"The Business Data Connectivity Metadata Store is currently unavailable”
ISSUE
While trying to connect to external content types for a SharePoint site using SharePoint designer the following error is encountered - "The Business Data Connectivity Metadata Store is currently unavailable”
SYMPTOMS:
Getting the error "The Business Data Connectivity Metadata Store is currently unavailable" in SharePoint designer while trying to connect to the external content types.
Even after checking the first few basic steps (Checking BDC service is started, we are able to browse to the BDC service application and see the external content types here, Checking BDC permissions and even creating a new BDC) if you still get the same issue
In this scenario, it is best to capture a fiddler trace.
The fiddler trace (fiddler tool available at https://fiddler2.com/) would show a 404 for the BdcAdminService
# Result Protocol Host URL Body Caching Content-Type Process Comments Custom
75 404 HTTP <siteurl>/_vti_bin/BDCAdminService.svc 0 spdesign:10080 [#55]
# Result Protocol Host URL Body Caching Content-Type Process Comments Custom
76 404 HTTP <siteurl>/_vti_bin/BDCAdminService.svc /_vti_bin/BDCAdminService.svc 0 spdesign:10080 [#56]
RESOLUTION:
Collect “Failed Request tracing” logs (as Fiddler would only show us a 404 for the BDCAdmin service) and SharePoint ULS logs would not be very useful for the issue.
(Refer to https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc731798(v=ws.10).aspx and https://www.iis.net/learn/application-frameworks/running-classic-asp-applications-on-iis-7-and-iis-8/using-failed-request-tracing-to-troubleshoot-classic-asp-errors to understand failed request tracing)
From the Failed Request tracing logs, You should see something like:
ModuleName
RequestFilteringModule
Notification
1
HttpStatus
404
HttpReason
Not Found
HttpSubStatus
10
ErrorCode
0
ConfigExceptionInfo
Notification
BEGIN_REQUEST
ErrorCode
The operation completed successfully. (0x0)
“Request filtering module” in IIS is giving a 404. 404.10 status code implies that the “Request header it too long” (Refer https://www.iis.net/configreference/system.webserver/security/requestfiltering/requestlimits )
Check the ApplicationHost.Config file at the following location on server C:\Windows\System32\inetsrv\config
look for the headerlimit section. The header limit was set to:
<headerLimits>
<add header="Range" sizeLimit="4294967295" />
<add header="Content-Type" sizeLimit="100" />
</headerLimits>
The header limit set here causes the issue.
Remove the headerlimit section from the ApplicationHost.config file and do an IISReset.
Works like a charm! :-)
Comments
- Anonymous
January 01, 2003
Hi,I receive the same error Nam. I have checked my "C:WindowsSystem32inetsrv" but it's empty. I see no config file/directoryAny idea? - Anonymous
March 03, 2014
No tag in my Administraton.config file - Anonymous
March 28, 2014
The comment has been removed - Anonymous
November 08, 2014
worked! you are awesome! - Anonymous
August 25, 2015
@Karriem
I had the same issue, and your link worked, thanks a lot! - Anonymous
September 16, 2015
@Karriem
Downloading SPD from the link fixed the problem! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I have spent way too much time trying to figure out why this wasn't working.