Unable to recreate User Profile Service

Question

I see the following errors in ULS when trying to create a new User Profile Service application for my on-premise 2013 server:

Application error when access /_admin/NewProfileServiceApplicationSettings.aspx, Error=Object reference not set to an instance of an object.  
 at Microsoft.SharePoint.WebControls.ContentDatabaseSection.OnLoad(EventArgs e)    
 at System.Web.UI.Control.LoadRecursive()    
 at System.Web.UI.Control.LoadRecursive()    
 at System.Web.UI.Control.LoadRecursive()    
 at System.Web.UI.Control.LoadRecursive()    
 at System.Web.UI.Control.LoadRecursive()    
 at System.Web.UI.Control.LoadRecursive()    
 at System.Web.UI.Control.LoadRecursive()    
 at System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequestMain(Boolean includeStagesBeforeAsyncPoint, Boolean includeStagesAfterAsyncPoint)

System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.   
 at Microsoft.SharePoint.WebControls.ContentDatabaseSection.OnLoad(EventArgs e)    
 at System.Web.UI.Control.LoadRecursive()    
 at System.Web.UI.Control.LoadRecursive()    
 at System.Web.UI.Control.LoadRecursive()    
 at System.Web.UI.Control.LoadRecursive()    
 at System.Web.UI.Control.LoadRecursive()    
 at System.Web.UI.Control.LoadRecursive()    
 at System.Web.UI.Control.LoadRecursive()    
 at System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequestMain(Boolean includeStagesBeforeAsyncPoint, Boolean includeStagesAfterAsyncPoint)

I deleted the previous UPS application from the Manage Service Applications page and removed the three databases from the SQL server.

I've tried an iisreset and full reboot.

[edit] get-spcontentdatabase output:

Id               : 548d93e7-2984-499c-bbf6-bc438d214a1a
Name             : SP_Intranet_Content
WebApplication   : SPWebApplication Name=SharePoint - Intranet - 80
Server           : SQLSERVER\INSTANCE
CurrentSiteCount : 4

Id               : 043892fa-e4d9-4968-979a-ee1b23562bb0
Name             : SP_apps_Content
WebApplication   : SPWebApplication Name=SharePoint - apps - 80
Server           : SQLSERVER\INSTANCE
CurrentSiteCount : 1

Id               : 061144b3-91a9-48f9-a1f9-3ca117be2db2
Name             : SP_MySite_Content
WebApplication   : SPWebApplication Name=SharePoint - MySite - 80
Server           : SQLSERVER\INSTANCE
CurrentSiteCount : 1

[edit] powershell error message:

New-SPProfileServiceApplication : Default database services not found.
At line:1 char:1
+ New-SPProfileServiceApplication -Name "User Profile Service"
-ApplicationPool "U ...
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidData: (Microsoft.Offic...viceApplication:
   SPCmdletNewProfileServiceApplication) [New-SPProfileServiceApplication], I
  nvalidOperationException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : Microsoft.Office.Server.UserProfiles.PowerShell.
   SPCmdletNewProfileServiceApplication

SharePoint Configuration tool:

farm details listed correctly but tries to recreate central admin site, error:

An exception of type Microsoft.SharePoint.PostSetupConfiguration.PostSetupConfigurationTaskException was thrown.  

Additional exception information: A SharePoint Central Administration service instance does not exist in the server 

farm and therefore the SharePoint Central Administration Web Application cannot be provisioned.  A SharePoint 

Central Administration service instance should have been created when the server was joined to a server farm.  To 

avoid this failure, you may have to disconnect and then reconnect this server to the server farm

Answer 1

Few trouble shooting steps below that will resolve the problem:

1. make sure the apppool account has proper rights and its in good state meaning not locked.

2.Did you tried with powershell as some times the user context might not be taking it correctly.

3. Be sure that your account to be in the farm admin group.

4. Since the error is related to "object reference" problems. Verify the server is in farm and try running the config wizard so it will correct if there are any problems.

5. re-verify all the patch levels on all the servers in the farm and install as needed.

6. As a last choice, if you have tried all the above steps then try to move the service to a different server in the farm.