C:\windows\assembly
3.C:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts file
4.C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\
5.C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microsoft\SharePoint\
6.C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office Servers\12.0 (Not Applicable in WSS3.0)
(If you are using any custom locations instead of above default locations please backup them.)

From Registry Editor backup following:
1. 1.HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shared Tools\Web Server Extensions\12.0\Secure
2.HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shared Tools\Web Server Extensions\12.0

Back Up IIS Metabase (IIS 6.0) using following steps:
To create a non-portable backup (password not required)
1.
In IIS Manager, right-click the local computer, click All Tasks, and click Backup/Restore Configuration.
2.
Click Create Backup.
3.
In the Configuration backup name box, type a name for the backup file.
4.
Click OK, and then click Close.
The IIS metabase is created in the systemroot\system32\inetsrv\MetaBack folder.

Back up Central Administration Configured Settings:
1. In Central Administration,
2. Here is the following links that need to be documented(screenshot) to have a
backup of your configuration

a. Operations
i. Outgoing e-mail settings
ii. Incoming e-mail settings
iii. Approve/reject distribution groups
iv. Master site directory settings
v. Alternate access mappings
vi. Solution Management
vii. Services on Server (for each server)

b. Application Management
i. Define managed paths
ii. Web Application outgoing e-mail settings
iii. Web application general settings
iv. Content Databases
v. Web Application list
vi. Records center
vii. Manage form templates
viii. Configure InfoPath Forms Services
ix. Manage data connection files
x. Manage the Web service proxy
xi. Create or configure this farm’s shared services
xii. Grant or configure shared services between farms
xiii. Configure session state
xiv. Security for Web Part pages
xv. Self-service site management
xvi. User permissions for Web application
xvii. Policy for Web application
xviii. Authentication providers
xix. Manage Search service
xx. Workflow settings

c. Shared Services Administration (Not Applicable in WSS3.0)
i. In each SSP, document the following
1. User profiles and properties
2. Profile services policies
3. My Site settings
4. Trusted My Site host locations
5. Published links to Office client applications
6. Personalization site links
7. Personalization services permissions
8. Search settings
9. Search usage reports
10. Edit Excel Services settings
11. Trusted file locations
12. Trusted data connection libraries
13. Trusted data providers
14. User-defined function assemblies
15. Audiences
16. Usage Reporting
17. Import application definition
18. View applications
19. View entities
20. Business Data Catalog permissions
21. Edit profile page template

3. Next we will need to have you take a backup using the Central Administration site
a. In the Operations tab, click on Perform a Backup
b. Check the box next to Farm, click on Continue to Backup Options
c. Be sure that Full is selected
d. Enter in a share for the backup to be placed in that folder
i. Note: The MOSS service account needs full control for the Share, as well as
the NTFS permissions.
e. Click OK
i. It will take a few minutes before the backup is started.

Full Farm Backup using command prompt:
stsadm -o backup -directory -backupmethod full

To backup individual site collections:
Open a command prompt
Cd “C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\BIN”
stsadm -o backup -url -filename -overwrite

Backup all SharePoint Databases from SQL Server Management Studio:
1. Configuration database (Configuration database name can be found from Central admin>Operations>Topology and Services>Servers in Farm)
2. Content Databases (We can find the association of the web application and Content database from Central administration>Application Management>Content Database>On right hand side we need to select drop down list>change web application & we need to select a web application for which the Content database will be listed below.)
3. WSS_Search Database (WSS Search database name can be found from Central admin>Operations>Topology and Services>Services on server>Click on Windows SharePoint Services Search>Search Database>Database Name)
4. Shared Services DB Databases (Not Applicable in WSS3.0)
5. Shared Services SEARCH Databases (Not Applicable in WSS3.0)
6. Any other databases related to Product integrated with SharePoint (For example: SQL Reporting Services, Project Server etc)

4.Disconnecting from existing Configuration Database & creating a new Configuration Database:
This will cause loss of following:
1. Central admin configured settings (Need to be reentered from screenshots taken earlier)
2. Any solutions deployed in farm (Need to read & redeploy)
3. 3rd party web parts or templates (Need to reinstall)
4. Integration with other products (Need to reconfigure)

5. After the backup finishes successfully, run SharePoint Products and Technologies Configuration from each server(one at a time)
a. Click next; click Yes
b. Select Disconnect from this server farm; click Next

6. Creating a new configuration database;
run the SharePoint Products and
Technologies Configuration from the server that will be hosting Central
Administration.
a. Click Next; Click Yes
b. Select No, I want to create a new server farm
c. Type in Database server
d. Make sure the Database name is unique(This will be the name of your
configuration database)
e. Enter in your username and password
f. Click next
g. Specify a port(optional)
h. Click Next; Click Next

7. Connect other servers up to the farm; run SharePoint Products and Technologies Configuration from the other servers one at a time
a. Click Next; click Yes
b. Make sure Yes, I want to connect to an existing server farm is selected; click
Next
c. Enter in the database server name; Click Retrieve Database Names
d. Select the database that you just created for Database name
e. Type in the password for the service account
f. Click Next 3 times

8. Start the services in the Central Administration -> Operations -> Services on server
a. Start the services that were documented in the previous steps for each server
b. Make sure the services are in the Started status, not Starting

9. Restoring from backup; Central Administration -> Operations -> Restore from backup
a. Specify the location of the backup; click OK
b. Select the backup that was taken in the previous steps; Click Continue the
Restore Process
c. Check the box next to Farm; Click Continue the Restore Process
d. Select New Configuration
i. NOTE: DO NOT USE SAME CONFIGURATION
e. Complete the forms with the correct information about database names/servers
and service account usernames/passwords
f. Click OK
i. The Restore process will take a few minutes to start.

