SCCM 2012 – Odd problem in MDT Task Sequence

I’m using Configuration Manager 2012 Beta 2 with MDT 2012 Beta 1 to create task sequences for OSD. This error bugged me for days before I found a fix. The error code 0x80004005 is apparently an access denied error. Most of the forums on this error point to certificate issues or permissions issues. Having checked the certificates and permissions, re-created the task sequence, re-created packages and re-distributed everything I was still getting the same error.

The SMSTS.LOG file looks like this:

<![LOG[Executing Policy Body Request.]LOG]!><time="09:13:02.784-60" date="07-07-2011" component="TSMBootstrap" context="" type="0" thread="1064" file="tspolicy.cpp:2010">
<![LOG[Using Authenticator for policy]LOG]!><time="09:13:02.784-60" date="07-07-2011" component="TSMBootstrap" context="" type="1" thread="1064" file="libsmsmessaging.cpp:4448">
<![LOG[CLibSMSMessageWinHttpTransport::Send: URL: SCCMServer:80  GET /SMS_MP/.sms_pol?ScopeId_647BE467-0336-4ECD-9411-6BEDD13345A/AuthList_4b3c67e6-43bb-4f8d-8362-3504308e3452/VI.SHA256:GHFSD3456DHDSGH91FE949D8A0445EFA08701D81C984564]LOG]!><time="09:13:02.784-60" date="07-07-2011" component="TSMBootstrap" context="" type="1" thread="1064" file="libsmsmessaging.cpp:8720">
<![LOG[Request was succesful – 200]LOG]!><time="09:13:02.877-60" date="07-07-2011" component="TSMBootstrap" context="" type="0" thread="1064" file="libsmsmessaging.cpp:9046">
<![LOG[cannot load compressed XML policy]LOG]!><time="09:13:04.018-60" date="07-07-2011" component="TSMBootstrap" context="" type="3" thread="1064" file="libsmsmessaging.cpp:4617">
<![LOG[oPolicy.RequestPolicy((GetPolicyFlags() & POLICY_SECURE) != 0, (GetPolicyFlags() & POLICY_COMPRESS) != 0), HRESULT=80004005 (e:\\nts_sccm_retail\\sms\\framework\\tscore\\tspolicy.cpp,2014)]LOG]!><time="09:13:04.018-60" date="07-07-2011" component="TSMBootstrap" context="" type="0" thread="1064" file="tspolicy.cpp:2014">
<![LOG[Failed to download policy ScopeId_647BE467-0336-4ECD-9411-6BEDD13345A/AuthList_4b3c67e6-43bb-4f8d-8362-3504308e3452/VI (Code 0x80004005).]LOG]!><time="09:13:04.018-60" date="07-07-2011" component="TSMBootstrap" context="" type="3" thread="1064" file="tspolicy.cpp:2014">
<![LOG[DownloadPolicyBody(), HRESULT=80004005 (e:\\nts_sccm_retail\\sms\\framework\\tscore\\tspolicy.cpp,2100)]LOG]!><time="09:13:04.018-60" date="07-07-2011" component="TSMBootstrap" context="" type="0" thread="1064" file="tspolicy.cpp:2100">

I used the free text search feature in SCCM to search all objects for the string after AuthList_ 4b3c67e6-43bb-4f8d-8362-3504308e3452

The search returned 2 related objects:

A configuration Item in Assets and Compliance.

A software update group in the Software Library.

Checking the properties of these, it appeared that there was no security scope set on the configuration item. When I tried to set the security scope, Config Mgr crashed. I looked in Assets and Compliance and the item wasn’t there. So I ran the search again and deleted the item from the search results. The item was applied to a collection that included the machine running the TS. When I re-ran the task sequence, the error was gone! It goes to show how something seemingly unrelated to the task sequence can cause problems with it.

Some more SCCM 2012 gotcha’s here:

http://scug.be/blogs/nico/archive/2011/04/26/sccm-2012-odd-issues.aspx