SharePoint fails to create Configuration Database for a new farm

[Mike Lee (BOSTON)]

Problem Description

A new installation of SharePoint fails to provision a new farm due to a failure while creating the configuration database.

Example:

Here is the exception stack from the PSCDiagnostics log:

01/11/2018 13:37:00 10 ERR Exception: Microsoft.SharePoint.Upgrade.SPUpgradeException: One or more types failed to load. Please refer to the upgrade log for more details.
at Microsoft.SharePoint.Upgrade.SPActionSequence.LoadUpgradeActions()
at Microsoft.SharePoint.Upgrade.SPActionSequence.get_Actions()
at Microsoft.SharePoint.Upgrade.SPActionSequence.get_ActionsInternal()
at Microsoft.SharePoint.Upgrade.SPUtility.GetLatestTargetSchemaVersionBeforeMajorVersion(Type typeActionSequence, Int32 majorVer)
at Microsoft.SharePoint.Upgrade.SPSiteSequence.get_PreviousTargetSchemaVersion()
at Microsoft.SharePoint.Upgrade.SPUpgradeSession.PopulateSequencesTable(StringBuilder sqlstr, Boolean siteSequence)
at Microsoft.SharePoint.Upgrade.SPUpgradeSession.ConstructSiteNeedsUpgradeQuery(Guid siteId)
at Microsoft.SharePoint.Upgrade.SPContentDatabaseSequence.GetSiteNeedsUpgrade(SPUpgradeSession session, SPContentDatabase database, Dictionary`2& dictSitesNeedUpgrade, Dictionary`2& dictSitesNeedFeatureUpgrade)
at Microsoft.SharePoint.Upgrade.SPContentDatabaseSequence.AddNextLevelObjects()
at Microsoft.SharePoint.Upgrade.SPHierarchyManager.Grow(SPTree`1 root, Boolean bRecursing, SPDelegateManager delegateManager)
at Microsoft.SharePoint.Upgrade.SPHierarchyManager.Grow(SPTree`1 root, SPDelegateManager delegateManager)
at Microsoft.SharePoint.Upgrade.SPUpgradeSession.NeedsUpgrade(Object o, Boolean bRecurse)
at Microsoft.SharePoint.Upgrade.SPUpgradeSession.ReflexiveNeedsUpgrade(Object o, Boolean bRecurse)
at Microsoft.SharePoint.Upgrade.SPUpgradeSession.NeedsUpgrade(Object o, Boolean bRecurse)
at Microsoft.SharePoint.Upgrade.SPUpgradeSession.ReflexiveNeedsUpgrade(Object o, Boolean bRecurse)
at Microsoft.SharePoint.Upgrade.SPUpgradeSession.NeedsUpgrade(Object o, Boolean bRecurse)
at Microsoft.SharePoint.Upgrade.SPUpgradeSession.ReflexiveNeedsUpgrade(Object o, Boolean bRecurse)
at Microsoft.SharePoint.Upgrade.SPUpgradeSession.NeedsUpgrade(Object o, Boolean bRecurse)
at Microsoft.SharePoint.Upgrade.SPUpgradeSession.ReflexiveNeedsUpgrade(Object o, Boolean bRecurse)
at Microsoft.SharePoint.Upgrade.SPUpgradeSession.NeedsUpgrade(Object o, Boolean bRecurse)
at Microsoft.SharePoint.Administration.SPServerProductInfo.DetectLocalUpgradeStatus()
at Microsoft.SharePoint.Administration.SPServerProductInfo.DetectLocalProductVersions(SPProductVersions prodVer)
at Microsoft.SharePoint.Administration.SPServerProductInfo.UpdateProductInfoInDatabase(Guid serverGuid)
at Microsoft.SharePoint.Administration.SPFarm.Join(Boolean skipRegisterAsDistributedCacheHost, Nullable`1 serverRole)
at Microsoft.SharePoint.PostSetupConfiguration.ConfigurationDatabaseTask.CreateOrConnectConfigDb()
at Microsoft.SharePoint.PostSetupConfiguration.ConfigurationDatabaseTask.Run()
at Microsoft.SharePoint.PostSetupConfiguration.TaskThread.ExecuteTask()

 

Cause

This issue can occur if you chose to download and install all the prerequisite software manually, namely in this case the "WCF Data Services 5.6 Tools". If you are experiencing the error, "One or more types failed to load" , while creating a new SharePoint Farm, it's most likely caused by the installer executable being in a "blocked" state while it was installed.

Example:

When executables are downloaded from the internet, they are put into a "blocked" state by to OS, to prevent users from running malicious code. However, in this case, if the installer was in a blocked state when the "WCF Data Services 5.6 Tools" were installed, the install will "succeed' but will not be installed properly.

 

Resolution

To resolve this issue:

1. Go to the properties of each prerequisite installer package that was downloaded manually and remove the block flag by selected "Unblock" and applying the changes.

Example:

2. After the file has been unblocked, re-run the installer and choose the repair option.

3. Finally, re-run the SharePoint Configuration Wizard to successfully create a new Farm.

---

Update

I wanted to update this blog with a recent discovery that will cause the same issue without the installer appearing to be "blocked".

For example:

The following image does not show the installer package being in a "blocked" state.

 

How does this occur?

This condition can occur of your system is configured with the "Do not preserve zone information in file attachments" policy enabled.

Policy:

User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Attachment Manager > Do not preserve zone information in file attachments = Enabled

Example:

What should  be done?

If you find yourself in this situation, there is a good possibility that additional pre-req software was not installed properly and will cause unexpected outcomes while working with SharePoint.

With that said, please consider the following actions.

1. Disable the "Do not preserve zone information in file attachments" policy and reboot.
2. Re-run each pre-req package manually and choose the repair option, if applicable.
3. If the repair options is not offered, uninstall and re-install pre-req installer package.

[Mohamed El-Qassas]

Thank you for sharing this post!

I also experienced this issue in March 2018 and wrote down the details of its resolution and root cause at SharePoint 2016: Failed to create the configuration database. Microsoft.SharePoint.Upgrade.SPUpgrade...

Hope this workaround also helps others!

[Scott Mickelson]

Amazing! Truly Astounding how much the SharePoint team is an utter failure. This is the most horrific installation process of all software in the 2000s. I've been at this for 25 years and it truly takes effort to fail this hard. I've been working on installing this software for many hours due to broken links, failed prerequisites, mysterious errors and bugs that simply SHOULD NOT exist in production level software. SharePoint 2007 was much easier to install than this 'new version'. Lipstick on a Pig if you ask me. It appears that 2019 will be more of the same, since I'm having this EXACT issue on 2016, which has been in production for 5 years without any patches for this misery. I am even being VERY kind with my words. Please do better! Stop investing all efforts in your manipulative subscription model.

[Mike Lee (BOSTON)]

@Scott Mickelson  I understand your frustration, but it's important to note when installing SharePoint via the Prereq installer UI, this issue does not occur. This only occurs when admins are manually downloading and installing the SharePoint prerequisites. When downloading the software from the internet, some files become "blocked" for security reasons by the Browser / Operating System policies.  If the installer package is blocked, it would need to be executed as admin, or unblocked manually to ensure a successful installation.

Hope this helps.

-Mike

[samuelmorais]

@Scott Mickelson , I agree with you. I am stuck in a Sharepoint 2016 migration for days now. It is a terrible setup. It stucks in Step 3 of Configuration Wizard (Configuration Database creation step) and never goes to the next step.