Workbooks fail to load + Event 5231 + Event 5239 + Event 5240 + Error communicating with Excel Services Application + Unable to process the request = SharePoint 2010

Checking event logs as well as health analyzer reports on a daily basis or you can call it as SP check outs on a routine basis is a good practice to make your farm free from errors and take timely action on the reported errors.

I am maintaining this habit from a long time and with respect to this, I found some string of problems with respect to excel services. Let me explain here step by step so that all points will be covered and your issue will be resolved as soon as possible.

Farm topology:

5 front ends + 2 application servers + 2 SQL in cluster mode (SQL SERVER 2008 R2)  

SP VERSION: SharePoint Server 2010 with SP2

What I noticed in event logs?

Event ID: 2159: Event 5240 (Excel Services Application) of severity 'Error' occurred 11 more time(s) and was suppressed in the event log

Event Id: 2159: Event 5586 (SharePoint Foundation) of severity 'Error'

Occurred 22 more time(s) and was suppressed in the event log

ULS LOGS:

09/24/2013 22:40:15.02     w3wp.exe (0x2A2C) 0x28CC    Excel Services Application Web Front End 5240    Critical   

There was an error in communicating with Excel Calculation Services http://:SP2010/0a8875975aed471cb086cd8411bfde97/ExcelService*.asmx exception: An error has occurred. [Session: User:]

If I tried opening any excel file which has been set as browser enabled then getting the following error message:

Excel Services: Unable to process the request. Wait a few minutes and try performing this operation again.

Followed MS best practices article but of no use:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee513104(v=office.14).aspx

What i tried:

1)   Server reboot resulted in no change in the results

2)   Restarting excel services results in no change in the results

3)   IISRESET – no change.

Imp note:

1)   Make sure the account that we are using to host excel service application does not locked.

2)   Make sure the corresponding service account and an application pool account has sufficient permissions in SQL as well as for excel service application.

Resolution:

In my case, recycling the specific application pool which has been used for excel service application resolves the issue.

I you are not sure as how to identify the specific application pool as it will be a long guid of numbers. Don’t worry, it very simple- Three cheers to Eric Harlan for this article: http://www.ericharlan.com/Moss_SharePoint_2007_Blog/which-sharepoint-2010-web-application-pool-controls-which-service-account-a177.html

Multiple resolutions for this issue:-

1)   Stopped the application pool, wait for error to appear in ULS and start the app pool again.

2)   Disable the ASP.NET Impersonation again.

1.   How to check this-

2.   Open IIS manager (Run-inetmgr)

3.   Websites section

4.   SharePoint web services root

5.   Authentication section- double click on it

6.   Make sure the asp.net impersonation should not be enabled.

3)   Verify that Identity property of this application pool is setting to the SharePoint farm account like this (It should be domain\account.)

How to check this- Open IIS then go to “SharePoint Web Services Root” application pool

If you have any queries/questions regarding the above mentioned information then please let me know. I would be more than happy to help you as well as resolves your issues, Thank you.

Happy SharePoint to all of you!

Product applies to:

1)   SharePoint Server 2010

2)   SharePoint Foundation 2010

3)   SharePoint Server 2013

References:-

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee513104(v=office.14).aspx

Excel Services Application not available - Event 5234

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee513094(v=office.14).aspx

Excel Services Application save failed - Event 3348

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee513095(v=office.14).aspx

Excel Services Application configuration database access failed - Event 5244

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee513113(v=office.14).aspx

Excel Services Application memory allocation failed - Event 5256

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee513109(v=office.14).aspx

Max memory configured for Excel Services Application exceeded - Event 5255

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee513075(v=office.14).aspx

Office support

Office 365 for business

• Support options
• What is Office 365 for business?
• Get started with Office 365 for business
• Troubleshoot sign-in

Downloads and updates

• Download, backup, or restore Office products
• Keep your computer up to date
• Office 2010 service pack 2
• More Office downloads

Account help

• Manage subscription and installs
• Cancel an Office subscription
• Help with Microsoft account
• More about My Account for Office

Tech support

• Activate Office 2013 programs
• Product key help
• Contact Office Support
• Office 2003 support is ending

Free training

• Word 2013 tutorials
• Outlook 2013 tutorials
• Excel 2013 tutorials
• Access 2013 tutorials
• More Office training

Get started

• Office 365
• Office 2013
• Office 2010
• Office Web Apps
• More getting started

Office for Mac

• Install Office 365 Home Premium on a Mac
• Set up Outlook for Mac 2011
• Check for Mac software updates
• More Office for Mac 2011 help

Community forums

• Word community
• Excel community
• Outlook community
• More Office communities

Top help topics

• Can't start Word 2013 (or other program)
• Change the default Office 2013 theme
• Start Office in Windows 8 or Windows RT
• More Office help

Health Analyzer problems - SharePoint 2010 + SharePoint 2013

Recently our farm has reflected some strange problems and long list of exceptions in Health analyzer. It was not so critical because Microsoft has made it so easy by publishing these following articles:

The settings for Word Automation Services are not within the recommended limits

Resolution- http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh487292.aspx

A State Service Application has no database defined

Resolution- http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff805088.aspx

Accounts used by application pools or service identities are in the local machine Administrators group

Resolution- http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh344224.aspx

All State Service databases are paused for a State Service Application

Resolution- http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff805083.aspx

Some content databases are growing too large

Resolution- http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh685079.aspx

Content databases contain orphaned Apps

Resolution- http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj891125.aspx

Millions Thanks to Microsoft & the product team for publishing these articles.

one or more field types are not installed properly

Issue: When accessing Managed Content and Structure in SharePoint 2010 site collection, you get an error message.