10. If above restore Operation does not work try one of following:

A. For catastrophic restore
stsadm -o restore -directory -restoremethod

B. For site collection restore
stsadm -o restore -url -filename [-hostheaderwebapplicationurl] -overwrite

C. Create new web application & use stsadm -o addcontentdb to attach original content database
stsadm.exe -o addcontentdb -url -databaseserver -databasename

Restoring On the same server:
Since Configuration Database is same & all the files are in place, most of the sites work without problem.
If New Configuration Database is created on same server then follow instructions below

Restoring On new server:
1.Since we need to create a new configuation database & all required files are not present, We need to copy the contents of backed up folders partially or fully to the new server.
2.We also need to redeploy the lost settings mentioned in step 4 above,
3.SSL certificates needs to be assigned again.
4.Host/CNAME records in DNS needs to be updated to point to new Server.

Upload Mulitple Documents - .zip files not visible

2008-12-18T09:54:00.000-08:00

Environment :- Only Vista Machines.

Note :- Before making any registry changes, take Reg back up

Resolution :- Delete the follow registry keys and reboot is a MUST
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{E88DCCE0-B7B3-11D1-A9F0-00AA0060FA31}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{0CD7A5C0-9F37-11CE-AE65-08002B2E1262}

Files opens as Read Only after Check-out

2008-12-11T09:41:00.001-08:00

Note:- Please take precautionary steps before applying the below steps. Backup your registry.

Issue:- Files will open as Read-Only after checking Out a document in SharePoint and trying to Edit it.

Environment:- XP + Office 2003 or Vista + Office 2007

Follow the below steps to resolve the issue.
---------------------------------------------------
1.) Search for oledb32.dll on the workstation and make sure it exists in this location. The default location is c:\program files\common files\system\ole db\oledb32.dll

2) Copy and paste the information below to Notepad and save as a .reg file. This will correct the entries in the Registry that are probably missing.

===========================================================
REGEDIT4
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{FF151822-B0BF-11D1-A80D-000000000000}]@="Microsoft OLE DB Root Binder for Internet Publishing"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{FF151822-B0BF-11D1-A80D-000000000000}\InprocServer32]@="C:\\Program Files\\Common Files\\system\\ole db\\oledb32.dll""ThreadingModel"="Both"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{FF151822-B0BF-11D1-A80D-000000000000}\OLE DB Binder]@="Microsoft OLE DB Root Binder"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{FF151822-B0BF-11D1-A80D-000000000000}\ProgID]@="MSDAURL.Binder.1"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{FF151822-B0BF-11D1-A80D-000000000000}\VersionIndependentProgID]@="MSDAURL.Binder"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MSDAURL.Binder.1]@="Microsoft OLE DB Root Binder for Internet Publishing"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MSDAURL.Binder.1\CLSID]@="{FF151822-B0BF-11D1-A80D-000000000000}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MSDAURL.Binder]@="Microsoft OLE DB Root Binder for Internet Publishing"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MSDAURL.Binder\CLSID]@="{FF151822-B0BF-11D1-A80D-000000000000}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MSDAURL.Binder\CurVer]@="MSDAURL.Binder.1"

===========================================================

3) From Start->Run, type Regsvr32.exe "[Drive]:\Program Files\Common Files\System\OLE DB\MSDAIPP.DLL"

4) Test and see if the issue is resolved.

Windows SharePoint Services Search (SPSearch) Errors File Not Found / 'start' action failed

2008-12-03T18:29:00.000-08:00

Disclaimer: Take all possible backups, Since you have decided to troubleshoot on your own we hold no responsibility if anything goes wrong.

Note: After every troubleshooting step run following command
stsadm -o spsearch -action fullcrawlstart
& monitor Eventviewer>Application log for Success or Failures related to Windows SharePoint Services Search Service

On Failures try next step.

1. Open a Command prompt
Browse to C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\BIN

stsadm -o provisionservice -action stop -servicetype "Microsoft.SharePoint.Search.Administration.SPSearchService, Microsoft.SharePoint.Search, Version=12.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=71e9bce111e9429c" -servicename "SPSearch"stsadm -o provisionservice -action start -servicetype "Microsoft.SharePoint.Search.Administration.SPSearchService, Microsoft.SharePoint.Search, Version=12.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=71e9bce111e9429c" -servicename "SPSearch"

stsadm -o spsearch -action stop

From SQL Server Management Studio backup & remove Old WSS_Search databases

stsadm -o spsearch -action start -farmserviceaccount [Domain\user]-farmservicepassword [Password] -databaseserver [SQL Server\Instance] -databasename [New WSS_Search DatabaseName]
Note: Replace above parameters with proper values

2. Run following from command prompt Before Reboot
net stop sptimerv3
net stop spsearch
sc config sptimerv3 start= disabled
sc config spsearch start= disabled

Run following from command prompt After Reboot
sc config spsearch start= demand
sc config sptimerv3 start= auto
net start sptimerv3
net start spsearch

3. From Windows Explorer go to backup cache.ini file from following location
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\ Microsoft\ SharePoint\ Config\

Change the contents of cache.ini to 1

From command promptnet stop spsearch net start spsearchstsadm -o execadmsvcjobs

4. psconfig -cmd secureresources
attrib -s %windir%\tasks.

