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

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

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.

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Alternate Access Mapping error

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

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

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.”

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New Features in SharePoint 2010

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

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 ]

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