FIX: Metabase values are overwritten when the custom script error message contains more than 259 characters (832413)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows XP Professional
  • Microsoft Internet Information Services version 5.1

SYMPTOMS

When you open the properties for the Web Site folder in Internet Information Services (IIS) 5.1, you may receive the following error message and specific metabase property values may change unexpectedly when you try to move from the Cache Options tab in the Application Configuration dialog box to any other tab in that dialog box:
Error: The system cannot find the path specified

CAUSE

When you configure a custom script error message that is more than 259 characters long, several additional metabase fields may be overwritten, depending on the length of the string that is entered.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, make sure that the character length in the ASPscriptErrorMessage property is always less than or equal to 259 characters. If the value exceeds this limit, additional metabase properties are overwritten, and the data in the additional metabase properties is lost even if you later reduce the string length that is stored in the ASPscriptErrorMessage property.

After the metabase properties have been overwritten, Microsoft recommends that you restore your metabase from an earlier metabase backup to recover.

RESOLUTION

Service pack information

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows XP. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

322389 How to obtain the latest Windows XP service pack

Hotfix information

A supported hotfix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that is described in this article. Only apply it to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix may receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next Windows XP service pack that contains this hotfix.

To resolve this problem immediately, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services telephone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support

Note In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.

The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel.
   Date         Time   Version            Size    File name
   ----------------------------------------------------------
   18-Nov-2003  22:38  6.0.2600.1321      98,304  Appconf.dll

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section. This problem was first corrected in Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2.

MORE INFORMATION

The metabase property that is associated with this field is named ASPscriptErrorMessage. You can set the value of the ASPscriptErrorMessage property by using IIS Manager or by using any metabase editing tool. To use IIS Manager to update the value, follow these steps:
  1. Open IIS Manager.
  2. Right-click the Web Sites folder, and then click Properties.
  3. In the Web Sites Properties dialog box, click the Home Directory tab.
  4. Click Configuration.
  5. In the Application Configuration dialog box, click the Debugging tab.
  6. Set Script Error Messages to Send text error message to client.
Note that if you type more than 259 characters in the text box, additional metabase property values are overwritten.

The properties that may be overwritten with incorrect data include:
  • Cache ISAPI applications
  • Write unsuccessful client requests to event log
  • Enable debug exception catching
  • CGI script timeout
  • Do not cache ASP files
  • Limit ASP files cached to
  • Disk cache directory
The following are the known values you may see set for specific metabase properties as the Script Error Message value increases in character length:
  • At 260 characters, the Cache ISAPI applications check box is cleared.
  • At 262 characters, the Write unsuccessful client requests to event log check box is cleared.
  • At 264 characters, the Enable debug exception catching check box is cleared.
  • At 266 characters, the CGI script timeout value is modified.
  • At 269 characters, the Do not cache ASP files option is enabled on the Cache Options tab. Additionally, the Limit ASP files cached to value changes to 1000.
  • At 285 characters and higher, characters are appended to the Disk cache directory field. Because this field must contain a valid directory path and the appended characters make the path invalid, the error message that is mentioned in the Symptoms section is generated when you try to save this new value to the metabase file.
Note that these are cumulative symptoms. In other words, a message of 262 characters disables both Cache ISAPI Applications and Write unsuccessful client requests to event log.

REFERENCES

For more information, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

824684 Description of the standard terminology that is used to describe Microsoft software updates

302573 How to back up and restore IIS

234429 How to manually restore the metabase when no proper backup exists or when the MMC does not start

232068 How to download, install, and remove the IIS MetaEdit 2.2 utility

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:10/26/2005
Keywords:kbHotfixServer kbQFE kbHotfixServer kbQFE ATdownload kbWinXPsp2fix kbWinXPpreSP2fix kbfix kbbug KB832413 kbAudDeveloper
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