Validation of viewstate MAC failed when taking a while to postback

Server Error in '/' Application.
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Validation of viewstate MAC failed. If this application is hosted by a Web Farm or cluster, ensure that <machineKey> configuration specifies the same validationKey and validation algorithm. AutoGenerate cannot be used in a cluster.
Description: An unhandled exception occurred during the execution of the current web request. Please review the stack trace for more information about the error and where it originated in the code.

Exception Details: System.Web.HttpException: Validation of viewstate MAC failed. If this application is hosted by a Web Farm or cluster, ensure that <machineKey> configuration specifies the same validationKey and validation algorithm. AutoGenerate cannot be used in a cluster.

Source Error:

The source code that generated this unhandled exception can only be shown when compiled in debug mode. To enable this, please follow one of the below steps, then request the URL:

1. Add a "Debug=true" directive at the top of the file that generated the error. Example:

  <%@ Page Language="C#" Debug="true" %>

or:

2) Add the following section to the configuration file of your application:

<configuration>
   <system.web>
       <compilation debug="true"/>
   </system.web>
</configuration>

Note that this second technique will cause all files within a given application to be compiled in debug mode. The first technique will cause only that particular file to be compiled in debug mode.

Important: Running applications in debug mode does incur a memory/performance overhead. You should make sure that an application has debugging disabled before deploying into production scenario.  

Stack Trace:


[HttpException (0x80004005): Unable to validate data.]
   System.Web.Configuration.MachineKeySection.GetDecodedData(Byte[] buf, Byte[] modifier, Int32 start, Int32 length, Int32& dataLength) +2546748
   System.Web.UI.ObjectStateFormatter.Deserialize(String inputString) +214

[ViewStateException: Invalid viewstate.
      Client IP: 90.199.172.112
      Port: 63763
      User-Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 6.0; SLCC1; .NET CLR 2.0.50727; Media Center PC 5.0; .NET CLR 3.0.04506; InfoPath.2)
      ViewState: /wEPDwUJNjEzMDY3ODk3D2QWAmYPZBYCAgMPZBYCAgEPZBYEAgMPEA8WBh4NRGF0YVRleHRGaWVsZAUHRml4dHVyZR4ORGF0YVZhbHVlRmllbGQFCUZpeHR1cmVJRB4LXyFEYXRhQm91bmRnZBAVBAlTZWxlY3QuLi43QWZhbiBMaWRvIHZzIFRhZmZzIFdlbGwgLSAxc3QgVGVhbSAtIFdlbHNoIExlYWd1ZSBEaXYgMVJUYWZmcyBXZWxsIEFGQyB2cyBUdXJiZXJ2aWxsZSBBcm1zIEZDICAtIFJlc2VydmUgVGVhbSAtIFNvdXRoIFdhbGVzIEFtYXRldXIgTGVhZ3VlR1RhZmZzIFdlbGwgdnMgQ3dtYnJhbiBDZWx0aWMgLSBZb3V0aCBUZWFtIC0gV2Vsc2ggTGVhZ3VlIFlvdXRoIERpdiBFYXN0FQQBMAMxNzUDMTg0AzE2MRQrAwRnZ2dnZGQCCw8WAh4HVmlzaWJsZWcWBgIBDw8WAh4EVGV4dAUJQWZhbiBMaWRvZGQCBw8PFgIfBAUKVGFmZnMgV2VsbGRkAg8PZBYgAgEPEA8WBh8ABQhGVUxMTkFNRR8BBQhQTEFZRVJJRB8CZ2QQFXgJU2VsZWN0Li4uGEFhcm9uICBUaG9tYXMgLSAxc3QgVGVhbRZBbGV4ICBOb3J0aCAtIDFzdCBUZWFtGkJhcnJ5ICBSaWNoYXJkcyAtIDFzdCBUZWFtG0N1cnRpcyAgTWF0dGhld3MgLSAxc3QgVGVhbRVEYWxlICBSZWVzIC0gMXN0IFRlYW0aRGF2ZSAgTWMgS2Vu...]

[HttpException (0x80004005): Validation of viewstate MAC failed. If this application is hosted by a Web Farm or cluster, ensure that <machineKey> configuration specifies the same validationKey and validation algorithm. AutoGenerate cannot be used in a cluster.]
   System.Web.UI.ViewStateException.ThrowError(Exception inner, String persistedState, String errorPageMessage, Boolean macValidationError) +116
   System.Web.UI.ObjectStateFormatter.Deserialize(String inputString) +251
   System.Web.UI.ObjectStateFormatter.System.Web.UI.IStateFormatter.Deserialize(String serializedState) +4
   System.Web.UI.Util.DeserializeWithAssert(IStateFormatter formatter, String serializedState) +37
   System.Web.UI.HiddenFieldPageStatePersister.Load() +220
   System.Web.UI.Page.LoadPageStateFromPersistenceMedium() +83
   System.Web.UI.Page.LoadAllState() +35
   System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequestMain(Boolean includeStagesBeforeAsyncPoint, Boolean includeStagesAfterAsyncPoint) +6953
   System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequest(Boolean includeStagesBeforeAsyncPoint, Boolean includeStagesAfterAsyncPoint) +154
   System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequest() +86
   System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequestWithNoAssert(HttpContext context) +18
   System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequest(HttpContext context) +49
   ASP.admin_newresult_aspx.ProcessRequest(HttpContext context) +4
   System.Web.CallHandlerExecutionStep.System.Web.HttpApplication.IExecutionStep.Execute() +154
   System.Web.HttpApplication.ExecuteStep(IExecutionStep step, Boolean& completedSynchronously) +64

 


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Version Information: Microsoft .NET Framework Version:2.0.50727.42; ASP.NET Version:2.0.50727.42

ok i will try that once i get in later.

do you mind giving me a brief explanation of the problem and how your link fixes it tho?

this seems to have fixed the issue, the link you gave creates the key but there is no real explanation as to why i need it or what the problem was in the first place.

can you just give me a brief overview of the prob and how this key fixes it.

thanks

The explanation is explained in the error:

  "this application is hosted by a Web Farm or cluster . . ."

there is nothing more to explain about it.

Also, my solution solved the problem:

  "this seems to have fixed the issue .  . "       -  from scm0sml