The FTP service does not work and event ID 116 is returned when you install Windows Server 2003 by using Sysprep (834377)

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

CAUSE

This problem may occur in the following scenario:

You install Windows Server 2003.
You install Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) components -- either automatically, while the Windows Server 2003 Setup program is running or manually, after the Setup process is completed.
You install the FTP service in factory mode by using the Sysprep tool with the -factory command-line switch, and by using a Winbom.ini file that is configured to install the FTP service.
You reseal the system by using the Sysprep tool with the -reseal and the -nosidgen switches.

When you first use the Sysprep tool with the -factory switch, the IIS metabase is backed up. Then, when you install the FTP service in factory mode, information that the FTP service requires is added to the IIS metabase. When you use the Sysprep tool with the -reseal switch to prepare the system for the first user startup, the backed-up IIS metabase is restored. This backed-up IIS metabase replaces the metabase information that was added in factory mode. The backed-up IIS metabase does not contain the information that the FTP service requires, and therefore this information is missing from the final configuration. The missing information prevents the FTP service from starting successfully, and this scenario generates event ID 116.

RESOLUTION

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

To resolve this problem, before you run the Sysprep tool with the -reseal and the -nosidgen switches, follow these steps:

Delete the following registry value:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\INetStp\SysPrepIISInfoStage
This action prevents the backed-up IIS metabase from being restored when you run the Sysprep tool with the -reseal and the -nosidgen switches.
Clean up the files that are associated with the backed-up IIS Metabase. To do this, delete the following files, where %SystemRoot% is the folder where Windows is installed:
- %SystemRoot%\IISSysPr.tmp
- %SystemRoot%\system32\inetsrv\metaback\MDBackUp.md9999
- %SystemRoot%\system32\inetsrv\metaback\MDBackUp.sc9999

Note To automate these steps, add the following sections to the Winbom.ini file before you use the Sysprep tool with the -factory switch:

[UpdateSystem]
	DelReg = UpdateSystem.DelReg
	DelFiles = UpdateSystem.Delfiles1, UpdateSystem.Delfiles2
 
	[UpdateSystem.DelReg]
	HKLM, "Software\Microsoft\INetStp", "SysPrepIISInfoStage"
 
	[UpdateSystem.DelFiles1]
	MDBackUp.md9999, 0x00000001
	MDBackUp.sc9999, 0x00000001
 
	[UpdateSystem.DelFiles2]
	IISSysPr.tmp, 0x00000001
 
	[DestinationDirs]
	UpdateSystem.Delfiles1 = 11,"\inetsrv\MetaBack" ; LDID 11 = %SystemRoot%\system32
	UpdateSystem.Delfiles2 = 10 ; LDID 10 = %SystemRoot%

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem after it has already occurred, follow these steps:

Use the Add or Remove Programs tool in Control Panel to remove the FTP service.
Use the Add or Remove Programs tool to install the FTP service.

For additional information about how to set up an FTP Server in Windows Server 2003, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

323384 HOW TO: Set up an FTP Server in Windows Server 2003

MORE INFORMATION

For more information about the Sysprep tool and about the Winbom.ini file, see the Ref.chm Help file in the Support\Tools\Deploy.cab file on your Windows Server 2003 CD-ROM. For additional information, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/oem

For additional information about a similar issue on a different operating system, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

827385 IIS settings are missing after you run Sysprep with the -nosidgen command-line switch