BUG: You cannot use an asterisk ("*") character to configure a redirection to a URL with Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager in Internet Information Services 6.0 (838369)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Internet Information Services version 6.0
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

In Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) 6.0, you cannot use an asterisk ("*") character to configure a redirection to a URL with IIS Manager. For example, you type *;*.htm;/mypage.htm in the Redirect to box on the Virtual Directory tab of your virtual directory properties dialog box. When you click OK, the path is not saved and you receive the following message: The path is not a valid URL.

CAUSE

This problem occurs because IIS Manager does not accept a leading wildcard character.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, you must configure the IIS metabase directly by using a metabase editor such as Metabase Explorer. To do this, follow these steps.

Note The Metabase Explorer tool is included in the IIS 6.0 Resource Kit Tools. To download the IIS 6.0 Resource Kit Tools, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=56fc92ee-a71a-4c73-b628-ade629c89499&displaylang=en

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.
  1. Click Start, point to All Programs, point to IIS Resources, point to Metabase Explorer, and then click Metabase Explorer.
  2. Expand W3SVC, and then expand the Web site that you want.

    Note If you cannot locate your Web site, view the ServerComment field to obtain the Web site name. For example, click 1, and then note the ServerComment Data value. By default, the value is Default Web Site.
  3. Expand root, and then expand Virtual Web Directory.
  4. Double-click HttpRedirect, type the redirect paths that you want in the Value Data box, and then click OK.
  5. Quit Metabase Explorer.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:1/24/2005
Keywords:kbBug kbWinServ2003preSP1fix KB838369 kbAudITPRO
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