1. Run cliconfg.exe.  This can be found usually at C:\Windows.  The SQL Server Client Network Utility dialog appears.
2. On the General tab, select the TCP/IP protocol, and then click Enable >>.
   . 
3. On the Alias tab, look for the Add button.
4. Click the Add button.  The Add network Library Configuration dialog appears..
5. Select the TCP/IP network library..
6. Enter a server alias.
7. Enter a server name.  If you have installed a named instance of SQL Server, you will need to enter the path to the named instance..
8. Ignore the options on the DB-Library Options and Network Libraries tabs.
9. Click OK.  This exits cliconfg. 
10. Perform a quick check by navigating to the registry key: HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\MSSQLServer\Client\ConnectTo.
11. Run C:\Windows\SysWOW64\cliconfg.exe.  This opens the 64-bit version of the Client Network Configuration Utility..
12. Repeat the above steps.
13. When done, perform a quick check by navigating to the registry key: HKLM:\Software\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\MSSQLServer\Client\ConnectTo.

• Microsoft Technet: Create or Delete a Server Alias for Use by a Client (SQL Server Configuration Manager)

• This procedure works on both Windows Server 2008 and on 2012, and for both SharePoint Server 2010 and 2013.

1. If not already done, go to: Control Panel > Folder Options > View Tab > Show Hidden files, folders, or drives.
2. Navigate to: C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\. 
3. Edit has desired. Administrator permission is required to make modifications to this folder.

• Modifications made in C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\ affect all users.
• Modification made in C:\Users\[UserName]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\ affect only that user.

Log Name:      Application
Source:        Microsoft-SharePoint Products-SharePoint Foundation
Date:          [date/time]
Event ID:      6398
Task Category: Timer
Level:         Critical
Keywords:      
User:          [FarmServiceAccount]
Computer:      [ServerName]
Description:
The Execute method of job definition 
Microsoft.Office.Server.UserProfiles.UserProfileImportJob 
(ID deabe75d-3701-43c1-9968-920febb91024) threw an exception. More information is 
included below.

There was no endpoint listening at 
http://[ServerName]:5725/ResourceManagementService/MEX 
that could accept the message. This is often caused by an incorrect address or 
SOAP action. See InnerException, if present, for more details.
Event Xml:
...

1. Action: Opened browser and navigated to URL provided in error message.
1. Results: Confirmed error message: experienced This page can't be displayed error.
2. Action: Checked CA Health Reports.
1. Results: no issue clearly related to user profile synchronization appeared.
3. Action: Searched for error text.
1. Results: found potentially relevant reference [1].
4. Action: in CA, checked services on server.
1. Results: User Profile services are configured to run on batch server only.  Both User profile Service and User Profile Synchronization Service are started.
5. Action: in CA, checked service applications.
1. Results: Both User Profile Service Application and User Profile Service Application Proxy are started.
6. Action: On server, checked services.
1. Results: All "SharePoint" services running, except for SharePoint User Code Host and SharePoint VSS Writer.  FIM not running. FIMS is running.
7. Action: searched further for error text.
1. Results: found another potentially relevant reference [2].
8. Action: On Server, using Services, started FIM.
1. Results: Started and remained started even after several minutes.
9. Action: in CA, checked User Profile Service page
1. Results: Profile Synchronization Status indicated Synchronizing.  Few minutes later, status changed to Idle.
10. Action: on Server, checked Application event log.
1. Results: event no longer repeats.  Checked again at several minute intervals: no new occurrences.  After ten minutes, still no new occurrences.
11. Action: Opened browser and navigated to URL provided in error message.
1. Results: now message displayed changed to: The webpage cannot be found.
12. Action: started full user profile sychronization.
1. Results: full sychronization began.  Completed after about 10 minutes.
13. Action: checked status report (click Idle).
1. Results: sychronization completed successfully.

• Start FIM from the Services msc on the server.

1. The Execute method of job definition Microsoft.Office.Server.UserProfiles.UserProfileImportJob (ID d644d54c-4e78-41a7-86d8-87a8cc8efcaa) threw an exception. More information is included below.
2. There was no endpoint listening at [URL] ResourceManagementService/MEX that could accept the message. This is often caused by an incorrect address or SOAP action. See InnerException, if present, for more details.

