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Troubleshooting Windows SharePoint Services

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Microsoft SharePoint Services is used by the Windows SharePoint Services adapter. This topic describes some known issues that may be encountered with Windows SharePoint Services and possible resolutions to these issues.

Known Issues

Login failed for user 'NT AUTHORITY\NETWORK SERVICE' error occurs when attempting to create content database

Problem

When you attempt to create a content database using the SharePoint Central Administration Web site, an error similar to the following is displayed:

Login failed for user 'NT AUTHORITY\NETWORK SERVICE'

Cause

This issue occurs when the database owner of the database that you are connecting to is different from the application pool identity that Windows SharePoint Services is running under.

Resolution

To resolve this issue, do one of the following:

  • Grant the NETWORK SERVICE account "Database Creation" rights in SQL Server.

  • Change the application pool identity account to an account that has "Database Creation" rights in SQL Server.

"Service Unavailable" error occurs when accessing the SharePoint Central Administration Web site

Problem

When you attempt to open the SharePoint Central Administration Web site, an error similar to the following is displayed:

Service Unavailable

Cause

The most common cause for this error is that the application pool (IIS 6.0 or IIS 7.0) or hosting COM+ application (IIS 5.x) for the SharePoint Central Administration Web site is stopped. This commonly occurs if the application pool or COM+ application is configured with an identity for which the specified user name and/or password is invalid.

Resolution

Follow the steps in the "Setting IIS Application Host Process Identity" section of the topic Guidelines for Resolving IIS Permissions Problems to set the appropriate host process identity.

"Cannot connect to the configuration database" error occurs when attempting to extend and create a content database

Problem

When you attempt to extend and create a content database using the SharePoint Central Administration Web site, an error similar to the following is displayed:

Cannot connect to the configuration database

Cause

This issue occurs when the account that is used by the application pool that is running the SharePoint Central Administration Web site does not have the required permissions to the SQL Server database.

Resolution

To resolve this issue, do one of the following:

  • Grant the account that is used by the application pool for the SharePoint Central Administration Web site "Database Creation" rights in SQL Server.

  • Change the application pool identity account to an account that has "Database Creation" rights in SQL Server.

"The SharePoint Timer Service service failed to start" error is generated in the Application log after rebooting server

Problem

After restarting the server, you see the following error in the event logs:

The SharePoint Timer Service service failed to start

You may also see the following error when you open the SharePoint Central Administration site:

Unable to connect to the WSS configuration database STS_Config

Cause

This error occurs when the SharePoint Timer service fails to contact the SharePoint Services database after rebooting. The SharePoint Timer service is used to send notifications and perform scheduled tasks for SharePoint Services. The most common reason that the SharePoint Timer service fails to start is that the account used to run the service is configured with an identity for which the user name and/or password are no longer valid.

Resolution

Ensure that the user name and password specified for the SharePoint Timer service logon account are correct and that the service has been started.