Archive for February 2010

 
 

SharePoint 2010 Creating Web Applications pt. 2

SharePoint 2010 provides a number of ways to create a new web application. We looked at the instructions on TechNet here.

Yesterday, we created a new web app using the pages in Central Admin and a non-standard port number. The TechNet page tells us we can use the new SharePoint Management Shell (SMS) application that is intended to replace stsadmin.exe. It’s available on the server under Start | Programs | SharePoint 2010 Products | SharePoint Management Shell.

TechNet also tells us the SMS command to create a new web app is:

New-SPWebApplication -ApplicationPool <Name of the application pool>
-Name <Name of the new Web application>
[-Port<Port on which the Web application can be accessed>]
[-HostHeader<Valid URL assigned to the Web application that must correlate
to the alternate access mapping configuration>]
[-URL<Load-balanced URL for the Web application>]
[-ApplicationPoolAccount<User account that this application pool will run as>]

So I composed mine like this:

New-SPWebApplication
-Name "Contoso Internet Site"
-Port 80
-HostHeader http://sharepoint.contoso.com
-URL https://www.contoso.com
-ApplicationPool ContosoAppPool
-ApplicationPoolAccount (Get-SPManagedAccount MyServer\Administrator)

And, obviously, we need to look into managed accounts in a little more detail because the error is:

Get-SPManagedAccount : No matching accounts were found.

In fact, I’m not sure I know what a managed account is.

For my money, no one explains it better than our new best friend Furuknap here. Furuknap tells us that SharePoint 2010 can take over the management of the password of accounts used as application pool IDs. This is convenient because every IIS web site will refer to an app pool and every app pool refers to an ID. When these scale out, managing the passwords can be difficult, particularly when they expire. This new SharePoint 2010 feature eliminates this headache.

So we need a managed account for our SMS create web app script to work.

So we go into Central Admin and visit the Security page. Here, there’s a linkgroup for General Security. I click Configure Managed Accounts.

There’s a Register Managed Account link at the top. I click it and enter an account I made earlier for this purpose MyServer\ManagedAccount. Furuknap explains the benefits of letting SharePoint now support your password requirement but I leave them blank all the same.

Now, I return to my SMS session and change my command to reflect the new managed account. I press Enter and it runs and runs and returns some output indicating my Site name and URL. I enter the URL in my browser and press Enter. It runs for a second and prompts me for a user name and password.

I try the only accounts on the machine: The Administrator account and the managed account. Neither works.

So I tracked down some input on Technet here. They pointed me to the KB article here talking about the trackback loops when trying to hit web sites on the local server with non-standard host headers.

-robot

SharePoint 2010 Depoloyment Issues\86 SSP

With the server up and running, at least in Stand Alone mode, we’re beginning to encounter some issues.

First of all, we had trouble with our installation on a domain controller. The wizard did not offer a “Complete” option and barfed on Stand Alone. Then, on a non-domain server, it barfed on Complete. Hence we’re currently at stand alone SharePoint on a stand alone server. There’s a thread in TechNet that’s tracking a similar issue.

Next, sometimes, when we create a web application, we’re having trouble logging in. We’ll be looking at that in more detail here today.

I expect we’ll find more as we work to resolve these and encounter all the new functionality of SharePoint Server offers. No doubt, one of the first things you’ll notice is that we’ve lost our Shared Service Providers. Instead, these services are integrated more tightly into Central Administration on the Application Management page where you get a Service Applications linkgroup. In that  group there’s the Manage Service Appliations link.

I gotta admit, while this looks a little familiar, the User Profile Service, for example, there a number of new toys in here. It’s going to take some doing to nail these down but we’ll make a list and see if we can get them one at a time.

TTYS

-robot

Creating SPS 2010 Web Applications

I tried one yesterday but after it finished, it wouldn’ t let me log ono it.

So today, I’ve gone out and found this on Technet.

Now, like any good robot, there’s nothing I like more than following good instructions nor less, bad. So here goes.

Now the Technet page is good in that it sets some expecations. Our new web application will have it’s own database and when we create it, we’ll need to specify an anthenication type, Classic (Windows) or Claim-Based (Windows or Form Based.) Also, it points out that the new PowerShell environment will let you create web apps programatically so we’ll have to get a good look at that later.

