.NET Questions and Solutions

Symptoms
Consider the following scenarios:Scenario 1
You install Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services 3.0, and then you install Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007. Then, you remove SharePoint Server 2007.Scenario 2
You install Windows SharePoint Services 3.0, and then you use Add or Remove Programs to removeWindows SharePoint Services 3.0. Then, you reinstall Windows SharePoint Services 3.0.Scenario 3
You install Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 in a stand-alone farm environment. You use the SharePoint Products and Technologies Wizard (PsconfigUI.exe) or Psconfig.exe from the command line to leave the stand-alone farm. Then, you use SharePoint Products and Technologies Wizard or Psconfig.exe from the command line to rejoin the farm.In these scenarios, the next time that you try to run the SharePoint Products and Technologies Wizard, you receive an error message that resembles the following:

10/09/2006 14:08:268ERRTask configdb has failed with an unknown exception 10/09/2006 14:08:268ERRException: System.ArgumentException: Error during encryption or decryption. System error code 997.at Microsoft.SharePoint.Administration.SPCredentialManager.DecryptWithMasterKey(Byte[] rgbEncryptedPassphrase)at Microsoft.SharePoint.Administration.SPEncryptedString.GetSecureStringValue()at Microsoft.SharePoint.Administration.SPEncryptedString.get_SecureStringValue()at Microsoft.SharePoint.Administration.SPProcessIdentity.get_SecurePassword()at Microsoft.SharePoint.Administration.SPApplicationPool.Provision()at Microsoft.SharePoint.Administration.SPWebServiceInstance.Provision()at Microsoft.SharePoint.Administration.SPFarm.Join()at Microsoft.SharePoint.PostSetupConfiguration.ConfigurationDatabaseTask.CreateOrConnectConfigDb()at Microsoft.SharePoint.PostSetupConfiguration.ConfigurationDatabaseTask.Run()at Microsoft.SharePoint.PostSetupConfiguration.TaskThread.ExecuteTask()
Resolution
This issue occurs if theNetwork Service account is used as thefarm account. In this situation, when you remove Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 from a stand-alone farm, or when you remove SharePoint Server 2007 from aWindows SharePoint Services 3.0 farm environment, the followingregistry subkey that is used to encrypt passwords that are contained in the Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 configuration database (configdb) is deleted:
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shared Tools\Web Server Extensions\12.0\Secure\ FarmAdmin\Therefore, when you try to join a Web application that exists in the configuration database that does not use the Network Service account, the Web application account credentials cannot be decrypted. This occurs because the required registry subkey is deleted.

Symptoms
When you try to start theSearch service in Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007, you receive the following error message:

An unhandled exception occurred in the user interface. Exception Information: OSearch (AccountName) In this error message, AccountName is the account name that is used as the Farm Search Service account.
Resolution
This behavior occurs ifyou do not use the “domain_name\user_name” format when enter an account namein the User name field.This field isnext to Farm Search Service Account on the Configure Office SharePoint Server Search Service Settings on server ServerName page.