Internet Information Services Does Not Log Requests Properly (314938)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Internet Information Services version 5.1
  • Microsoft Internet Information Services 5.0
  • Microsoft Internet Information Server 4.0
This article was previously published under Q314938
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 turn on logging for a Web site through the Internet Services Manager, some or all of the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) requests may not be logged for that Web site, or for portions of that Web site. Also, if logging is not turned on for a particular site, logs may be generated for incoming HTTP requests.

CAUSE

Occasionally, when you set or modify logging on multiple levels of Internet Information Services (IIS), the related metabase entry is orphaned, which leaves the metabase out of synchronization with the Internet Services Manager.

NOTE: A new Web site is set to log using the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Extended Logging Format by default.

RESOLUTION

You must delete the metabase entry that causes this problem in order to synchronize the metabase with the Internet Services Manager.

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 delete the metabase entry, follow these steps:
  1. At a command prompt, type net stop iisadmin /y to stop the IISADMIN service and all services that run inside IISADMIN, such as the World Wide Web Publishing Service.
  2. At a command prompt, switch to the \WINNT\System32\InetSrv\AdminSamples directory for IIS 4.0, or to the \InetPub\AdminScripts directory for IIS version 5.0 or 5.1.
  3. Run the following command to delete the entry that is causing the problem:

    cscript adsutil.vbs delete w3svc/PathToKey/DontLog

    For example, run the following command on an entire Web site, where 1 is the number of the Web site in the metabase, and 1 is the Default Web Site:

    cscript adsutil.vbs delete w3svc/1/DontLog

    Run the following command on a directory:

    cscript adsutil.vbs delete w3svc/1/MyDir/DontLog

    Run the following command on a file:

    cscript adsutil.vbs delete w3svc/1/MyDir/MyFile.asp/DontLog

  4. Restart the IISADMIN service and related services to reload the metabase and apply the change.

MORE INFORMATION

For additional information about the IIS Metabase, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

240941 An Introduction to the IIS Metabase

240225 Description of Adsutil and MetaEdit Utilities Used to Modify the Metabase

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:6/23/2005
Keywords:kbpending kbprb KB314938
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