Invalid root node configured for pages. No root node with the name of "xxx" error - Progress Community

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Invalid root node configured for pages. No root node with the name of "xxx" error

This article provides information for error: Invalid root node configured for pages. No root node with the name of "FrontendSiteMap" error when setting up the project in another environment.

Jun 3, 2020
Knowledge

Title

Invalid root node configured for pages. No root node with the name of "xxx" error

URL Name

Invalid-root-node-configured-for-pages-No-root-node-with-the-name-of-FrontendSiteMap-error

Article Number

000187992

Environment

Product: Sitefinity Version: 7.x, 8.x, 9.x, 10.x, 11.x, 12.x, 13.x, 14.x, 15.x OS: All supported OS versions Database: All supported Microsoft SQL Server versions

Question/Problem Description

Deploying Sitefinity project to a web server results in "Invalid root node configured for pages. No root node with the name of "FrontendSiteMap” " error when browsing the frontend of the site.
An error with message "Invalid root node configured for pages. No root node with the name of "BackendSiteMap" " is observed when requesting the backend pages.
"Invalid root node configured for pages" when accessing backend.

Steps to Reproduce

Clarifying Information

Error Message

1. Invalid root node configured for pages. No root node with the name of "FrontendSiteMap". Exception Details: System.Configuration.ConfigurationErrorsException: Invalid root node configured for pages. No root node with the name of "FrontendSiteMap". Stack Trace: [ConfigurationErrorsException : Invalid root node configured for pages. No root node with the name of "FrontendSiteMap". Telerik.Sitefinity.Web.SiteMapBase.Initialize(String name, NameValueCollection attributes) +1378 Telerik.Sitefinity.Web.SiteMapBase.GetSiteMapProvider(String rootName) +368 Telerik.Sitefinity.Web.SitefinityRoute.GetRouteData(HttpContextBase httpContext) +67 System.Web.Routing.RouteCollection.GetRouteData(HttpContextBase httpContext)...] 2. Invalid root node configured for pages. No root node with the name of "BackendSiteMap". Source : Telerik.Sitefinity Help link : BareMessage : Invalid root node configured for pages. No root node with the name of "BackendSiteMap". Filename : Line : 0 Errors : System.Configuration.ConfigurationException[] Data : System.Collections.ListDictionaryInternal TargetSite : Void Initialize(System.String, System.Collections.Specialized.NameValueCollection) HResult : -2146232062 Stack Trace : at Telerik.Sitefinity.Web.SiteMapBase.Initialize(String name, NameValueCollection attributes) 3. Type : System.Configuration.ConfigurationErrorsException, System.Configuration, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a Message : Invalid root node configured for pages. No root node with the name of "00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000". Source : Telerik.Sitefinity Help link : BareMessage : Invalid root node configured for pages. No root node with the name of "00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000". Filename : Line : 0 Errors : System.Configuration.ConfigurationException[] Data : System.Collections.ListDictionaryInternal TargetSite : Void Initialize(System.String, System.Collections.Specialized.NameValueCollection) HResult : -2146232062 Stack Trace : at Telerik.Sitefinity.Web.SiteMapBase.Initialize(String name, NameValueCollection attributes)

Defect Number

Enhancement Number

Cause

The error might be caused by:

1. The project name has been changed - the name of the project is not the same as this one used when the project was installed.

2. The database user is different in development and in production environment.

3. The connection to the database is lost.

4. Mismatch between the IDs of the default site and siteMapRootNodeId present in the ProjectConfig file and the correspondent IDs in the table sf_sites.

5. The database user used to connect to the database does not have permission over the schema and the database, the user is not the owner of the database.

6. The database is missing some of the Sitefinity tables (e.g. if they are deleted) the site will not start as the database is corrupted. If there is a missing database table the site will not start when running at local sql server too.

7. Site being hosted in Microsoft Azure environment and scale up/ scale down activity was performed.

Resolution

1. Check App_Data\Sitefinity\Configuration\ProjectConfig.config file and projectName attribute.

If the production database has been upgraded locally and then re-uploaded on the production server, take the configuration files from the locally upgraded project and put them on the web server. The only thing the needs to be modified is the connection string to the database located in App_Data/Sitefinity/Configuration/DataConfig.config or the web.config.

Open sf_page_node table in the database and make sure that the value of the app_name column for all records is [ProjectName Same as in ProjectConfig.config].

2. The database user has to be the db_owner and using dbo scheme in development and production environment.

db owner

For example, if the user is db_owner it creates tables with dbo.tableName, if it is not db_owner tables are userName.tableName, which are two different tables.

3. Check the connection string to the database in the App_Data/Sitefinity/Configuration/DataConfig.config or web.config file whether it is correct.

4. If hosting the site on a hosting provider where a new database user cannot be created, create the user needed for the production server in development and when the database is backed up, the user will be transferred with the backup.

5. The Identity assigned to the application pool needs to be db_owner of the membership and db schema and should be able to perform all CRUD operations including create and drop. Refer to the IMPORTANT clause of the following article for more details: https://www.progress.com/documentation/sitefinity-cms/configure-and-start-a-project
This is important because the website will use this identity to connect and interact with the database.

6. The App_Data/Sitefinity/Configuration folder is missing (it may not be deployed if the site encounters this after deployment)

7. This is a problem caused by the environment where the site is hosted. When scaling activity occurs the storage account that manages the site files has experienced a problem. This may lead to losing some of the site files.
In this case, contact Azure support for assistance. The options that may solve the problem and are Azure environment-related are:
1. Local Caching (https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/app-service/overview-local-cache) - this will ensure the site files are always preserved and can`t be lost
2. Auto Heal (https://azure.github.io/AppService/2018/09/10/Announcing-the-New-Auto-Healing-Experience-in-App-Service-Diagnostics.html) - this ensures that a notification will be available when the site experiences such problem.

Workaround

Notes

References to Other Documentation:
Progress Sitefinity Documentation, Setup the project https://www.progress.com/documentation/sitefinity-cms/configure-and-start-a-project

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Last Modified Date

1/30/2026 11:26 AM

Sitefinity CloudSitefinity Bugs & IssuesSitefinity Front & Back-End DevelopmentSitefinity Upgrading

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Invalid root node configured for pages. No root node with the name of "xxx" error - Progress Community