ASP.NET error registering with IIS

Neil — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 21:28:00 GMT

This is a very common error that people experience when attempting to host an ASP.NET application on a new server. I will be explaining the solution to this problem from a Sharepoint perspective, but the information is relevant to many other scenarios.

The problem normally occurs on new servers that are being configured to host .NET application for the first time and can be avoided entirely by changing the installation sequence. Many applications required both the .NET framework and IIS to be installed on the server and depending on which one you install first, this problem does not occur. If you install .NET framework before installing IIS then you will not have this problem. Change the sequence around, then you need to read this blog.

A lot of people experience this problem when attempting to install either WSS or MOSS on a Windows 2003 server. They start by installing the pre-requisites for Sharepoint:

Service pack 1 for Windows Server 2003
Install IIS 6.0 on the Server
Install the .NET Framework 3.0
Install SQL 2000 with sp4 or SQL 2005 with SP2 or SQL 2008

The next step would be to run the setup.exe from the Sharepoint CD and then they get the following error.

This problem was caused by the installation sequence I mentioned earlier and if you re-install the .NET framework as the dialogue box suggests, the problem will be resolved, but there is a faster way. There is a command line utility available in the directory where the .NET framework is installed that will fix the problem.

Open windows explorer and navigate to the following directory: "C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727".

In this folder you will find an executable called: "aspnet_regiis.exe" that you need to execute from the command line with a particular switch to re-register the ASP.NET component with IIS 6.0. Open the command line console by selecting start, run and typing cmd and then pressing enter. Navigate to the directory mentioned above and type the following command.

The command syntax is: "aspnet_regiis -i".

Once the registration process has been completed. Close the command line and open the IIS management console.

Navigate to the folder called "Web Service Extensions" and confirm that the ASP.NET component has been successfully registered with IIS. At this point you can attempt to install Sharepoint again and there should be no problems.

Related Blogs:

Overview of the .NET Platform

Installation Procedure for MOSS

.NET 2.0 Framework

Neil's IW Space : IIS

ASP.NET error registering with IIS