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You receive a Cryptographic Exception error message when a Project Portfolio Server 2007 Web front end computer is moved

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Microsoft Knowledge Base Article

This article contents is Microsoft Copyrighted material.
©2005-©2007 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Terms of Use | Trademarks

Article ID: 952381 - Last Review: September 18, 2011 - Revision: 3.0

You receive a "Cryptographic Exception" error message when a Project Portfolio Server 2007 Web front end computer is moved

SYMPTOMS

Consider the following scenario:
  • You move the Microsoft Office Project Portfolio Server 2007 Web front-end server from one server to another server.
  • Microsoft Office Project Portfolio Web Access users browse to Web sites that are integrated with Project Server 2007 or with Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services 3.0
In this scenario, these users may receive the following error messages:
Cryptographic Exception, maybe the database was restored from another machine?
Invalid encryption

CAUSE

The cryptographic key is computer-specific if the front-end server is moved or if the database is restored and connected by using a different Web front-end server. Then, the cryptographic key will be invalid, and users may receive one of the error messages that are mentioned in the "Symptoms" section.

In a common scenario, you might take your Project Portfolio Server 2007 database and restore it from your proof of concept environment to your production environment. Even though the servers are in the same domain environment, the existing cryptographic key is invalidated because the Web server is now different.

RESOLUTION

Caution Do not remove the SharePoint Server or Project Server connection setting completely. This deletes the link associations to different projects or organizations and can be very time-consuming to rebuild. As always, make a backup of the database before you continue. These steps require making modifications to the database.

Every time that the Project Portfolio Server 2007 front-end server is moved, it will invalidate the cryptographic key, and a new key must be generated.

The SharePoint preference setting must be updated so that the passwords can be updated by using the new cryptographic key. Again, do not delete the Project Server and SharePoint connection settings because it will result in the loss of link or association information.

To resolve this problem, follow these steps:
  1. Remove the existing key by running the following SQL script:
    DELETE FROM sfSETTINGS WHERE (Name LIKE '%key%')
  2. Each Project Portfolio Server 2007 user who also uses the SharePoint document management integration functionality must update their username and password details in their preferences settings for SharePoint.

    Note This step applies only to users who have SharePoint integration configured in Project Portfolio Server 2007.
  3. Configure the Project Server management settings, and then update the username password connection settings for connection to an untrusted domain. This generates an updated encrypted password by using the new cryptographic key.

    Note You will only have to update the Project Server gateway settings if you use forms authentication and connecting to a Project Server computer that is not in the same domain and is also untrusted.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

APPLIES TO
  • Microsoft Office Project Portfolio Server 2007
Keywords: 
kbtshoot kbpubtypekc kberrmsg kbprb KB952381
       

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