SP 2010: Access Services ‘Unexpected error occurred while running macro’

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Problem:
End-user created a web site from the Projects Web Database site template and upon browsing to the home page of that site would receive an ‘Unexpected error occurred while running macro’ message:
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Resolution:
The user did not know it but they had invoked Access Services by creating a site from the Projects Web Database template so that allowed me to narrow down my troubleshooting scope. I checked to see if Access Services was turned on in the farm and yes it was. Upon further research I discovered that if Access Services is activated on an Application Server you will also need to turn on the Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Web application Service, thus turning that machine into a WFE/APP server. Problem with this approach is that it could affect your licensing agreement because licensing depends on the number of WFE’s your farm has.

User decided to do this instead:

  • start the Access Database Service on an existing WFE(s)
  • stop the Access Database service on the APP server(s)

Fight Comparison
Mike Tyson vs Frank Bruno I…Frank Bruno was a big, monstrous guy, but Mike was fearless and took him out in the 5th. This error looked more complex than it really was….just like Frank Bruno.