Go to Properties of windows\tasks folder and add wss_wpg and wss_admin_wpg groups and give the full control permissions.

5. Repair MOSS from Add/Remove programs
Reboot server
Run PSCONFIG without changing any settings

NOTE: Do not perform following step if you want to use Network Service as SharePoint Service Account on SingleServer Installation with SQL Internal Engine

6. Central Admin>Operations>Servers in Farm
Note down the Configuration Database name

Run PSCONFIG Disconnect from Configuration Database

Run PSCONFIG Reconnect to same Configuration Database disconnected above.

Workflow "Error" System Account An error has occurred after workflow completed MOSS 2007

2008-10-24T01:34:00.000-07:00

Problem: If you have a "built in" or custom approval workflow setup for your document library. The workflow runs correctly, however when sometimes you look at the workflow status, you may receive an error after the task has been approved and completed such as, Event Type: Error User ID: System Account Description: An error has occurred in [name of workflow].

Resolution: When you define your workflow, there is a section "Post-completion Workflow Activities", where you can check "Update the approval status (use this workflow to control content approval)". If you check this option, and you do NOT have content approval enabled on the library level, you get the system account error message. If you do not check it, everything works fine.

Reason for occurrences: The account listed in the "User ID" column does not have permission to "something" that is being requested in the workflow code. Workflow usually running as the "system account" within SharePoint and should have access to all the objects within SharePoint. However, the system account may not have access to some resources that are outside of SharePoint and needed by the workflow code. Accessing outside resources is usually done via the .NET worker process account (e.g. NETWORK SERVICE).

Move WSS3.0 databases from one SQL Server to another?

2008-10-14T12:45:00.000-07:00

How to move WSS3.0 databases from one SQL Server to another?

Configuration:
WSS3.0 Server
Source SQL Server: Win 2003 Server SP2 SQL Server 2000 + SP4
Destination SQL Server: Win 2003 Server SP2 SQL Server 2000 + SP4

STEP1: BACKUP:

1] On Source SQL Server: Backup SharePoint Content databases.
Open SQL Server Enterprise manger
Right Click a database (For ex: WSS_Content)>All Tasks>Backup Database>Database Complete>Backup to disk>Add>Filename>Provide a path & filename>Ok>Ok
Repeat above procedure for all SharePoint databases however we will not restore all of them.
(Do not restore COnfiguraion & WSS_AdminContent... database on new SQL Server)
How to find name of Content databases:
Central Admin>Application Management>Content databases>Select web application from Right Hand Side Top drop down list
Database name will be displayed

-------------

2] On SharePoint Server: Take screenshots of all configured setting on Central administration page
For example:
Central Admin>Operations>Global Configuration>Alternate access mappings
Central Admin>Operations>Outgoing email settings
Central admin>Application management>Define managed paths
etc.

--------------

STEP 2: PREPARE DESTINATION SQL SERVER
We must install either same or Better version than Source SQL Server
Open SQL Server Enterprise manger
Security>Logins>Right Click>New Login
Add SharePoint Service Account in Domain\user format
This account must be either Domain admin or Domain user with Local admin rights on SharePoint server.
Security>Logins>Right Click Service Account>Properties>Server Roles Tab
Check Security Administrators & Database Creators
Click Ok

STEP 3: RESTORE CONTENT DATABASE TO DESTINATION SERVER
Copy backup Content database files to Destination SQL Server
Open SQL Server Enterprise manger
Databases>Right Click>All Tasks>Restore database>Restore as Database>Type name of Content Database>From device>Select device>disk>Add>Browse to backup files>Ok>Ok
Similarly restore all Content databases from backup
Security>Logins>Service Account>Database Access Tab>In upper pane select Content database>In lower pane check DB_OWNER checkbox>Click Ok

STEP 4: DISCONNECT FROM SOURCE SQL SERVER
On WSS3.0 Server
Run SharePoint Products and Technologies Configuration (PSCONFIG ) Wizard
-Select Disconnect from this server farm

-We should get configuration successful message.

STEP 5: CONNECT TO DESTINATION SQL SERVER
Run SharePoint Products and Technologies Configuration (PSCONFIG ) Wizard
-Select No, I want to create a new server farm

-Database Server: Give Destination SQL Server name
-Database Name: Type new Config Database Name
-Username: Use same Service account as used in existing old server
-Password: Password for that account

-We should get configuration successful message.
-After PSCONFIG finishes successfully Central admin page will open automatically.

STEP 6: RESTORING SITES FROM DATABASES

3.Create a new web application http://app on port 80 with content database name WSS_Content_TEST

1] Go to V3 Central Administration Page>Application Management>Create or extend Web Application

2] Click on Create a new web application

3] Choose any unused port no

4] Enter Database Server Name and enter Database name as WSS_Content_TEST

7] Wait for operation to complete

8]After application is created create a site collection

9] Fill the details and select Team site template click Ok

11] Browse to test site http://app

12] Check if it is working

To remove dummy_content_db from a web application

1] Click on Content Databases

2] On right hand side select the newly created web application if not already present
3] Click on Database name WSS_Content_TEST

4] Check remove content database checkbox and click OK

To attach restored content database to a new web application:
Open a command prompt and browse to
c:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Web Server Extensions\12\Bin>
Run following command
stsadm -o addcontentdb -url -databaseserver -databasename

Now browse to http://app and check if it is working
Similarly add content databases for other web applications.

