SharePoint Content Type Issues and Fixes

We’ll discuss the following scenarions of SharePoint Content Type Issues and fixes

a. A Duplicate Content type was found

b. The specified name is already in use

Issue Summary

Recently I an issue got escalated to me where a user (with site collection admin permission) was getting errors when creating, deleting or modifying a SharePoint content type under a sub site.

Details

Error 1 – When creating, deleting or modifying a Content Type under a sub-site:

Error
A duplicate content type “0x010100672A3FCA98991645BE083C320B7539B7” was found. 
Troubleshoot issues with Microsoft SharePoint Foundation. 
Correlation ID: 448054d8-6897-429d-80db-3b1fba29f678 
Date and Time: 9/11/2014 10:32:20 AM 

Error when creating or deleting a content type in SharePoint

SharePoint ULS Logs:

SharePoint Farm’s ULS logs were not giving any helpful clue. I use the Query Correlation ID codeplex tool from SharePoint Central Admin website. It is quick and easy way to search on Correlation  ID errors.

Time Process Area Category Level EventID Message 
09/11/2014 10:32:20.70  w3wp.exe (SPWFEServer:0x13EC)  SharePoint Foundation  Logging Correlation Data  Medium xmnv Name=Request (POST:http://sharepoint.domain.com:80/sites/department/subsite/_layouts/ctypenew.aspx) 
09/11/2014 10:32:20.70  w3wp.exe (SPWFEServer:0x13EC)  SharePoint Foundation  Logging Correlation Data  Medium xmnv Site=/sites/department 
09/11/2014 10:32:20.82  w3wp.exe (SPWFEServer:0x13EC)  SharePoint Foundation  Runtime  Unexpected tkau Microsoft.SharePoint.SPException: A duplicate content type “0x010100672A3FCA98991645BE083C320B7539B7” was found. at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPContentTypeCollection.CheckConsistency() at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPContentTypeCollection.Update() at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPContentTypeCollection.AddContentType(SPContentType contentType, Boolean updateResourceFileProperty, Boolean checkName, Boolean setNextChildByte) at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPContentTypeCollection.Add(SPContentType contentType) at Microsoft.SharePoint.ApplicationPages.ContentTypeCreatePage.BtnOK_Click(Object sender, EventArgs e) at System.Web.UI.WebControls.Button.OnClick(EventArgs e) at System.Web.UI.WebControls.Button.RaisePostBackEvent(String eventArgument) at System.Web.UI.Page.RaisePostBackEvent(IPos… 
09/11/2014 10:32:20.82* w3wp.exe (SPWFEServer:0x13EC)  SharePoint Foundation  Runtime  Unexpected tkau …tBackEventHandler sourceControl, String eventArgument) at System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequestMain(Boolean includeStagesBeforeAsyncPoint, Boolean includeStagesAfterAsyncPoint) 
09/11/2014 10:32:20.82  w3wp.exe (SPWFEServer:0x13EC)  SharePoint Foundation  Monitoring  Medium b4ly Leaving Monitored Scope (Request (POST:http://sharepoint.domain.com:80/sites/department/subsite/_layouts/ctypenew.asp Execution Time=129.946403802718 

What content type is associated with the “0x010100672A3FCA98991645BE083C320B7539B7” listed on the error? Let’s come to that point in a minute.. (or scroll down this article 🙂 )

Even though the error was thrown, the site content type was created. I went into the Content Type page by clicking on its name under Site Actions > Site Settings > Site Content Types (under Galleries) > clicking on the name of the site content type (left column). I could see all the settings of the content type I created as a test.

SharePoint Site Content Type Settings Page

A quick glance at the list of site content types revealed the duplicate content type – E-mail Submission.

SharePoint Duplicate Site Content Types – E-mail Submission

Thinking that I found the problem, I went into the E-mail Submission site content type in an attempt to delete it. And guess what, not just the delete but the whole Settings section of the site content type was empty. :O At this point I was about to click the SharePoint’s ‘I Like it’ button but then I decided to to control the emotions. 🙂

SharePoint Site Content Type – E-mail Submission – Empty Settings area

Looking at the columns under the E-mail Submission Site Content Type, I decided to take a peak at Site Columns. I went to Site Actions > Site Settings > Site Columns (under Galleries group) > Locate the Site Columns related to E-mail Submission. I found there were duplicate site columns there for each instance of Site Content Type.

