You receive a "Cannot generate SSPI context" error message and the configuration database is not created when you run SharePoint Portal Server 2003 Setup (822265)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server 2003

SYMPTOMS

When you run SharePoint Portal Server Setup to install SharePoint Portal Server 2003 to a server in a server farm, you may find that the configuration database is not created, and you receive the following error message:

Error
Cannot generate SSPI context.

CAUSE

This issue may occur in situations when there are entries that exist in Active Directory from a previous installation of SharePoint Portal Server, and these entries prevent Microsoft SQL Server from registering itself correctly in Active Directory.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, follow these steps:
  1. On the server in the server farm, that is running Microsoft SQL Server, click Start, and then click Run.
  2. In the Open box, type cmd, and then click OK.
  3. Type the following line at the command prompt, where ServerName is the name of the server that is running Microsoft SQL Server 2000, and then press ENTER:

    setspn -l ServerName

    A list of service principal names that are currently registered for the server are displayed.
  4. From the list of currently registered service principal names that is displayed earlier in step 3, make a note of each service principal name that starts with the following text:

    MSSQLSvc

  5. Delete each service principal name entry that starts with MSSQLSvc. To do so, type the following line at the command prompt, where ServicePrincipalNameEntry is the service principal name entry that starts with MSSQLSvc and ServerName is the name of the server that is running Microsoft SQL Server, and then press ENTER:

    setspn -d ServicePrincipalNameEntryServerName

    Repeat this step for each service principal name entry that starts with MSSQLSvc.
  6. Restart the server.
  7. Create the configuration database.
Note If the symptoms that are described earlier in the "Symptoms" section of this article persist after you perform this procedure on the server that is running SQL Server, perform this procedure on each server in the server farm.

MORE INFORMATION

In Microsoft Windows Server 2003, the Setspn.exe command-line tool is included with the Windows Support Tools. You can install the Windows Support Tools from the Support\Tools folder of the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 CD-ROM.

In Windows 2000, the Setspn.exe command-line tool is included with the Windows 2000 Resource Kit. For more information about the Windows 2000 Resource Kit, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/reskit/default.mspx

For more information about how to deploy, how to configure, and how to administer SharePoint Portal Server, see the Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server 2003 Administration Guide. The Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server 2003 Administration Guide (Administrator's Help.chm) is located in the Docs folder in the root folder of the Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server 2003 CD-ROM.

For more information about SharePoint Portal Server, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/sharepoint/server/default.asp

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:9/27/2006
Keywords:kbDatabase kbsetup kberrmsg kbBug KB822265 kbAudITPRO
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