New-SPConfigurationDatabase : Cannot connect to database master at SQL server at [DatabaseAlias]. The database might not exist, or the current user does not have permission to connect to it. At line:1 char:1 + New-SPConfigurationDatabase -DatabaseName DB_Config -DatabaseServer [alias] - ... + ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ + CategoryInfo : InvalidData:(Microsoft.Share... urationDatabase:SPCmdletNewSPConfigurationDatabase) [New-SPConfigurationDatabase], SPException + FullyQualifiedErrorId : Microsoft.SharePoint.PowerShell.SPCmdletNewSPConfigurationDatabase

1. Action: verified spelling of database server.
1. Results: verified.
2. Action: verify database alias (cliconfg).
1. Results: alias configured and appears to be correct.
3. Action: verify farm service account name and password by adding to managed accounts of another SharePoint farm.
1. Results: farm service account name successfully added to Managed Accounts of another farm.
4. Action: verify that farm service account added to SQL Server instance logins and configured with dbcreator and securityadmin roles.  Start SQL Server Management Studio, navigate to [name]\security\.
1. Results: verified.
5. Action: verify that all SQL server services are running.  Started SQL Server Configuration Manager
1. Results: verified that SQL Server, SQL Server Agent and SQL Server Browser are all running.
6. Action: verify that TCP/IP protocol is enabled. started SQL Server Configuration Manager
1. Results: verified that TCP/IP is enabled for SQL Native Client 11.0 Configuration (32 bit), SQL Server Network Configuration and SQL Native Client 11.0 Configuration.
7. Action: verify that remote connections are enabled. In SQL Server Management Studio, right-click server name instance in tree, select Properties, select Connections, look for Allow remote connections to this server.
1. Results: was enabled.
8. Action: check (trarget) SharePoint server Application log.
1. Results: found the following events correlated with attempts to run script:

   Log Name:      Application
   Source:        Microsoft-SharePoint Products-SharePoint 
                  Foundation
   Date:          [date/time]
   Event ID:      5586
   Task Category: Database
   Level:         Error
   Keywords:      
   User:          [Administrator]
   Computer:      [ServerName]
   Description:
   Unknown SQL Exception -1 occurred. Additional error information 
   from SQL Server is included below.
   
   A network-related or instance-specific error occurred while 
   establishing a connection to SQL Server. The server was not 
   found or was not accessible. Verify that the instance name 
   is correct and that SQL Server is configured to allow remote 
   connections. (provider: SQL Network Interfaces, error: 26 - 
   Error Locating Server/Instance Specified)
   Event Xml:...
   ...
   

   
   and
   
   

   Log Name:      Application
   Source:        Microsoft-SharePoint Products-SharePoint 
                  Foundation
   Date:          [date/time]
   Event ID:      3363
   Task Category: Database
   Level:         Critical
   Keywords:      
   User:          [Administrator]
   Computer:      [ServerName]
   Description:
   Cannot connect to database master at SQL server at 
   [DatabaseServerAlias]. The database might not exist, or the 
   current user does not have permission to connect to it.
   Event Xml:
   ...
   

