Cannot delete FAST Search Service Application

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Recently I tried to delete a FAST Search service application using central admin (Manage Service Applications). When I hit delete I was presented with this error message:

An update conflict has occurred, and you must re-try this action

Next I tried power shell:

$ssa = Get-SPEnterpriseSearchServiceApplication -id “464b5960-b0c5-4e44-9af4-24cae0dc33b3”
$ssa.unprovision(1)

$ssa = Get-SPEnterpriseSearchServiceApplication -id “464b5960-b0c5-4e44-9af4-24cae0dc33b3”
$ssa.Delete();

NOTE: Get the search service ID from central admin by hovering over the application service link.

Again I was presented with a similar error:

PS C:\Users\mark>;;;;;;;;;; $ssa.unprovision(1)
Exception calling “Unprovision” with “1” argument(s): “An update conflict has occurred, and you must re-try this action. The object SearchServiceApplication Name=FAST Search Query was updated by domain\user in the OWSTIMER (2428) process, on machine SERVER_NAME. View the tracing log for more information about
the conflict.”
At line:1 char:17
+ $ssa.unprovision <;;;;;;;;;;<;;;;;;;;;;<;;;;;;;;;;<;;;;;;;;;; (1)
+ CategoryInfo : NotSpecified: (:) [], MethodInvocationException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : DotNetMethodException

Next I gave stsadm a go:

stsadm.exe -o deleteconfigurationobject -id “464b5960-b0c5-4e44-9af4-24cae0dc33b3”

Still no luck:

An update conflict has occurred, and you must re-try this action. The object SearchServiceApplication Name=FAST Search Query was updated by domian\user, in
the OWSTIMER (2428) process, on machine SERVER_NAME. View the tracing log for more information about the conflict.

At this point I was stumped so turned to the Internet and found a possible solution on Jeff DeVerter’s blog. Here’s the solution:

  • Stop the Windows SharePoint Services Timer service (Found in Windows Services)
  • Navigate to the cache folder
    In Windows Server 2008, the configuration cache is in the following location:
    Drive:\ProgramData\Microsoft\SharePoint\Config
    In Windows Server 2003, the configuration cache is in the following location:
    Drive:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microsoft\SharePoint\Config
    Locate the folder that has the file “Cache.ini”
    (Note: The Application Data folder may be hidden. To view the hidden folder, change the folder options as required)
  • Back up the Cache.ini file.
  • Delete all the XML configuration files in the GUID folder. Do this so that you can verify that the GUID folder is replaced by new XML configuration files when the cache is rebuilt.
  • Note When you empty the configuration cache in the GUID folder, make sure that you do not delete the GUID folder and the Cache.ini file that is located in the GUID folder.
  • Double-click the Cache.ini file.
  • On the Edit menu, click Select All. On the Edit menu, click Delete. Type 1, and then click Save on the File menu. On the File menu, click Exit.
  • Start the Windows SharePoint Services Timer service
  • Note The file system cache is re-created after you perform this procedure. Make sure that you perform this procedure on all servers in the server farm.
  • Make sure that the Cache.ini file in the GUID folder now contains its previous value. For example, make sure that the value of the Cache.ini file is not 1.

Now I’m able to delete the FAST Search service application using central admin, power shell and stsadm successfully.

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