Excel graph look and feel issue- PowerPivot

Issue: 
Graph available in excel not looks fine while opening through web browser. Some of the Vertical line missed. The same graph works fine if it is opened with excel instead of web browser.
Resolution:
After a long research I found that the feature needs to be activate one feature at site collection and site feature:
I enabled once again the feature at "site feature" and "Site collection feature":
SharePoint Server Enterprise Site features
Features such as Visio Services, Access Services, and Excel Services Application, included in the SharePoint Server Enterprise License.
Please note: The excel graph view in web browser will be a problem for existing files but working for new files with same content.

UPA in SharePoint 2010

User profile service application:
We must have SharePoint standard or enterprise edition, An instance of the managed metadata service must exists, A managed path exists, My site application pool exists, A site collection taht uses the My site host template exists, June 2011 CU update or later. With out this update the UPA Db cannot be restored. Add UPS service account in Managed accounts through Central Admin.
Should have service account for sync, it should have managed replicate permission at AD.

Create UPA:
Manage service application --> Create new --> Click User profile service application --> Enter the name of new application --> Enter the name of new App pool --> Select Security account for this app pool --> Enter Profile DB name and SQL server name, Authentication would e windows Authentication --> Enter Sync DB, SQL server name and windows authentication --> Social DB, SQL server and windows authentication --> My Site Host URL --> Type - My Site Managed Path --> Enable Self site creation for the Web application that hosts My Sites--> Site naming format would be best to select Domain and user name(will not conflict)

Enter the Sync settings in UPA, set the sync timings.
Set the credential at both the Forefront Identity Manager services in services console as Sync account.

Start the full sync at every change in sync connection.
Set the netBios name =1 if netbios have different name FQDN

Solution never deployed at one of a SharePoint server

Issue:
One of a SharePoint server in a farm creating problem and it stops to deploy solutions, but when we clicked on the solutions name it shows that the solution deployed all the servers except the corrupt server.
Resolution:
1) Enabled the verbose log --> Found that the error is related to timer service which stopped intermittently.
2) When we clicked on "Check Job status" in central admin we found the similar error message "Object reference not set to an instance of an object." and it is also pointing for timer service error in ULS log.
3) We checked the status of server and it was "Need Upgrade" in servers in farm(through central admin). We removed the corrupt from stage external farm.
4) Ran the stsadm command "PSConfig.exe -cmd upgrade -inplace b2b -force -cmd applicationcontent -install -cmd installfeatures" at corrupt server and found few error that the web.config file of central admin is not available in virtual folder.
5) Copied the required folder/files from other stage server to corrupt server and again ran stsadm command "PSConfig.exe -cmd upgrade -inplace b2b -force -cmd applicationcontent -install -cmd installfeatures. This time it completed and it upgraded the timer service.
6) Now the error at servers in farm has been wiped out.
7) We attached the server corrupt server back to stage farm.

Solution hungs through CA while deploying

Issue: I do have 3 web server and two app server. I ran solution deployment at one of a app server but the status gets hung while viewing through central admin. When I clicked on that solution I found that the solution get deployed at all the server except one of a app server. In ULS log of that defective server I got the following error message: Exiting the process because the timer could not be initialized after multiple attempts. The timer service could not initialize its configuration, please check the configuration database. Will retry later. I already clear the cache at all servers and the GUID of the cache folder is also okay. The service account have right permission at server level.

Resolution:
 1) Cleared the cache files.
2) Compared the OWSTimer.exe.configfiles at defective server and correct server
3) Restarted the timer services
4) Rebooted the server defective server
5) Compared the cache file GUID name
6) Compared the cache file GUID with the cache ID available in REGEDIT.
7) Checked the services through central admin.
8) Checked the health console through central admin 9) Removed and added the server from farm and it resolved.

File Checkout Issue

1) SharePoint 2007 have issues that files are locked out continuously and not able to edit/discard check out. A) clear the IE cache & local machine temp files. If the issue persist then ask the user to check in the file. Keep the version of list/library to maximum 10 numbers. If the issue still persist then save as file for local then change the file name & upload. Do the file edit. or Open a new file--> select open --> enter the url of the file & then do the changes

Bit version of servers in a farm

All application server should have same bit version. it is possible to have different bit version in search server, index server, application server. But there should be same bit version of two or more WFE or two or more back end similarly for search server.

SharePoint 2007 Limitations

There are some of listed Moss limitations as:
1) If the URL is more than 250 character then it doesn't allow to create new folder at doc library.
2) It also stops to open the doc library in explorer view
3) It does not allow to edit any file with in it.

Note: We should keep short names for file/folder/doc library/subsite

Modified date not updated at folder level

Issue:
The modified date cannot be modified if we already modified files with in it.

