[Solved] Hybrid Configuration Wizard Stuck on ‘Adding Federated Domain’ Stage

Microsoft 365

How to go past the ‘Adding Federated Domain’ status in the hybrid configuration wizard, while running from an Exchange 2016 CU7 server?

I have come across this issue a couple of times now and mostly while the server from which I am running the hybrid configuration wizard is Exchange 2016 CU7. This is not to say that it won’t happen on another CU level.

The issue is that HCW gets ‘stuck’ while trying to verify the domain’s TXT record (to prove the ownership) and adding the domain. The wizard verifies the existence of the TXT record, but doesn’t go past the window below even after letting it do it’s thing for hours!

Adding federated domain error

A quick google confirms that there are number of other customers who have the same issue  and number of workaround and solutions have been suggested.

The one solution that has worked for me all the time is to have an ini file in the ‘Config’ folder of the Exchange 2016 server. Follow the exact steps below.

  • check Open Notepad, copy & paste the text below.
  • check [SystemConfigurationTasks.settings.ini:FederationTrustFromCache]Enabled=False
  • check Save it as SystemConfigurationTasks.Overrides.ini
  • check Make sure that the file type is set to txt while saving. It won’t work otherwise.
  • check Place this file in ‘C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\V15\Config’, assuming that Exchange 2016 is installed on the C drive.
  • check Run the HCW again from scratch and it should go past the ‘Adding federated domain’ status. 

Have you used any other workarounds for the same issue? Let me know in the comments below.

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23 thoughts on “[Solved] Hybrid Configuration Wizard Stuck on ‘Adding Federated Domain’ Stage”

  1. I had the same issue.
    My federation certificate had expired and I had to get it working.
    I have an Exchange 2016 CU22 (Which updated on the 3rd). I am running Server 2016.
    I followed this but could not get it to work.
    I contacted Microsoft. Took 3 days to get to the right queue.

    This was the error in the HCW log file
    An error occurred accessing Windows Live. Detailed information: “The underlying connection was closed: An unexpected error occurred on a send.”.”.,FullyQualifiedErrorId=[System.String] [Server=PM00EXCH01,RequestId=4727cdcc-0a11-44ab-950d-62dcb7719ee0,TimeStamp=1/5/2023 4:07:55 PM] [FailureCategory=Cmdlet-ProvisioningFederatedExchangeException] 59FABD8F,Microsoft.Exchange.Management.SystemConfigurationTasks.SetFederatedOrganizationIdentifier}

    I created a dword under [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\.NETFramework\v4.0.30319]

    “SystemDefaultTlsVersions”=dword:00000001
    and [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\.NETFramework\v4.0.30319]
    “SystemDefaultTlsVersions”=dword:00000001

    I rebooted the server and then had to make sure that the new certificate was active and enabled and traffic started flowing again.

    Reply
  2. This didnt seem to work for me, but I ended up needing to add in the following reg keys for .net TLS issues and it worked.

    Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft.NETFramework\v2.0.50727]
    “SystemDefaultTlsVersions”=dword:00000001
    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft.NETFramework\v2.0.50727]
    “SystemDefaultTlsVersions”=dword:00000001
    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft.NETFramework\v4.0.30319]
    “SystemDefaultTlsVersions”=dword:00000001
    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft.NETFramework\v4.0.30319]
    “SystemDefaultTlsVersions”=dword:00000001

    Reply
  3. I had multiple domains. I checked then off one at a time, proceeded to next and then went back and did that for all of them until they were all able to get through the next step, then went back and selected all and was able to proceed.

    Reply

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