2. Observation: issue likely due to connectivity with database; possible firewall issue - firewall blocking communication.
9. Action: disable firewall.  On Server Manager, select Local Server, then click link next to Windows Firewall.  Then click Turn Windows Firewall on of off.
1. Result: Settings are managed by GPO - can't change.
10. Action: run netsh command: netsh firewall setallprofiles state off, then re-run New-SPConfigurationDatabase.
1. Result: same connection error.
11. Action: run netsh command: netsh firewall setopmode state off, then re-run New-SPConfigurationDatabase.
1. Result: same connection error.
12. Action: attempt ODBC connection using ODBC Data Source Administrator
1. Results: connection failed.
13. Action: in Services control panel, set startup to Disabled.  Restarted server.
1. Results: On reboot, Firewall disabled.
14. Action: attempt ODBC connection using ODBC Data Source Administrator.
1. Results: connection succeeded.
2. Observation: this is a firewall issue on the SQL Server instance.
15. Action: started Firewall service, then ran netsh scripts again, this time setting states to On.  Then tested ODBC connectivity again.
1. Results: connection failed.
16. Action: on SQL Server, using the Windows Firewall with Advanced Security configured two TCP and two program inbound firewall rules: SQL - sqlbrowser.exe, SQL - sqlservr.exe, SQL - TCP 1433 and SQL - UDP 1434. Then tested ODBC connectivity again.
1. Results: connection failed.
17. Action: reviewed Firewall log.
1. Results: all TCP packets sent to SQL Server ports were being dropped.
18. Action: discussed results with sysadmin, who noted impact of group policy object.  recommend that rules be created in local GPO instead.  This can be verified by viewing rules under Windows Firewall with... / Monitoring / Firewall.
1. Results: none of the new firewall rules were listed.
2. Observation: New firewall rules were being overridden by GPO.
19. Action: launched local GP editor applet.  Configured the four rules noted previously.  Then tested ODBC connectivity again.
1. Results: connection succeeded.

• Implement firewall rules as noted in reference [3].  These may need to be configured in GPO if Firewall access controlled by GPO.

1. SharePoint: How to setup a database server alias
2. New-SPConfigurationDatabase
3. How to configure SQL Express 2012 to accept remote connections
4. Stopping the Windows Authenticating Firewall Service and the boot time policy
5. Top 10: Windows Firewall Netsh Commands
6. Enabling/Disabling the firewall using command line

• Traditional SharePoint farm topology.

1. As Administrator, launch the Active Directory Users and Computers administrative tool.
2. Connect to the appropriate domain controller.
3. From the View menu, Advanced Features.
4. Double-click the account you want to register:  its Properties dialog appears.
5. Select the Security tab. 

   Listed on this tab are all the other AD accounts and groups and their permissions relative to this account.

6. Look for the farm service account:

• If you find it, verify that the following permissions have been enabled for the farm service account:
• Read account restrictions.
• If you don't find it, add it, and then grant it the Read account restrictions permission.(see notes 1 and 2).

• SharePoint 2010 Error Message: The given key was not present in the dictionary
• Unable to Register Managed Account

1. Central Administration must interrogate AD in order to verify the account you want to register.  CA runs on the farm service account.  Therefore the farm service account must have the permissionto read certain AD properties of any account you may want to register with the farm.
2. The Read account restrictions permission is actually a sub-permission of the Read permission.  If you start out by enabling the Read option (second one down), this in turn enables all of the granular read sub-permissions, including the Read account restrictions permission.  You can verify this by enabling Read and then scrolling down.  In the customer environment, I have found that enabling the Read permission covers all bases.  However, my own testing has found that just enabling the Read account restrictions permission is sufficient.
3. Contrast this error message with the one you see for wrong password: 
   .

Error
The site template requires that the Feature {e995e28b-9ba8-4668-9933-cf5c146d7a9f} be activated in the site collection...

1. Action: attempted to verify error by recreating it.
1. Result: successful.
2. Action: review ULS to determine event log messages associated with the error.
1. Results: found the following message:
   