STEP 7: POST MIGRATION TASKS

From the screenshots taken earlier we need to reconfigure central admin.
If site was using SSL we need to reapply it & change AAM.
We need to redo any customizations if lost after creating new configuration database.
If 3rd party web parts stop working we need to reinstall them.
Integration with other products needs to be reconfigured.
We need to assign the indexer to the sites from Central Admin>Application Management>Content databases>Select web application from Right Hand Side Top drop down list>Click on Database name>Select Search server from drop down list>Click Ok
Use "stsadm -o spsearch -action fullcrawlstart" to force instant crawling of sites.

NOTE:
=====
Do NOT discard Source SQL Server & Databases until the functionality of New SQL Server & WSS3.0 is tested & confirmed.

There are alternatives to above procedure but are quite tricky. :-)

500 Internal Error

2008-10-08T11:19:00.000-07:00

Error:- 500 Internal Error

Description:- This error comes only for subsites and subsite administrators can browse the subsite without any issues. The parent site collection is also browsable without any issues. Only member or visitors of the subsite get the error "500 Internal Error"

Resolution:
1. Go to the subsite settings page by adding /_layouts/settings.aspx at the end.
2. Select Advanced permissions -> Settings -> Permissions Level
3. Click "Edit Permissions level"
4. Click "Inherit Permissions from parent"

Now the subsite should be browsable by all without any issues.

Unable to delete Shared Services

2008-08-15T13:46:00.000-07:00

DESCRIPTION: Unable to Delete Shared Services when it's database is deleted from SQL server.

SYMPTOMS: Unable to delete Shared Services. There are still some objects which are dependent on configuration database and on project serve, due to which users are unable to delete SSP. Manually deleting of SSP using stsadm -o deletessp -title "ssp_name" command also shows same error.

ERROR MESSAGE: “An object in the SharePoint administrative framework, "SharedResourceProvider Name=SSP Parent=SPFarm Name=MOSS", could not be deleted because other objects depend on it. Update all of these dependants to point to null or different objects and retry this operation. The dependant objects are as follows: ProjectPSISharedApplicationTimerJob Name=Project Server Synchronizing Job for 'SSP' Parent=ProjectApplicationService Name=ProjectApplicationService”

RESOLUTION: ° Identify the GUID for the problem SSP. ° Use STSADM -o deleteconfigurationobject -id "id retrieved from object table" to remove these items from the configuration database.

Use the following procedure to identify the Shared Services GUID:

Login to SQL server. ° Open SQL Management Studio and expend Databases. ° Expand Configuration Database & Tables. ° Opened table for dbo.object. ° Executed following query in query analyzer: SELECT * FROM [MOSS_CFG_CA_01].[dbo].[Objects]where name like 'Name of the Shared Services'. ° Copy the ID of object referenced in objects table of configuration database. ° Open command prompt and changed directory to C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\BIN> and executed following command to delete the Shared Services using the ID which was copied: Stsadm -o deleteconfigurationobject -id "id retrieved from object table"

Shared Services should be deleted from the Cenral Administration.

Step by Step Guide on Publishing InfoPath Forms to SharePoint Site.

2008-08-13T11:25:00.000-07:00

1. Creating and Configuring Forms Library in SharePoint.
2. Configuring InfoPath Form 2007. 3. Configure Form Submit Options.
4. Publishing InfoPath Form to SharePoint 2007.
5. Adding the Published form as Content type to the Forms Library.

Note: There are 2 types of InfoPath Forms.
a) User Form:- Only fields to be entered, where there is no Active code or programming added to the Form. These forms can be directly published to SharePoint Site. To Publish this Form, the user should be an Owner or Administrator of the Site Collection.
b) Admin Form:- These Forms have .net coding or Programming with the code which should run in the background once the Form is submitted. These Forms should be uploaded on the Central Administration and Activated for the Web Application to be used with. To publish this Form, the user should be a Farm Administrator.

Creating and Configuring Forms Library in SharePoint.

1. Browse to the SharePoint site you need to create the Forms Library.
2. Click in Site Actions -> Create -> Select “Form Library” under Libraries Section.
3. Enter the Name and the Description for the Form, Click on “Create”
4. Once the Form Library is created -> Select Settings -> Form Library Settings

5. Select “Advanced Settings” .
6. Select “Yes” for Allow Management of Content Types.
7. For “Browse-enabled Documents” -> Select “Display as Web Page”. This option is beneficial when users do not have InfoPath 2007 installed on their local machine. The Form will open in the browse if this option is selected.
8. Click Ok.

Configuring InfoPath Form 2007

1. Once the Form is Designed and Created, we have to perform some pre-requisite tasks to be able to successfully publish to the SharePoint Site.
2. From the Tasks pane -> Select “Design Checker”

3. Select “Change Compatibility Settings”. Enter the data as in below screenshot.
Note:- The URL to be entered should be of the “Site Collection”. Not of a Subsite or Form Library URL. The user publishing this Form should be the Owner/Administrator of the Site Collection URL specified.

Note:- If you select “Backward Compatibility” option for Office 2003, some of the controls that are not support in InfoPath 2003 will not function as expected. Select it at your own risk. If you have configured the Form Library to open the Form as a Web Page, this option will not be required to be selected.
4. Click Ok.

