Tag: SharePoint

Another failed attempt

After the last failure I created a new clean Windows SharePoint v3 site. I then added all the Microsoft templates that are present on my Internet facing site. I then restored the Internet facing site from a backup and commenced the upgrade to SharePoint Foundation 2010 beta again.

 

After installing the files the configuration wizard started and this time failed pretty quickly with this nasty error:

 

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An exception of type Microsoft. SharePoint.Upgrade.SPUpgradeException was thrown. Additional exception information: One or more types failed to load. Please refer to the upgrade log for more details.

 

Now this is interesting, because in my last attempt (with no additional templates) I got past this stage (even though it failed later).

 

Whatever the result I’m going to have to dig deep into the log and start trying to work out what the problem is. If you have never done this let me tell you it ain’t much fun.

SharePoint 2010 beta in place migration

The next test on the list to conduct with SharePoint Foundation 2010 beta is an in place upgrade. In this case what I did was create a new Windows SharePoint Services v3 machine and use the STSADM command to import my existing internet facing SharePoint site http://supportweb.ciaops.net.au.

 

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I then commenced the installation of SharePoint Foundation 2010 beta.

 

In due course it found an existing site and provided the option to upgrade as expected

 

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At the end of the configuration it commenced the site upgrade.

 

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Which you could view from the browser.

 

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Unfortunately, after a while the upgrade process failed.

 

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The good thing this time was the original site was still working.

 

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Looking at the error log that was produced (with 233 errors), most seem to be about missing components (i.e. templates, add-ons etc), so I get the feeling it would have probably worked if I had done the migration on the original box where all the other add ons are installed. Problem is, that box isn’t 64 bit so a migration to a new 64 bit base machine is going to be necessary. Clearly, that is going to make any migration process that much longer and more challenging in that you have to get all the extra little ‘tweaks’, you added across onto the new machine before you attempt an upgrade. That could certainly take some time and test your memory!

 

So, it’s back the lab once again.

Flaming wreck

Buster the SharePoint 2010 beta crash test dummy is back again with some good and bad news. First, the good news is that the recent light bulb moment from last time allowed the successful install of SharePoint Foundation 2010 beta on SBS 2008.

 

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The bad news is that the upgrade process after this failed.

 

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Digging through the log file produces the following error:

 

[psconfigui] [WyukonToSqlExpress] [ERROR] [11/21/2009 7:10:00 AM]: An error occured while trying to grant the user
NT AUTHORITY\NETWORK SERVICE access to the SharePoint_AdminContent_d4e397f2-a27a-48a0-a628-d25db6672bab database
on the SQL server, CIASVR01\SharePoint.  This may be expected if the caller does not have permission to perform
this operation in sql server or if the database is read-only.  To ensure that SharePoint functions correctly,
manually grant this user access to the database before performing this operation.  The user must also be granted
access to the db_owner group in the database.  The following information was provided with this error:
System.Data.SqlClient.SqlException: Cannot open database “SharePoint_AdminContent_d4e397f2-a27a-48a0-a628-d25db6672bab”
requested by the login. The login failed.
Login failed for user ‘SBS2008\robert’

 

Which unfortunately results in http://companyweb ceasing to work.

 

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Blast. So close. Seems like an error that can be over come with a little bit of tweaking on the permissions so we’re now off to try that.

 

Message from the labs is currently still – DON’T install SharePoint Foundation 2010 beta on SBS 2008!

Light bulb moment

It’s Buster the SharePoint crash test dummy back with you again for the next enthralling episode of Installing SharePoint 2010 beta.

 

In this episode we’ll attempt an install of SharePoint Foundation 2010 beta onto a Windows Server 2008 Standard machine to get a bit of a base line.

 

Once we have a Windows Server 2008 Standard machine we install Windows 2008 Service Pack 2 and complete all the Windows Updates. We then commence the installation of SharePoint Foundation 2010 beta.

 

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Unfortunately, we don’t get very far before the following message appears telling us we need to install KB971831 and Microsoft Geneva Framework. The KB is easy enough to install via:

 

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=160770

 

But the Microsoft Geneva Framework proved a little more difficult. I eventually found a version here:

 

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=118c3588-9070-426a-b655-6cec0a92c10b&displaylang=en – Beta 2 of Active Directory Federation Services 2.0, Windows Identity Foundation & Windows CardSpace 2.0

 

But don’t install it until you’ve ready the WHOLE blog post!

 

With those two pieces of software installed the reinstallation process if recommenced.

 

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Everything is going well and I select the Standalone installation. The files get installed but when I run the configuration wizard I get the following:

 

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An exception of type System.IO.FileNotFoundException was thrown. Additional exception information: Could not load file or assembly ‘Microsoft.IdentityModel, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35’ or one of its dependencies. The system cannot find the file specified.

Damm. After a bit of Googling turns out the issue may be with the version of Microsoft Geneva Framework that was installed as mentioned here. So now the current version of Microsoft Geneva Framework is uninstalled and the following new version of Microsoft Geneva Framework is installed:

 

http://download.microsoft.com/download/F/3/D/F3D66A7E-C974-4A60-B7A5-382A61EB7BC6/MicrosoftGenevaFramework.amd64.msi 

 

The configuration wizard is run again and viola,

 

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So where’s the light bulb moment you are probably asking? This error I got installing on this standalone Windows Server 2008 looks almost identical to the error I got when attempting an installation on SBS 2008! So now I’m off to put those two updates on my SBS 2008 box and THEN try another installation of SharePoint Foundation 2010 beta on SBS 2008. Wish me luck.