   SPException thrown: Message: The site template requires that the Feature {e995e28b-9ba8-4668-9933-cf5c146d7a9f} be activated in the site collection.. Stack: at Microsoft.SharePoint.Utilities.SPUtility.ThrowSPExceptionWithTraceTag(UInt32 tagId, ULSCat traceCategory, String resourceId, Object[] resourceArgs) at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPWebTemplateElement.VerifyFeatures(XmlNodeList xmlNodeFeatures, SPWeb applyTemplateToThisWeb, Boolean checkIsFeatureActivatedInSiteCollection) at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPWebTemplateElement.VerifyFeaturesInWebTemplate(SPWeb applyTemplateToThisWeb) at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPWeb.LoadFeatureWebTemplateContent(SPFeatureWebTemplate featureWebTemplate) at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPWeb.ApplyWebTemplate(String strWebTemplate) at Microsoft.SharePoint.Solutions.AddGallery.AddGalleryWebPart.CreateSite() at Microsoft.SharePoint.Solutions.AddGallery.AddGalleryWebPart.RenderControl(HtmlTextWriter writer) at Microsoft.SharePoint.WebPartPages.SPChrome.RenderPartContents(HtmlTextWriter output, WebPart part) at Microsoft.SharePoint.WebPartPages.SPChrome.RenderWebPart(HtmlTextWriter output, WebPart part) at Microsoft.SharePoint.WebPartPages.WebPartZone.RenderZoneCell(HtmlTextWriter output, Boolean bMoreParts, WebPart part) at Microsoft.SharePoint.WebPartPages.WebPartZone.RenderWebParts(HtmlTextWriter output, ArrayList webParts) at Microsoft.SharePoint.WebPartPages.WebPartZone.Render(HtmlTextWriter output) at System.Web.UI.Control.RenderChildrenInternal(HtmlTextWriter writer, ICollection children) at System.Web.UI.Page.Render(HtmlTextWriter writer) at Microsoft.SharePoint.Solutions.AddGallery.AddGalleryPage.Render(HtmlTextWriter writer) at System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequestMain(Boolean includeStagesBeforeAsyncPoint, Boolean includeStagesAfterAsyncPoint) at System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequest(Boolean includeStagesBeforeAsyncPoint, Boolean includeStagesAfterAsyncPoint) at System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequest() at System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequest(HttpContext context) at ASP._layouts_addgallery_aspx.ProcessRequest(HttpContext context) at System.Web.HttpApplication.CallHandlerExecutionStep.System.Web.HttpApplication.IExecutionStep.Execute() at System.Web.HttpApplication.ExecuteStep(IExecutionStep step, Boolean& completedSynchronously) at System.Web.HttpApplication.PipelineStepManager.ResumeSteps(Exception error) at System.Web.HttpApplication.BeginProcessRequestNotification(HttpContext context, AsyncCallback cb) at System.Web.HttpRuntime.ProcessRequestNotificationPrivate(IIS7WorkerRequest wr, HttpContext context) at System.Web.Hosting.PipelineRuntime.ProcessRequestNotificationHelper(IntPtr managedHttpContext, IntPtr nativeRequestContext, IntPtr moduleData, Int32 flags) at System.Web.Hosting.PipelineRuntime.ProcessRequestNotification(IntPtr managedHttpContext, IntPtr nativeRequestContext, IntPtr moduleData, Int32 flags) at System.Web.Hosting.PipelineRuntime.ProcessRequestNotificationHelper(IntPtr managedHttpContext, IntPtr nativeRequestContext, IntPtr moduleData, Int32 flags)
   
3. Action: searched for feature ID.
1. Result: discovered that this ID was associated with Excel Mobile Viewer Feature, which is a part of the Office Web Apps feature.
4. Action: re-activated Office Web Apps feature for site collection.  Then tested.
1. Result: able to create new site without error.

• Re-activate the Office Web Apps site collection feature.

• The site template requires that the Feature e995e28b-9ba8-4668-9933-cf5c146d7a9f be activated in the site collection
• SharePoint 2010 : List of Features "ID, DisplayName and Scopes"
• The Excel Mobile Viewer is not enabled in some BI site templates in SharePoint Server 2010
• Site Template requires that a Feature be implemented

• It may be possible to resolve this issue by activating the specific feature.

1. Identify an AD account that you want to use for the Distributed Cache service account.
2. Register this account with the farm as a managed account.
3. Login to a farm server using your administrator account.  No need to use the farm administration account, just your own.
4. Open a farm management shell as administrator (right-click, choose Run as Administrator).
5. Execute each of the following statements, in order:
   

   $Farm=Get-SPFarm
   $CacheService=$Farm.Services | Where {$_.Name -eq "AppFabricCachingService"}
   $Accnt = Get-SPManagedAccount -Identity Domain\ServiceAccount
   $CacheService.ProcessIdentity.CurrentIdentityType = "SpecificUser"
   $CacheService.ProcessIdentity.ManagedAccount = $Accnt
   $CacheService.ProcessIdentity.Update()
   $CacheService.ProcessIdentity.Deploy()
   

   where Domain\ServiceAccount is the service account you identified previously.
   Though it states AppFabricCachingService, don't worry: you are configuring the right one.  This is because the Distributed Cache service is dependent on the App Fabric caching service.  Also, "SpecificUser" is not user-defined but is the correct value you need to type here.
6. Wait.  It can take several minutes for this to complete.
7. After completion, verify by navigating to:  CA > Security > Configure service accounts, selecting Windows Service - Distributed Cache.  The new account should now be displayed.

