An item with the same key has already been added. at Microsoft.SharePoint.Portal.Search.Admin.Pages.SearchAdminPageBase.ErrorHandler(Object sender, EventArgs e)

Question

When I go to the Search Settings page in Shared Services Administration I get the following error:

An item with the same key has already been added.   at Microsoft.SharePoint.Portal.Search.Admin.Pages.SearchAdminPageBase.ErrorHandler(Object sender, EventArgs e) 
    at Microsoft.SharePoint.Portal.Search.Admin.Pages.SearchSSPAdminPageBase.OnError(EventArgs e) 
    at System.Web.UI.Page.HandleError(Exception e) 
    at System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequestMain(Boolean includeStagesBeforeAsyncPoint, Boolean includeStagesAfterAsyncPoint) 
    at System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequest(Boolean includeStagesBeforeAsyncPoint, Boolean includeStagesAfterAsyncPoint) 
    at System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequest() 
    at System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequestWithNoAssert(HttpContext context) 
    at System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequest(HttpContext context) 
    at ASP._layouts_searchsspsettings_aspx.ProcessRequest(HttpContext context) in c:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\Temporary ASP.NET Files\root\a42c7134\78054c78\App_Web_searchsspsettings.aspx.2a428413.ycx33rzy.0.cs:line 0 
    at System.Web.HttpApplication.CallHandlerExecutionStep.System.Web.HttpApplication.IExecutionStep.Execute() 
    at System.Web.HttpApplication.ExecuteStep(IExecutionStep step, Boolean& completedSynchronously)

Any idea how I can get rid of this error?

Answer 1

These generic errors need a more trial-and-error approach:

• Check the Event Viewer, it probably has the actual error in there
• Try Running the SharePoint Products and Technologies Configuration Wizard (not changing any configuration)
• Try also clearing the Crawler Definitions (if you can reach it), ask in the comments and I could give you the direct url to it.

Another idea would be that, this could be a duplicate, say, in the Resource files (Globalization for example) so you could be dealing with permissions, missing files etc, reinstalling the product in another server and restoring the SSP there would be a good idea, you could rule out alot of these problems.

Lastly if nothing helps, it could be a problem in your SPS_Search Database, I would suggest deleting the SSP entirely and rebuilding it, a broken request when configuring it could have send corrupt data to the database.