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IIS - Server Application Unavailable  

I had a most interesting issue occur this morning on my work pc with IIS 5.1

Background

I zipped up a web site I was working on last night and sent it home as an Email message. I then extracted it and worked on it at home without issues. I then used WinRAR to rar it up and sent it back to work. I then extracted the files (by drag & drop from within WINRAR) and went to run the application. I instantly received the following message in my web browser.

Server Application Unavailable

The web application you are attempting to access on this web server is currently unavailable.  Please hit the "Refresh" button in your web browser to retry your request.

Administrator Note: An error message detailing the cause of this specific request failure can be found in the application event log of the web server. Please review this log entry to discover what caused this error to occur.

  • The message came up instantly as soon as I hit refresh - no delay!
  • There was this message in the Windows Event Log each time I refreshed the page.

    Event ID : 1088, Failed to execute request because the App-Domain could not be created
    Error: 0x80070005 Access is denied

I did a couple of things most people do in this situation:

  • Performed an IIS Reset - Same problem!
  • Rebooted the PC - Same problem!
  • Verified the services were all working - all ok!
  • Checked the event log again - same messages!

I then thought about requesting a static file:

  • This worked fine

I then renamed web.config to web.config1 and copied my original web.config file from the original zip over the current one!

  • The web application was working again

So I renamed the web.config files around the other way so that the now working web.config was called web.config1

  • Web application was again failing!

I then checked the permissions on the web.config files

Caused the Error   Did not cause the error
 

As you can see from the above permissions there was no permissions defined for the ASP.NET machine account or the IUSR_ and IWAM_ accounts.

Now more investigating into WinRAR.

  • I had dragged my files from within the WinRAR window to the folder directory without using the Extract To option!

I assume that this actually extracts the file to a temp folder and then moves the file to the actual folder where it is dragged to. This causes the following scenario.

  • The file is extracted to a temp directory - the file inherits the security settings of that directory
  • The file is then moved to the final directory where I dragged it to - this causes the file to retain the security settings it originally had in the temp folder.

Using the Extract To option in WinRAR however correctly extracts the file to the correct folder where it inherits the security settings of the folder.

Just something you should watch out for if you see a similar issue.

posted on Tuesday, August 30, 2005 5:17 PM | Filed Under [ IIS IIS / Tools / Crash & Hang ]

Comments


# re: IIS - Server Application Unavailable


Thanks. Helped me - not with WinRAR, but I had the permissions wrong for the folder. I hate that about Vista...
Posted by Matt on 5/6/2007 5:27 PM

# re: IIS - Server Application Unavailable

Gravatar
Really helped me a lot.....This problem was driving me insane once before as well, but i dunno how i'd fixed it back then. And then today it's repeated, just before my final demo to my client. I was about to tear off all the hairs on my head....but just before i did that, i thought i'd google it first, just in case there was a chance my poor hair did not have to suffer....Lo and behold! I find your site....Helped me a lot....Thumbs up to u (y)


Thanks a lot :)
Posted by grv on 5/18/2007 8:49 PM

# re: IIS - Server Application Unavailable


I ran into this issue on IIs 5.0 on a Windows 2000 server. After two days of scouring the web and running tests in lab.
1) It wasn't related to .NET per se. (I had reloaded it twice) I'm running both versions 1.0 and 2.0.
2) It wasn't anything screwed up with IIS (I reloaded that) and could see normal web pages fine.

I deduced it was some type of interface issue between IIS and ASP.NET. So after looking a zillions of web sites I kept seeing a recurring theme "Permissions".

So I went to the wwwroot folder and blasted all security settings and then set everyone with 'all' access. This fixed the problem, so it told me it was a permissions issue.

Now I have to go back and slowly find out what permissions to add back in to remove the Everyone account.

I downloaded the new AUTHDIAG tool from MS site. It kind of helped but I still couldn't put into action it's findings. Then I downloaded the FILEMON tool, which will take a year to figure out.

So I'm back to square one "Seek and Find" method of testing by replacing one thing at a time until I fully understand the problem.
Posted by Jp on 5/24/2007 5:41 AM

# re: IIS - Server Application Unavailable


Just had the same problem with winrar.
Just spent all day trying to figure it out.
Unbelievable!
Thanks - saved my sanity.
Posted by Isidre Esteve on 5/31/2007 1:43 AM

# re: IIS - Server Application Unavailable

Gravatar
Server Application Unavailable
The web application you are attempting to access on this web server is currently unavailable. Please hit the "Refresh" button in your web browser to retry your request.

Administrator Note: An error message detailing the cause of this specific request failure can be found in the application event log of the web server. Please review this log entry to discover what caused this error to occur.


Help me!!!!!!!
Posted by arief on 6/29/2007 3:15 PM

# re: IIS - Server Application Unavailable

Gravatar
Thanks mate, Google and your post saved me an unknown number of minutes. Has somebody reported this as a bug (this IS a bug I guess) to WinRAR?
Windows has been ignoring security/permissions for so long that this one came as a surprise.
Posted by Sohaib Athar on 10/5/2007 9:51 PM

# re: IIS - Server Application Unavailable


Thanks I had the same problem with Windows Server 2003 + IIS + WinZip :)

Do somebody know that how to change the permissions for all files in a dictionary?
(recusively of course, so in all subdir, all files)

Please, please, pleaseeeeee :)
Posted by Zoisite on 10/19/2007 4:15 AM

# re: IIS - Server Application Unavailable

Gravatar
i have the same problem with IIS .whats the soln.
can u help me?
Posted by manoj on 3/21/2008 3:13 AM

# re: IIS - Server Application Unavailable


Ah thank you very much for this, I was wondering why winrar sometimes worked and why it screwed everything up other times, as I use both methods...

