FrontPage Server Extensions can't read IIS config files.

I had a chat area in my (test) web site. The site was down because my DSL provider died. Now I have a new DSL provider (new IP address, new ISP, etc.).

Going to the chat area I can see the old posts, but when I try to post anything I get an error, and on the web server event log I see this:

Unable to read configuration information for Microsoft Internet Information Server

Microsoft's Support area has one article:

230776 - Err Msg: Unable to Read Configuration Information for Microsoft IIS
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q230/7/76.ASP?LN=EN-US&SD=gn&FR=0&qry=unable%20to%20access&rnk=7&src=DHCS_MSPSS_gn_SRCH&SPR=FP2000

But tt is for the error occuring during an INSTALL, not during browsing.

I'm going to dig through this tonight, but any insight may be useful:

Q216705 - How to Set Permissions on a FrontPage Web on IIS
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q216/7/05.ASP?LN=EN-US&SD=gn&FR=0&qry=unable%20to%20access&rnk=4&src=DHCS_MSPSS_gn_SRCH&SPR=FP2000

But that article is for specifying who has access from Front Page, not from the web browsing.

Running Front Page Server Extensions Administrator it asks me if I want "tighten security as much as possible".
I've answered yes to this at least once, but have no idea if it did anything.

Your help would be appreciated.

Dave
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dcgamesAsked:
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jdfultonConnect With a Mentor Commented:
dcgames,

None of the last errors are going to cause problems.  They are innocuous.

Ok, Lets start over.

First things first.  Your IIS is jacked up.  It shouldnt have all these problems.  One last thing to check though.  make sure the directory your web is in is shared.  If not share it. If so continue on reading.  So this is the best thing to do.  Uninstall any frontpage junk you have.  Including personal web server.  I think that may be one problem.  Then copy your web somwhere safe.  Next delete all webs except the defaults set by IIS.  Uninstall all server extensions from the default web if possible.  What we are trying to do is get IIS back to its original config.  If possible uninstall the hole thing and start from scratch.  Once you have IIS reinstalled.  You can install Frontpage. Do the custom install and do not install the Personal web server option.  You do not need this.  You really dont even need frontpage unless you plan to edit pages from the server side.  If you need the extensions download them from microsoft and follow the instructions on what directory to put them in, if you need instructions let me know.  After this is all done create a new web by clicking on the server name and selecting new web site.  Make the home directory like this.
C:\webname\wwwroot

You will then need to share the wwwroot directory.  Do not share the webname directory.  This is where databases are stored etc...  Once you are done setting up the web info.  Install the frontpage extensions to it.

You may need to set some other IIS info depending on how you have your Domain set up.

Go ahead and try these things if you want.  You can do them all or just a couple.

I think it would be best.

Where abouts are you located.  I am in Ohio and offer onsite consulting at a resonable price.

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dredgeCommented:
are you running win9x? nt? 2000?

what version of Frontpage extensions?
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dcgamesAuthor Commented:
It's Windows 2000 Advanced Server, with SP1 & SP2 applied.

The server extensions would be whatever came with that.

Dave

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jdfultonCommented:
Send the code for your chat page and I will try to help

It sounds like there is something that is pointing to an old directory.
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dcgamesAuthor Commented:
I'll look. I had assumed the problem was a configuration / security problem on the service side and didn't even look to see if all the files where there, or if some folder changed or something.

Dave
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dcgamesAuthor Commented:
Hello, I've tried again this weekend to get this working. Here is what I can report:

It seems the problem is more than the chat page itself. It looks like IIS and frontpage extensions are all up and running. But I can't find anything in "Services" that is called "Front Page Extensions" or anything like that.

If I open the IIS admin console and right click on the web site, tell it to "start" the service, it says it's already up and running.

I shut down and re-started IIS just for grins but it didn't make any difference.

I went to my PC client and I tried to "re-post" the entire website using Front Page 2000 (from the client to the server).

I got a similar error saying that front page couldn't read the configuration. But I have no idea how to go about trouble shooting this.

I created a sub-web of my website, enabled front page on it, and authorized a different user to edit / maintain that sub-web.

Went to the other PC client (Win98) and tried to use Front Page 2000 to update the new page. I got the same error about reading the configuration information.

Any ideas on how to troubleshoot?

Dave
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jdfultonCommented:
Make sure that the path to the Web server is correct and that it contains no
spaces.
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dcgamesAuthor Commented:
Nope the path is ok.

