Access is denied: Could not create metadata cache directory

Question

After installing a web application that interacts with the TFS API for Work items I get an exception. This works fine on Windows XP, but I'm sure there is a problem with the permissions on some folder, any idea what folder I should give permission to?

Access is denied.
(Windows)
Could not create metadata cache directory 'Ơ 耇࿰ƠƠ '. (Work Item Tracking Metadata Cache)
The system cannot find the path specified.
(Windows)
Could not create metadata cache directory 'Ơ 耇࿰ƠƠ '. (Work Item Tracking Metadata Cache)
Could not open file 'ƠਨƠƠƠ'. (Work Item Tracking Metadata Cache)
Access is denied.
(Windows)
Could not create metadata cache directory 'Ơ 耇࿰ƠƠ '. (Work Item Tracking Metadata Cache)
The system cannot find the path specified.
(Windows)
Could not create metadata cache directory 'Ơ 耇࿰ƠƠ '. (Work Item Tracking Metadata Cache)
Could not open file 'ƠਨƠƠƠ'. (Work Item Tracking Metadata Cache)
Could not initialize metadata cache for product '櫠Ԅ╌ԅ⁨ԅ╤ԅ蜁蜁 '. (Work Item Tracking Metadata Cache)
Unspecified error
(Windows)

 

Trace:

UnexpectedErrorException: Cannot complete the operation. An unexpected error occurred.]
   Microsoft.TeamFoundation.WorkItemTracking.Client.DataStore.HandleComException(Int32 hr) +98
   Microsoft.TeamFoundation.WorkItemTracking.Client.DataStore.DatastoreClass.ConnectEx(String connectionString, Int32 hCredentials, String defaultCachePath, String instanceId, String userSamName, String userFriendlyName, String userSid) +379
   Microsoft.TeamFoundation.WorkItemTracking.Client.WorkItemStore.InitializeInternal() +821
   Microsoft.TeamFoundation.WorkItemTracking.Client.WorkItemStore.Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Client.ITeamFoundationServerObject.Initialize(TeamFoundationServer teamFoundationServer) +90
   Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Client.TeamFoundationServer.CreateITFSObjectInstance(Type serviceType) +137
   Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Client.TeamFoundationServer.GetService(Type serviceType) +241
   Microsoft.TeamFoundation.VersionControl.Client.Changeset.get_WorkItemStore() +31
   Microsoft.TeamFoundation.VersionControl.Client.Changeset.get_WorkItems() +24
   TeamFoundationExtensions.Controls.ChangesetRender.ProcessRequest(HttpContext context) in C:\Documents and Settings\sonbje\My Documents\Visual Studio 2005\Workspaces\Automaton\TeamFoundationExtensions\Controls\ChangesetRender.cs:88
   changeset.ProcessRequest(HttpContext context) in c:\Inetpub\www\Automaton\changeset.ashx:11
   System.Web.CallHandlerExecutionStep.System.Web.HttpApplication.IExecutionStep.Execute() +154
   System.Web.HttpApplication.ExecuteStep(IExecutionStep step, Boolean& completedSynchronously) +64

Answer 1

After some heavy use of Reflector I found out the problem is the ClientCacheDirectoryForInstance property on the TeamFoundationServer class.

This property returns the following for Windows XP (IIS 5.1):

C:\Documents and Settings\SONBJE2\ASPNET\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Team Foundation\1.0\Cache\d68b6c57-7fee-440a-b708-054fa006453f_http

While for Windows Server 2003 (IIS 6.0) it returns:

C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Team Foundation\1.0\Cache\d68b6c57-7fee-440a-b708-054fa006453f_http

The problem was fixed by giving IIS_WPG write permission to the Cache folder.

Answer 2

hi! i had the same proble, but i what did was, i deleted the cache data in the server.. then all works fine :)

Answer 3

I fixed this by adding a key to the <appsettings> part of my web.config
<add key="WorkItemTrackingCacheRoot" value="pathtofolder"/>

Allthough the webserver's useraccount should still have write access to this folder it makes it a little easier to setup.

Answer 4

OutStanding!

<appSettings>
<add key="WorkItemTrackingCacheRoot" value="pathtofolder"/>

was absolutely the ticket

THANKS!

Answer 5

Thanks for the information. I would like to add some updates.

In TFS 2008 use C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Team Foundation\2.0\Cache folder.

If you are using the TFS application pool assign the permission to the user defined in the Identity tab (eg. TFSService)

Cenk