Fix “SharePoint Foundation Error” While Opening Documents inside SharePoint

SharePoint is a server software that is associated with document management, content management and with intranet. Generally this is used to manage several documents, websites, content, business, social networking sites, web portals and intelligence processes. But sometimes it leads to data corruption and the entire database gets damaged and the stored data is in risk of getting corrupted. However when database gets damaged then many error messages occur which signifies what it is actually. When user try to open the documents inside SharePoint then they get error message:

“SharePoint Foundation error”

Whatever the error may be, here you can get the complete solution of this error. This error can be due to one of the following:

• Document stored in it cannot be edited because SharePoint Foundation compatible application was unable to found the option to edit the document
• Windows SharePoint services-compatibility application is required to edit document
• Your computer should be supported by Microsoft Office application along with a browser which supports opening of files directly to open the workbook

However the problem can be in more than one office version that is installed on local machine. It can occur anytime and also occur in different versions of OWSSUPP DLL available and not registered properly. This .dll file is linked to your SharePoint OpenDocument Class internet Explorer Add-on and is also the integrated Add-on for opening documents from SharePoint.

How to Check the Version

1. First open internet explorer when you see the error
2. Then click on Tools > manage add-ons
3. After that hit on “SharePoint OpenDocument Class”
4. Now here you can confirm about the versions

• 12.0 – Office 2007
• 14.0 – Office 2010
• 15.0 – Office 2013

NOTE: If you are unable to see SharePoint OpenDocument Class Add-on then you can select “Run without permission”. See the image below:

Steps to Resolve

However to fix the problem, you have disable Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Support in some other versions of office and after that instantly fix office. However mentioned below are the steps to get this.

Follow the below mentioned ways to uninstall ‘Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Support’ for all versions:

For Windows XP:

• First go to Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs
• The applications which are installed and are not the current versions should be removed. Just choose the item and hit on change, select add and after that click on continue.
• At the time of installation, expand office tools and click on Windows SharePoint service support or Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Support, then click on not available and then continue. This should be done for all office programs which are not office 2010
• After that configuration is complete, click office 2010 in add/remove programs, then change, select repair and at last click on continue.

For Vista/Windows 7

• First go to control panel, then programs and then uninstall a program
• For almost every program which is not office 2010 program, select any one and hit on change, select add or remove and then hit on continue.
• Now go to installation option and the on expand office tools, click on windows SharePoint service support or Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Support, select not available and then on continue. This should be done for all office programs which are not office 2010
• After the configuration is complete, hit on programs in office 2010 and then on change, select repair and at last click on continue.

Steps to follow to fix SharePoint Foundation Error

Step 1 – Download and Install SharePoint File Repair Tool on your system. Launch the software and you will see the interface and shown in the image below. You can select either ‘Complete Repair’ or ‘Document Recovery’.

Step 2 – With ‘Complete Repair’, the screen shows options to select and find SQL Server (.MDF) files. Use ‘Search File’ option if you don’t know actual path of the database. Now click on ‘Scan’ to start scanning.

Step 3 – Once the scan process complete, the tool will create a tree of all SharePoint database tables will be demonstrated in the left pane. The sample will be in the right pane. Now click on ‘Repair’ to inaugurate repairing for preferred database.

Step 4 – When you click on ‘Repair’, the below dialog box will get displayed. Specify the SQL Server name/Instance name and the desired destination path. Click ‘Browse’ to select the destination path. Click ‘OK‘.

Step 5 – After completion of the process, a message will be displayed like ‘Recovered file saved at the desired location’. Now hit ‘OK’ button.

Step 6 – Another dialog box will ask you to attach repaired database to the web application. If you click ‘Yes’ button then below dialogue box will appear. Now enter application URL, name of the damaged database and SQL server instance name and then continue by pressing ‘OK’. When it’s done, repaired database will be available.