SharePoint 2013 Configuration Wizard fails with SQL Server max degree of parallelism error

Recently I tried to install SharePoint 2013 in my test environment based on the multiple servers for a three-tier farm scenario, where my SQL Server is on another machine and I got the following error during SharePoint 2013 Products Configuration Wizard:

Failed to create the configuration database

Exception: Microsoft.SharePoint.SPException: This SQL Server instance does not have the required “max degree of parallelism” setting of 1. Database provisioning operations will continue to fail if “max degree of parallelism” is not set 1 or the current account does not have permissions to change the setting.  See documentation for details on manually changing the setting.

Max degree of parallelism error

I encountered this during farm creation on the first SharePoint server installation.

Mystery at Sharepoint Land

Although my site did not contain so much information and data Sharepoint told me that i reached the Storage Quota limit had been given to the site ->

Your changes could not be saved because this SharePoint Web site has exceeded the storage quota limit. You must save your work to another location.  Contact your administrator to change the quota limits for the Web site.

Of course the first step was to go to the “Recycle bin” to empty it. But after this procedure  i got the same error. Ohh yes, the secondary Recycle bin for the Site collection – with Site admin right i was able to delet all the contects of that bin also.

But still got this rude error message. What’s up here?

Cannot connect to database master at sql server – Checklist

The problem

You get the following error during SharePoint 2013 Products Configuration Wizard on the Specify Configuration Database Settings page:

Cannot connect to database master at sql server <Servername>. The database might not exist, or the current user does not have permission to connect to it.

Cannot connect to database master at sql server

Checklist

Your first move should be the following: Try it again, but this time mark the time between you press Next > and when the error message pops up.

Based on this:

• if its more than a few seconds, you have network connectivity issue or SQL server configuration problem (start from no 1)
• if it pops up almost instantly, you have permission problems on the SQL server instance (See no. 10 and 9)

Create Active Directory users with Powershell

Scope

In my test environments I always have to create a couple of users to be able to do performance or functionality tests. Powershell really helps me with this task and I just want to archive this for later.

In the next few paragraphs I show you my method to create hundreds of test users on Windows Server 2012 with Powershell.

Cannot install .NET Framework 3.5 features on Windows Server 2012

Symptom

On a default installation of Windows Server 2012 sometimes you experience problems with the .NET Framework 3.5 features while trying to enable it.

It fails if you try to install it using the Add Roles and Features Wizard, using Powershell or dism.

.NET Framework 3.5 features installation failure

The same happens during an SQL Server installation with the following error message:

The following error has occurred:

Error while enabling Windows feature: NetFx3, Error Code: -2146498298, Please try enabling Windows feature: NetFx3 from Windows management tools and then run setup again.

Error while enabling Windows feature: NetFx3

VMWare Player with full-featured virtual networking

Eager to configure your virtual network in detail, but neither wanna bother with VMWare Workstation trials, nor have money for a license? Let’s use a Player, then.

Ribbonize your documents

You can hate it, or you can love it, but it’s there… on top. If you’re stuck with Microsoft Office 2007, or using a bit polished 2010, maybe a shiny 2013, you have to use it. The Ribbon interface: pure office experience with big and colorful icons. Intuitive and open standard-based. And it leaves room for customizations, too! When already in Microsoft heaven, let’s see some hints on how create a custom tab with a couple of buttons.