Network Management

Unexpected website error when editing nodes in Orion Platform

Trending issue after installing Windows security updates - When you try to edit a node, an unexpected website error appears. Error: The formatter threw an exception while trying to deserialize the message: There was an error while trying to deserialize parameter http://schemas.solarwinds.com/2008/C...hOptionsResult. The InnerException message was ''EndElement' 'Comparer' from namespace '' is not expected. Expecting element '_compareInfo'.'. Please see InnerException for more details. Endelement

First published date

10/30/2018 2:31 PM

Last published date

2/25/2025 7:50 PM

Overview

This may happen when trying to rebuild the Orion website, the error will show:

There was an error deserializing the object of type
The data at the root level is invalid


Or you may get the error:
After you install the latest Microsoft® Windows Server® updates and attempt to edit, add or un manage your nodes assigned to a polling engine, the following website error appears:

The formatter threw an exception while trying to deserialize the message: There was an error while trying to deserialize parameter http://schemas.solarwinds.com/2008/C...hOptionsResult. The InnerException message was ''EndElement' 'Comparer' from namespace '' is not expected. Expecting element '_compareInfo'.'. Please see InnerException for more details.

 

 

Product section

Network Performance Monitor

Cause

  • Missing Windows Updates
  • Mismatch of .NET versions on one or more SolarWinds servers.
  • Missing August 2018 or later .NET Rollup Windows update on one or more SolarWinds servers

Resolution

Resolution 1

  • Complete/install ALL Windows updates on the server

Resolution 2

  1. Ensure the same .NET version is installed on all SolarWinds servers. (.NET v4.8 for Orion 2019.4 and newer).

Active Diagnostics can be updated to version 1.9.0 or later, which includes a built-in check to look at all the SolarWinds Servers in this instance and determine if you have a mismatch of .NET.

Manual verification of this can be done through the registry on each SolarWinds Server.

 

You can find the .NET Framework versions by viewing the registry (.NET Framework 4.5 and later). 

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP\v4\Full

Example of mismatch:

  • Main poller on .NET Framework 4.6.2 (394802)
  • APE poller on .NET Framework 4.7.1 (460805)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP\v4\Full\1033,Release

.NET VERSION

VALUE

.NET Framework 4.5378389
.NET Framework 4.5.1 installed with Windows 8.1378675
.NET Framework 4.5.1 installed on Windows 8, Windows 7 SP1, or Windows Vista SP2378758
.NET Framework 4.5.2379893
.NET Framework 4.6 installed with Windows 10393295
.NET Framework 4.6 installed on all other Windows OS versions393297
.NET Framework 4.6.1 installed on Windows 10394254
.NET Framework 4.6.1 installed on all other Windows OS versions394271
.NET Framework 4.6.2 installed on Windows 10 Anniversary Update394802
.NET Framework 4.6.2 installed on all other Windows OS versions394806
.NET Framework 4.7 installed on Windows 10 Creators Update460798
.NET Framework 4.7 installed on all other Windows OS versions460805
.NET Framework 4.7.1 installed on Windows 10 Fall Creators Update461308
.NET Framework 4.7.1 installed on all other Windows OS versions461310
.NET Framework 4.7.2 installed on Windows 10 April 2018 Update461808
.NET Framework 4.7.2 installed on all other Windows OS versions461814
.NET Framework 4.8 installed on Windows 10 May 2019 Update528040
.NET Framework 4.8 installed on all other Windows OS versions528049

 

  1. Ensure the August 2018 or later .NET Rollup has been installed on each SolarWinds for your specific OS and specific version of .NET:
Microsoft created advisory article https://github.com/dotnet/announcements/issues/81 and final fix that solves the issue. (© 2018 Microsoft Corporation, available at https://github.com, obtained on December 10, 2018).
Microsoft: "We have released an update for .NET Framework 4.6 and later that resolves the issue. You must deploy the .NET Framework update for this issue to all .NET Framework 4.6+ machines that communicate via serialized objects. After doing that, cross-machine serialization will work as expected."
(© 2018 Microsoft Corporation, available at https://github.com, obtained on December 10, 2018)
Summary: Final fix is included in .NET Framework August 2018 Preview of Quality Rollup or later.
(© 2018 Microsoft Corporation, available at blogs.msdn.microsoft.com, obtained on December 10, 2018)
List of Microsoft .NET rollup updates after the August preview update that resolved the issue:

September 2018
https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/dotnet/2018/09/11/net-framework-september-2018-security-and-quality-rollup/ (© 2019 Microsoft Corporation, available at blogs.msdn.microsoft.com, obtained on January 29, 2019)

October 2018
https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/dotnet/2018/10/09/net-framework-october-2018-security-and-quality-rollup/ (© 2019 Microsoft Corporation, available at blogs.msdn.microsoft.com, obtained on January 29, 2019)

November 2018
https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/dotnet/2018/11/13/net-framework-november-2018-security-and-quality-rollup/ (© 2019 Microsoft Corporation, available at blogs.msdn.microsoft.com, obtained on January 29, 2019)

December 2018
https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/dotnet/2018/12/11/net-framework-december-2018-security-and-quality-rollup/ (© 2019 Microsoft Corporation, available at blogs.msdn.microsoft.com, obtained on January 29, 2019)

January 2019
https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/dotnet/2019/01/08/net-framework-january-2019-security-and-quality-rollup/ (© 2019 Microsoft Corporation, available at blogs.msdn.microsoft.com, obtained on January 11, 2019)

February 2019
https://devblogs.microsoft.com/dotnet/net-framework-february-2019-security-and-quality-rollup/
(© 2019 Microsoft Corporation, available at blogs.msdn.microsoft.com, obtained on May 21, 2019)

March 2019
https://devblogs.microsoft.com/dotnet/net-framework-march-2019-update/
(© 2019 Microsoft Corporation, available at blogs.msdn.microsoft.com, obtained on May 21, 2019)
 
  1. Having the same .NET version of each SolarWinds server is required, and while not a strict requirement, the same .NET version on different OS levels across the environment may behave differently. This can also help prevent running into future issues, so do consider updating your servers to the same OS version and patching the SolarWinds servers in the instance at the same time with the same patch cycle. It is entirely possible Microsoft change other DLLs or add security updates in the future that prevent communication between the SolarWinds Servers if there is some mismatch.

SolarWinds Patch Manager can help you streamline this task.

 

In case All .NET Framework matches on all polling engines, Do the following:

  1. Check if all updates on the main Poller is available on the APE.
  2. Go to Control Panel > Programs and features > View installed updates.
  3. Once confirmed that they have different updates, apply windows update on the non working polling engine  (should be done on their end)
  4. Then check and edit node assign to that polling engine in question.