IIS Does Not Start When French (Canadian) Is Set as System Locale (243087)

We strongly recommend that all users upgrade to Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) version 6.0 running on Microsoft Windows Server 2003. IIS 6.0 significantly increases Web infrastructure security. For more information about IIS security-related topics, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/prodtech/IIS.mspx

SYMPTOMS

Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS) may not start when it is installed on a computer running the French version of Windows NT or Windows 95/98 and the default system locale is set to French (Canadian).

CAUSE

This is by design. When IIS is installed on a computer where French (Standard) is the system default locale, IIS disables Cryptography due to current laws in France. Because of this, the metabase is then stored in clear text. When IIS is installed on a computer where the system locale is anything except French (Standard), IIS stores the metabase as encrypted.

If IIS is installed when the system default locale is not set to French (Standard), then IIS encrypts the metabase. If the system default locale is changed to French (Standard), then IIS cannot read the metabase. IIS fails to start because it expects to read a non-encrypted metabase.

If IIS is installed when the system default locale is set to French (Standard), then IIS does not encrypt the metabase, but stores it as clear text. If the system default locale is changed to anything other than French (Standard), then IIS cannot read the metabase because it expects to read an encrypted metabase, and therefore, fails to start.

WORKAROUND

If you want to use encryption in IIS, then change the system locale to French (Canadian), or change the system locale that you intend to use before installing IIS. This ensures that IIS will create an encrypted metabase.