Error: "Server not found" when installing App Portal 2017 R2

[#1]

Summary

When installing App Portal 2017 R2, a "Server not Found" error might be encountered

Symptoms

When installing App Portal 2017 R2, the following error might be encountered when clicking the Next button on the Logon Information dialog:

"Server not found. Verify that the specified server exists. The server name cannot be empty."



Deselecting the "Validate Account and Password" checkbox should allow you to proceed to the next dialog, however clicking on the Next button for the App Portal Settings dialog does not allow you to proceed with the installation.

Cause

The App Portal installer uses the Computer Browser Service to validate credentials during the installation. In some cases the Computer Browser Service even when enabled, does not validate the credentials specified and throws the above error. Deselecting the "Validate Account and Password" checkbox should allow to proceed with the installation without validating the credentials, but there's bug with the installer where it doesn't.

Resolution

Enable the Computer Browser Service under the Windows Services view.

Workaround

If the "server not found" error persists after the computer browser service is enabled, the issue can be worked around by running the installer with the following command to bypass the validation on the specified credentials:

AppPortalSetup_2017_R2.exe /v"VALIDATE_SERVICE_ACCOUNT=\"\"" /vIS_NET_API_NET_VALID_USER=1

Please ensure the credentials entered are valid since the validation step is going to be skipped.