Access Denied When Using MigrateUserAccount

Question

I am attempting to programmatically change the LoginName of forms auth users when they change their username in our system (outside of Sharepoint). I am using the following code within a custom web service:
[WebMethod]
public bool MigrateUser(string oldUsername, string newUsername)
bool result = true;
SPSecurity.RunWithElevatedPrivileges(delegate()
try
Microsoft.SharePoint.Administration.SPFarm farm = Microsoft.SharePoint.Administration.SPFarm.Local;
farm.MigrateUserAccount(oldUsername, newUsername, false);
catch (Exception e)
result = false;
return result;
The oldUsername and newUsername variables are in the format of "i:0#.f|SPMembershipProvider|[email protected]". When running this code, the following exception is thrown:
Access is denied. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80070005 (E_ACCESSDENIED));    at Microsoft.SharePoint.Utilities.SPUtility.HandleAccessDenied(Exception ex)
   at Microsoft.SharePoint.Library.SPRequest.SelectSitesAndUserInfoForMigration(Object& pvarContentDsns, Object& pvarContentIds, String bstrOldLogin, String bstrNewLogin, String bstrFullUserKey, Boolean bEnforceSidHistory, String& pbstrNewLogin,
Byte[]& ppsaOldSid, Byte[]& ppsaNewSid, Object& pvarSidHistory, Object& pvarSiteIds)
   at Microsoft.SharePoint.Administration.SPFarm.MigrateUserOrGroup(String oldLogin, String newLogin, Boolean usersOnly, Boolean enforceSidHistory)
   at Microsoft.SharePoint.Administration.SPFarm.MigrateUserAccount(String oldLogin, String newLogin, Boolean enforceSidHistory)
   at CustomSPWS.SSUVBRSvc.<>c__DisplayClass34.<MigrateUser>b__33()
The user that this is running under is a farm admin and has Full Control permissions on the User Profile Service Application.
Any idea on what may be causing this access denied error, and how I might be able to resolve it?
Thank you,
Matt

Answer 1

1. Did you select Run as administrator in powershell
When I perform this operation in PowerShell (logged in with the same user) it succeeds. However, when trying to do the operation programmically, it fails.
2. Is user you trying to this command through has owner permission on config and content db
Yes, the user has db_owner permission on the config and content databases.
3. Does he have administrator permission on sharepoint system
The user is a farm administrator and has WSS_ADMIN_WPG, WSS_RESTRICTED_WPG_V4, WSS_WPG, IIS_IUSRS and Performance Monitor Users group membership on the local machine.
4. please share ULS log and event log when you recreate the issue
This is what is in the SP log when calling my web method:
Entering monitored scope (Request (POST:https://example.com:443/_vti_bin/CustomSPSvc.asmx))
Name=Request (POST:https://example.com:443/_vti_bin/CustomSPSvc.asmx)
dfde587a-2444-4230-8b42-8d118211d6d8
Site=/ dfde587a-2444-4230-8b42-8d118211d6d8
Unknown SPRequest error occurred. More information: 0x80070005
dfde587a-2444-4230-8b42-8d118211d6d8
Leaving Monitored Scope (Request (POST:https://example.com:443/_vti_bin/CustomSPSvc.asmx)). Execution Time=314.624624079317
dfde587a-2444-4230-8b42-8d118211d6d8
There doesn't appear to be anything relevant logged in the event log.
Thank you,
Matt