FIX: Unable to Specify Folder Path for Moderated Newsgroups (300626)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Internet Information Server 4.0
  • Microsoft Internet Information Server 5.0
  • Microsoft Commercial Internet System 2.0
  • Microsoft Commercial Internet System 2.5
This article was previously published under Q300626
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

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the metabase. Before you edit the metabase, verify that you have a backup copy that you can restore if a problem occurs. For information about how to do this, see the "Configuration Backup/Restore" Help topic in Microsoft Management Console (MMC).

SYMPTOMS

When you try to specify a folder path for a moderated newsgroup under the Network News Transfer Protocol (NNTP) virtual server settings, you may receive the following error message:
The domain name is not valid.

CAUSE

The Internet Information Services (IIS) Help documentation states that you can either specify a Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) server name or a folder path for moderated newsgroups. The IIS Management Console only allows alphanumeric characters and a period (.) to specify a valid server name or fully qualified domain name (FQDN).

RESOLUTION

WARNING: If you edit the metabase incorrectly, you can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall any product that uses the metabase. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems that result if you incorrectly edit the metabase can be solved. Edit the metabase at your own risk.

NOTE: Always back up the metabase before you edit it.

To work around this problem, specify the folder path as a value to the SMTP virtual server metabase key. To do this, follow these steps:
  1. Locate the Adsutil.vbs script file that is installed by IIS. You will use this file to modify the metabase.
  2. Specify the folder path name for moderated newsgroups. The syntax is as follows:
    cscript adsutil.vbs set nntpsvc/<virtual server instance id>/smtpserver "<path>"
    For example, if you want to specify the path as C:\Moderated for the default NNTP server instance, run the following from a command prompt: 
    cscript adsutil.vbs set nntpsvc/1/smtpserver "c:\moderated"
  3. After the setting is applied, you can either restart all of the IIS services or restart the server.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

The problem occurs on a new installation of an NNTP server, where no moderated path has been specified and does not exist for the nntpsvc/1/smtpserver key in the metabase. You must have the Web server, SMTP server, and NNTP services installed from the Microsoft Windows 2000 or Microsoft Windows NT Option Pack, or equivalent services from Microsoft Commercial Internet System (MCIS) version 2.0.
  1. Start the Internet Service Manager (ISM), which loads the IIS snap-in for the Microsoft Management Console (MMC).
  2. Right-click Default NNTP Virtual Server and click Properties.
  3. Click the Settings tab.
  4. Under SMTP server for moderated groups type a valid folder path (for example, C:\Inetpub or \Inetpub) and click either Apply or OK.

REFERENCES

For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

300672 HOW TO: Create a Metabase Backup in IIS 5

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:6/23/2005
Keywords:kbbug kbfix kbQFE KB300626
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