Monthly Archives: August 2014

System Center 2012 R2 - The user account running the Configuration Manager console has insufficient permissions to read information from the Configuration Manager site database

Symptom: When any user account, other than the individual who originally configured SCCM, tries to manage System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM), they are presented with the following error:

The user account running the Configuration Manager console has insufficient permissions to read information from the Configuration Manager site database.  The account must belong to a security role in Configuration Manager.  The account must also have the Windows Server Distributed Componenet Object Model (DCOM) Remote Activation permission for the computer running the Configuration Manager site server and the SMS Provider. Configuration Manager cannot connect to the site - System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager

Solution: We need to provide a list of users/groups to have access to System Center through the configuration console.  Follow the steps below on how to grant access.

  1.  Open up the System Center Configuration Manager Console System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager Console - Task Bar
  2. Select Administration
    System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Administration
  3. Expand Security, select Administrative Users, and select Add User or Group at the top
    System Center 2012 R2 - Administration - Security - Administrative Users - Add User or Group
  4. Click the Browse button to add security group or user you wish to add for the User or group name
    1. Note about Domain Admins: the first group you might try to add is Domain Admins, however if you add that group you will notice that users in this group will still be unable to open the console.  This is due to the behavior of user context logged in.  If UAC is enabled on the machine, you won't have access to the SCCM you login to the machine with a domain admin account, unless you right click on the console and run it is Administrator.  If you want this to work as intended, you will need to create a new security group in Active Directory, add Domain Admins to it, and then specify that group in SCCM.
  5. Click the Add... button
    System Center 2012 R2 - Administration - Security - Administrative Users - Add User or Group - Add
  6. Check Full Administrator, and click OK
    System Center 2012 R2 - Administration - Security - Administrative Users - Add User or Group - Add - Add Security Role
  7. Click OK
    System Center 2012 R2 - Administration - Security - Administrative Users - Add User or Group - Group and Security Roles assigned
  8. The end result should now look like this.  At this point, any member or group inside of SCCM Admins should have access to manage SCCM now via the console.
    System Center 2012 R2 - Administration - Security - Administrative Users - Security Group and User

How to install .NET Framework 3.5 on Windows Server 2012 and Windows Server 2012 R2

Symptom: When trying to add the .NET Framework 3.5 feature through the Add Roles and Features Wizard in Server 2012 (R2), you receive the following error:

Do you need to specify an alternate source path?  One or more installation selections are missing source files on the destination server.  The server will try to get missing source files from Windows Update, or from a location that is specified by Group Policy.  You can also click the "Specify an alternate source path" link on this page to provide a valid location for the source files.

NET Framework 3-5 - Do you need to specify an alternate source path

Solution: Complete the steps below to manually install .NET Framework 3.5 from the Server 2012 (R2) installation media.  You can complete this task via command line or via the wizard.

  1. Option 1: Command Line
    1. Insert the Windows Sever 2012 installation media
      Server 2012 - Installation Media
    2. Open up an elevated command prompt
      Elevated Command Prompt
    3. Execute the following command
      1. dism /Online /Enable-Feature /FeatureName:NetFX3 /All /Source:D:\Sources\SxS\ /LimitAccess
        dism netfx3 from disk

        1. Here is a breakdown of the following command:
          /Online                 - Targets the running operating system.
          /Enable-Feature - Enables a specific feature in the image.
          /All                          - Enables all parent features of the specified feature.
          /LimitAccess        - Prevents DISM from contacting WU/WSUS.
  2. Option 2: GUI
    1. Insert the Windows Sever 2012 installation media
      Server 2012 - Installation Media
    2. On the Add Roles and Features wizard, click on Specify an alternate source path
      NET Framework 3-5 - Specify an alternate source path
    3. Enter D:\Sources\SxS\ to point to the Server 2012
      NET Framework 3-5 - Specify an alternate source path - Dialog

Once done installing through the GUI or command prompt, if you navigate back to the Add Roles and Features Wizard, you should see the feature has been successfully installed now.

Add Roles and Features Wizard - Server 2012 R2 - NET Framework 3