ASP Application Fails If No User Is Logged On to the Server (282073)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Internet Information Server 4.0
  • Microsoft Internet Information Server 5.0
  • Microsoft COM+ 1.0
  • Microsoft Transaction Server 2.0
This article was previously published under Q282073
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 users access an application from an Active Server Pages (ASP) page, the application may fail if there is no user logged on to the Internet Information Server (IIS) console. The client computer returns the following error message:
HTTP 500 Internal server error

-or-

Server Application Error The server has reached the maximum recovery limit for the application during the processing of your request. Please contact the server administrator for assistance.
The following error appears in the event log on the server:
The server stop serving requests for application '/LM/W3SVC/1/Root/Test' because the number of Out of Process component crashes exceed a limit.

CAUSE

The identity for the COM+ application or the Microsoft Transaction Server (MTS) package is configured for "Interactive user - the current logged on user". Because no user is currently logged on to the IIS console, the application cannot run.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, set the identity for the COM+ application or the MTS package to "This User", and specify a user account. See the "More Information" section for the step-by-step procedure.

MORE INFORMATION

How to Set the COM+ Application Identity on IIS 5.0

  1. On the Start menu, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Component Services.
  2. Click to expand the Component Services, Computers, My Computer, and COM+ Applications nodes. Locate the application whose identity you want to change.

    If you are not sure which application to modify, check the properties of the Web site (or virtual directory) where your ASP application resides in the Internet Services Manager.

    On the Home Directory or Virtual Directory tab, check the Application Protection setting:
    1. If the default Medium (Pooled) setting is selected, you should modify the IIS Out-of-Process Pooled COM+ Applications application identity in Component Services.
    2. If High (Isolated) is selected, you should modify the COM+ application that has the same name as your Web site.
    3. If Low (IIS Process) is selected, the site is running in the IIS memory space. This service is running under the local system account and cannot be modified through the IIS snap-in.
  3. Right-click the appropriate COM+ application, and then click Properties.
  4. On the Identity tab, click This User, and type a valid account for the computer. Click OK to apply the changes.

How to Set the MTS Application Identity on IIS 4.0

  1. Start the Internet Service Manager.
  2. Click to expand the Computers, My Computer, and Microsoft Transaction Server nodes. Locate the package whose identity you want to change. The application is listed under the Packages Installed folder.

    If you are not sure which application to modify, check the properties of the Web site (or virtual directory) where the ASP application resides under Internet Information Server.

    On the Home Directory or Virtual Directory tab, check the Run in separate memory space check box:
    1. If the check box is selected, the name of the package is the same as the name of the site.
    2. If the check box is not selected (which is the default setting), the site is running in the IIS process and cannot be modified.
  3. Right-click the package, and then click Properties.
  4. On the Identity tab, click This User, and type a valid account. Apply the changes.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:6/23/2005
Keywords:kbpending kbprb kbSysAdmin KB282073
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