So, Central Administration has an Application Management page where there’s a link to the Manage Web Applications page:

../_admin/webapplicationlist.aspx. 

Here, there’s a New link on the ribbon. This loads a Create New Web Application page:

../admin/extendvs.aspx.

Now a note here. My CA web site actually loads this page in a dialog box centered over the shaded page. When I right click on it I can see the properties and get the URL for the dialog box:

http://myserver:<myCAPortNumber>/_admin/extendvs.aspx?IsDlg=1

The ?IsDlg=1 query string is what makes it the shaded dialog; if you delete the query string, the page will load in the browser window without the shading effect.

Following TechNet’s instructions, I select Classic Mode authentication and Create New IIS Web Site.  I leave the website name unchanged. The host header value is optional. I’ve always preferred to route to web sites using the host header but for this first attempt, I’ll leave it blank.

I leave the default website path unchanged. I’m also going to leave the authentication method as NTLM. At this point I’m checking Yes for Allow Anonymous. TechNet tells us this is required if you want any content to be accessible anonymously and, later, you can restrict anonymous access. This cannot be changed later.

I am not going to use SSL and I’m going to leave the default URL and zone unchanged.

I’m going to use an existing application pool, the same on I’m using for my existing site.  I dot the option and pull down the list and select SharePoint – 80 (Network Service). The option to create a new one will also let you create a new managed account by opening up a new window. I may try that later.

It gives me default database server and name. The name has a GUID suffix. I usually change it to something more easily deciphered like the port number of web app name used above. I leave the default Windows Authentication unchanged in the database authentication section.

At this point, I don’t have a failover database server and, I presume since I’m a stand alone inststallation, I don’t get to select a search server; it simply says that search is provided by SharePoint Server Search.

Next, we have a new Service Application Selection section. This can be default or custom. If we select custom, we can selectfrom the list of available services. I’m leaving the default value unchanged.

Lastly, we have some ugliness about the Customer Experience Improvement Program. I’m going to leave it as No and click OK. The dialog box indicates that it’s Processing and shows me an orbiting ball. Then I get a dialog box that says Web Application Created with a link about forms based authentication configurations and another to Create Site Collection.

I click Create Site Collection and end up at:

../_admin/CreateSite.aspx?WebApplicationID=<GUID>

and I get the &IsDlg=1 query string as well. I give it a name and make myself the owner. I leave the rest unchanged and click OK.  

The dialog box says the top-level site is created and gives me a link. I click it.

I end up with a new site called Home and it got a great picure of some new dorks.

So what did we miss? First, there’s alternative authentication options. We could look at creating new Application Pools and then there’s the PowerShell options. We’ll look at those next.

-robot

SharePoint Portal Server 2010 Up and Running

So, if you were following along, we ran aground on step 5 of 10 during the configuration wizard. I posted my error here on MSDN and got a response that Stand Alone mode is not supported on a DC.

This is odd because the Configuration Wizard never let me choose Complete mode; it just went straight into steps 1 – 10. It never asked me for my DB Access account or nothing.

So I reverted my VM back to a snapshot taken before I did the DCPromo and the SQL Server install. I installed SharePoint and the Configuration Wizard comes up and, this time, it asked me did I want Stand Alone or Complete?

So, “great” I said, I’ll install SQL Server and I’ll have complete after all. So I rework the SQL Server install and then the configuration wizard and select Complete.

When I get to the part where it wants my DBAccess acount UID and password, it barfs saying in complete mode the DBAccess account must be a domain account. Then, to twist the knife, the Configuration Wizard would not back out to where I could select Stand Alone mode. I tried to start it over and I tried to reinstall SharePoint and start it over, all to no avail.

So, I reverted once again to the pre-DC, Pre-SQL Server snaphot and was able to install SharePoint and run the Configuration Wizard into Stand Alone mode.

When it completed, it loaded the template selector page, not Central Admin. I chose the Publishing Portal and it build me an Adventure Works site with the old dorks from SharePoint 2007 team site and a couple of new dorks.

So what we’ve learned is that Microsoft wants to sell two Server 2008 licenses at a minimum to support a Complete mode setup.

hth!