SharePoint Site Columns – Duplicate E-mail Submission Columns

I clicked on the site column in order to delete it. Guess what, the delete button was not there :O. At this point I was thinking there should be ‘I Love It’ button there for me to click.

SharePoint Site Column – Delete button not present

Resolution Process

At this point, I tried different things to resolve this issue. In my case, it was the last step. In your scenario, you might be able to fix it using any of these attempts (conditions apply based on your environment).

Attempt a – Try to enable & disable the related Site Feature

I tried to enable the ‘Content Organizer’ and ‘E-mail Integration with Content Organizer’ feature. I got another error.

SharePoint – Site Features

Error when trying to activate the Site Features

Error 
The specified name is already in use.
Please try again with a new name. 
Troubleshoot issues with Microsoft SharePoint Foundation. 
Correlation ID: 72adbfb7-6416-466b-9d5f-2f94ca58e41c 
Date and Time: 9/11/2014 10:43:53 AM 

SharePoint – Site Feature Error – The Specified name is already in use.

ULS Logs:
Time Process Area Category Level EventID Message 
09/11/2014 10:43:53.76  w3wp.exe (SPWebServer3:0x2708)  SharePoint Foundation  Logging Correlation Data  Medium xmnv Name=Request (POST:http://sharepoint.domain.com:80/sites/department/subsite/_layouts/ManageFeatures.aspx) 
09/11/2014 10:43:53.78  w3wp.exe (SPWebServer3:0x2708)  SharePoint Foundation  Logging Correlation Data  Medium xmnv Site=/sites/department 
09/11/2014 10:43:53.82  w3wp.exe (SPWebServer3:0x2708)  SharePoint Foundation  General  Medium 88jb Feature Activation: Activating Feature ‘DocumentRouting’ (ID: ‘7ad5272a-2694-4349-953e-ea5ef290e97c’) at URL http://sharepoint.domain.com/sites/department/subsite. 
09/11/2014 10:43:53.82  w3wp.exe (SPWebServer3:0x2708)  SharePoint Foundation  General  Medium 72bf SPContentTypeBindingElement.ElementActivated(). Applying ContentType ‘0x0100DC2417D125A4489CA59DCC70E3F152B2’ to list ‘RoutingRules’ on web ‘http://sharepoint.domain.com/sites/department/subsite’ 
09/11/2014 10:43:53.86  w3wp.exe (SPWebServer3:0x2708)  SharePoint Foundation  General  Medium 72bg SPContentTypeBindingElement.ElementActivated(). Successfully applied ContentType ‘0x0100DC2417D125A4489CA59DCC70E3F152B2’ to list ‘RoutingRules’ on web ‘http://sharepoint.domain.com/sites/department/subsite’ 
09/11/2014 10:43:53.86  w3wp.exe (SPWebServer3:0x2708)  SharePoint Foundation  General  Medium 75fb Calling ‘FeatureActivated’ method of SPFeatureReceiver for Feature ‘DocumentRouting’ (ID: ‘7ad5272a-2694-4349-953e-ea5ef290e97c’). 
09/11/2014 10:43:53.90  w3wp.exe (SPWebServer3:0x2708)  SharePoint Foundation  General  High 8kh7 The specified name is already in use. Please try again with a new name. 
09/11/2014 10:43:53.92  w3wp.exe (SPWebServer3:0x2708)  SharePoint Foundation  Feature Infrastructure  High 88jm Feature receiver assembly ‘Microsoft.Office.Policy, Version=14.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=71e9bce111e9429c’, class ‘Microsoft.Office.RecordsManagement.Internal.DocumentRoutingFeatureReceiver’, method ‘FeatureActivated’ for feature ‘7ad5272a-2694-4349-953e-ea5ef290e97c’ threw an exception: Microsoft.SharePoint.SPException: The specified name is already in use. Please try again with a new name. —> System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException (0x81020043): The specified name is already in use. Please try again with a new name. at Microsoft.SharePoint.Library.SPRequestInternalClass.AddGroup(String bstrUrl, String bstrName, String bstrDescription, Int32 lOwnerID, Boolean bOwnerIsUser, UInt64 iPermMask, Int32 lUserId, Boolean bUseExisting, Boolean bSelfOwner) at Microsoft…. 
09/11/2014 10:43:53.92* w3wp.exe (SPWebServer3:0x2708)  SharePoint Foundation  Feature Infrastructure  High 88jm …SharePoint.Library.SPRequest.AddGroup(String bstrUrl, String bstrName, String bstrDescription, Int32 lOwnerID, Boolean bOwnerIsUser, UInt64 iPermMask, Int32 lUserId, Boolean bUseExisting, Boolean bSelfOwner) — End of inner exception stack trace — at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPGlobal.HandleComException(COMException comEx) at Microsoft.SharePoint.Library.SPRequest.AddGroup(String bstrUrl, String bstrName, String bstrDescription, Int32 lOwnerID, Boolean bOwnerIsUser, UInt64 iPermMask, Int32 lUserId, Boolean bUseExisting, Boolean bSelfOwner) at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPGroupCollection.AddInternal(String name, SPMember owner, SPUser defaultUser, String description) at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPGroupCollection.Add(String name, SPMember owner, SPUser defaultUser, String description… 