Error Message: One or more field types are not installed properly. Go to the list settings page to delete these fields: SharePoint 2010.

Background: After recent migration from SharePoint 2007 to SharePoint 2010, when we try to access the Managed content and Structure from the Site settings. It’s through the above error message.

Troubleshooting:

Tried to deactivate the SharePoint Server Publishing Infrastructure features form the Site Collection Features and checked on the site settings page, managed content structure page option was disappeared. Tried to activate Publishing Feature again. It did activate but accessing Managed content and structure again throws the same error.

Resolution:

According to allot many blog/sites on the internet it is said that when this feature is activated it creates an internal List “Relationships List” which is used to store the variations details. This list is a hidden list and cannot be seen from view all site content option. This error occurs because this list was not upgraded correctly.

By looking at difference between a list on SharePoint 2007 and SharePoint 2010 sites. the GroupID field from SharePoint 2007 site has changed to GroupGUID in SharePoint 2010 and the type of field has changed from text to GUID.

The solution is to delete the ‘Relationships List’ manually. You can access the list either directly from the URL.

http://sharepoint2010.com/Relationships%20List/allitems.aspx or

From SharePoint Designer.

From URL, access the list and hit delete the lib from Library ribbon and from designer, just right click on the list and delete.

Note: Before performing deletion from either of the method, don’t forget to deactivate the SharePoint Server Publishing Infrastructure feature and after performing deletion, remember to activate the feature again.

Now you can check the list containing the column GroupGuid of type GUID. Try to access Managed Content and Structure and it should work now.  

If you have any queries/questions regarding the above mentioned information then please let me know.

I would be more than happy to help you as well as resolves your issues, thank you.

Applies to: SharePoint Foundation Server 2010, SharePoint 2010, IE7, IE8, Outlook 2007, and Outlook 2010. 

The Unattended Service Account Application ID is not specified or has an invalid value + VISIO + SharePoint 2010

HEALTH ANALYZER REPORTED ISSUE

Today’s article is based on an alert which has been triggered by Health Analyzer and it’s based on VISIO SERVICE APPLICATION.

What’s the problem? How that alert has been triggered?

Let me explain this scenario step by step so that there will be no confusion-

My manager has asked me to create a Visio service application with respect to some upcoming project that we need to work on…So I simply go ahead and created the requested service application and replied back by saying please start the testing and reach out to me in case of any issues. I was pretty much relaxed as I have done my job and waiting for the inputs.

So far so good- but I have a habit of checking the health analyzer every now and then to check of any errors/exceptions/new alerts/triggers.

Here starts the problem- I checked and found the following problem:

The Unattended Service Account Application ID is not specified or has an invalid value.

Mentioned remedy: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh204612.aspx

If you follow the above mentioned remedy then 100% your issue will be resolved but it’s not very clear and up to the mark and that’s why I am writing this article to make it more clear and concrete one.

Step by Step Resolution:

Phase#1

1)   Central administration

2)   Application management

3)   Manage service application

4)   Select secure store service SA

5)   Now you need to generate a NEW KEY (you can ignore this steps if you have already done it before)

6)   Enter the pass phrase

7)   Click OK

Phase#2:

1)   We have to be on the same page i.e. secure store service application

2)   Now we need to click on NEW

3)   Now you need to fill 4 important textboxes

a)   Application ID: Make sure you enter something unique and note it down somewhere as we cannot change it back.

b)   Display name

c)   Valid email address

d)   Target application type- it should be group here

e)   Click on Next (Don’t change anything, keep the displayed info as it is)

f)    Enter your farm credentials (Domain\username) in both administrators as well as members section.

4)   Click OK

By this way, we have done 70% job completed (Phase 1 and phase 2) with respect to secure store service application.

Now we need to complete 30% with respect to the actual application i.e. VISIO service application.

Phase#3: -last step-

1)   Central administration

2)   Application management

3)   Manage service applications

4)   VISIO Service application

5)   Global settings

6)   You will see a textbox of application id- you need to enter the same application id that we have used in the above steps

7)   Click OK

That’s it- we are done. What you need to do now- very simple!

1.   Central administration

2.   Click on health analyzer link

3.   Click on the alert which is showing for VISIO

4.   Reanalyze now

5.   Gone!

Happy SharePoint to all of you

If you have any queries/questions regarding the above mentioned information then please let me know. I would be more than happy to help you as well as resolves your issues, Thank you.

Product applies to:

1)   SharePoint Server 2010

2)   SharePoint Foundation 2010

3)   SharePoint 2013

References:

1)   http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/51491329-1556-4e92-b6ab-8fc550774808/the-unattended-service-account-application-id-is-not-specified-or-has-an-invalid-value

2)   http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff773327.aspx

3)  http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms160340.aspx