Logging to ECP fails (LDAP server returns an unknow error)

Question

_{Friday, July 25, 2014 12:57 PM}

Hello,

We had an Exchange 2013 running for almost a year without any troubles. For a weird reason the VM hosting the AD stopped once (nothing in the event mgr could tell us what went wrong). It had been restarted and Exchange was working again. A day after, the VM hosting the AD stopped again. Did some windows update and the AD seems to be working now (however, still don't what what is wrong with this installation). The trouble is, that Exchange does not work correctly. Here are the symptoms (or what is still working).

Using Outlook, mail flow to outside the domain works (however it seems that the routing takes a very long time, more than an hour). Using OWA, when sending an email it stays in the Draft folder. Outlook client is connected to the server, no errors are reported. When trying to log to ECP the following error page is returned:

Server Error in '/ecp' Application.

The LDAP server returned an unknown error.

**Description: **An unhandled exception occurred during the execution of the current web request. Please review the stack trace for more information about the error and where it originated in the code. 

**Exception Details: **System.DirectoryServices.Protocols.LdapException: The LDAP server returned an unknown error.

Source Error: 

Stack Trace: 

[LdapException: The LDAP server returned an unknown error.]
   System.DirectoryServices.Protocols.LdapConnection.Connect() +160800
   System.DirectoryServices.Protocols.LdapConnection.BindHelper(NetworkCredential newCredential, Boolean needSetCredential) +264
   Microsoft.Exchange.Data.Directory.PooledLdapConnection.BindWithLogging() +10608880
   Microsoft.Exchange.Data.Directory.PooledLdapConnection.BindWithRetry(Int32 maxRetries) +726

[ADTransientException: Active Directory server  is not available. Error message: Active directory response: The LDAP server returned an unknown error.]
   Microsoft.Exchange.Data.Directory.PooledLdapConnection.BindWithRetry(Int32 maxRetries) +2527
   Microsoft.Exchange.Data.Directory.LdapConnectionPool.CreateOneTimeConnection(NetworkCredential networkCredential, ADServerInfo serverInfo, LocatorFlags connectionFlags) +1155
   Microsoft.Exchange.Data.Directory.TopologyProvider.PopulateDomainNamingContexts(String partitionFqdn) +339
   Microsoft.Exchange.Data.Directory.TopologyProvider.GetRootDomainNamingContext(String partitionFqdn) +94
   Microsoft.Exchange.Data.Directory.ADSession.GetRootDomainNamingContext(String partitionFqdn) +305
   Microsoft.Exchange.Data.Directory.ADDataSession.GetNamingContext(ADNamingContext adNamingContext) +639
   Microsoft.Exchange.Data.Directory.ADObject.ValidateSingleADObjectLinkValue(ADPropertyDefinition propertyDefinition, ADObjectId value, List`1 errors) +539
   Microsoft.Exchange.Data.Directory.ADObject.ValidateRead(List`1 errors) +2589
   Microsoft.Exchange.Data.ConfigurableObject.ValidateRead() +70
   Microsoft.Exchange.Data.Directory.ADDataSession.ObjectsFromEntries(SearchResultEntryCollection entries, String originatingServerName, IEnumerable`1 properties, ADRawEntry dummyInstance, Boolean dualSearchResults) +4516
   Microsoft.Exchange.Data.Directory.ADDataSession.ObjectsFromEntries(SearchResultEntryCollection entries, String originatingServerName, IEnumerable`1 properties, ADRawEntry dummyInstance) +113
   Microsoft.Exchange.Data.Directory.ADDataSession.InternalFind(ADObjectId rootId, String optionalBaseDN, ADObjectId readId, QueryScope scope, QueryFilter filter, SortBy sortBy, Int32 maxResults, IEnumerable`1 properties, Boolean includeDeletedObjects) +6027
   Microsoft.Exchange.Data.Directory.SystemConfiguration.ADTopologyConfigurationSession.FindLocalServer() +212
   Microsoft.Exchange.Management.Security.Utility.GetVirtualDirectoryObject(Guid vDirObjectGuid, ITopologyConfigurationSession session, PropertyDefinition[] virtualDirectoryPropertyDefinitions) +307
   Microsoft.Exchange.Management.Security.AdfsFederationAuthModule.InitStaticVariables() +605
   Microsoft.Exchange.Management.Security.AdfsFederationAuthModule..ctor() +49

