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SXC91 And The Case Of The Missing Default SXA Site

When installing SXC 9.1, you may run across an issue where no default SXA site is created after installation.

To ameliorate this problem, you'll run across this juicy tidbit in the [Sitecore XC 9.1 Installation Guide for On-Premise Solutions](http://commercesdn.sitecore.net/SitecoreXC_9.1/Sitecore_XC-9.1_Installation_Guide_for_On-Prem.pdf "Sitecore XC 9.1 On-Prem Installation Guide"), section 3.2:

SXC On Prem Install Section 32

Sigh.

Not only is this an unnecessary complication to our already complex Sitecore install, but the solution proposed doesn't produce a valid Sitecore package. If one installs the modified Sitecore Commerce Experience Accelerator Storefront 2.0.181.zip file directly, you'll notice that the modified package has lost data on the second screen of the installation wizard:

Ugh.

Grrrrrr.

So, we're in a bit of a pickle:

  1. The unmodified package doesn't produce the default SXA site
  2. The instructions provided by Sitecore don't produce a valid package

Incredulous RenLuckly, we've another option: Use [7-Zip](https://www.7-zip.org/ "7-Zip") to edit the incorrect file in the package. 

Here's a step-by-step:

  1. Download and install [7-Zip](https://www.7-zip.org/ "7-Zip")
  2. Make a copy of the Sitecore Commerce Experience Accelerator Storefront 2.0.181.zip file and name it Sitecore Commerce Experience Accelerator Storefront 2.0.181.ORIG.zip. This is your backup file.
  3. Right-click the original Sitecore Commerce Experience Accelerator Storefront 2.0.181.zip file, and select: 7-Zip -> Open archive:
    7-Zip: Open Archive
  4. You'll be presented with this initial view of the archive:
    7-Zip Initial View
  5. Now, simply double-click your way to the incorrect file, e.g.:
    1. package.zip
    2. items
    3. master
    4. sitecore
    5. system
    6. Modules
    7. PowerShell
    8. Script Library
    9. CXA - Internal
    10. Web API
    11. CreateDefaultStorefrontTenantAndSite
    12. {6FEC77C8-00DC-4B7B-9597-82588616A1F2}
    13. en
    14. 1
  6. Now, right-click the xml file, and choose Edit from the contextual menu:
    7-Zip Edit Menu
  7. Depending on how you've configured 7-Zip, an editor will open with the contents of the xml file. By default, 7-Zip will open Notepad.
    Add the missing function, save your change, and close Notepad.
  8. You'll be presented with a 7-Zip dialog:
    7-Zip Update Dialog
    Click "OK" to persist your changes to the archive.
  9. Close 7-Zip. You'll be presented with another dialog:
    7-Zip Update Archive
    Click "OK" again, to persist your changes to the Sitecore package.
  10. Run your SXC 9.1 installation script again, or install the package manually.
    This time, the default SXA site will be created.