• TechNet: Manage the Distributed Cache service in SharePoint Server 2013

1. Find the most recent backup of the Managed Metadata Service database, from your 2010 farm, and then copy it to the SQL Server host of your 2013 farm.
2. If you already instantiated the Metadata service on your SharePoint 2013 farm, you will need to completely remove it:
1. Navigate to: CA > Application Management > Service Applications > Manage service applications.
2. Select the Managed Metadata Service application.
3. On the Service Application ribbon, click the Delete button.
4. Enable the option, Delete data associated with the Service Applications.
5. Click OK.
6. When completed, click OK again.
Note that deleting the Metadata Service Application also deletes the Managed Metadata Service Connection.

1. In SQL Server Management Studio, perform a restore of your 2010 farm Managed Metadata Service database.
2. After restoration, map the farm administrator and farm service accounts to the restored database both as db_owner.  Also add your own administrator account as db_owner.
3. In Central Administration, navigate to: Application Management > Service Applications > Manage service applications.
4. On the Service Applications ribbon, click New, and then click Managed Metadata Service.
5. On the Create New Managed Metadata Service dialog, enter:
1. Database Name: [enter the name of the restored database].
2. Other fields: as appropriate to your farm.
6. After this completes, click the name of the Managed Metadata Service listed.
7. Verify that the appropriate taxonomy store is shown.

• Overview of managed metadata service applications in SharePoint Server 2013
• SharePoint 2013: How to Configure Managed Metadata Service
• Configuring the SharePoint 2013 Managed Metadata service for Navigation

• This procedure performed on Windows Server 2012, SQL Server 2012, SharePoint Server 2013.

1. Check the following services on the server and ensure they are started:
1. SharePoint Timer Service
2. SharePoint User Code Host
3. SharePoint Search Host Controller
2. Check these services and ensure that their Startup Type is Automatic.

• SharePoint 2013: The Execute method of job definition Microsoft.Office.Server.UserProfiles.LMTRepopulationJob (ID...) threw an exception

• Navigated to Search administration page: Search Status and Search Topology web parts were stuck on Loading...
• Server had been patched over the weekend and restarted.

Log Name:      Application
Source:        Microsoft-SharePoint Products-SharePoint Foundation
Date:          [date/time]
Event ID:      6398
Task Category: Timer
Level:         Critical
Keywords:      
User:          [FarmServiceAccount]
Computer:      [A WFE server]
Description:
The Execute method of job definition 
Microsoft.Office.Server.UserProfiles.LMTRepopulationJob 
(ID ae7328f0-62dc-4bff-9eb1-df9e88f9b088) threw an exception. 
More information is included below.
System.TimeoutException

Log Name:      Application
Source:        Microsoft-SharePoint Products-SharePoint Portal Server
Date:          [date/time]
Event ID:      5555
Task Category: User Profiles
Level:         Critical
Keywords:      
User:          [FarmServiceAccount]
Computer:      [WFE servername]
Description:
Failure trying to synch web application 76d8e4ce-9f2a-4e3d-a43e-4a945eb4755a, 
ContentDB 5c305513-be21-4a26-b797-c8c5eb8d4495  Exception message was 
Microsoft.Office.Server.UserProfiles.UserProfileApplicationNotAvailableException: 
UserProfileApplicationNotAvailableException_Logging :: 
UserProfileApplicationProxy.ApplicationProperties ProfilePropertyCache does not 
have 011651c9-c8ce-4520-9eab-d4bcad5534fe 
   at Microsoft.Office.Server.Administration.UserProfileApplicationProxy.get_ApplicationProperties()
   at Microsoft.Office.Server.Administration.UserProfileApplicationProxy.get_PerfmonInstanceHandle()
   at Microsoft.Office.Server.UserProfiles.ContentDBSynchronizer..ctor(ELogType logType, 
      SPContentDatabase cdb, SPJobState jobState, SyncType syncType, 
      WSSSyncUsageEntry usage, String[] excludedAccountsRegexStrings)
   at Microsoft.Office.Server.UserProfiles.WSSProfileSyncJob.Execute()