[TargetInvocationException: Exception has been thrown by the target of an invocation.]
   System.RuntimeTypeHandle.CreateInstance(RuntimeType type, Boolean publicOnly, Boolean noCheck, Boolean& canBeCached, RuntimeMethodHandleInternal& ctor, Boolean& bNeedSecurityCheck) +0
   System.RuntimeType.CreateInstanceSlow(Boolean publicOnly, Boolean skipCheckThis, Boolean fillCache, StackCrawlMark& stackMark) +159
   System.RuntimeType.CreateInstanceDefaultCtor(Boolean publicOnly, Boolean skipCheckThis, Boolean fillCache, StackCrawlMark& stackMark) +256
   System.Activator.CreateInstance(Type type, Boolean nonPublic) +127
   System.RuntimeType.CreateInstanceImpl(BindingFlags bindingAttr, Binder binder, Object[] args, CultureInfo culture, Object[] activationAttributes, StackCrawlMark& stackMark) +14259449
   System.Activator.CreateInstance(Type type, BindingFlags bindingAttr, Binder binder, Object[] args, CultureInfo culture, Object[] activationAttributes) +200
   System.Activator.CreateInstance(Type type, BindingFlags bindingAttr, Binder binder, Object[] args, CultureInfo culture) +28
   System.Web.HttpRuntime.CreateNonPublicInstance(Type type, Object[] args) +83
   System.Web.HttpApplication.BuildIntegratedModuleCollection(List`1 moduleList) +335
   System.Web.HttpApplication.GetModuleCollection(IntPtr appContext) +1262
   System.Web.HttpApplication.RegisterEventSubscriptionsWithIIS(IntPtr appContext, HttpContext context, MethodInfo[] handlers) +133
   System.Web.HttpApplication.InitSpecial(HttpApplicationState state, MethodInfo[] handlers, IntPtr appContext, HttpContext context) +304
   System.Web.HttpApplicationFactory.GetSpecialApplicationInstance(IntPtr appContext, HttpContext context) +404
   System.Web.Hosting.PipelineRuntime.InitializeApplication(IntPtr appContext) +475

[HttpException (0x80004005): Exception has been thrown by the target of an invocation.]
   System.Web.HttpRuntime.FirstRequestInit(HttpContext context) +12968244
   System.Web.HttpRuntime.EnsureFirstRequestInit(HttpContext context) +159
   System.Web.HttpRuntime.ProcessRequestNotificationPrivate(IIS7WorkerRequest wr, HttpContext context) +12807949

AD and Exchange are running on Windows 2008r2/SP1. Everything is fully patched.

I just don't know what to do in order to get Exchange working again. Can somebody help us?

Thank you

All replies (7)

_{Friday, July 25, 2014 1:06 PM ✅Answered}

Hi Nic,

this error you can get if Exchange servers log in before AD is started preperly.So reboot AD,wait until its ready then boot Exchange servers.

Wait a bit more then check services that all Exchange services are up and running.Specially Microsoft Exchange Active Directory topology service should be running.

Also check bindinds that correct certificated is used (run -inetmgr - press ok)

Please mark as helpful if you find my contribution useful or as an answer if it does answer your question. That will encourage me - and others - to take time out to help you. Thank you! Off2work

_{Friday, July 25, 2014 1:13 PM}

Thanks for your contribution. I will try that right away and keep you posted.

_{Friday, July 25, 2014 1:58 PM}

I restarted the AD. Wait quite a time. Then restarted Exchange server. Still same error with ECP. I noticed this error in IIS:  

A process serving application pool 'MSExchangeRpcProxyAppPool' suffered a fatal communication error with the Windows Process Activation Service. The process id was '4224'. The data field contains the error number. Source WAS. Error number: 5011

_{Sunday, July 27, 2014 7:49 AM | 1 vote}

Hi Nic,

please have a look at this article regarding Your issue:

http://blogs.technet.com/b/jamec/archive/2014/01/29/exchange-2013-the-case-of-the-mysterious-crashing-rpc-proxy-application-pool.aspx

Which CU Version is Your Exchange server?Seems like CU3 might resolve Your issue.

