IIS fails to serve ASP pages after you install IIS on Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 (907275)

IIS Support Voice column

IIS fails to serve ASP pages after you install IIS on Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1

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Introduction

My name is Martin Smith, and I have been supporting Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) for 10 years.

An issue that many customers experience is that IIS fails to execute and serve Active Server Pages (ASP) pages after installation. Examples of the error messages that you may receive after you install IIS are the following:

Error message 1

Service Unavailable

Error message 2

HTTP error 401.2

Error message 3

Page cannot be displayed

More information

This problem specifically involves a mix of the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 RTM version files and the Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 (SP1) files that make up IIS being installed on the computer.

You can typically identify this problem by reviewing the version number on the properties of the Asp.dll file. The RTM version of Asp.dll will have the version number 6.0.3790.0. If this version is on the server and you have already installed Windows Server 2003 SP1, then you will need to reinstall Windows Server 2003 SP1.

This issue will occur when you install IIS after Windows Server 2003 SP1 has already been installed on the server. The steps below may cause this issue:

You install IIS after the installation of Windows Server 2003 SP1.
When the installation prompts you for the Windows Server 2003 SP1 CD for the Iisapp.vb_ file, you supply the Windows Server 2003 RTM CD instead.
The installation will later prompt you for the Iisadmin.mfl file. This file does not exist on the Windows Server 2003 RTM CD. Thus, you must provide the Windows Server 2003 SP1 CD.
The installer will then copy the Windows Server 2003 RTM files to the server.

If you followed the above procedure to install IIS, then the method to fix this issue is to reinstall Windows Server 2003 SP1.

I hope you find this information helpful when you're using IIS and ASP pages after installation. Remember, the Support Voice columns are for you! As always, feel free to submit ideas on topics you want addressed in future columns or in the Knowledge Base using the Ask For It form.