• Launch the Services.msc and ensure that the SharePoint Timer Service is started and that its Startup Type is Automatic.

• SharePoint 2013 Health Analyzer: One or more servers is not responding

Log Name:      Application
Source:        Microsoft-SharePoint Products-SharePoint Foundation
Date:          [datetime]
Event ID:      3759
Task Category: Database
Level:         Error
Keywords:      
User:          [FarmAdministrationAccount]
Computer:      [WFEBeingAdded]
Description:
Database '[DB name or alias]' on SQL Server instance '[Alias]' is not empty and 
does not match current database schema.
Event Xml:
...

Log Name:      Application
Source:        Microsoft-SharePoint Products-SharePoint Foundation
Date:          [DateTime]
Event ID:      5586
Task Category: Database
Level:         Error
Keywords:      
User:          [FarmAdministrationAccount]
Computer:      [WFEBeingAdded]
Description:
Unknown SQL Exception 10060 occurred. Additional error information from SQL 
Server is included below.
A network-related or instance-specific error occurred while establishing a 
connection to SQL Server. The server was not found or was not accessible. 
Verify that the instance name is correct and that SQL Server is configured 
to allow remote connections. (provider: TCP Provider, error: 0 - 
A connection attempt failed because the connected party did not properly 
respond after a period of time, or established connection failed because 
connected host has failed to respond.)
Event Xml:
...

Log Name:      Application
Source:        Microsoft-SharePoint Products-SharePoint Foundation
Date:          [Datetime]
Event ID:      5617
Task Category: Topology
Level:         Error
Keywords:      
User:          [FarmAdministrationAccount]
Computer:      [WFEBeingAdded]
Description:
SharePoint object [SPConfigurationDatabase] is in an unsupported state, and 
could not be used by the current farm. 
Event Xml:
...

1. Exit the SharePoint Products Configuration Wizard.
2. Install all CUs up through your farm's current patch level (March 2013, December 2013, etc). Note: the March 2013 CU must be installed first prior to installing any of the subsequent CUs.  This does not apply if you are installing SP1, which does not require the March 2013 CU and is fully self-contained.
3. Re-run the SharePoint Products Configuration Wizard.

1. SharePoint 2010 Installations: Adding a second server to an existing SharePoint Server Farm
2. SharePoint in a 3 Tier farm

• I verified that the farm administration account was mapped to the configuration database as dbo.  Thus, at least in this case, the cause for this problem did not involve permissions.  But note that incorrect permissions can result in the same error message (see reference 1).

1. Start IIS Manager
2. Select Application Pools
3. Look for SharePoint Web Services Root.
4. If it is stopped, start the pool.
5. Under Sites, look for SharePoint Web Services and then select it.
6. If it is stopped, start the web service.

• The Security Token Service is not issuing tokens. The service could be malfunctioning or in a bad state
• The Security Token Service is not available (SharePoint 2013)

• This issue occurred immediately after completing the Productions Configuration Wizard on the first WFE being added to the farm.  It's unclear why this didn't start this time: previous configs on this same machine started without issue.