-robot

SharePoint 2010 Install

With a solid domain controller and SQL Server running, it’s time to install SharePoint 2010.

In SQL Server, I connected to the server and opened the Security | Logins node. I right clicked and selected New. I added the db access account. On the Server Roles tab, I assigned it dbcreator and securityadmin roles.

For SharePoint, you can download the Beta package here.

I clicked on the .exe and I get the pretty new SharePoint Server 2010 dialog.

Under the prepare heading, I click Read The Install Guide. This is a link that points to Technet. Now I know you’re wondering who I am and what happened to Robot but I’m going to take a few minutes and read through it.

In the meantime, I click Install the Prerequisites. I get the SharePoint Product Preparation Tool that wants to check a bunch of stuff so I click Next. I accept the agreement and click Next.

It loads a bunch of stuff and gives me an Installation Complete page so I click Finish.

I take a deep breath and click Install SharePoint Server.

I enter the product key, accept the agreement and click Continue.

I accept the default file locations and click Install Now.

It runs and runs… Then I get a dialog that says Run Configuration Wizard so I click Close.

The SharePoint Products Configuration Wizard opens. I click Next. It warns me that some services will be stopped. I click Yes.

It counts configuration tasks.. 1 of 10, 2 of 10, 3, 4, 5…

I get: Configuration Failed and it’s pointing me to a PSCDiagnostics.log that’s about a thousand pages long. About five minutes into the install I got a warning:

Found registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Shared Tools\Web Server Extensions\14.0\WSS\Services\Microsoft.Office.Server.Administration.DiagnosticsService, but the SubKeyCount is zero

I get the same warning two more times in the next 20 seconds. Then, about seven minutes into the install, I get this:

Calling SPServiceInstance.Provision for instance Microsoft.Office.Server.Search.Administration.SearchServiceInstance, service Microsoft.Office.Server.Search.Administration.SearchService
02/23/2010 17:16:14  11  ERR                  Task services has failed with an unknown exception

Then a bunch of errors:

02/23/2010 17:16:14  11  ERR                  Exception: System.ServiceProcess.TimeoutException: Time out has expired and the operation has not been completed.
   at System.ServiceProcess.ServiceController.WaitForStatus(ServiceControllerStatus desiredStatus, TimeSpan timeout)
   at Microsoft.SharePoint.Win32.SPAdvApi32.StartService(String strServiceName)
   at Microsoft.SharePoint.Administration.SPWindowsServiceInstance.Start()
   at Microsoft.SharePoint.Administration.SPWindowsServiceInstance.Provision(Boolean start)
   at Microsoft.Office.Server.Search.Administration.SearchServiceInstance.Provision()
   at Microsoft.SharePoint.PostSetupConfiguration.ServicesTask.InstallServiceInstanceInConfigDB(Boolean provisionTheServiceInstanceToo, String serviceInstanceRegistryKeyName, Object sharepointServiceObject)
   at Microsoft.SharePoint.PostSetupConfiguration.ServicesTask.InstallServiceInstances(Boolean provisionTheServiceInstancesToo, String serviceRegistryKeyName, Object sharepointServiceObject)
   at Microsoft.SharePoint.PostSetupConfiguration.ServicesTask.InstallServices(Boolean provisionTheServicesToo)
   at Microsoft.SharePoint.PostSetupConfiguration.ServicesTask.Run()
   at Microsoft.SharePoint.PostSetupConfiguration.TaskThread.ExecuteTask()

Less than Optimal…

-robot

 http://blogs.msdn.com/opal/archive/2009/11/16/installation-notice-for-sharepoint-2010-public-beta.aspx

-robot

SQL Server 2008 Install – Second Try

The SQL Server install didn’t go well. I tried to install the full suite and four of the five services failed.

So I reverted and thought I’d explore a different track.

First of all, I was trying to use the free SQL Server Developer Edition x64 that I got from the Heroes Happen Here Road Show. I know that version expires in 180 days but it was in hand and I had used it successfully before.

For this second try, I was considering alternatives. Microsoft offers this download that’s also good for 180 days. It’s a 1gb+ download so I started it and went to get some coffee.

