Forum Discussion
Curious_Kevin16
Jul 09, 2024Brass Contributor
Exchange Hybrid Configuration Wizard error - root element is missing when connecting to 365
Hi Exchange Brain trust,
I have an Exchange 2016 environment where I recently joined a Exchange 2019 server to move everything and eventually decommission 2016 server. Everything is configured manually to match what we currently have in 2016 server - configuration wise, they both are identical now. We don't have any mailbox on-prem. Its just being used for administration and SMTP relay.
The question is, do we still have to run Hybrid Config Wizard ? The reason I'm asking is, I'm stuck on the following stage with an error I pulled my hair off for hours trying to figure the root cause. Connectivity is all working well.
Any idea would be really appreciated !
- quickclixCopper Contributor
Now working in my lab although had to remove and re-install HCW even if it was to the same version.
Exchange Server 2019 CU13
HCW 17.1.1730.0 - manojvidurangaIron Contributor
We had this issue for the last two days in one of our customers tenant. 365 service health have listed the advisory and it looks like a waiting game now. We had Microsoft support involved yesterday and spent a couple hours but they didn't pick this up. Thanks so much for initiating this thread.
- DavidT890Copper Contributor
Just update for current status.
The Hybrid Configuration Wizard works now in my tenant.
It shows completed successfully.
But when click Office365 from Exchange admin center, it shows 400 error.
- Amon_JBCopper ContributorHi,
Was your issue resolved? I am exoeriencing teh same error on a new deployment.- milenam590Copper ContributorYes, the problem, for me, was the MFA that opened the request for the authenticator app on my desktop instead of on the server. Today the request arrived on server ad all worked well.
- milenam590Copper Contributor
Today it worked! Yesterday it opened the MFA window on my desktop instead of on the Exchange server and I couldn't see it because I was in remote desktop. Today the authentication request arrived on the server.
I authorized access on O365 with the app and everything was fine.
- Rolf TröndleCopper Contributor
Curious_Kevin16 Did you get this to work again? I have the same issue here.
- CuongT1575Copper Contributor
Same issue here ever since I moved over to Exchange 2019 CU14. I opened a ticket with Microsoft and they said it might be something to do with the .NET Framework.
This is what they told me, but it didn't help me.
To fix this issue, you can try the following steps:
- Make a backup copy of the machine.config file before making any changes to it.
- Open the machine.config file in a text editor, such as Notepad or Visual Studio Code.
- Check if the file contains any content. If it is empty, try restoring it from a backup or reinstalling the .NET Framework.
- If the file contains content, ensure that it begins with a root element, typically named <configuration> and ends with a closing </configuration> tag.
- If the root element is missing, add it at the beginning of the file, and ensure that all other elements are nested within it.
- Save the changes and restart the application or service that was using the machine.config file.
- Curious_Kevin16Brass ContributorCuongT1575
Thanks for the information. Machine.config is a OS level file ? where and which server this should be looked at?- CuongT1575Copper Contributor
This is located:
%windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\[version]\config\machine.config
Part of the .NET Framework
During the Office 365 Hybrid Cconfiguration setup, when you run into the "Root element is missing", hit the F12 key to bring up the diagnostic tools, and click on "Open Log File". You can see that it uses the .NET Framework assembly, and it thinks it's missing the root element. But upon checking the machine.config file on a notepad, I can see the opening and closing <configuration> tag, so that means the root element is present.
This issue really started happening when my Hybrid Configuration Wizard updated to the last version. I think it's a bug.
- IanG562Brass Contributor
Curious_Kevin16 I am actually having the same issue. Even a similar situation but we have removed our Exchange 2016 environment and fully on 2019. However in my case I am attempting to run through the wizard to update/check on a new certificate I just renewed.
EDIT: I can run the HCW on test exchange 2019 server we have.
Still troubleshooting on our end.
- milenam590Copper ContributorSame error here :'(