• Ensure that the Excel Calculation Services service account is mapped to the content database as dbo.
• To get the service account associated with a service application:

1. Open a SharePoint Management Shell
2. Find the Application Pool for the Excel Calculation Services service application by executing: Get-SPServiceApplication | Select Name, ApplicationPool | Sort-Object Name | Format-List
3. Find the service account for this application pool by executing: Get-SPServiceApplicationPool

• Excel Services - Workbook Cannot be Opened
• Get-SPServiceApplication
• Get-SPServiceApplicationPool

1. To get previews to display in document libraries:
1. Ensure that AllowOAuthOverHttp is True.
1. Execute:

   (Get-SPSecurityTokenServiceConfig).AllowOAuthOverHttp

2. If this is False, execute the following:

   $config = (Get-SPSecurityTokenServiceConfig)
   $config.AllowOAuthOverHttp = $true
   $config.Update()

2.  Ensure that document type zones match the OWA farm's WOPI zone
1. First check document type zones by executing:

   Get-SPWOPIBinding
   

2. Next, check the OWA farm zone by executing:

   Get-SPWOPIZone
   

3. If these are different, set the WOPI zone of the OWA farm to match the WOPI zones of the document types.  The default zone for the OWA farm is internal-https.  You'll need to change this to internal-http.  Do this by executing:

   Set-SPWOPIZone -zone "internal-http"
   

2. To get previews to display in search results:
1. Delete the index and rebuild it.  An incremental won't do.
1. Logon as farm administrator
2. In Central Administration, navigate to Search Service Administration.
3. Click Index Reset.
4. After the index reset is completed, start a new full crawl.
5. After the full crawl is completed, perform a new search and then test the preview capability again.

• SharePoint 2013 – Office Web Apps Preview Not Showing
• Office Online and FAST Search Document Thumbnail and Preview Scenarios
• SharePoint Server 2013 search results do not display document previews or thumbnails from SharePoint Server 2010 sites
• Deploy Office Web Apps Server
• Configure Office Web Apps for SharePoint 2013
• Get-SPSecurityTokenServiceConfig
• Get-SPWOPIBinding
• Get-SPWOPIZone

1. Verify that the My Site Settings, My Site Host location (URL) matches the URL of the My Site web application.
2. Verify that the My Site Settings, Personal Site Location matches one of the Managed Paths, Wildcard inclusion paths.  For example, if your Personal Site Location is personal (the default), be sure that you have also configured a managed path called personal. 

   The default managed wildcard inclusion path is site.

3. Verify that you have a DNS entry name that matches the name assigned to your My Site web application and that it points to the appropriate server (single-WFE) or cluster (multiple WFE). 

   If you are using a HOST file in preparation for a migration effort, be sure that you have added an entry for the My Site web application.

• DNS: The Hosts file <file name> on the DNS server should be empty
• Configure My Sites in SharePoint Server 2013
• How to Configure SharePoint 2013 My Sites

• Setting the My Site Settings, Personal Site Location to a path that hasn't been configured in Managed Paths, Wildcard inclusion can cause other odd affects, such as:
• Seemingly being able to create your own My Site, but then, when you subsequently click About Me, Sites or Skydrive, it's as if you are creating your My Site fresh for the first time all over again.
• Portions of your My Site page display the usual helpful "Sorry, there's been a problem" error message.

• Ensure that the Visio Graphics Service account is mapped as DBO to the My Site content database.

• Visio - bug - The server failed to process the request
• Visio Graphics Service administration in SharePoint Server 2013
• Get-SPServiceApplicationPool
• Get-SPServiceApplication

• If you added My Site after creating a new Visio Graphics Service, the Visio Graphics Service service account is not automatically mapped to the My Site web application content database.
• To find the Visio Graphics Service identity, you can use IIS or Powershell:
• IIS: launch IIS and view the application pools: select an application pool, and then click View Applications.  eventually you'll find the service account running the service.
• PowerShell: First, look in the Service Applications list for the name of your Visio Service. Then execute this script to generate a list of service applications and their associated application pools:
  

  Get-SPServiceApplication -Name "{Your Visio Service name}"

  Note down the application pool associated with the Visio Graphics Service.  Then execute this script to see a list of application pools and their service accounts:

  Get-SPServiceApplicationPool -Identity "{Your Application Pool  Name}"

  Now you know what service account to map as dbo to the My Site content database.

1. Verify that the Desktop Experience feature has been setup on the server [1,2].
2. If it is already, then check the browser type and version you are using on the server [3].