09/11/2014 10:43:53.92* w3wp.exe (SPWebServer3:0x2708)  SharePoint Foundation  Feature Infrastructure  High 88jm …) at Microsoft.SharePoint.Utilities.SPUtilityInternal.CreateDefaultSharePointGroups(SPWeb web, String strUserLogin, String strUserLogin2, String strGroupNameSeed) at Microsoft.Office.RecordsManagement.Internal.DocumentRoutingFeatureReceiver.<>c__DisplayClass2.<FeatureActivated>b__0() at Microsoft.Office.Server.Utilities.CultureUtility.RunWithCultureScope(CodeToRunWithCultureScope code) at Microsoft.Office.RecordsManagement.Internal.DocumentRoutingFeatureReceiver.FeatureActivated(SPFeatureReceiverProperties properties) at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPFeature.DoActivationCallout(Boolean fActivate, Boolean fForce) 
09/11/2014 10:43:53.92  w3wp.exe (SPWebServer3:0x2708)  SharePoint Foundation  General  High 72by Feature Activation: Threw an exception, attempting to roll back. Feature ‘DocumentRouting’ (ID: ‘7ad5272a-2694-4349-953e-ea5ef290e97c’). Exception: Microsoft.SharePoint.SPException: The specified name is already in use. Please try again with a new name. —> System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException (0x81020043): The specified name is already in use. Please try again with a new name. at Microsoft.SharePoint.Library.SPRequestInternalClass.AddGroup(String bstrUrl, String bstrName, String bstrDescription, Int32 lOwnerID, Boolean bOwnerIsUser, UInt64 iPermMask, Int32 lUserId, Boolean bUseExisting, Boolean bSelfOwner) at Microsoft.SharePoint.Library.SPRequest.AddGroup(String bstrUrl, String bstrName, String bstrDescription, Int32 lOwnerID, Boolean bOwnerIsUser, UInt64 iPermMask, I… 
09/11/2014 10:43:53.92* w3wp.exe (SPWebServer3:0x2708)  SharePoint Foundation  General  High 72by …nt32 lUserId, Boolean bUseExisting, Boolean bSelfOwner) — End of inner exception stack trace — at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPGlobal.HandleComException(COMException comEx) at Microsoft.SharePoint.Library.SPRequest.AddGroup(String bstrUrl, String bstrName, String bstrDescription, Int32 lOwnerID, Boolean bOwnerIsUser, UInt64 iPermMask, Int32 lUserId, Boolean bUseExisting, Boolean bSelfOwner) at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPGroupCollection.AddInternal(String name, SPMember owner, SPUser defaultUser, String description) at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPGroupCollection.Add(String name, SPMember owner, SPUser defaultUser, String description) at Microsoft.SharePoint.Utilities.SPUtilityInternal.CreateDefaultSharePointGroups(SPWeb web, String strUserLogin, String strUserLogin2, String str… 
09/11/2014 10:43:53.92* w3wp.exe (SPWebServer3:0x2708)  SharePoint Foundation  General  High 72by …GroupNameSeed) at Microsoft.Office.RecordsManagement.Internal.DocumentRoutingFeatureReceiver.<>c__DisplayClass2.<FeatureActivated>b__0() at Microsoft.Office.Server.Utilities.CultureUtility.RunWithCultureScope(CodeToRunWithCultureScope code) at Microsoft.Office.RecordsManagement.Internal.DocumentRoutingFeatureReceiver.FeatureActivated(SPFeatureReceiverProperties properties) at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPFeature.DoActivationCallout(Boolean fActivate, Boolean fForce) at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPFeature.Activate(SPSite siteParent, SPWeb webParent, SPFeaturePropertyCollection props, SPFeatureActivateFlags activateFlags, Boolean fForce) 
09/11/2014 10:43:53.92  w3wp.exe (SPWebServer3:0x2708)  SharePoint Foundation  Monitoring  High b4ly Leaving Monitored Scope (Feature Activation: Activating Feature ‘DocumentRouting’ (ID: ‘7ad5272a-2694-4349-953e-ea5ef290e97c’) at URL http://sharepoint.domain.com/sites/department/subsite.). Execution Time=96.1532820512104 
09/11/2014 10:43:53.92  w3wp.exe (SPWebServer3:0x2708)  SharePoint Foundation  Runtime  Unexpected tkau System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException: The specified name is already in use. Please try again with a new name. at Microsoft.SharePoint.Library.SPRequestInternalClass.AddGroup(String bstrUrl, String bstrName, String bstrDescription, Int32 lOwnerID, Boolean bOwnerIsUser, UInt64 iPermMask, Int32 lUserId, Boolean bUseExisting, Boolean bSelfOwner) at Microsoft.SharePoint.Library.SPRequest.AddGroup(String bstrUrl, String bstrName, String bstrDescription, Int32 lOwnerID, Boolean bOwnerIsUser, UInt64 iPermMask, Int32 lUserId, Boolean bUseExisting, Boolean bSelfOwner) 
09/11/2014 10:43:53.92  w3wp.exe (SPWebServer3:0x2708)  SharePoint Foundation  Monitoring  Medium b4ly Leaving Monitored Scope (Request (POST:http://sharepoint.domain.com:80/sites/department/subsite/_layouts/ManageFeatures.aspx)). Execution Time=152.340032043179

