Failed to initiate the upgrade sequence. An exception of type System.IO.IOException was thrown.

"Failed to upgrade SharePoint Products."

I have installed the office web app patch & re-run the configuration wizard when I encountered this exception 

Please Note the GUID is vital for clearing cache.



1. Stop the Timer service. To do this, follow these steps:
   
   1. Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Services.
   2. Right-click SharePoint 2010 Timer, and then click Stop.
   3. Close the Services console.
2. On the computer that is running Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010 and on which the Central Administration site is hosted, click Start, click Run, type explorer, and then press ENTER.
3. In Windows Explorer, locate and then double-click the following folder:
4. %SystemDrive%\ProgramData\Microsoft\SharePoint\Config\GUID
5. Notes
1. The %SystemDrive% system variable specifies the letter of the drive on which Windows is installed. By default, Windows is installed on drive C.
2. The GUID placeholder specifies the GUID folder. There may be more than one of these.
3. The ProgramData folder may be hidden. To view the hidden folder, follow these steps:
1. On the Tools menu, click Folder Options.
2. Click the View tab.
3. In the Advanced settings list, click Show hidden files and folders under Hidden files and folders, and then click OK.
4. You can also simply type this directly in the path if you do not want to show hidden files and folders.
6. Back up the Cache.ini file. (Make a copy of it. DO NOT DELETE THIS FILE, Only the XML files in the next step)
7. Delete all the XML configuration files in the GUID folder (DO NOTE DELETE THE FOLDER). Do this so that you can verify that the GUID folders content is replaced by new XML configuration files when the cache is rebuilt.
   Note When you empty the configuration cache in the GUID folder, make sure that you do NOTdelete the GUID folder and the Cache.ini file that is located in the GUID folder.
8. Double-click the Cache.ini file.
9. On the Edit menu, click Select All.
10. On the Edit menu, click Delete.
11. Type 1, and then click Save on the File menu. (Basically when you are done, the only text in the config.ini file should be the number 1)
12. On the File menu, click Exit.
13. Start the Timer service. To do this, follow these steps:
    1. Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Services.
    2. Right-click SharePoint 2010 Timer, and then click Start.
    3. Close the Services console.
14. Note The file system cache is re-created after you perform this procedure. Make sure that you perform this procedure on all servers in the server farm.
15. Make sure that the Cache.ini file in the GUID folder now contains its previous value. For example, make sure that the value of the Cache.ini file is not 1.
16. Check in the GUID folder to make sure that the xml files are repopulating. This may take a bit of time.

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

SharePoint Error :The form cannot be rendered. This may be due to a misconfiguration of the Microsoft SharePoint Server State Service

InfoPath forms are giving following exception when trying to activate or add any new workflow

“The form cannot be rendered. This may be due to a misconfiguration of the Microsoft SharePoint Server State Service. For more information, contact your server administrator.”

 Solution : 

As I checked for the found State Service was not started, in order to start this service go to:

1. Central administration  
2. Configuration Wizards 
3. Click “Launch the Farm Configuration Wizard” 
4. click  “Start the Wizard”

To confirm state services is started go to
1. Application Management >>
2. Manage service applications you will see the status. 

SharePoint 2010 -SVC service Exception :'System.Data.Services.Providers.IDataServiceUpdateProvider'

SharePoint 2010 has List data web service However many users trying to access get following exception :   http://yoursite/_vti_bin/ListData.svc

Could not load type 'System.Data.Services.Providers.IDataServiceUpdateProvider' from assembly 'System.Data.Services, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089'.

Remedy:

Installation needed on SharePoint web front end servers: ADO.NET Data Services Update for .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2

Click to Download -- ADO.NET Data Services Update for .NET Framework.

SharePoint 2010 -MS LYNC Integration.

SharePoint - a collaborative platform to have mash up functional is always fun. Recently I found can across well drafted article published by J.D. Wade on Sharepoint and Microsoft Lync.

Lync and SharePoint Integration

Special thanks : J.D Wade.

Central Administration returns blank page after installation on Windows 7

Installation of SharePoint 2010 on Windows Server seems to be much easier than installing on Windows-7 machine to be loaded with SharePoint 2010 as a developer machine.

