Sharepoint 14 Installation [ Beta Version ]

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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)

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

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.