Attempt b – Use SharePoint Designer to delete Site Content Type and Site column
I was not able to delete Site Content type and site column using SharePoint Designer.

Attempt c – Use SharePoint Manager and try to delete Site Content Type and Site Column
I downloaded the SharePoint Manager codeplex solution and tried to delete the Site Content Type and Site Column. No success.

Attempt d – Use the power of Power Shell to delete the Site Content Type and Site Column
Many SharePoint geeks have posted their nice Power Shell scripts. I tried couple of those but none of those were successful.

Attempt e – Dig into MS SQL Database and get rid of Site Content Type and Site column
It is not a recommended method unless all your options have failed. Test and verify it in your pre-production first and make sure you have the database backups.

To use this method, you need to find the SharePoint Content Database that is associated with the site in this issue. [Hint: SharePoint Central Administration website > Application Management > Manage Content Databases > select the web app from the Web Application menu].

SharePoint – SQL Query to find the Site Content Types and Columns

SQL Queries to find the Site Content Types and Site Columns

When you know the Content Database in question, then use the following SQL queries.

1. Query to Find the Site Content Types
select * from WSS_Content_BusinessDept.dbo.ContentTypes
where Scope = ‘sites/department/subsite’ 
and
IsFromFeature = 1
–ResourceDir like ‘Email Submission’
–ContentTypeId like ‘0x010100672A3FCA98991645BE083C320B7539B7’
–ResourceDir like ‘Translation Document’
–ContentTypeId like ‘0x010100E4FE8612EC394E3690F102C0A1A07563’

2. Query to delete the Site content Types (Remove /* and */ from the query statement for novice users, others know it. You might have to update the where clauses for your environment. Read the below statement in blue, Its Punjabi 🙂 Make sure you know the SQL, knowing Punjabi, leave it for some other time. It’s complex)
/*delete from WSS_Content_MainStreet_BusinessSolutions.dbo.ContentTypes
where Scope = ‘sites/businesssolutions/alignedsolutions’ 
and
IsFromFeature = 1
and
ResourceDir like ‘Email Submission’
*/

??????   ??  ????? ??? ? ?????  ?? ???  ??  ????  ?? ?? ???? ???  ??? ??  ???? ?? ?