Now when i click on central admin blank page is returned.
No Error logs in IIS.
However I checked IIS Web-site & Application Pool everything seems to be running fine & was registried with proper service account.
Also check all SQL & Sharepoint Service which were also properly started.

Overall there was really no way anything was missed.
However after long search and troubleshooting i found windows features are required to be executed Click here to check steps by MSDN

Following command needs to be executed on Command Prompt as administrator:

start /w pkgmgr /iu:IIS-WebServerRole;IIS-WebServer;IIS-CommonHttpFeatures;IIS-StaticContent;IIS-DefaultDocument;IIS-DirectoryBrowsing;IIS-HttpErrors;IIS-ApplicationDevelopment;IIS-ASPNET;IIS-NetFxExtensibility;IIS-ISAPIExtensions;IIS-ISAPIFilter;IIS-HealthAndDiagnostics;IIS-HttpLogging;IIS-LoggingLibraries;IIS-RequestMonitor;IIS-HttpTracing;IIS-CustomLogging;IIS-ManagementScriptingTools;IIS-Security;IIS-BasicAuthentication;IIS-WindowsAuthentication;IIS-DigestAuthentication;IIS-RequestFiltering;IIS-Performance;IIS-HttpCompressionStatic;IIS-HttpCompressionDynamic;IIS-WebServerManagementTools;IIS-ManagementConsole;IIS-IIS6ManagementCompatibility;IIS-Metabase;IIS-WMICompatibility;WAS-WindowsActivationService;WAS-ProcessModel;WAS-NetFxEnvironment;WAS-ConfigurationAPI;WCF-HTTP-Activation;WCF-NonHTTP-Activation

Hope this help you too.
-------------------------------------------

WSP Process stuck in "Deploying"

Recently, I deployed my Webpart solution packages created in sharepoint Farm.

After a long waiting i still figured the solution getting "Deploying" as its status..

Initially i Tried

stsadm -o execadmsvcjobs on the server running Central Admin.  No change. 

Since it was a farm deployment i Thought improper deployment was performed.

so I reset the IIS to get a refreshed processes running but still no effect.

Solution: Not Sure if its correct but worked for me.I opened list of timer jobs (Operations > Timer Job Definitions) search the job which point to the WSP solution we are deploying..Killing the Process will do the Trick.

However this does not actually deploy but only status is populated as "Deployed".
To Overcome this solution since you are on Farm Servers you need to Execute stsadm -o execadmsvcjobs on all the servers

Warning: Super user account!

When Working on a farm environment couple of time we come across some warning stating:
"The super user account utilized by the cache is not configured...."

Temporary Solution :: execute- 'stsadm -o setproperty -propertyname portalsuperuseraccount -propertyvalue account -url webappurl'.

Furthermore, there is the caveat:
The account should be any account that has Full Control access to the SharePoint databases but is not an application pool account. What have people done - create a special account?

After doing an extensive research i found solution as stated by Mirjam van Olst

http://sharepointchick.com/archive/2010/10/06/resolving-the-super-user-account-utilized-by-the-cache-is.aspx

SharePoint Installation steps

For installing Sharepoint on your local system please refer this blog

Over view on Installing Sharepoint 2007by dataSprings

Over view on Installing Sharepoint 2010by SharePoint Knowledge

Sharepoint Session State

hi focks,
Here is a link I'm session state configuration in sharepoint.
Click Here blogged by Erick Kraus


Special Thanks : Erick

Changing Welcome Page in SharePoint.

This article is targeting on changing the default.aspx page provided by SharePoint to our Custom Page.
Since altering default home page in publishing site is easily possible, however altering the home page for TEAM site is much trick than we can imagine.
Here is a solution that can be adopted to retain a custom or user defined home to be populated as default page after login to a SharePoint portal.

>> Follow these steps for achievement.
1. Check the Content Database of the web application via.
Central Administration >> Application Management >>SharePoint Web Application Management Tab >> Conect Database

2. Cross check the content database which through which we can alter the default page.
3. Create your custom page using SharePoint designer at root level which needs to be set as default page on login.


4. Go to MS SQL management Studio.
a. Browse to database table named “WelcomeNames”
b. Add the Page name (ex: Myhomepage in my case) in LeafName Column and change its rank to 1.

