Windows 2003 IIS Server - Permission Error

Problem

If the Web based Install will not start and you have installed to Windows 2003 Server, an error like the one below can occur.

Access to the path "C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v1.1.4322\Temporary ASP.NET Files\acb\1a6d1ed3fe0f4362" is denied.

Description: An unhandled exception occurred during the execution of the current web request. Please review the stack trace for more information about the error and where it originated in the code.

Exception Details: System.UnauthorizedAccessException: Access to the path "C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v1.1.4322\Temporary ASP.NET Files\acb\1a6d1ed3fe0f4362" is denied.

ASP.NET is not authorized to access the requested resource. Consider granting access rights to the resource to the ASP.NET request identity. ASP.NET has a base process identity (typically {MACHINE}ASPNET on IIS 5 or Network Service on IIS 6) that is used if the application is not impersonating. If the application is impersonating via , the identity will be the anonymous user (typically IUSR_MACHINENAME) or the authenticated request user.

Solution

The Asp.Net user needs read/write permissions to this directory. This is the temp directory .net uses for the compiled files.

The default installation of .Net doesn't appear to give itself rights to a directory it needs.

In Windows Server 2003, the ASPNET account does not exist. ASP.NET in IIS6 uses the "NETWORK SERVICE" account instead. Add the permissions using that account, as directed in the error message text posted below.

To grant ASP.NET write access to a file, right-click the file in Explorer, choose "Properties" and select the Security tab. Click "Add" to add the appropriate user or group. Highlight the ASP.NET account, and check the boxes for the desired access.