Let me add that the web site is up and running. I can access hdzlan.dcgames.com from the internet.

I manually added a default "Hello World" page to the sub-web I created and that is also available:
  http://hdzlan.dcgames.com/Chrono

What is broken is the Server Extensions that Front Page 2000 uses to UPLOAD the web from the client on which it was developed to the server. I think FP is trying to do HTTP file "uploads". This doesn't work.

But "getting"  a web (from the server to the client) works fine.

By the same token, the front page extension that manages the "chat" area (it's not really chat, it's more like a news-group or bbs where you post comments) gets the same error.

When you "post" a new comment, it has to modify the index file, etc. That part is not working.

Perhaps I should un-install Front Page Server Extensions and re-install it?

Dave
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dcgamesAuthor Commented:
Here is more information. I created a new web site with FP2000 and published it manually (file copy). It has a front page server extension (a page visit counter). I see this in the Event Log.

Event Type:     Warning
Event Source:     FrontPage 4.0
Event Category:     None
Event ID:     1000
Date:          6/19/2001
Time:          10:07:03 PM
User:          N/A
Computer:     DC-GATEWAY89
Description:
Microsoft FrontPage Server Extensions:
   Error #3005f Message: Unable to read configuration for Microsoft Internet Information Server.

So it is definitely a problem with FP Server Extensions and IIS permisions.

Dave
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dcgamesAuthor Commented:
And another clue. I went to "FP Server Administration" console. I right clicked on the host name and instead of getting "Check Server Extensions", I saw "Upgrade Extensions" or something like that.

This is the very first time I see this. I upgraded to SP2 in an attempt to fix the problem and this may have brought this on. HOWEVER, when I tried to do the upgrade, I got an error. The LOG file shows:

Microsoft FrontPage Server Extensions:
   Error reading IIS default Vroot info

Having failed, it is now back to saying "Check Server Extensions" isntead of "Upgrade Extensions".

Maybe I should re-install the server extensions? If so, how?

Dave
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tbatsonCommented:
Did all of this begin IMMEDIATELY after the SP2 install?  If so, you better brace yourself...
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dcgamesAuthor Commented:
Nope. The problem occured way before. I was trying to fix it so I upgraded to SP2 but that didn't change anything.

I can't even tell what version of "frontpage server extensions" I have installed. The info I've read says that I will get the "upgrade" menu entry if there is a new version available, but I can't seem to fine any place where I can just say "upgrade anyway".

Usually I just get the "check Server Extensions" menu entry. If I run it, it invariably asks if I want to "thighten security as much as possible". I've said yes and no, makes no difference to my problem.

Dave
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jdfultonCommented:
 
PSS ID Number: Q251283
Article last modified on 02-09-2000
 
winnt:5.5
 
winnt
 

======================================================================
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:
 
 - Microsoft Exchange Server, version 5.5
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
SUMMARY
=======
 
If you install Microsoft FrontPage Server Extensions and configure them to send
mail to an Exchange Server computer that has relay restrictions enabled for the
Internet Mail Service, when you submit a form that is set to mail its results by
means of Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) you may receive the following
error message:
 
   FrontPage Error.
  User: please report details to this site's webmaster.
  Webmaster: please see the server's application event log for more details.
 
The following event is logged in the application event log of the server that is
running the FrontPage Extensions:
 
   Event ID: 1000
  Source: Frontpage 4.0
  Type: Warning
  Category: None
 
   Description:
  Microsoft FrontPage Server Extensions: http://frontpageserver - Error #160005
  Message: Bad response from SMTP host'exchangeserver': 550 Relaying is
  prohibited.
 
To resolve this issue, you must allow the IP address of the server that is
running the FrontPage Extensions to relay on the Internet Mail Service of the
Exchange Server computer.
 
To allow the IP address of the server that is running the FrontPage Extensions to
relay on the Internet Mail Service of the Exchange Server computer:
 
1. Click the Routing tab in the Internet Mail Service properties, and then make
  sure that Reroute incoming SMTP mail is selected.
 
2. On the Routing tab, click Routing Restrictions.
 
3. Click to select the "Hosts and Clients with these IP addresses" check box,
  and then click Add.
 
4. Add the IP address for the server that is running the FrontPage Extensions,
  and use 255.255.255.255 as the mask; this allows relay for this IP address
  only.
 