Bingo! Now Login to the SharePoint portal and will get this page at default home page.

Special Thanks: Abhijeet Tidke

Connecting Sharepoint 2007 to your Domino LDAP server

hi,
Here is a userful link provided by Mobile Viking, that will help to connect to Domino LDAP server to fetched login users for sharepoint.
The User connection and provider steps are similar as performed during FBA with slight alteration please follow the steps provided >> Click here

Special thanks: Mobile Viking(blog)

Reporting Services For Sharepoint

Here is a Best article i have read related to SSRS (SQL Server Reporting Services) for SharePoint blogged by Charles Emes.
Click Here to Know More

Form Based Authentication in SharePoint

(A Step Wise Implementation of FBA in SharePoint)
Here I’m adding this article to implement and extend the existing portal and have accessibility using Form Based Authentication. The article below has step wise implementation from scratch.
--
1. Create SQL Database: using Visual Studio 2005 command Prompt.

2. Use command : ASPNET_REGSQL

3. Please Select “ Configure SQL Server for Application Services”
4. Enter the Server Name Authentication and the Database Name

(Please Add the Database Name of our choice :ex-newFBADatabase)

5. Continue till > finish.
6. Check Newly Created Database containing necessary tables and store procedures


7. Extend your web application in any of the prescribed zone (Internet, intranet, extranet, Custom)

a. The original web application is at port 333 (in this case).
b. We have extended to port 332 as shown and selected the zone as extranet.


8. Now In visual Studio (VS) create a web site and add following entries in web.config file.

<!--SQL CONNECTION STRING-->

<connectionStrings>
<add name="FBAConnectionString" connectionString="Data Source=MYDATABASE;Initial Catalog=FBAUSERS; Integrated Security=True"/>

</connectionStrings>
<system.web>

<!-- Membership Provider For FBA -->

<membership defaultProvider="FBADemoMember">

<providers>

<add connectionStringName="FBAConnectionString" enablePasswordRetrieval="false" enablePasswordReset="true" requiresQuestionAndAnswer="true" applicationName="/" requiresUniqueEmail="false" passwordFormat="Hashed"
maxInvalidPasswordAttempts="5" minRequiredPasswordLength="1" minRequiredNonalphanumericCharacters="0" passwordAttemptWindow="10" passwordStrengthRegularExpression="" name="FBADemoMember"
type="System.Web.Security.SqlMembershipProvider,System.Web,Version=2.0.0.0,Culture=neutral,PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a" />

</providers>

</membership>

<!-- role provider For FBA -->

<roleManager enabled="true" defaultProvider="FBADemoRole" >

<providers>
<add connectionStringName="FBAConnectionString" applicationName="/" name="FBADemoRole"
type="System.Web.Security.SqlRoleProvider,System.Web,Version=2.0.0.0,Culture=neutral,PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a" />

</providers>

</roleManager >

9. Select website > ASP.NET configuration in VS

10. Select Security hyperlink



11. Create Roles as needed.






12. Create Roles (Inside Create or Manage Roles)



13. Create Users
14. Create Users(Inside Create Users)




(~) From Central Administration
15. Select Authentication Provider in Application Security in central admin



16. Select the Web Application and select the extended Zone for FBA.


17. Select Authentication Type :
a. FORMS,
b. Membership Provider Name : same membership defaultProvider as in web.Config
c. similarly for Role Manager Name: roleManager defaultProviderd.

Enable Anonymous Access optional (depends on requirement)

18.Now Update the Extended Web Application Web.Config Place beneath <>tag in both (original and extended web application) web.config file. Also place & beneath in conjunction with connection string as shown below.



19. Add the FBA User in the original portal/Web Application through People and Groups.


20. Add user in the Defined Role/Groups As you can observe here the user will be present as FBADemoMember:

21. Now Login in the extended Site.
22. Bingo- Welcome the FBA users.


Thanks…..

SharePoint Installation on VISTA OS

Hey!
Bamboo Nation's has come up with a solution which will allow all the VISTA operating system user to get SharePoint (WSS 3.0) installed on their system.
For more Details click here.