Once it’s completed downloading, I run the setup.exe program. I check my prerequisites and it warns me about installing on a domain controller. Then I check the Installation tab and select New Installation. It runs the setup configuration check and I pass seven of seven. I click OK.

I specify Enterprise Evaluation and click Next.

I accept the terms and click Next and then Install.

Again, it warns me about the domain controller. It also mentions firewall rules saying:

..make sure the appropriate ports are open to enable remote access. See the rules documentation at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=94001 for information about ports to open for each feature.

Since I’m not looking for remote access at this point, I click Next.

I get a Setup Role page. It wants me to setup Analysis Services with SharePoint Integration. I’ll forego that for now, hoping just to get the database engine to start. I may have to retrace my steps to get this to work later. I click Next.

On the Feature Selection page, I just check the Database Engine Services, Full Text Search and the client tools and click Next.

The Installation Rules page tells me nothing will be blocked. This time, I pass five out of five. I click Next.

I leave the default instance checked and click Next.

It tells me I’ve got enough disk space and click Next.

I tell it to use the same account for all services. I enter the user name and password of the service account I created earlier which is a domain admin account. I click OK on the username box and then I click Next.

I select Mixed Mode authentication, enter an SA password. I add the current user as a SQL Server admin and click Next.

I let it send whatever it wants to Microsoft and click Next.

The Installation Configuration Rules page tells me I’ve passed four out of four. I click Next.

I get a summary and I click Install.

@Success (tipping my hat to my Domino programmer buddies)

I open SQL Server Management Studio, watch the progress lights and I get the SQL Server login window.

I try MyNewDomainController.MyNewDomain.com: No Good.

I try the IP address: No Good

My error, in both cases is:

Cannot connect to 192.168.1.20

A network-related or instance specific effor occurred while establishing a connection to SQL Server. The server was not found or was not accessible. Verify that the instance name is correct and then SQL Server is configured to allow remote connections. (provider: Named Pipes Provider, error: 40 – Could not open a conection to SQL Server)(Microsoft SQL Server, Error 5)

I found this from our new best friend Pinalkumar. At his suggestion, I check the services in the Configuration Manager. The SQL Browser and SQL Agent weren’t running so I started them both. Still no luck but, also at his suggestion, I try to connect to LocalHost. Again @Success. I can also connect to MyNewDomainController which is the computer name but not the FQDN which is MyNewDomainController.MyNewDomain.com. I noticed that the Browser service and the FT Scheduler Daemon were set to manual startups. I changed them to Automatic.

I look deeper into the Configuration Manager and I see that the SQL Server Network Configuration has a Protocols for MSSQLSERVER and, among those protocols, TCPIP and Named Pipes are disabled. I enable them and restart the services.

Also, I realize my network adapter was told to use external DNS so IP will not be looking to MyNewDomainController to resolve host names. So I added MyNewDomainController and MyNewDomainController.MyNewDomaincom to my hosts file pointing to the LAN IP address.

Finally, @Success one last time. I can connect to my SQL Server using computer name, FQDN, IP address and localhost.

Pinalkumar also has some help with the Firewall settings but his screenshots show Windows Vista. One day, I’ll have to figure this one out.

I’ll restart and take a snapshot here before I backtrack to install Report Services and Analysis Services. Then we can try the SharePoint 2010 install.

HTH

-robot

SPS 2010 Install – SQL Server 2008

So we have new VM domain controller and now we’ll try to get SQL Server to run.

I have the install disk in my metal server and so, in the VM, I have to uncapture the CD drive and then recapture it with the new disk.  It wants to auto start. I click OK and click Install Server Components.

I accept the license terms and click Next and then Install.

The Intstallation Center opens. I click New Installation. The wizard does a configuration check, I pass7 and fail none. I click Next.

I check the Database engine, Analysis Services and Reporting Services, the client tools,BIDS and Integration Services and click Next.

I accept the default instance and file locations and click Next.

I have to add a service account for the SQL Server Agent, the server itself as well as AS and RS. Start |  Administrative Tools | AD Users and Computers opens the ADU&C management console. I right click on Users and select New and then User. I give the new account a name and a logon name SVC_SQLServer. I give him a password and click Finish. Then I add him to the domain administrators group.

Back on the SQL Server Configuration wizard, I enter this account in the Use the same account for all fields and click Apply to all and then Next.