Configuring Form Submit Options

1. Select “Tools” Menu -> “Submit Options”. You will get the below dialog box.

2. After entering the details as required, click “Add” button for “Choose a data connection for Submit”
3. You will get “Data Connection Wizard” -> Copy the Form Library URL Link (created during 1st step) and paste it.
4. When you click on “fx” button you will get the “Insert Formula” dialog box. Click on “Insert Field or Group” button you will get “Select a Field or Group” dialog box.
5. Select the Field, whose data should be taken as the file name, once the Form is submitted.
6. Select “Allow overwrite if file exists” as per your requirement and the data you will be entering in the Form. If you select this option you can also Enable Versioning on the library.
7. Click “Next”. Enter a Friendly name for the Data Connection. Click “Finish”. It will again come back to the Submit Options dialog box, Click OK.

Publishing InfoPath Form to SharePoint 2007.

1. Click File Menu -> Publish. Publishing Wizard will open up.
2. Select the option to publish to SharePoint server and click on “Next”
3. Now again enter the URL of the “Site Collection” and click on “Next”
4. Make sure that the Check box is selected as the screen shot. It is recommended to select “ Site Content Type (advanced)” to avoid manual creation of the content type. Click on “Next”.
Note:- The 3rd option “Administrator-approved Form Template (advanced)” is to be selected when the Form has Active code or any .net Programming added to the form.
5. Select “Create a new Content Type”, so that we don’t overwrite the default content type of SharePoint. Click on “Next”
6. Enter a Friendly Name and Description for the Content Type. Click on “Next”
7. You will need the URL of a Document Library. You can copy the shortcut as shown in the screen shot. Then paste it in the Publishing Wizard and click on “Next”

8. Add Columns to your Form Library. Click on “Next”
9. At the end it will give the summary of the options selected and Click on “Publish” button. Once you get the Message “Your Form template was Published Successfully” Click on the “Close” button.

Adding the Published form as Content type to the Forms Library.

1. Browse to the Forms Library -> Select Settings -> Form Library Settings. You will Content Types as below. “Form” is the default content type. We have to add the new InfoPath Content type that got created while publishing the InfoPath form.
2. Click on “Add from existing site content Types”. From the drop down list select “Microsoft Office InfoPath”. Add the “Content Type”. Click on OK.
3. You will now see 2 Content types, the default (Form) and the one you just added. You can delete the default content type if required.

Now you can go ahead and create a New Form, the published Form should open up in Web browser.

Not able to Export Survey list with more than 100 responses to Excel Spreadsheet

2008-08-13T11:11:00.000-07:00

Issue:- While Exporting a Survey List, only 100 responses are exported.

No Error is logged or generated.

Resolution:- Open the Sharepoint Survey List in Sharepoint Designer. For both Overview.aspx and Allitems.aspx do the following.

Change the RowLimit element Paged property set to FALSE.

RowLimit Paged="FALSE">100</RowLimit

Change the value to True (using SP Designer 2007), otherwise it will limit the items display and export to excel.

RowLimit Paged="TRUE">100</RowLimit

Not able to Create a New Document in Document Library

2008-07-31T11:19:00.000-07:00

Issue:- Not able to create a New Document in Document Library.

Error:- "The exception unknown software exception (0xc06d007f) occured in the application at location 0x7c812a5b."

Environment:- Office 2003 and Office 2007 product together.

Resolution:- http://support.microsoft.com/kb/938888

Export to Spreadsheet

2008-07-30T10:53:00.000-07:00

Issue / Error:- “Cannot get the list Schema column property from the SharePoint List”
When does is occur? :– While exporting a list to Excel Spreadsheet.
Environment :- Office 2003
Resolution :- Known bug. Can be resolved by Post Service Pack 1 release http://support.microsoft.com/kb/941422/en-us

Workaround:-
Upgrade to office 2007 OR
a. Change all the Date columns in the List to use “Date Only” format.

b. Using a machine which has Office 2007 installed, Export the list to Spreadsheet.
c. Create a new Blank “Import Spreadsheet” List.
d. Import the old Exported List back.
e. Now you will be able to export the list to spreadsheet in Office 2003 also.

Note: Do not change the format back to “Date & Time”

How to Re-produce the issue?

1. Create a SharePoint List with “Date and Time” Column keeping the format as “Date Only”
2. On Office 2003 machine Export the list to Spreadsheet, it will work without any issues.
3. Change the Date Column Format to “Date & Time”
4. Now again try to export the list to spreadsheet, it will not work, you will get the error “Cannot get the list Schema column property from the SharePoint List”, but the same list will get exported without any issues in Office 2007 setup.

Note: Even if you change the Date format back to “Date Only”, the issue will still persist; it does not resolve the error.

Error while creating a new page in MOSS.

2008-05-20T13:25:00.000-07:00

Getting the below error while creating a new page in Moss 2007 while using publishing or collaboration portal template.

List does not exist The page you selected contains a list that does not exist.

It may have been deleted by another user.

In ULS Logs the error listed is as below.

