MVC4 SimpleMemberhip 'The Provider encountered an unknown error.'

Question

I'm trying to use SimpleMembership with MVC4 using an SQL Azure database.

I get an exception

The Provider encountered an unknown error.

With no inner exception, on this line of code:

WebSecurity.CreateAccount("[email protected]", "23iu$9835", false);

I have this filter on my controller

[InitializeSimpleMembership]

Which has this InitializeDatabaseConnection in it

WebSecurity.InitializeDatabaseConnection("DefaultConnection", "User", "Id", "Email", autoCreateTables: false);

I have double checked my connection string and it appears to work fine.

Since the exception provides no useful information, I am having a hard time debugging this issue. Does anyone have any ideas why I may be having this problem, or point me in the right direction of starting to debug the problem?

Edit: Here is the full stack trace:

[MembershipCreateUserException: The Provider encountered an unknown error.]
   WebMatrix.WebData.SimpleMembershipProvider.CreateAccount(String userName, String password, Boolean requireConfirmationToken) +514
   WebMatrix.WebData.WebSecurity.CreateAccount(String userName, String password, Boolean requireConfirmationToken) +75
   Nexus.Areas._Internal.Controllers.HomeController.Index() in c:\54Projects\Nexus\Nexus\Areas\_Internal\Controllers\HomeController.cs:38
   lambda_method(Closure , ControllerBase , Object[] ) +101
   System.Web.Mvc.ActionMethodDispatcher.Execute(ControllerBase controller, Object[] parameters) +59
   System.Web.Mvc.ReflectedActionDescriptor.Execute(ControllerContext controllerContext, IDictionary`2 parameters) +435
   System.Web.Mvc.ControllerActionInvoker.InvokeActionMethod(ControllerContext controllerContext, ActionDescriptor actionDescriptor, IDictionary`2 parameters) +60
   System.Web.Mvc.Async.AsyncControllerActionInvoker.InvokeSynchronousActionMethod(ControllerContext controllerContext, ActionDescriptor actionDescriptor, IDictionary`2 parameters) +50
   System.Web.Mvc.Async.<>c__DisplayClass42.<BeginInvokeSynchronousActionMethod>b__41() +75
   System.Web.Mvc.Async.<>c__DisplayClass8`1.<BeginSynchronous>b__7(IAsyncResult _) +44
   System.Web.Mvc.Async.WrappedAsyncResult`1.End() +139
   System.Web.Mvc.Async.AsyncResultWrapper.End(IAsyncResult asyncResult, Object tag) +102
   System.Web.Mvc.Async.AsyncControllerActionInvoker.EndInvokeActionMethod(IAsyncResult asyncResult) +49
   System.Web.Mvc.Async.<>c__DisplayClass39.<BeginInvokeActionMethodWithFilters>b__33() +126
   System.Web.Mvc.Async.<>c__DisplayClass4f.<InvokeActionMethodFilterAsynchronously>b__49() +323
   System.Web.Mvc.Async.<>c__DisplayClass4f.<InvokeActionMethodFilterAsynchronously>b__49() +323
   System.Web.Mvc.Async.<>c__DisplayClass37.<BeginInvokeActionMethodWithFilters>b__36(IAsyncResult asyncResult) +44
   System.Web.Mvc.Async.WrappedAsyncResult`1.End() +139
   System.Web.Mvc.Async.AsyncResultWrapper.End(IAsyncResult asyncResult, Object tag) +102
   System.Web.Mvc.Async.AsyncControllerActionInvoker.EndInvokeActionMethodWithFilters(IAsyncResult asyncResult) +50
   System.Web.Mvc.Async.<>c__DisplayClass2a.<BeginInvokeAction>b__20() +68
   System.Web.Mvc.Async.<>c__DisplayClass25.<BeginInvokeAction>b__22(IAsyncResult asyncResult) +184
   System.Web.Mvc.Async.WrappedAsyncResult`1.End() +136
   System.Web.Mvc.Async.AsyncResultWrapper.End(IAsyncResult asyncResult, Object tag) +56
   System.Web.Mvc.Async.AsyncControllerActionInvoker.EndInvokeAction(IAsyncResult asyncResult) +40
   System.Web.Mvc.<>c__DisplayClass1d.<BeginExecuteCore>b__18(IAsyncResult asyncResult) +40
   System.Web.Mvc.Async.<>c__DisplayClass4.<MakeVoidDelegate>b__3(IAsyncResult ar) +47
   System.Web.Mvc.Async.WrappedAsyncResult`1.End() +151
   System.Web.Mvc.Async.AsyncResultWrapper.End(IAsyncResult asyncResult, Object tag) +59
   System.Web.Mvc.Async.AsyncResultWrapper.End(IAsyncResult asyncResult, Object tag) +40
   System.Web.Mvc.Controller.EndExecuteCore(IAsyncResult asyncResult) +44
   System.Web.Mvc.Async.<>c__DisplayClass4.<MakeVoidDelegate>b__3(IAsyncResult ar) +47
   System.Web.Mvc.Async.WrappedAsyncResult`1.End() +151
   System.Web.Mvc.Async.AsyncResultWrapper.End(IAsyncResult asyncResult, Object tag) +59
   System.Web.Mvc.Async.AsyncResultWrapper.End(IAsyncResult asyncResult, Object tag) +40
   System.Web.Mvc.Controller.EndExecute(IAsyncResult asyncResult) +39
   System.Web.Mvc.Controller.System.Web.Mvc.Async.IAsyncController.EndExecute(IAsyncResult asyncResult) +39
   System.Web.Mvc.<>c__DisplayClass8.<BeginProcessRequest>b__3(IAsyncResult asyncResult) +45
   System.Web.Mvc.Async.<>c__DisplayClass4.<MakeVoidDelegate>b__3(IAsyncResult ar) +47
   System.Web.Mvc.Async.WrappedAsyncResult`1.End() +151
   System.Web.Mvc.Async.AsyncResultWrapper.End(IAsyncResult asyncResult, Object tag) +59
   System.Web.Mvc.Async.AsyncResultWrapper.End(IAsyncResult asyncResult, Object tag) +40
   System.Web.Mvc.MvcHandler.EndProcessRequest(IAsyncResult asyncResult) +40
   System.Web.Mvc.MvcHandler.System.Web.IHttpAsyncHandler.EndProcessRequest(IAsyncResult result) +38
   System.Web.CallHandlerExecutionStep.System.Web.HttpApplication.IExecutionStep.Execute() +9628700
   System.Web.HttpApplication.ExecuteStep(IExecutionStep step, Boolean& completedSynchronously) +155

Circumcision

Are you ensuring you are only intializing the database once? if(!Database.Initialized) { ... } – Tubing

@PatrickMagee I am checking for that. Any other ideas? – Circumcision

Not sure, anything else in the Inner Exception or a Stack Trace may provide more insight. – Tubing

@PatrickMagee There is no inner exception unfortunately, but I added the full stack trace to the question. – Circumcision

According to your stack trace, you are calling CreateUser from within your Home controller. Because your [InitializeSimpleMembership] attribute is on your account controller, you will not be able to do this unless you have first gone to the account controller. – Bogan

@MystereMan I have[InitializeSimpleMembership] added to my home controller. – Circumcision

Is it also on your AccountController? – Bogan

@MystereMan No, I deleted my account controller. The only place the filter is on is on the HomeController. – Circumcision

Answer 1

Try This

WebSecurity.CreateUserAndAccount("[email protected]", "23iu$9835", false);

Episcopacy