Summary - After building a new farm and moving a content database from an old SQL server to a new one, we are unable to browse the files in the "Pages" libraries of a publishing site. All _layout pages display and work as expected. What do we need to check to be able to view the files? Background - The old SQL Server 2005 is being retired. All data is moving to SQL Server 2008 R2 over the next two months, including three small SharePoint farms - Development, Authoring and Production - that each run only one application, a public facing web site. We're doing this all in dev now to prepapre for the Authoring/Production move next month. The content database in dev was backed up and a copy attached to the new SQL Server 2008 R2. A new MOSS 2007 farm was built on VMs (VMWare) running Windows Server 2008 R2. Everything is 64-bit. The farm is running correctly, the content database has been reattached without a problem. All of the files from the old server have been copied over - web.config, unique controls, and all of the static pages, CSS, javascript, imagery, etc. - into identically named locations. When someone tries to browse the web site, they see a SharePoint error page, the message "File not found" and a link to the Help window. If we access [sitename]/_layouts/settings.aspx, the administrative pages display perfectly, all of settings can be updated, users managed, etc. We simply cannot browse pages located in the "Pages" libraries of the site. I can create new pages, but none of them are visible after I create them. Checking files in and out and approving them does not make any difference. We've restarted things, I have double checked unique settings in the web.config file, when I browse Content and Strucutre or the libraries, I can see that the content is there, including master pages, and the content types are correct. What are things we should check to figure out what prevents us from browsing the web pages? Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions. Your assistance is greatly appreciated. FAW

Did you use any custom web parts or any customization on those pages ? Are you able to create a new page / nwe site with default site template ? If there was any customization on your old farm then you have to manually redeploy that custmization on new farm.Regards, Pratik Vyas | SharePoint Consultant |

Hi Pratik, I have manually redeployed all customizations to the new farm, putting them in the exact location in relation to the new application as on the old site, with teh same names, etc. I have confirmed that all custom content types are in place, and that all custom web parts are there as well. It is a publishing site, so the UI is customized. Master pages are in place, CSS is in the correct directory, and images are there. UPDATE: I turned off the custom master page in a sub site and was able to publish a page that displayed in the browser, so my site is not finding the custom master page. The master pages have all be moved to the server, they are all present in the master page gallery, they are all checked in with their most recent versions. I can open the new site in SharePoint Designer and open up files and master pages in "Design" view and see the pages just fine. The problem appears to be that the application can't see or find them, not that they aren't present. Why can't the application see the custom master pages? FAW