SharePoint Foundation 2010 beta on SBS 2008

It’s Buster the SharePoint crash test dummy back again with more early experiences of SharePoint 2010 beta. In our last episode you’ll remember that I tried to install SharePoint Server 2010 beta onto SBS 2008 with the results being a fiery wreck. I’m sorry to say that it is much the same story if you try and install SharePoint Foundation 2010 beta on SBS 2008.

 

When you do install SharePoint Foundation 2010 beta on SBS 2008 it at least recognizes that a previous version of SharePoint exists and gives you the option to upgrade.

 

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Problem is, that is the ONLY option you get to choose. After merrily clicking away and waiting for the installation to complete you get a screen displayed like so:

 

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So the end result is that it doesn’t install. I’m a little annoyed that I have to pick through the flaming pieces to find the location of the setup log. Why couldn’t there simply be a link here? Maybe in the full version.

 

The good thing, from I can see, is that even after this failed upgrade process http://companyweb and the SharePoint Administration site all appear to be working ok. Thank goodness. So even though the upgrade of the existing SharePoint v3 failed, the upgrade process doesn’t destroy the existing SharePoint installation unlike what happens when you attempt an install of Search Server Express on SBS 2008.

 

Now, just because it didn’t work the first time doesn’t necessarily mean it won’t work with some ‘tweaking’. Let me get back into the lab and see what I can work out. However, in the meantime I’d recommend you DON’T install SharePoint Foundation 2010 beta on SBS 2008.

SharePoint crash test dummy

If you don’t already know, Microsoft have released the beta of Office 2010, which you can download and test out for yourself. As expected they have also released SharePoint 2010 beta.

 

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As you can see from the above you only have two options, both of which are SharePoint Server (i.e. the old MOSS) and not SharePoint Foundation (i.e the old WSS). Ah ha, as it turns out the beta of SharePoint Foundation 2010 is also available for download, you just gotta know where to look!

 

Now, fans of the show Mythbusters know about Buster the crash test dummy they subject to all kinds of cruel and inhuman tests in the name of science. If you don’t then you are a poorer person for it. In honour of Buster I have decided to volunteer myself as a SharePoint crash test dummy so you can see what happens when you install SharePoint in different scenarios. Are you ready? Here we go. One, two, three…

 

I downloaded SharePoint Server 2010 Beta (Enterprise CAL features) first and decided to throw it onto SBS 2008 initially. Now boys and girls don’t attempt this at home as I am a trained SharePoint Professional with far too much time on his hands. And in all seriousness, please don’t install beta enterprise software on a production server. Please!

 

The end result?

 

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A flaming wreck that kinda looks like what happens when you try and install Search Server Express 2008 on SBS 2008. The files get copied but the configuration wizard bombs. So now you know. SharePoint Server 2010 beta doesn’t install on SBS 2008 by default. NEEEEEEXT.

 

Now I wonder what happens if you instead use the SharePoint Foundation 2010 beta on SBS 2008? More details of what’s sure to be another flaming wreck on SBS 2008 soon.

I’ll bet

Many people I’ve spoken to are under the misapprehension that I’m already working with SharePoint 2010. Sorry to say that I currently have exactly the same access to the product that everyone else has. This means I’m reading the while papers and watching the video but not working with product.

 

We all know that SharePoint 2010 is due for public beta sometime in November as Steve Ballmer announced recently at the SharePoint conference. I’m willing to bet that the announce of the beta releases of SharePoint 2010 and Office 2010 will be made at the upcoming Microsoft Professional Developers Conference to be held next week (17-19 November 2009).

 

As I said, I have just as much of an idea about the release as the next person but hopefully my bet will pay off and I can finally get my hands on the new SharePoint 2010 product.

SharePoint Webinar resources

The first in what will be an ongoing series of webinars presented by the CIAOPS has been completed (An Introduction to SharePoint – 091112). Some of these will be free and some will have a small cost associated with them. When they are free, like this one was, I will post the video to YouTube. Unfortunately, YouTube doesn’t allow you to post videos greater than 10 minutes in duration so I have had to break the webinar into 4 parts which you can access via the graphics below.

Introduction to SharePoint – Part 1

Introduction to SharePoint – Part 2

Introduction to SharePoint – Part 3

Introduction to SharePoint – Part 4

 

If for some reason the links don’t work simply go to my YouTube channel – http://www.youtube.com/user/directorciaops

 

If you want the complete video to download and view simply send me an email (director@ciaops.com) and I will let you know how to obtain it. Also if you have any feedback please let me know as I want to keep improving what I offer.

 

At this stage I’m think that the webinar in two weeks will focus on actually using SharePoint at a basic level. For example, uploading documents, adding meta data and so on. I’ll confirm exactly what the next webinar will be and when it will be here. In the meantime, enjoy the presentation.