IIS: Access Denied When Trying to Update Files on IIS Computer (191742)

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

When you try to save a file on your Internet Information Server (IIS) computer, one of the following error messages appears:

Cannot create file

-OR-

Another user or process has modified the file. Do you wish to reload it?

-OR-

Access is denied.
The file associated with this document has been moved or deleted
outside of [third-party application]. You may want to resave the
document before continuing.

CAUSE

The file you are trying to save was recently viewed through IIS. Because IIS caches file handles for performance, some editors are unable to close the file.

The editors HomeSite, DreamWeaver, and EditPad are known to generate errors when attempting to overwrite cached files.

Microsoft Notepad and Microsoft FrontPage can overwrite cached files without error.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, use a different editor or use the Registry Editor to disable caching of file handles.

WARNING: Disabling caching of file handles may seriously impact the performance of your Internet Information Server computer. Use this workaround with caution.

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

For information about how to edit the registry, view the "Changing Keys And Values" Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or the "Add and Delete Information in the Registry" and "Edit Registry Data" Help topics in Regedt32.exe. Note that you should back up the registry before you edit it. If you are running Windows NT, you should also update your Emergency Repair Disk (ERD).

On the Start menu, click Run. In the Open box, type "regedit" (without the quotation marks). Click OK.

In the left pane, click the plus sign (+) to the left of each of the following items (in order):

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
      SYSTEM
         CurrentControlSet
            Services
               InetInfo
                  Parameters

In the left pane, click the Parameters key to select it.
On the Edit menu, click New and then point to DWORD Value.
In the right pane, a new value named "New Value #1" appears.
Rename the new value to DisableMemoryCache.
Double-click the value DisableMemoryCache. A dialog box appears. Change the Value Data to 1.
Click OK.
On the Registry menu, click Exit.

Restart the computer to make this setting take effect.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce the Problem:

Modify and save a file to your IIS server.
View the file in a Web browser.
Immediately try to modify or save the file again.

For further information, see the following related articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

182626, Access Is Denied When Attempting to Put Files on FTP Server
159199, A File Cannot Be Deleted or Accessed on an NTFS Volume

The third-party products discussed here are manufactured by vendors independent of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding these products' performance or reliability.