I allow for mixed mode security and enter an sa password. Then I add the current user, MyNewDomain\Administrator and my SQL Server service account, MyNewDomain\svc-sqlserver to the SQL Server administrators group and click Next.

I add the current user and the SVC_SQLServer acocunt to the Analysis Services configuration page and click  Next.

Then, I choose this option: Install the SharePoint mode default configuration. I let the server send whatever it wants to Microsoft. I click Next and it tells me it’s ready to install.

I click Install.

The database engine services, reporting services and analysis services fail. All I can do is click next. It points me to a .txt file in c:\program files\Microsoft SQL Server\100\Serup_Bootstrat\log\20200222_1720\MyDomainController)20100111_1720_Summary.txt.

That file tells me to check the logs to figure out what went wrong.

Not a great conclusion to a day’s work.

-robot

SPS 2010 Install – Windows Server 2008 and ADDS

You guys know I’m no Windows expert; I’m way too easily frustrated. It’s great to have experts to lead us. I’m going to try this item from CodeProject.com to create a domain conttoller with the hopes of mapping the whole SPS 2010 instsall.

There’s alot of material to cover so this may take a few tries. I’m using the Server 2008 R2 x64 on a the Dell host I’ve talked about earlier.

Creating a new virtual machine is pretty easy in the Hyper-V manager. I told it to  give it 4gb RAM, give it a LAN connection and install an OS from the host CD drive when it starts up. The Windows Server install starts up and asks some rudimentaty setup questions. Click, click, click and you get a cool little status bar that says  2. Installing Windows.

This looks like it may take a little while. 5% in five minutes; makes the math easy.

brb… I’m expanding files…

Expanding files is a non-linear process since it finished in less than 20 minutes, The VM reboots and it comes up with an OK\Cancel screen that says I have to change my password. I click OK. My user name is Administrator and I have to enter a password twice.

It prepares my desktop and gives me a set of configuration tasks.

  • Activate Windows
  • Set Time Zone
  • Configure Networking – It already read the DHCP since I told the VM to attach to the LAN.
  • Provide computer name and domain – I don’t have a domain yet but I’ll name it MyDomainController and leave it in the default workgroup.

Reboot.

I check for and install 15 updates. This takes about 20 minutes and requries another reboot.

I get to Add Roles.

The Select Server Roles dialog wizard opens up. On the Server Roles tab, I check Active Directory Domain Services (ADDS). A second dialog box pops up asking to add the .Net Fx 3.5 features required for ADDS. I click Add Required Features button.

When I try to add any other roles, I get an error that says ADDS has to be added alone.

So, I uncheck ADDS and check the application server and the Web Server instead. When I click through the rest of the dialogs, these roles install and then I need to reboot.

After the reboot, I go back to add the ADDS role and click Next.

I get a page of information including that I have to run DNS and DCPromo.exe to complete my setup. I click Next and then Install. The progress bar takes a minute and I get the results page that indicates success.

I open a command window and run DCPromo.exe

I get the ADDS Installation Wizard. I check Advanced mode for good measure and click Next.

I get this schpeil about OS Compatibility. This is way complicated so I ignore it and click Next promising myself I’d go look at the KB article to which it refers.

I dot the Create a new domain in a new forest option and click Next.

It wants the fully qualified domain name of this new forest. I enter MyNewDomain.com and click Next.

The wizard checks for naming conflicts and gives me a NetBiosName: MYNEWDOMAIN. I click Next.

It asks me for a functional level. I choose Windows Server 2008 R2. Again, I’m flying blind here.

It tells me it needs a DNS server. It told me it would do this earlier so I leave the box checked and click Next.

Here it barfs on dynamic IP address. I never gave this box a static IP so I have to tell it I will by clicking on the No, I will assign.. option and it takes me back to the Installation Wizard.

I go to the Network and Sharing Center and click on the Local Area Connection and then on the Properties button. Click on IPv4 and then Properties. Here I claim a static IP address suitable to my router and add in the DNS servers that my host server uses.

I go back and click the No, I will assign.. button again.

Here, it warns me that the DNS servers I just picked do not recognize my new domain name. This is not surprising as I will have to update the internet using my registrar’s software.  I tell it I want to continue all the same.

