I’ve come across an issue in SharePoint 2013 related to the creation of Publishing Sites. Instead of the site being created, the user is confronted with the error below.
A list of errors logged in the ULS is at the end of this post, but the issue is due to access being denied to __DeviceChannelMappings.aspx.
To resolve the error use SharePoint Designer to assign the Restricted Read access to _catalogs/masterpage and DeviceChannels.
Within SharePoint Designer, right-click on masterpage and choose properties.
Click on Permissions for this list.
Assign Restricted Read permissions to the appropriate user, or group.
Next, repeat the process for the DeviceChannels folder.
List of ULS error messages:
<nativehr>0x81070211</nativehr><nativestack></nativestack>Cannot open file “_catalogs/masterpage/__DeviceChannelMappings.aspx”.
System.UnauthorizedAccessException: Access is denied. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80070005 (E_ACCESSDENIED)),
Unexpected error when trying to populate mobile mappings file ‘_catalogs/masterpage/__DeviceChannelMappings.aspx’ in web ‘/SITENAME’: Access is denied. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80070005 (E_ACCESSDENIED))
A runtime exception was detected. Details follow. Message: Access is denied. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80070005 (E_ACCESSDENIED)) Technical Details: System.UnauthorizedAccessException: Access is denied. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80070005 (E_ACCESSDENIED))
Watson Reporting Cancelled) System.UnauthorizedAccessException: Access is denied. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80070005 (E_ACCESSDENIED))
Event log message was: ‘Failed to initialize some site properties for Web
at Url: ‘http://SITENAME”. Exception was: ‘System.UnauthorizedAccessException: Access is denied. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80070005 (E_ACCESSDENIED))
Publishing Feature activation failed. Exception: Microsoft.SharePoint.SPException: Provisioning did not succeed. Details: Failed to initialize some site properties for Web
at Url: ‘SITENAME’ OriginalException: Access is denied. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80070005 (E_ACCESSDENIED)) —> System.UnauthorizedAccessException: Access is denied. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80070005 (E_ACCESSDENIED))
Richard Skinner 
Hi Richard, what service pack or CU have you installed? I’m seeing (what I think) is this issue trying to create sites via New-SPSite. Specifically I’m seeing if I try to create a site using a template such as SRCHCEN#0 which itself uses publishing. I’ve got SP1 installed (the slipstreamed version that has always been available, not the retracted then re-released standalone SP1). I’ve got a SharePoint 2013 farm with up to the August 2013 CU installed, I’m going to check that farm and respond later.
This is on SP2013 SP1, the slipstreamed version.
Tried on a farm with the August 2013 CU and I can create a site fine using the same PowerShell. I’ve asked a question on https://www.yammer.com/spyam so hopefully someone else will be able to verify if there’s an issue with SP1.
I got this error, too. In our SharePoint 2013 test environment SP1 and July 2014 CU are installed. In another test environment where only October 2013 CU is installed, where users have the same permissions, the error does not occur. Because this issue only exists on Publishing Sites and there are few user who can create sites, we are giving them Site Collection Administrator Rights. It is easier than giving permissions on particular libraries using SharePoint Designer. I hope a fix will be released in the next CU.
Richard, awesome post!! Thanks for this, you just saved me a ton of time.