Solve Google Workspace Migration Failure With Expert Insights

Google Workspace migration failures and error codes frustrate users. Understanding causes and fixes helps, but default tools have limitations. This guide explains common errors and best practices. For a guaranteed error-free, efficient migration, a professional utility like SysTools Office to G Suite Migration tool is your best solution.

As Google continues to improve its business productivity apps, many young entrepreneurs look to move their data and try out the cloud-based platform for themselves. However, while shifting, they might face a Google Workspace migration failure without warning.

These problems are accompanied by some error codes that confuse newly appointed admins. Moreover, the main cause of these errors is the inherent limitations of the default migration tool that Google itself provides.

Therefore, we compile all the different problems that users may witness and give a sure-shot remedy as well so let’s start with the error codes first.

Understand Google Workspace Migration Failure With Error Codes

Error Code	Error Name	Causes
400	Bad Request	Indicates an issue within source account. Occurs when: Adding data types not permitted by Google or your Organization. Google identified malicious macros and marked one or more emails/data as potential virus delivery agents. If emails are in a format that violates the standard RFC 822 syntax Email + attachment size exceeds the 25 MB threshold of Gmail.
401	Unauthorized	A permission-level error arises if Google Workspace Migration cannot verify the credentials. In scenarios like: Incorrect username/password. Incompatible OAuth policy or using wrong 2FA code. Server-side authentication issue. Workstation IP range blocked. Permissions not valid for a set of users.
403	Forbidden	Triggers when Gmail or Drive cannot be accessed via Admin Portal. Daily API limit crossed. Limit breaching due to user requests, projects, and file sharing Global Admin policy blocks access to the requested action.
409	Conflict	A conflict arises when two different source data points are fighting for the same target storage space. Moreover, its impact is further amplified as the traditional method is not able to resolve it. Most of the time it’s due to some user-level issue. Invalid label creation. The folders(labels) do not follow the accepted naming convention. Labels that are to be moved were deleted during or before migration. Multiple copies of the same Label are being shifted.
410	Gone	Transient errors or temporary errors happen all of a sudden during a migration. If your error code resembles 5XX then use the following identifications: 500 Backend error 502 Bad Gateway 503 Service Unavailable 504 Gateway Timeout
429	Too Many Requests	Migration tool is overwhelmed with numerous requests. Miscommunication between migration teams results in multiple repetitive messages all at once. If these are from different IPs(workstations) Google interprets it as an attack and shuts the server.

Fix Google Workspace Migration One Error Code at a Time

Fixes for Error Code 400 (Bad Request):
The error may be a false positive. If so, send the migration request again. In case the error re-emerges:

• Redo the source data cleanup.
• Check and remove invalid files.
• Eliminate virus-ridden emails.
• Bring emails back to RFC822.
• Then, move emails & attachments separately.

If you still need to add the invalid file type to the new G Suite environment, use this workaround:

• Upload the invalid file types into Google Drive
• Then share the Drive link in place of the actual file

Fixing Error Code 401 (Unauthorized):

• Verify the admin impersonation rights once more.
• Re-enter authentication credentials.
• Regenerate 2FA code and type it correctly
• Conduct migration in officially designated IP addresses.
• Retry the login after some time.
• Check user authentication log and trigger missing permissions

Fixes for Error Code 403 (Forbidden):

• Allow access to Gmail or Drive services
• Then, put in an alert system to notify daily API calls.
• Instruct users to remove all permission restrictions beforehand.
• Ensure no admin policies interfere with the migration project.

Fixes for Error Code 409 (Conflict):

• A rigorous clean-up during inventory accumulation helps prevent this issue.
• Admins can also forbid label creation/deletion while the migration is underway.
• Sometimes changing the label name is enough to resolve the issue

Check for Error Code 410 (Gone):
Best advice is to wait and watch. Otherwise, initiate a new delta migration and seek assistance from the Google Workspace Support team.
Fixes for Error Code 429 (Too Many Requests):

• Keep all teams in charge of the migration on the same page.
• Create provisions for real-time communication.
• Use an exponential backoff strategy to allow the server a recovery period.
• Make sure each subsequent migration request has ample time interval between them
• Reschedule migration if necessary

Other Minor Errors & Their Resolutions

Google Workspace data migration error 18017

Cause: It occurs when.

• GMS is unable to verify the provided IMAP credentials.
• The user is inactive or suspended in the source domain.

Fix: Attempt the following.

• Recheck the credentials you are using.
• Unsuspend users whose data is to be migrated.

Google Workspace data migration error 18015

Cause: Gmail account not set up properly

Fix: Allow “Less secure apps to connect with GMS (Google migration service)”

Sometimes users may get Google Workspace migration failed during estimation itself. Here there is no specific error code that helps identify the core issue. So users must perform a hit and trial to get to the underlying cause.

These are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to migration error codes. To minimize their frequency IT admins must have a concrete plan in place. As a result, they need some standard guidelines. Don’t worry as we have all the relevant information right here in the next section.

Best Practices to Overcome Google Workspace Migration Limitations

• Make sure no other program has access to the source when the migration is in progress.
• Validate and sign all TLS certifications before starting with the migration.
• Complete OAuth verification for the app on your local machine.
• Disable antivirus and other hurdles that may stop the app.
• Use a professional alternative instead of manual migration.

Real Scenarios that Indicate the Superiority of Automated Software

Here we highlight how the advanced feature set of the utility gives real-life benefits to users across industries.

Slow Data Transfer Speed

User Query: “I was recently hired as the technical head of the local hospital. With this new role came an additional responsibility to lead a complex data transfer project. Additionally, the native method to shift the data was too slow, and we cannot risk the patient’s well-being for such a long time. Which led us to look for better alternatives that can skip over the Google Workspace migration failure present in the market.”

Solution:  “During my previous experience, we utilized a well-renowned product for a similar data transfer. As a result, we got it, and like previously, the tool did not disappoint. It quickly transferred all the data to the desired location in record time.”

Data Mapping Challenges

User Query: ”I, as an admin of a financial institution, was given the task to shift our data to Google Workspace. At first, my plan was to involve the default migration solution that Google provides for free. As I didn’t know how to import contacts to Google Workspace, this would be an easy way. Moreover, I thought this would end up saving migration costs, but I made a hasty prediction. This is because the tool took up a lot of unnecessary time due to the many mapping errors.”

Solution: “After asking experts for their opinions on a better solution, all of them recommended a professional tool. The reason is that the tool has multiple custom mapping options. Therefore, once we brought the tool, the result was a successful migration with no data loss.”

Conclusion

In this blog post, we covered everything related to Google Workspace migration failure that a user needs to know. Not only did we showcase the most common error codes that users may face we also gave some best practices to avoid the issues. If the migration issues still persist you can export Google Workspace Emails in MBOX and upload that data to the target account. Moreover to get a complete error-free data transfer users can go for the professional utility.