Error: "The Thread is Already in Background Processing Mode (0x80070190)" when Task Registration Fails

Products

• Client Management Suite
• IT Management Suite

Issue/Introduction

Endpoints are not registering to their task server and the task server in this situation is most likely the Symantec Management Platform (SMP) server itself.  

Your endpoint may show something like the following image:

Failed to update configuration
Error: The thread is already in background processing mode (0x80070190)

When reviewing the SMP server you may see that the registration to itself is also not working.  You also may see something similar to the following image:

Failed to update configuration
Error: HTTP error occurred (0x80042D21)

Environment

ITMS 8.x

Cause

Increased SMP logging verbosities in addition to extended verbosities.

Resolution

To verify this issue you may work through the following steps:

• The console is accessible and responsive when navigating it.  The URL to access the console is http://localhost/Altiris/NS.
• When attempting to navigate to http://localhost/Altiris/NS/Agent it never loads.  The expected response should be an immediate error.
• In IIS Management if you navigate to Application Pools, find the Symantec Agent AppPool, right click it and choose recycle, now agent registration happens without a problem.
• You may also notice that there are no NSEs processing on the SMP server in C:\ProgramData\Symantec\SMP\EventQueue\EvtQueue.  In a functioning production SMP server you would normally see files quickly moving in and out of that directory.
• You may have a backup of NSE files locally on the endpoint under C:\Program Files\Altiris\Altiris Agent\Queue\SMP.example.com

Resolution

• On the SMP server open the Altiris Log Viewer by right clicking it and choosing to run as administrator
  • Click on Options and choose Log Options
    • You should only have Errors, Warnings, and Informational checked.  If Trace, Verbose and Debug are checked, then uncheck them.
  • Click on Options and choose Extended Verbosities
    • Start by clicking on SMP Core and then use the keyboard combination of CTRL and click Apply.  This will set the values back to default values.  You may need to go through all extended verbosities to reset them back to default.
• Monitor the SMP server and you should see operations return to normal