Resolution:
It is a by designin sharePoint 2007 in which the modified date is not updated, if one of its file is updated. This issue has been fixed in SharePoint 2010

Breadcum issue

Issue:
 Not able to view the breadcum/path of file in folder/library.

Resolution:
 The breadcum of a folder/library can be activated once we have master page as:
"default.master"

Sent email failed, but the email id is valid

Most of the time we have seen that the sent email failed. The reason for this issue is mailbox is full.
TO resolve this issue we need to archive huge number of emails in INBOX

SharePoint recycle bin

Issue:
Some time we observed that the list/library was unable to restore from site recyclebin
Resolution: 
Increase the list throttling and restore the list from site recyclebin.

User profile sync issue with AD

Some times SharePoint doesn't allow to sync the user profile properties from AD to SharePoint. After starting the incremental and full sync, SharePoint 2010 user profile doesn't sync the properties with AD. i.e the updated data in AD is not being updated in SharePoint 2010. We can provide Replicate Directory Changes permission to user profile sync service account. The Replicate Directory Changes permission allows an account to query for the changes in the directory. This permission does not allow an account to make any changes in the directory. The Grant Replicate Directory Changes permission does not enable an account to create, modify or delete AD DS object. The same is mentioned at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh296982.aspx

Restored a deleted site at SharePoint 2010

This is very nice that we can restore or get the deleted site collection in production with out ant DB restore. The steps would be:
1) Get all the site's GUID through powershell command
2) use Restore-SPDeletedSite to restore a deleted site collection If we have SP1 installed at SharePoint 2010 farm, then we can restore site from site recycle bin.

Service pack Installation at SharePoint 2010

Here ar ethe steps which would help SharePoint admins to install SharePoint 2010 patches: 1) Save the 14 hive backups at all servers 2) Get ready the full backup of all the SharePoint databases. 3) Disconnect DBs through commands 4) Install the patch at Central admin server --> one by one at all the servers --> Do not start the Configuration wizard at any server unless and untill it is installed at all the SharePoint servers. 5) Start the configuration wizard at central admin and then rest of servers. 6) Attach content db through command(try to do not use central admin for this purpose). It would take more time according to the db size. At this stage the db will be upgrade to same level 7) Check the upgraded service pack through Central admin for all servers. --> Servers in farm

After Successful retraction of solution from SharePoint farm, still showing that status as deployed

Most of the times you can see that after successful retraction of a solution through central admin the status is still showing as deployed. This happens because the solution might be deployed at central admin as well. So follow the below steps: Steps to work around this issue: Retract the solution from all content URLs Retract the solution from the Central Administration web application explicitly .

User profile service application(SharePoint 2010)

Following things should be keep in mind for SharePoint admins, while working or creating new User profile service application: 1) The user profile service application should have "Directory Replication Changes" permission at AD and Network Service should have Read access to the %programfiles%\Microsoft Office Servers\14.0 folder at app server. "Directory Replication Changes" will replicate the user profiles from AD to SharePoint not vice versa. 2) The forefront running in service console should run with the same service account. 3) There should be three DB for user profile service application they are ProfileDB, SocialDB, SyncDB 4) The user profile service account should have DBO permission at all the above DBs. 5) The user profile service and sync service should be started through Central admin-app server. 6) The user profile service account should be mentioned in synhronization service in central amdin. 7) For newly created app, please start the full sync and for the older one we can go for the incremental sync. ** Full sync will start it from scrach about all user profiles from AD to SharePoint, hence beaware while doing and should be used at the last option.

Due to some configuration issue you might get the duplicate search results. To resolve this issue please remove the duplicate URLs in Content Source at search admin

Due to some configuration issue you might get the duplicate search results. To resolve this issue please remove the duplicate URLs in Content Source at search admin

Unable to export a lib in SharePoint 2010

1) If you have Symantec Protection 6.0 for SharePoint Servers at SharePoint server 2010 and you are getting error message as "Unexpected ..." in command window and "Antivirus scan time out" in ULS log

Answer: After a long research I found that we need to stop the symantec service at service console and disable the "Symantec Protection 6.0 for SharePoint Servers" settings at Central Admin.

Double items in list or library

It is a strange that some of the times SharePoint have double items in particular list or libarary

Ans: This can be resolved by recreating the new view at that list/library

500 Internal Server Error

Issue:
In SharePoint 2010 one of the web app not browse able and getting error message as "500 Internal Server Error". This issue is only specific to single web app.

Resolution:
Stop timer services --> Clear the cache files --> Start the timer services at all the servers.

We also tried to changed the web app through IIS manager, to check if that app pool is corrupt or not.