I’ve only got the one hard drive so all my DNS files go on there. I click Next. I enter my new domain Restore Mode Admin’s password. I enter it twice and click Next here  and again on the Summary page.

Then I get a Finish page and I click Finish and reboot.

When the machine restarts, it prompts me for the MyNewDomain\Administrator password. I enter it and everything is good. Since this is a virtual machine, I go back to the Hyper-V manager on my host and take a snapshot. At this point, I think I can revet to this state at any time in the Hyper-V manager. This is good, because in the past, I have always screwed something up in the subsequent steps and wanted to start over. It’s good to know I can spin up a fresh domain controller any time I want. 

– robot

The virtual machine could not be started because the hypervisor is not running.

Where was I when they covered the Hypervisor? Apparently I my mind was wondering but, I looked here at social.technet.microsoft.com and see an explanation of this hypervisor thing. Seems it’s a low-level setting made available in the BIOS.

On the Dell, I press f2 as the machine boots and navigate down to CPU Info where there’s a Virtualization Technology setting set to…

yup, DISABLED.

I used the right arrow to change it to ENABLED and press escape, save and exit.

The machine reboots. But the article says do a “Cold” reboot which, to me, means unplug the damm thing. I shut down, pull the cord and count to 20, plug it back in and hit the on button.

After it starts, I open the Hyper-V manager, select the VM, right click and select Start. It seems to be working. It’s running; I click Connect, It’s applying settings.

Press CRTL + ALT + DELETE to log on.

I get an EULA and click OK. There’s a Warm Up program that bangs on all the pages and pre-compiles them.

I move away from the VM to my host and browse to http://intranet.contoso.com and in a moment… DORKS!

It’s not really an install but it’s running. Now, I wonder how I can get my dual monitors to work with my VM on my server that I’ve remoted to… It’s good to have goals.

hth

-robot

New Best Friend on Twitter

I was having trouble extracting the files I spent about six hours downloading yesterday from microsoft.com here. These are one .exe and fourteen .rar files, each around 700 mb.

So I put them in a folder and clicked on the .exe and it crapped out with an error:

CRC failed in Ext 2010-4a\Virtual Hard Disks\2010-4a.vhd Unexpected end of archive Packed data CR…

I had to truncate the whole message because I copied it into the Twitter search bar and found our new best friend @Ivor59. He suggested figuring out which one was faulty by checking the file sizes and, sure enough, the first one was a little short of capacity, around 65 Mb. The others were all 716,800 Kb except the last on which was 479,944 lb.

I redownloaded the first one, the .exe, and now it’s 716,807 Kb which seems like it might be a full set of bits. I clicked it and now the extraction seems to be running…

Extracting Ext 2010-4a\config.xml
Extracting Ext 2010-4a\Virtual Hard Disks\2010-4a.vhd
Extracting from Ext 2010-4a.part02.rar
Extracting from Ext 2010-4a.part03.rar
Extracting from Ext 2010-4a.part04.rar
Extracting from Ext 2010-4a.part05.rar
Extracting from Ext 2010-4a.part06.rar
Extracting from Ext 2010-4a.part07.rar
Extracting from Ext 2010-4a.part08.rar
Extracting from Ext 2010-4a.part09.rar
Extracting from Ext 2010-4a.part10.rar
Extracting from Ext 2010-4a.part11.rar
Extracting from Ext 2010-4a.part12.rar
Extracting from Ext 2010-4a.part13.rar
Extracting from Ext 2010-4a.part14.rar
Extracting from Ext 2010-4a.part15.rar
Extraction Complete

And then the extraction wizard just went away

In it’s place, I have a folder with a config.xml file and three folders:

1. Snapshots – Empty
2. Virtual Hard Disks – One 32 Gb file: 2010-4a.vhd.
3. Virtual Machines – One <guid>.exp file.

I guess it’s time to figure out how Hyper-V works.

I followed the instructions I rewrote yesterday and created that internal network and imported the VM. I right clicked and selected Start and get an error:

‘Ext 2010-4a’ could not initialize. The virtual machine could not be started because the hypervisor is not running.

Great. What’s a Hypervisor?

hth

-robot