05/16/2008 13:13:34.51 w3wp.exe (0x1AF8) 0x148C Windows SharePoint Services General 8kh7 High List does not exist The page you selected contains a list that does not exist. It may have been deleted by another user. 05/16/2008 13:13:34.51 w3wp.exe (0x1AF8) 0x148C Windows SharePoint Services General 8nca Verbose Application error when access /_layouts/AccessDenied.aspx, Error=List does not exist The page you selected contains a list that does not exist. It may have been deleted by another user. at Microsoft.SharePoint.Library.SPRequestInternalClass.GetListsWithCallback(String bstrUrl, Guid foreignWebId, String bstrListInternalName, Int32 dwBaseType, Int32 dwBaseTypeAlt, Int32 dwServerTemplate, UInt32 dwGetListFlags, UInt32 dwListFilterFlags, Boolean bPrefetchMetaData, Boolean bSecurityTrimmed, Boolean bGetSecurityData, ISP2DSafeArrayWriter p2DWriter, Int32& plRecycleBinCount) at Microsoft.SharePoint.Library.SPRequest.GetListsWithCallback(String bstrUrl, Guid foreignWebId, String bstrListInternalName, Int32 dwBaseType, Int32 dwBaseTypeAlt, Int32 dwServerTemplate, UInt32 dwGetListFlags, UInt... 05/16/2008 13:13:34.51* w3wp.exe (0x1AF8) 0x148C Windows SharePoint Services General 8nca Verbose ...32 dwListFilterFlags, Boolean bPrefetchMetaData, Boolean bSecurityTrimmed, Boolean bGetSecurityData, ISP2DSafeArrayWriter p2DWriter, Int32& plRecycleBinCount) 05/16/2008 13:13:34.51 w3wp.exe (0x1AF8) 0x148C Windows SharePoint Services General 0 Verbose Releasing SPRequest with allocation Id {BD5F0900-38A4-40AB-BC1F-E78319A3DD70}

Resolution
=========
Go to Site Settings -> Master page Gallery -> Add Authenticated Users group and give Read Restricted Access rights.

Add the same group in Style Library and give the same permissions.

Microsoft Search Server 2008

2008-02-24T03:04:00.000-08:00

Search Server is one of the other major Enterprise servers of Microsoft which is growing Fast with Sharepoint 2007. With the new release of Search Server 2008 in March, it is expected to take Search functionality and Search Experience to the next level for Microsoft's Customer's.

There are better features than Google's Onebox Search Server Appliance, though I would say both have their own pro's and con's.

Search Server 2008
It's RTM version's are getting released in Express and Full Edition. Express Edition will be downloadable for free whereas Full version is a licensed product. There will be support provided for both these versions from Microsoft.

Express Edition's limitation is that it can be installed only on a SingleServer WSS 3.0 environment, whereas, Full Edition can be installed in a Farm WSS 3.0 enviroment.

Search Server 2008 MOSS patch is expected to be released later this year. When you install Search Server 2008, WSS 3.0 will be installed along with it, with some more cool features of Search which is not available with only WSS 3.0 Another new and cool feature of Search Server is the Federated Search which allows you to render the index of the Search engines on the internet, except for Google Search, Google blocks any search engine to crawl its content.

Search Server needs to get the results returned in XML formart to display those results in the Search query, for any Search engine that cannot return the results in XML format to Search Server, we have Federated Search custom connectors that can be created to re-format the results in XML format and store it locally. Those custom connectors is something that Shareopoint Developers will have to do. There are many 3rd party custom search connectors already available and can be used with Search Server 2008.

Google's Enterprise Search products have limitations of crawling data, depending on the product you buy, the limitations differ. In Microsoft Search Server 2008 there is no limitation to the no of files that be crawled. Also, Google's product expire in 2 years and so will their email support, they do not have any on call support. If you want to renew the support you will have to buy a new license for that to get support. (Email)

More information on the Installation and new features of Search Server 2008 will be posted soon.

Email Enabled Document Library [Error in Application]

2008-02-10T21:43:00.000-08:00

'Error in Application' is the error we get when configuring Email Enabled Document library.

There is one most common scenario when you will get this error.

WSS 3.0 or MOSS 2007 installed as a Basic Installation [SINGLESERVER]

By Design when you install sharepoint using Basic intallation, the Central Admin site and any other new Web Apps that you create will use 'Network Service' as the service account for the Application Pools in IIS. For a contact to be created for a Document Library, the Application Pools of both Central Admin and the Web App should be using a domain user account and not Network Service.

Steps to Perform to resolve this error.

1. Create a Service Account in Active Directory who is also a member of the Domain Admins group. Delegate all rights to this service account to the Organizational Unit created for Sharepoint, where contacts will be created.

2. On the Sharepoint server, Open Computer Management -> Local Groups and Users -> Groups. you will find 3 WSS_WPG groups, make the service account a member of all these 3 groups and also the member of the IIS_WPG group.

3. On the Sharepoint server, open IIS console and make sure that the Application pools running for Central Admin site and the Web Application are running using the service account created in step 1. Perform an IISRESET and then make sure the Central Admin and the website are up and running after changing the Application Pools.

4. Now configure the Incoming Email settings for the Document Library. You should not get the 'Error in Application' error.

5. Now create a new Web Application and a Site Collection using the service account and not 'Network Service'. Take a backup of the old Site Collection using stsadm -o backup command and restore that backup on the new one just created using stsadm -o restore

Note: We have to do the 5th step because once changing the service accounts in many cases the site will not open from Client machines, it will open only on the Server or after configuring the Incoming email settings for the Doc Library, the emails will not be visible in the document library.

These above steps will resolve the issue and also the sites up and running. In many cases where the installation is not Basic, you will find the same error message, that purely due to the service account not being a member of the 'Domain Admins' group.