Please mark as helpful if you find my contribution useful or as an answer if it does answer your question. That will encourage me - and others - to take time out to help you. Thank you! Off2work

_{Friday, August 1, 2014 7:13 AM}

Thanks for the tip. The current version is CU2. We'll make the upgrade shortly and let you informed.

_{Friday, August 1, 2014 10:51 AM}

I tried to upgrade to CU3. After various checks performed by the installer, following error is reported. The upgrade process is stopped.

Error:
The following error was generated when "$error.Clear();
          $keyPath = "HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\WebManagement\Server";
          if (!(Get-Item $keyPath -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue))
          {
            New-Item $keyPath -Force
          }
          Set-ItemProperty -path $keyPath -name "EnableRemoteManagement" -value 0x1 -Type DWORD -Force;

          if (Get-Service WMSVC* | ?{$_.Name -eq 'WMSVC'})
          {
            Set-Service WMSVC -StartupType Automatic
            Stop-SetupService -ServiceName WMSVC;
            Start-SetupService -ServiceName WMSVC
          }
        " was run: "Service 'WMSVC' failed to reach status 'Running' on this server.".

I checked the status of this service which is indeed stopped. I tried to start it manually. It won't. The event manager says :

IISWMSVC_STARTUP_UNABLE_TO_READ_CERTIFICATE

Unable to read the certificate with thumbprint '34de1ef20ef6a2db3708ef42273d0bef358d927e'.  Please make sure the SSL certificate exists and that is correctly configured in the Management Service page.

Process:WMSvc
User=NT AUTHORITY\LOCAL SERVICE

quite strange since this server has been running for almost a year without any trouble

What could I do from now on?

Thank you

_{Friday, August 1, 2014 12:01 PM}

it seems that the error is related to some certificate not properly set in IIS Management Service Console http://mytestdata.blogspot.fr/2013/09/iiswmsvcstartupunabletoreadcertificate.html . As screenshot suggests, there is no certicate bounded to this service, which be the reason of the problem. However there are four choices in the dropdown menu. What would be the right one? Thanks

I managed to get WMSCV started (selected Microsoft Exchange certificate). SO I tried to get CU3 rolling. During readiness check the followinf error is reported :

Error:

The Active Directory schema isn't up-to-date and the Active Directory management tools aren't installed on this computer. To install the tools, install the 'RSAT-ADDS' Windows feature. Alternately, you can run setup.exe /PrepareAD on a domain controller.

For more information, visit: http://technet.microsoft.com/library(EXCHG.150)/ms.exch.setupreadiness.W2K8R2PrepareSchemaLdifdeNotInstalled.aspx

Error:

Active Directory needs to be prepared for Exchange Server but the Active Directory management tools aren't installed on this computer. To install the tools, install the 'RSAT-ADDS' Windows feature. Alternately, you can run setup.exe /PrepareAD on a domain controller.

For more information, visit: http://technet.microsoft.com/library(EXCHG.150)/ms.exch.setupreadiness.W2K8R2PrepareAdLdifdeNotInstalled.aspx

Error:

A reboot from a previous installation is pending. Please restart the system and then rerun Setup.

For more information, visit: http://technet.microsoft.com/library(EXCHG.150)/ms.exch.setupreadiness.RebootPending.aspx

Error:

The Windows component RSAT-ADDS-Tools isn't installed on this computer and needs to be installed before Exchange Setup can begin.

For more information, visit: http://technet.microsoft.com/library(EXCHG.150)/ms.exch.setupreadiness.RsatAddsToolsInstalled.aspx

Bare in mind that this server has been running for months without any trouble and no modification have been made on it (as the AD by the way).

The links provided in the message go to nowhere. I checked the AD which is sitting in another server. It is prepared for Exchange. What could I do next?