   NOTE: If FrontPage Extensions are running on the Exchange Server computer, add
  127.0.0.1 and use a mask of 255.255.255.255.
 
5. Restart the Internet Mail Service.
 
Additional query words:
 
======================================================================
Keywords          : fpext exc55
Version           : winnt:5.5
Platform          : winnt
Issue type        : kbinfo
=============================================================================
Copyright Microsoft Corporation 2000.


 
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dcgamesAuthor Commented:
Nope. Sorry. This doesn't seem to apply. Don't use exchange server and the problem isn't related to the e-mail sending server extension.

So far, 3 aspects of server extensions have failed with the same exact error ("Unable to Read Configuration Information for Microsoft IIS").

a) The CHAT server extension, when "adding" a comment
b) The COUNTER server extension, to increment a counter
c) The POSTING of a updates to the web from the any FrontPage 2000 client.

The last is true for both a normal user and a user with Administration priviledges.

I'm raising the points since this obviously isn't working, but if I can't find a solution by weeks end I will probably remove server extensions and re-install them, and if that doesn't work I'll remove IIS completely and re-install it. And if that doesn't work, I'll go jump of a cliff.. :)

Dave
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jdfultonCommented:
When you edit your site how do you exit out of frontpage?

You do not want to exit by using the X.  This screws up the extensions and IIS and requires a total reinstall of everything.  It sometimes doesnt do anything but usually when the extensions cannot be fixed or you cant see the options.  IIS must be reinstalled.

Is is possible to go to your site so I can see what the problem is?
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dcgamesAuthor Commented:
You could visit the web page, but it won't tell you anything. I don't understand about existing front page.

We run Front Page 2000 on win98 clients. The web site is local in the client (on C:\my documents\my webs\webx for example).

Then you can use Front Page to "publish" the web, which asks for the URL (http://hdzlan.dcgames.com). It then tries to link with FP2000 and upload using HTTP transfer, but it says it can't read the IIS configuration.

It sounds like a security (file access) problem to me, but I don't know what file or folder may be secured improperly.

Dave
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jdfultonCommented:
So let me get this straight.  You directory is listed about that you publish to, and your website is above also.  If that is the directory that is the problem.  The DLL files that FrontPage installs are installed to profile area of the user logged on, rather than under the C:\Winnt\System directory.  All web install activity must be installed with the adminstrators account on the server unless the software gives you an option.

Also are you connected to a local area network? Is your domain server different than your web server?

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dcgamesAuthor Commented:
Let's see if I can explain it but I didn't understand all of your comment.

The computer is called "dcgateway89".

It hosts a domain called "hdzlan.dcgames.com".

On IIS, I have created a web site and associated it with the IP address, port 80.

I can access the web site from the internet and from the internal lan.

I used Front Page 2000 on a Win98 client to create the web site. THen I posted it to the IIS server. This was over a year ago. Then my ISP died and I had to find a new one, so now I have a new static IP address.

I went and fixed everything on the server (new IP address, etc.) and in the process I must have broken something because while the website is no up, I can no longer update it from the Win98 client.

> Your directory is listead about that you publish to, and
> your website is above also.

This is the part I didn't understand.

> The DLL files that Front Page installs are installed to
> profile area of the user logged on, rather than under
> C:\WinNT\System directory

I don't think Front Page is installing any DLLs (at least not when I'm trying to post the web site).

Do you mean the Front Page Server Extension DLLs?  If you tell me where to look I'll verify where they are installed.

My guess is that this is getting closer. From the way I understand it, Front Page Server Extensions is basicly a glorified CGI process. For example, the "http upload" process requires a CGI to receive the payload and put it to disk. My guess is that when front page 2000 invokes the server extension a problem occurs and the DLL doesn't run or if it runs it doesn't find or has access to something.

Dave
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jdfultonCommented:
You are correct on the DLL process.  Extensions usually will show up if you browse to your site.  The usually start with _vti.  These should be in an accesable folder in your web.  You will only see them if you use explorer.  The dlls usually begin with fp.  What im saying is if your web folder your publishing to is not in the c:\ directly you will be the only one to publish.  Let me ask can you update the web from the server side?  The my documents folder is not public or for all users.  the c:\ directory is.  

Let me know what you find out about publishing from the server.
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dcgamesAuthor Commented:
I have a standard IIS setup with the website on:

C:\inetpub\wwwroot

You are right. There are some _vt folders there. I'll check tonight to see if there are any executables in them.