Search Does not work with Basic Authentication, only WSS 3.0

2008-01-10T14:24:00.000-08:00

WSS 3.0 Only with Basic Authentication to Search the Sites

Only WSS 3.0 is installed and Basic Authentication is configured so that while logging to the site domain\username and password is not required, only username and password should work.

But by design Search in WSS 3.0 with Basic Authentication will not work. So there is a work around for the same which can be followed by using the following article.

http://technet2.microsoft.com/windowsserver/WSS/en/library/8208d71e-7c41-4845-bc06-95429de02cf11033.mspx?mfr=true

But this above article is misleading many times as every network has various scenarios.

Step by Step to configure this setup

1. Open Central Administration Site ->Application Management -> Create or Extend Web Application -> Extend an Existing Web Application.

a. Select the main Web application
b. In IIS Web Site select ‘Create a new IIS Website’
c. Give port no. 81 or any random port you want.
d. Enter a hostheader if desired.
e. Select NTLM as Authentication Provider.
f. In Load Balanced URL select ‘Intranet’ Zone. Click on OK.

2. In Central Administration -> Application Management -> Authentication Providers.

a. You will see the Default Zone and the Intranet Zone where we extended the new site.
b. Click on Default zone; make sure that only Basic Authentiation is selected. Click on OK.
c. Click on Intranet zone; make sure that Windows Integrated is selected. Click on OK.

3. Open IIS console -> Web Sites.

a. Go to the properties of the Main site -> Directory Security
b. Click Edit in Authentication and access control.
c. You should see only ‘Basic Authentication’ selected over there.
d. In Default Domain type \ (backslash)
e. Click on OK. Click on OK.

4. Open Central Administration -> Operations -> Alternate Access Mappings -> Select the Main Web Application.

a. You will see 2 zones having URL’s specified. In default zone your primary URL. In Intranet zone the URL and port no. which you extended the main site with.
b. We have to now swap these 2 zone URL’s Put the Default URL in the Intranet zone and the Intranet zone URL in the Default zone.

5. Perform an IISRESET.

6. Check the Eventviewer App Log and verify that we should NOT get the event id 2436 gatherer which is a warning. This warning will come after every 5 mins if Search will not work, otherwise it will not come.

We have to swap the URL’s in AAM purely because Search always renders the page which is mentioned in the Default Zone and then crawls it. After the Swap of the URL’s in AAM, as the default zone URL will be of Windows Integrated, Search will be able to render it, crawl and we will be able to see the search results after 5 mins. In App log you will stop seeing event id 2436 warning and event ID 10044 information event which means that search should work fine.

Installation Windows Sharepoint Services [WSS] 3.0

2008-01-09T11:33:00.000-08:00

Installing Only WSS 3.0

Windows Sharepoint Services 3.0 Installation is farely easy but very complicated to resolve if it errors out. There are 2 types of Installations which are described in detail below. WSS 3.0 is freely downloadable from Microsoft site. [ http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=d51730b5-48fc-4ca2-b454-8dc2caf93951&DisplayLang=en ]

Pre-requisites before Installing Windows Sharepoint Services.

Windows 2003 OS with ASP.net + IIS 6.0. SMTP is required if you are deciding to use Email Enabled Document Libraries, not otherwise.
Service Pack 1 or higher.
ASP.net 3.0 framework.
Service account created in Active Directory, recommended to be a member of Domain Admins groups. This service account should not change the password according to group policies, otherwise everytime the password is required to change, Sharepoint sites will go down once the password is changed. If you dont want the Service account to be a member of Domain Admins group, it has to be the member of the local administrators group on the server you will be installing Sharepoint.

Types of Installation of WSS 3.0

Basic
Advanced

Basic Installation Detail Description

You run the sharepoint.exe file which you can download from the above link. You will get the License agreement page. Accept it and Click on Next.
On next Page It will give you 2 buttons 'Basic' and 'Advanced'. We are going to select 'Basic'
After selecting Basic it will continue with the installation process and at the end it will stop at 'Run the Sharepoint Products and Technologies Configuration Wizard now'. This is inshort referred as 'PSConfig' wizard.
Make sure that the checkbox is selected and click on the Close button. PSConfig Wizard will start.
Click on Next, it will give a warning of restartint the IIS Services -> click on Yes. It will run 1 to 10 steps in PSConfig wizard.
Once all the steps are completed Click on the Finish button and default page http://servername/ site will open automatically.

Description of above steps

Step 1:- Log on to the server using the Service account created. If the pre-requisites of IIS and ASP.net 3.0 framework is not met, it will error out and you will not get the EULA page. Before coming to the EULA page, pre-requisites are checked.
Step 2:- Basic Installation will not prompt for any configuration settings. Using Basic installation SQL Express Edition is installed and Sharepoint Databases are created in SQL Express Edition. By Default there is not GUI mode to manage those databases, you will have to separately install SQL Management Studio Express [ http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=c243a5ae-4bd1-4e3d-94b8-5a0f62bf7796&DisplayLang=en ] and once installed connect to the database using "\\.\pipe\MSSQL$MICROSOFT##SSEE\sql\query" (without quotes).
In this step only the binaries and some registry keys are installed and configured.