Unable to run powershell command at SharePoint 2010 server

Issue:
Some time you might be getting the following error message while running the powershell command at SharePoint 2010 server.
The term "" is not recognized as the name of cmdlet, function, script file, or operable program....
Resolution:
Run the following command:
add-pssnapin Mricosoft.SharePoint.Powershell  and then Press enter

Command to migrate Huge Library

Issue:
While migrating a huge library it might be failing for number of times. The export will fail due to huge number of files, hence unable to import it at destination site
Resolution:
Use the command in exact format as:
stsadm.exe -o export -cabsize 1024 -includeusersecurity -versions 4 -url 'https://mysite.url/oldcollection/myweb' -filename myweb.cmp

cabsize can be from 10 to 1024

Unable to run few scripts at one of a app server

Issue: 
While doing the deployment, I was unable to run few scripts at one of a app server and found error as could not locate to http://... site. The event error was "An exception occurred when trying to issue security token: Could not connect to http://localhost:32843/SecurityTokenServiceApplication/securitytoken.svc. TCP error code 10061: No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it ::1:32843." with error ID 8306 and in ULS the similar error was available.
Resolution:
1) We found that the SharePoint Web Services pool was deleted or unavailable at that app server.
2) We created the SharePoint Web Services pool through following command:
$Type = [System.Type]::GetType("Microsoft.SharePoint.Administration.SPIisWebServiceSettings, Microsoft.SharePoint, Version=14.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=71e9bce111e9429c")
$Instance = $Type::Default
$Method = $Type.GetMethod("ProvisionLocal", "Instance, NonPublic", $null, @(), $null)
$Method.Invoke($Instance, $null)
$Method = $Type.GetMethod("Provision", "Instance, Public", $null, @(), $null)
$Method.Invoke($Instance, $null)
3)To get the Service Applications registered, execute the following script:
Get-SPServiceApplication | ForEach-Object {$_.Provision()} 
4) Start the SharePoint Web services application pool

MOSS MA not found in UPS

Issue:
Getting error as "MOSS MA not found." while creating sync connection in SharePoint 2010 user profile service.
Resolution:
start the following services through service console at that service/app server
Forefront Identity Manager Service
ForeFront Identity Manager Synchronization Service

Secure Store Service in SharePoint 2010

Secure Store Service:
The Secure Store Service is an authorization service that runs on an application server. The Secure Store Service provides a database that is used to store credentials. These credentials usually consist of a user identity and password, but can also contain other fields that you define. For example, SharePoint Server 2010 can use the secure store database to store and retrieve credentials for access to external data sources.
Secure store used for following scenarios:
Excel services,Visio services, Performance point services, PowerPivot for SharePoint 2010, BCS.
Backup the SSS DB once it is newly created and after every generating of new encryption key.

SSA creation:
Create a new service account --> Register the account in Configured Managed account in Central admin --> Recommend is not to set for Automatic password change --> Start the SSS service through "Manage services on server" central admin -->  Application Management section, click Manage service applications --> New -->  click SSS --> Enter the name of of SSA --> Enter the SQL server name and the DB name  --> Enter the name of new application pool --> Select configurable

Generate new on Encrption key:
Open the SSA --> click on Generate New Key under Ker management --> On the Generate New Key page, type a pass phrase string in the Pass Phrase box, and type the same string in the Confirm Pass Phrase box.

A target application is a collection of information that maps a user or users to a set of encrypted credentials stored in the Secure Store database.Storing credentials in Secure Store is accomplished by using a Secure Store target application. A target application maps the credentials of a user, group, or claim to a set of encrypted credentials stored in the Secure Store database. After a target application is created, you can associate it with an external content type or application model, or use it with a Business Intelligence Service Application such as Excel Services or Visio Services to provide access to an external data source. When a SharePoint Server 2010 service application calls the target application, Secure Store confirms that the user making the request is an authorized user of the target application and then retrieves the encrypted credentials. The credentials are then used on the user’s behalf by the SharePoint Server 2010 service application.

Create target application:
Manage service application--> Click SSA --> Manage Target application --> New --> Target Application ID --> enter the a unique string --> Enter the test string in Display name --> Enter an email ID -->use default page/custom page/None --> Select Group or Individual from Target Application Type drop down --> Next --> Specify the credential fields for your Secure Store Target Application --> Add two listed fields -->Specify the membership settings.

User profile sync service stuck on running in CA

Issue:

In Central admin while starting the user profile sync service might stuck on running/stopping. Rebooting that server might not resolve that issue.

Resolution:

Open the Powershell window --> Get-SPServiceInstance --> Once you get the list of GUID, then note the GUID of that service application --> Run Stop-SPServiceInstance --> Start that service through Central admin(services at server).