On the Win98 client, the local copy of the web can be stored anywhere. FrontPage 2000 adjusts any links that need to be adjusted when it posts the code to the website.

That's why "copying" the web site to the server doesn't work. I would have to manually fix any links that have absolute paths.

I'll look for executables or dlls starting with fp*.* and see where they are located, and what security the files and the folders they are in have. If I can't see a problem I'll post the information here.

Dave
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jdfultonCommented:
I still think your server extensions are screwed up.

Most of the time thats the problem when you get errors in frontpage when you try to publish a web.

You need to totally uninstall the server extensions and then reinstall them making sure you have the latest version.  If you cant uninstall or reinstall you need to delete the web and create a new  one and start from there.

Also try not to run your web from the pc when your updating.  This will cause tons of problems when you go to publish it to the server.  Once you get it running on the server open the web in your browser and select edit with frontpage.  Then save your changes.  This is the safest way.

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dcgamesAuthor Commented:
How do I un-install them? They are not listed where I would expect to find them, and there is no uninstall / remove option in the server extensions administration area.

Dave
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jdfultonCommented:
Try this first

Open Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel.
Click on Add/Remove Windows Components to bring up the Windows Components Wizard.
Click Next.
Select Internet Information Services (IIS) and click Details.
Select FrontPage 2000 Server Extensions and click OK.
Click Next to complete the Wizard and to install the FrontPage 2000 Server Extensions.
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dcgamesAuthor Commented:
Ok. I did exactly as you suggested. I removed the server extensions, then ran Add/Remove Windows COmmonents again and installed it back in.

No change but the EVENT log has some clues. Here are the messages, I only show the header once..

Event Type:     Information
Event Source:     FrontPage 4.0
Event Category:     None
Event ID:     1000
Date:          6/23/2001
Time:          10:26:06 PM
User:          N/A
Computer:     DC-GATEWAY89
Description:
==
Event Type:     Information
Microsoft FrontPage Server Extensions:
    Starting install, port: /LM/W3SVC/1:, web: "root web"
==
Event Type:     Information
Microsoft FrontPage Server Extensions:
   Creating web http://dc-gateway89 
==
Event Type:     Warning
Microsoft FrontPage Server Extensions:
   Error #e002c Message: Cannot read or set the permissions for file, c:\inetpub\wwwroot\_vti_bin: initializing the SD failed.
==
Here I should note that there is NO _vti_bin folder in inetpub\wwwroot. There is an HTML file _vti_inf.html that contains some frontpage configuration info, and it also shows _vit_bin:
    FPVersion="4.0.2.4426"
    FPShtmlScriptUrl="_vti_bin/shtml.dll/_vti_rpc"
    FPAuthorScriptUrl="_vti_bin/_vti_aut/author.dll"
    FPAdminScriptUrl="_vti_bin/_vti_adm/admin.dll"

The _vti_bin folder instead is in:

C:\program files\common files\microsoft shared\web server extensions\40

Should I make a copy of this in the wwwroot area?
== CONTINUING WITH EVENTS
Microsoft FrontPage Server Extensions:
      (OS Error #2 Message: The system cannot find the file specified.)
==
Microsoft FrontPage Server Extensions:
   Creating web http://dc-gateway89/Chrono 
NOTE: THIS IS A Sub-Web of the main web..
==
Microsoft FrontPage Server Extensions:
   Error #e002c Message: Cannot read or set the permissions for file, c:\inetpub\wwwroot\Chrono\_vti_bin: initializing the SD failed.
==
Microsoft FrontPage Server Extensions:
      (OS Error #2 Message: The system cannot find the file specified.)
==
Now look at this one, it is wierd:
==
Event Type:     Information
Event Source:     Ci
Event Category:     CI Service
Event ID:     4143
Date:          6/23/2001
Time:          10:26:27 PM
User:          N/A
Computer:     DC-GATEWAY89
Description:
Removed virtual root \_vti_bin from index.
==

Anyway, you get the picture. What next? Copy _vti_bin folder?

I'm going to try it anyway..

Dave



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dcgamesAuthor Commented:
Tried and it didn't work.

I just copied the folder with all it's contents to the wwwroot directory. Is there something else I should try?

Dave

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dcgamesAuthor Commented:
No other ideas come to me, so I guess I'll just wipe and reinstall everything. Thanks for sticking through the whole process.

Dave
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