Binary files are located at C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Web Server Extensions\12\Bin

SQL Express Databases .mdf and .ldf files are located at C:\Windows\SYSMSI\SSEE\MSSQL.2005\MSSQL\Data

Registry Key location is HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shared Tools\Web Server Extensions\12.0\WSS. Important Registry keys are 'Server Role' and 'Setup Type'. If Basic Installation is done, "Server Role" will be mentioned as "SINGLESERVER" and "Setup Type" will be mentioned as "CLEAN_INSTALL"
Step 3:- PSConfig wizard is when Sharepoint is Basically configured. Untill you run this wizard, Sharepoint Administration site or any functionality related to Sharepoint will not be possible. Description of the PSConfig Steps, I will Post it Separately.

Once the Installation and PSConfig Config wizard is completed successfully, Open up IIS console and you will find that the 'Default Web Site' will be stopped and the default Sharepoint Site created is also at port 80 [ Sharepoint - 80 ]. So if you have Exchang running on the same server, OWA will stop working as OWA is extended on the 'Default Web Site' in IIS. Exchange and WSS 3.0 only is supported by Microsoft but Exchange and MOSS 2007 on the same server is not Supported.

You will also find the Sharepoint Central Administration V3 site, which is the Sharepoint Central Administration Site IIS Virtual site. This Site will be created at a random port no. which will be taken during PSConfig wizard. From the above registy path, you can also get the 'CentralAdministrationURL' which specifies the Central Admin site URL with the Port no.

There will be 3 Default groups created 'WSS_WPG', 'WSS_RESTRICTED_WPG', 'WSS_ADMIN_WPG'. The user account using which you installed Sharepoint will be the member of these groups by default. It is recommended you log-on to the server as the service account first and then proceed with the Installation.

By Default at the database location you will find 4 Sharepoint Databases created in Basic Installation.

1. Sharepoint_Config_bigGUID [ Sharepoint Farm's Configuration database].
2. Sharepoint_AdminContent_bigGUID [ Sharepoint Central Administration database].
3. WSS_CONTENT [ Sharepoint - 80 sites database].
4. WSS_Search [ Windows Sharepoint Search Service Database, By default Search Service will be started in Basic Installation.]

Sharepoint Search not working. Event ID 2424

2008-01-09T09:24:00.000-08:00

Search not working, Application Log filled with Event ID 2424

Event Type: Error Event Source: Windows SharePoint Services 3 Search
Event Category: Gatherer
Event ID: 2424
User: N/A
Computer: ComputerName
Description: The update cannot be started because the content sources cannot be accessed. Fix the errors and try the update again. Context: Application 'Search', Catalog 'index file on the search server Search'

Resolution
Central Administration -> Operations -> Services on server -> Click on the Windows Sharepoint Services Search service and make sure that the 'Service Account' and 'Content Access Account' service account specified are the same. They should not be working with two separate accounts. If it still does not work, Stop the service and while starting it again specify a common service account and create a new Search Database.

Sharepoint Backup

2008-01-09T08:45:00.000-08:00

Types of Backup in Sharepoint V3.

As Every product or any business Disaster Recovery is very importand and in similar way, Sharepoint has some very good options for the same. Below are the methods that can be used in WSS 3.0 only or also for MOSS 2007.

1. GUI mode from Sharepoint Central Administration.

This Method is very common and most of the Administrators use this Method.

Go to Sharepoint Central Administration page -> Operations Tab -> Backup Operations.

This method will need a UNC path to store the back. It automatically creates a folder starting which will have various files in it and the most important file is the .xml file which get created, which has all the information about the backup.

The .xml file will contain data about the backup ID, The type of Backup, the Components selected during the backup.

GUI Backup is the same like the stsadm -o backup [catostrophic]. Both work the same way and the backrgound process is the same. Only difference here is the GUI interface.

By Default this backup will take the entire Sharepoint Farm backup

2. STSADM -o backup

This method is a command line backup which needs to be run from the BIN folder of Sharepoint.

This method can backup any top level sites or site collections of a Web application.
You will need to specify the URL address of the site to be backed up.

By default in this method the security or permissions are also backed up.

stsadm -o backup -filename c:\back.bak -url http://siteurl/

This is the standard command. It is not necessary to give the backup file extension as .bak, it can be anything or you may not even give any extension. Using this command you can backup only 1 top site at a time within the Web Application. If you want you can create a batch file which will include the commands having different URL's and schedule te batch file to run accordingly. It also includes other parameters for which you can use

stsadm -help backup

3. STSADM -o backup [catostrophic]

This method is similar to GUI Central Adminstration backup, its only Command line interface. You will need to manually specify the parameters and components to be backed up using this command. By default if the component is not specified, Enter Farm level backup is taken. Using this command as well a UNC path is to be given, where again and .xml file will be created.

stsadm -o backup -directory \\server\backup -backupmethod full [This will take the default Farm level backup]

You can use stsadm -o backup -showtree to see the list of the items in the Farm and then use stsadm -o backup -directory \\server\backup -backupmethod full -item

4. STSADM -o export

This method will help you to take backups of subsites separately which is not possible in any of the above backups. Using this method, subsites and top level sites backup can be taken but by default User permissions are not exported, you have to manually specific to export User permissions.

stsadm -o export -filename c:\exp.back -url http://siteURL -includeusersecurity

If you do not use -includeusersecurity, User permissions will not be exported by default.

5. SQL Database backup.

This method is the usuall maintenance method from SQL Management Studio. It is recommended to have the Sharepoint Content Databases backup from SQL as well, just in case Sharepoint Backup's don't work.