SharePoint 2013 – Content Deployment fails with error “Microsoft.SharePoint.SPGlobal.HandleComException(COMException comEx) at Microsoft.SharePoint.Library.SPRequest.ImportNavigationXml”

After migrating a SharePoint 2007 environment to SharePoint 2013, I encountered countless nightmares during content deployment. I plan to consolidate the whole story in a separate blog.

But thought it would be useful to blog this immediately for those out there still using Content deployment in SharePoint 2013.

Import was failing and the error in ImportExport log was:

[*/*/2014 4:16:21 AM] Verbose: Performing final fixups.

[*/*/2014 4:16:53 AM] FatalError: Cannot complete this action.

Please try again.

[*/*/2014 4:16:53 AM] Debug:    at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPGlobal.HandleComException(COMException comEx)

at Microsoft.SharePoint.Library.SPRequest.ImportNavigationXml(String bstrUrlWeb, String bstrNavXml, Boolean fClearNavigation)

at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.ImportObjectManager.ImportWebStructure()

at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.SPImport.DeserializeObjects()

at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.SPImport.Run()

[*/*/2014 4:17:21 AM] Progress: Import did not complete.

We finally had to open a case with Microsoft and they confirmed it was a bug fixed by http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2837677  and the specific issue is (as one of the issues listed in that KB)

When you use PRIME to import a site in SharePoint Server 2013, the import fails if global navigation is not inherited.

Describe the problem

Import-SPWeb and Content Deployment does not work in SharePoint 2013 if the site structure contains at least one subsite which does not inherit global navigation.

Here are steps took in order to reproduce the navigation error using PRIME

1. Created a new Site Collection in a Web Application based on Publishing
2. Created a new Sub-Site under this Site Collection.  I chose the option “no” for “Use the top link bar from the parent site”
3. After creating, exported the top level Site using export-spweb
4. Then created a new Site Collection with the option to “choose a template later”
5. Imported the top level Site that was exported in step 3 to the new Site Collection using import-spweb
6. This failed with the error:

So, the final solution provided by Microsoft was

1. Install the hotfix http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2837677
2. or Install the December 2013 CU http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;2850024
3. or better yet, install SharePoint 2013 SP1  http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2850035

We went with option 1,  hotfix http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2837677 and I am happy to say that content deployment completed successfully.

Yet another lesson that SharePoint achieves reasonable stability only with Service Pack.