In some instances, you might see the following error message after signing out from an Extradium-enabled site:

 

 

Exception of type 'System.ArgumentException' was thrown. Parameter name: encodedValue at
Microsoft.SharePoint.Administration.Claims.SPClaimEncodingManager.DecodeClaimFromFormsSuffix(System.String)
Microsoft.SharePoint.Administration.Claims.SPClaimProviderManager.GetProviderUserKey(Microsoft.IdentityModel.Claims.IClaimsIdentity, System.String)
Microsoft.SharePoint.Administration.Claims.SPClaimProviderManager.GetProviderUserKey(System.String)
Microsoft.SharePoint.Utilities.SPUtility.GetFullUserKeyFromLoginName(System.String)
Microsoft.SharePoint.ApplicationRuntime.SPHeaderManager.AddIsapiHeaders(System.Web.HttpContext, System.String, System.Collections.Specialized.NameValueCollection)
Microsoft.SharePoint.ApplicationRuntime.SPRequestModule.PreRequestExecuteAppHandler(System.Object, System.EventArgs)

 

As mentioned in a Microsoft KB article (http://support2.microsoft.com/kb/2988406/en-us), this error usually occurs when a user tries to sign in with a Windows account, signs out and then tries to sign in again with an Extradium account (or the other way around).

 

There is unfortunately no known permanent solution for this issue, but there is a workaround available, mentioned by Microsoft:


1. In the following folder of each web application web front end in the SharePoint 2013 farm, open the Welcome.ascx file in a text editor such as notepad: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Web Server Extensions\15\TEMPLATE\CONTROLTEMPLATES

2. Replace the ID_Logout text in the following highlighted excerpt of the Welcome.ascx file:


 

		 <SharePoint:MenuItemTemplate runat="server" id="ID_Logout"
				 Text="<%$Resources:wss,personalactions_logout%>"
				 Description="<%$Resources:wss,personalactions_logoutdescription%>"
				 MenuGroupId="100"
				 Sequence="400"
				 UseShortId="true"
				 />

 

with the ID_LoginAsDifferentUser ID, as shown below:


  

		 <SharePoint:MenuItemTemplate runat="server" id="ID_LoginAsDifferentUser"
				 Text="<%$Resources:wss,personalactions_logout%>"
				 Description="<%$Resources:wss,personalactions_logoutdescription%>"
				 MenuGroupId="100"
				 Sequence="400"
				 UseShortId="true"
				 />

  

This ensures SharePoint uses the "Login as Different User" behavior while still displaying the Sign Out link.


Note 1: A side effect of this change for anonymous sites is to redirect the user to the /_layouts/exs/SignIn.aspx page instead of the home page of the site


Note 2: This modification may have to be applied again after each Cumulative Update, Security Update or Service Pack installation.