3. Query to find the Site Columns for a sub-site
— Find the site columns that are causing issue
SELECT * FROM WSS_Content_MainStreet_BusinessSolutions.dbo.ContentTypes
 WHERE 
 Scope = ‘sites/businesssolutions/alignedsolutions’ and
 Definition LIKE (‘%bcc%’)

4. Query to delete the Site Columns for a sub-site
 /*
 –Delete the site columns that are causing issue
Delete FROM WSS_Content_MainStreet_BusinessSolutions.dbo.ContentTypes
 WHERE 
 Scope = ‘sites/businesssolutions/alignedsolutions’ and
 Definition LIKE (‘%bcc%’)
 */

Make sure you delete one data row and then review the SharePoint Content Types / Site Columns from the gui. Afer confirming the objects are not showing up in the site, then delete other objects causing errors. I first deleted only E-mail Submission duplicate Site Content Types. Test content Types creation and got duplicate content type error for a different content type. It was Translation Document content type. It was not showing up in GUI but deleting it from the same content database table resolved the issue.

Error 
A duplicate content type “0x010100E4FE8612EC394E3690F102C0A1A07563” was found. 
Troubleshoot issues with Microsoft SharePoint Foundation. 
Correlation ID: 70cbffd1-99f4-445c-bd9b-4c8df34ad9d2 
Date and Time: 9/11/2014 2:16:55 PM  

At the end I created coupe of test Site Content Types and Site Columns and I was able create those without the error.

SharePoint Site Content Type created without error

References:
1. List of All Default SharePoint 2010 Content Types
http://blogs.msmvps.com/ivansanders/list-of-all-default-sharepoint-2010-content-types/

2. Content Type Hub | Duplicate Content Type Error “A content type with the name already exists”
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/varun_malhotra/archive/2012/01/17/content-type-hub-duplicate-content-type-error-quot-a-content-type-with-the-name-already-exists-quot.aspx

3. A Duplicate Content Type Found Error
https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/ie/en-US/5e30ade2-93b0-4f5c-8acd-25b73946500c/content-type-creation-problem-a-duplicate-content-type-was-found?forum=sharepointgeneralprevious

4. Inherit Content Types


5. Content Types and Inheritance
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/office/en-US/ca7b97ee-6f03-4beb-b7b8-7aa20227ac6e/content-types-and-inheritance?forum=sharepointdevelopmentprevious

6. Deleting content Types in Sharepoint 2007: A troubleshoot
http://blog.tylerholmes.com/2008/02/deleting-content-types-in-sharepoint.html

7. A duplicate name was found creating content type
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/sharepoint/en-US/afd9b718-6da9-4042-9dcb-a6fafa9fe77b/a-duplicate-name-was-found-creating-content-type?forum=sharepointadminlegacy

8. The Content Type Is In Use – SharePoint 2010 Error Redux
http://nickhadlee.wordpress.com/2010/05/24/the-content-type-is-in-use-sharepoint-2010-error-redux/

9. Can’t remove a site column from a content type or list in SharePoint? Use PowerShell
http://get-spscripts.com/2010/10/cant-remove-site-column-from-content.html

10. “I cannot delete this column from my list??” – Well that must be a SharePoint 2010 Peristent column
http://sharepointinsimple.blogspot.com/2012/05/i-cannot-delete-this-column-from-my.html

11. Corrupt site column cannot be deleted
http://blog.sharepointsite.co.uk/2011/05/corrupt-site-column-cannot-be-deleted.html

12. Persistent SharePoint 2010 Site Columns

Keywords:

• How to delete duplicate Site Content Type
• Deleting duplicate Site Content Type
• How to remove duplicate Site Content Type
• Site Content Type Setting section is empty
• Site Content Type Setting section is blank
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• Primer on Content Types
• Primer on Site Content Types
• Primer on Sharepoint Content Types
• Primer on Site Columns
• Corrupt Content Type
• Content Organizer
• Enterprise Content Management
• ECM
• Information Architecture