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Alteryx Server Knowledge Base

Definitive answers from Server experts.

Error: "An unknown error occurred during authentication with your Windows credentials" after Server upgrade to 2020.1

asmith
Alteryx Alumni (Retired)
Created

Environment Details


  • MUST BE ON OR UPGRADING TO: Alteryx Server Version 2020.1.5
  • Upgrading/upgraded from prior Alteryx Server Version
  • Embedded MongoDB, User Managed is not handled in this scope but generic steps can still be followed
  • Windows Authentication set for Alteryx Gallery
 
Error: An unknown error occurred during authentication with your Windows credentials. 


idea Skyscrapers

Cause


When upgrading to Alteryx Server Version 2020.1 there are major changes to the Alteryx Database. Namely the users collection/table in the Alteryx Gallery database is updated heavily. During our migration we reference a specific table called windowsIdentity, but in reality this table is called windowsIdentitys. With this known, the users table/collection is updated with an object called windowsIdentity and written with all null fields inside of it. Causing users to get the login error on Alteryx Gallery.

Resolution


REQUIREMENTS:
  • There must be a database backup PRIOR to the 2020.1.5 upgrade or to the service starting on 2020.1.5. If the database migration was already begun, then this process will not work.

There are references to AlteryxDir in the commands below. This will be the installation directory that you have specified during your installation. The default location is C:\Program Files\Alteryx\bin. This will be the directory with AlteryxService.exe in it.
For example:
"AlteryxDir\AlteryxService.exe" emongorestore=path to backup location,path to restore to
Might be entered as
"C:\Program Files\Alteryx\bin\AlteryxService.exe" emongorestore= "C:\Alteryx Backups",C:\ProgramData\Alteryx\Service\Persistence\MongoDB
These steps are specifically for Alteryx Server Version 2020.1.5.

If planning to upgrade to 2020.1.5 Please use steps 1 and 3-7 using your current database rather than a restored database. Then start and complete the installation for 2020.1.5.

NOTE: Some of these commands ARE case sensitive and should be applied exactly as they are written.
  1. Stop the AlteryxService.
  2. Open an administrative command prompt and restore a backup of your database prior to the upgrade using the following command (More information regarding backups can be found in the Help and in Community.) 
    "AlteryxDir\AlteryxService.exe" emongorestore=‹path to backup location,‹path to restore to
  3. In the same administrative command prompt once the restore is completed, start the database independently with the following command: 
    "AlteryxDir\mongod.exe" --dbpath "path restored to"
  4. Open a second administrative command prompt instance and enter the following command to connect to the database:
    "AlteryxDir\mongo.exe" AlteryxGallery
  5. When inside the mongo shell (after previous command) enter the following command to rename the windowsIdentitys collection to windowsIdentity:
    db.windowsIdentitys.renameCollection("windowsIdentity")
  6. Enter the following command to verify the rename was successful, it should be the last named collection in the returned list:
    db.getCollectionNames()
  7. Once verified, enter CTRL+C into the command prompt with the mongo shell, then enter CTRL+C into the first shell that was starting the mongo database instance.
  8. Go through Alteryx System Settings and point the Data Folder in the Controller->Persistence page to the database folder you restored the backup to. Path\Restored\To
  9. Finish the Alteryx System Settings confirming that the rest of the settings match what you had previously, this will restart the Alteryx Service.
  10. Then the Alteryx Gallery should successfully complete the migration and implement the correct and updated schema for all users. Users should now be able to login to the gallery interface.
Comments
ciejer
5 - Atom

By restoring this, will we lose any workflows published since the upgrade? We've had to temporarily disable windows signon, to keep our team working. It looks like this fix will wipe their work, is there an upcoming workaround that will allow them to keep their work?
Thanks - Chris

levell_x_dunn
10 - Fireball

We attempted to upgrade to 2020.2 and ran into the same issue

shnair
5 - Atom

Alteryx Support assisted us with the upgrade of Alteryx Server from 2019.4 over to 2020.1.5 by following the steps mentioned above. Can someone confirm if we are supposed to follow the same steps again before upgrading from 2020.1.5 to 2020.2?

 

 

Thanks!

lepome
Alteryx Alumni (Retired)

@shnair 
In theory, yes, you should be fine.  You'll notice I used weasel words.  Just in case there are issues,

  1. Make absolutely sure you have a good MongoDB backup. 
  2. Don't delete or overwrite your backup of the 2019.4 MongoDB from before you upgraded last time.
  3. Check your current MongoDB to make certain that you don't have any collections named <name>MigrationInProgress_xx (e.g. usersMigrationInProgress_26).  You can do that with a MongoDB Input tool.no MigrationInProgress.png
  4. Verify that all the users in the "users" collection of the MongoDB have SIDs populated in the field WindowsIdentitys.Sid.  (Yes, we spelled identities wrong and now we're stuck with it.)
  5. Verify that any subscriptions that are Type = 2 (Paid) have appropriate ExpDate set  OR change their subscription types from "Paid" to Free before upgrading.

If any of these looks like it's going to be an issue, you can either try it on your own, and if it doesn't work roll back AND restore the backed up database, or contact Support and explain your concerns.  (As always, include descriptions and screen shots liberally, and be sure to indicate what version you have and what version you're upgrading to.)

jasonMMedina
7 - Meteor

Less related to an upgrade, however Alteryx support helped resolve this error message so I wanted to share the fix.

 

Below suggestion requires both admin permissions and MongoDB access.  Be cautious and back up your MongoDB before making any major changes.  The change mentioned below is not a major change, however be cautious with production applications.

 

From Alteryx Server (admin permissions needed): 

  • Using Robo3T (or Mongo Compass), sign onto the MongoDB to access the USERS collection under AlteryxGallery DB.

*Note the Alteryx user profile will have both the userName and user.email needed for below commands

  • Open a windows command prompt as administrator.
    • Run this command to find the security id (sid) for the user who cannot logon
      • wmic useraccount where name="userName" get sid
  • Back in MongoDB under AlteryxGallery DB in users collection
    • Run this command to find the sid for the affected user
    • db.getCollection('users').find({"Email" : "user.email@goes-here.com"}) 

If the sid from wmic is different, then right click the current sid to edit document and update with new value from wmic. Validate and save.

If the sid is not different, then there might be another issue where Alteryx support can assist.