For those wondering how to *fix* the permission errors, this has worked for me in the past.

1) Find a folder and file that have *CORRECT* permissions, *copy* them to the location of your other files / folders.

2) Select all of the *bad* folders and the single *good* folder. Do not select any regular files at this time!

3) Right click -> Sharing or Properties->Sharing. A message should pop up asking if you want to reset permissions, select YES

4) Repeat steaps 2-3 with *FILES* and no folders.

5) Repeat steps 1-4 for sub folders as needed.

6) Delete the *copies* of your good folder / file as to not leave extras laying around.

Hope that helps someone else :)
Posted by John on 3/23/2008 5:24 AM

# re: IIS - Server Application Unavailable


Thanks... Had ssame problem in XP SP2...... Thanks :)
Posted by Narayana on 4/2/2008 12:16 AM

# re: IIS - Server Application Unavailable


Not fixed! I have restarted my win2k3 server and got "Server Application Unavailable" as well when trying to access intranet. No zipping involved. Please help my whole Intranet is down.
Posted by Ekesvar on 8/5/2008 7:33 AM

# re: IIS - Server Application Unavailable


Make sure the APP Pool that the site is using has Started.

Check the Windows Event Log for any errors

Posted by Chris Crowe on 8/5/2008 7:52 AM

# re: IIS - Server Application Unavailable

Gravatar
Did that. The APP Pool is all started. I do have errors in the event viewers:
----------------------------------------------------------------
Event Type: Error
Event Source: DCOM
Event Category: None
Event ID: 10016
Date: 8/5/2008
Time: 10:30:09 AM
User: NT AUTHORITY\NETWORK SERVICE
Computer: KAUAIINTRANET
Description:
The application-specific permission settings do not grant Local Activation permission for the COM Server application with CLSID
{61738644-F196-11D0-9953-00C04FD919C1}
to the user NT AUTHORITY\NETWORK SERVICE SID (S-1-5-20). This security permission can be modified using the Component Services administrative tool.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please don't give up with your generous help!
Posted by Ekesvar on 8/5/2008 11:54 AM

# re: IIS - Server Application Unavailable

Gravatar
...i just modified the DCOM properties by adding NETWORK SERVICE in the permissions. Still don't work.
Posted by Ekesvar on 8/5/2008 12:11 PM

# re: IIS - Server Application Unavailable


df df sdfsad sdf
Posted by dsf d on 10/14/2008 6:18 PM

# re: IIS - Server Application Unavailable


Thanks a lot it worked.

I was working on the co hosting concept of the server and had some restrictions for some accounts and i missed the IWAM account.

Keep up the Good Work !
Posted by Asim on 11/13/2008 1:07 AM

# re: IIS - Server Application Unavailable


The error is still there... I didn't unrar is from any archive. I just updated my files a few days ago via svn and I think inherited the problem from another machine - regarding Web.Config.

I also changed the permissions to the files and recreated every possible thing I could think of.

goodluck to me.
Posted by systam on 1/27/2009 12:09 AM

# re: IIS - Server Application Unavailable


Thanks. It really helped me.
Posted by kunchala on 2/25/2009 6:02 PM

# re: IIS - Server Application Unavailable

Gravatar
when open site or administrator center sharepoint the massage error
the server application unavailable
the web application you are attempting to access on this web server is currently unavaliable .
Posted by waheeba on 4/9/2009 6:26 PM

# re: IIS - Server Application Unavailable

Gravatar
i still face problem even after change permission for all files and folders on
Windows 2003 SP2 , ASP.net 2.0 , MySQL 5.0,
please help me
Posted by sawrd on 4/16/2009 4:14 AM

# re: IIS - Server Application Unavailable


Great help!

I still needed to recreate the ASPNET user (with c:\windows\microsoft.net\framework\v2.0.50727\aspnet_regiis -i) and grant him the rights for the folder and it worked on XP!

But for Windows Server 2003, I can't create ASPNET user for unknown reasons (it does 'something' but afterwards there's no user in the whole AD), so it still doesn't work there... but this is a movement so your help is greatly appreciated!
Posted by veljkoz on 5/23/2009 9:25 AM

# re: IIS - Server Application Unavailable


And I resolved the last issue - the IIS6 (that comes with Win server 2003), doesn't use ASPNET user (except when setup for IIS 5 mode).

The problem was much more trivial - I was getting the 403 "You are not authorized" but in fact it should've been "Directory listing denied"... that's why it took me so long think of adding index.aspx default document to IIS... and it works - finally! :)
Posted by veljkoz on 5/24/2009 4:16 AM

# re: IIS - Server Application Unavailable

Gravatar
Chris, thanks so much. Setting up the permissions for an IIS virtual directory had always been something that I didn't understand, and after a good amount of time researching on the internet, your post was the one that finally helped me solve my problem. Specifically the screenshot comparing the list of users who need to be granted read access. Don't know why the books/tutorials don't mention this step. Thanks again.
Posted by Mark on 9/1/2009 3:04 AM

# re: IIS - Server Application Unavailable

Gravatar
Realy helpfull
Many thanks for you.
Posted by Mohammed Ali on 9/15/2009 11:23 PM

# re: IIS - Server Application Unavailable


Just check the wsadmin properties and be sure that the acount locked-out option should un-checked.
Posted by Pratap on 10/21/2009 1:29 AM

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