"The user or group '<UserNameOrGroupName>' is unknown" error message when you connect Microsoft Project Server 2003 to a server that is running Windows SharePoint Services (834591)



The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Office Project Server 2003
  • Microsoft Project Web Access

SYMPTOMS

You experience one or both of the following symptoms in Microsoft Project Server 2003:
  • You log on to Project Server 2003 by using Microsoft Project Web Access. When you try to connect Project Server 2003 to a server that is running Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services by using the Connect to SharePoint server page of Project Web Access, you receive the following error message:
    The user or group 'UserNameOrGroupName' is unknown.
  • When you publish a project to Project Server 2003, the Windows SharePoint Services Web site is not automatically created. Additionally, if you try to manually create the Web site, you receive the following error message:
    Cannot create site.

CAUSE

This issue may occur when either of the following conditions is true:
  • You use a fully-qualified domain name (FQDN) when you specify the URL of the server that is running Windows SharePoint Services on the Connect to SharePoint server page.
  • The Svr_stsadmin.asp file does not have the correct security settings. By default, this file uses Integrated Windows Authentication. However, in some environments, you have to allow anonymous access to this file to enable automatic site creation.

RESOLUTION

If you use a FQDN when you specify the URL

To resolve this issue if you use a FQDN when you specifiy the URL, specify the NetBIOS name of the server that is running Windows SharePoint Services in the MSP_WEB_STS_SERVERS table in Microsoft SQL Server. To do this, use one of the following methods.

Method 1: Use SQL Server Enterprise Manager to specify the name of the server

To use Enterprise Manager to specify the name of the server, follow these steps:
  1. Start Enterprise Manager.
  2. Expand Databases, expand the ProjectServer database, and then click Tables.
  3. In the right pane, right-click MSP_WEB_STS_SERVERS, point to Open Table, and then click Return all rows.
  4. In the WSTS_NETBIOS_SERVER_NAME column, type the NetBIOS name of the server.
  5. Close the Data in Table 'MSP_WEB_STS_SERVERS' in 'ProjectServer' window, and then quit Enterprise Manager.

Method 2: Use a SQL statement to specify the name of the server

Use the following SQL statement to specify the name of the server in the MSP_WEB_STS_SERVERS table, where ServerName is the NetBIOS name of the server:

USE ProjectServer
UPDATE MSP_WEB_STS_SERVERS
SET WSTS_NETBIOS_SERVER_NAME =ServerName

Use this SQL statement if you have one server that is running Windows SharePoint Services, where the WSTS_SERVER_ID column in the MSP_WEB_STS_SERVERS table is set to 1.

If the Svr_stsadmin.asp file does not have the correct security settings

To resolve this issue if the Svr_stsadmin.asp file does not have the correct security settings, configure the Svr_stsadmin.asp file to use Anonymous Access. Important These steps may increase your security risk. These steps may also make your computer or your network more vulnerable to attack by malicious users or by malicious software such as viruses. We recommend the process that this article describes to enable programs to operate as they are designed to, or to implement specific program capabilities. Before you make these changes, we recommend that you evaluate the risks that are associated with implementing this process in your particular environment. If you choose to implement this process, take any appropriate additional steps to help protect your system. We recommend that you use this process only if you really require this process. To configure the Sver_stsadmin.asp file to use Anonymous Access, follow these steps:
  1. Click Start, click Run, type inetmgr.exe, and then press ENTER.
  2. Expand the Web site on which Project Server is hosted.
  3. Expand the DOCLIB folder under the Project Server virtual directory.
  4. In the right pane, right-click the Svr_stsadmin.asp file, and then click Properties.
  5. Click the File Security tab, click Editunder Authentication Access control, and then click to select the Enable anonymous access check box.
  6. Click OK two times.

MORE INFORMATION

For more information about Microsoft Office Project 2003, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:3/3/2006
Keywords:Connectivity kberrmsg kbnofix kbBug KB834591 kbAudITPRO