1. Enable Desktop Experience on Servers to Access SharePoint Web Folders
2. Desktop Experience Overview
3. SharePoint Server 2013: Drag and drop contents to Library

• Account permissions and security settings in SharePoint 2013
• SharePoint Portal Server 2003: Changing Access Accounts and Passwords
• SQL Server 2000: Changing Access Accounts and Passwords
• SQL Server 2012: Configure Windows Service Accounts and Permissions
• Privilege Constants
• User Rights Assignment
• Services permissions
• Grant User Rights to a Service Account

1. If your AD environment doesn't control user rights assignments via GPO, you don't need to configure these yourself as they are done automatically for you by the SharePoint Products Configuration Wizard.
2. If you're not sure what user rights assignments are being configured, you can determine them by: 1) performing a configuration change and then 2) opening the local Security Policy on the local machine (most likely the Application or Batch server), and then viewing User Rights Assignments - do an export to save these for reference. Repeat this after every new application and service instantiation and you will build up a pretty good understanding of what is being configured here. NOTE: if you have GPO pushed out regularly, you will need to view and export these assignments quickly - before the GPO is pushed out again, as this will overwrite these assignments.
3. SharePoint Service Account User Rights Assignments: I have not been able to find any definitive, office Microsoft presentation of Local Security Policy user rights assignments for SharePoint 2007, 2010 or 2013. I did find them for SharePoint Portal Server 2003. Microsoft's TechNet pages for account permissions and security setting for SharePoint 2007, 2010 and 2013 do not discuss user rights assignments at all. On the other hand, Microsoft does provide these critical settings for another flagship application, SQL Server, doing so from SQL Server 2000 through 2012. Thus, obivously, Microsoft recognizes the importance of these settings to its applications. It's thus very unclear why Microsoft has failed to disclose these critical settings for SharePoint, as these settings play just as critical a role in the successful deployment and performance of SharePoint as they do for SQL Server.
4. The farm service account (aka, database access account) only needs to be a member of the local admin group during installation and configuration tasks.  During normal operation, the farm service account does not need to be a local administrator.
5. AD Read.  This Service Permission grants the ability to the farm service account to be able to read critical account security informaton, such as account restrictions.  Note that this permission is actually composed of a number of sub-permissions, including the Read account restrictions permission, which is critical.  I'm not presently sure which other specific read subpermissions are necessary, so, simply selecting Read covers all the bases.  I will update this posting when I know more.
6. This permission is needed for the successful deployment of SharePoint Server 2013 Workflow Manager.  This permission should be granted to whatever account you have running the SQL Server Service, be it Local Service or what not.  If you do not grant this permission, your Workflow Manager configuration will fail on the first step with error message:

   Could not obtain information about Windows NT group/user '{your workflow service account}', error code 0x5.

   When you then look at the log file for the workflow deployment, you see this conclusive message:

   ...System.Data.SqlClient.SqlException: Could not obtain information about Windows NT group/user '{your workflow service account}', error code 0x5...

7. tbd

The Security Token Service is not available

1. Remote into the problematic WFE.
2. Open IIS Manager, and then navigate to Application Pools.
3. View the state of the SecurityTokenServiceApplicationPool.

• If it is started, stop and restart it.
• If it is stopped, start it.

• The Security Token Service is not available (SharePoint 2013)
• How to resolve HTTP 500 Internal Server Error in SharePoint 2013 site

• In this scenario, the 500 error is associated with an issue involving the Security Token Service.
• Note that the farm's Central Administration site is not hosted on one of the WFEs (it employs the traditional rather than streamlined topology).  This scenario helps demonstrate why you may want to choose the traditional topology over a streamlined one: had CA also been hosted on one of the WFEs, it too would have been affected by the SecurityTokenService issue and would not have been available to provide useful troubleshooting information.

1. Launch IE as administrator, and then connect to the URL.
2. In the alternative, first launch Central Administration, and then connect to the URL using the same or different tab of this browser instance.

• Troubleshooting Workflow Manager 1.0 Management and Execution

• For this posting, Workflow Manager 1.0 was installed to a farm application server.
• The farm is installed to Windows Server 2012 VMs.