Mysterious IIS 6/ Virtual Directory Errors

I am experiencing an unusual problem with one of my web servers. One of the machine's sites contains links to various documents (.doc, .sls, .pdf) through a virtual directory over to a file server. Recently, a couple of strange things have happened:

1. Sometimes users are prompted for a logon and password to get to the file server (not every time)

2. Sometimes the page throws an error 403: Access denied

3. Last week, one of the virtual directories began throwing error 500 (!?) for links to documents.

I suppose these problems could be related to a meta corruption in IIS, but I suspect it actually has something to do with a connection limit to our file server.

Could this be related to the userid I am using to connect to the file server?

It's very strange. Has anyone experienced a similar problem before?

One note: The only change to the server, is that I have added several virtual directories to the site, but I am not aware of any limits on virt. directories in a single site.

My guess is there are permission settings that are not correct on some files/folders

For the 500 error, in IE open Tools - Internet Options - Advanced Options and uncheck the "show friendly http errors" setting, you should get a more descriptive error message.

Hi

I've got a very similar problem, except that I've never got it working in the first place, and hoped that someone might help me out! I've got a webserver, with a local account IUSR_WEBSERVER, and a fileserver, also with local account IUSR_WEBSERVER, both with the same password.

In IIS, I have a virtual folder, with annonymous access enabled, using IUSR_WEBSERVER, with my manually entered password. On the fileserver, I have granted read permission in NTFS permissions on the folder that is being mapped, for IUSR_WEBSERVER.

However, when I try to access that folder through a browser, I get asked for a username and password, and nothing I enter lets me in!

Any ideas?!

btw, sorry to hijack your question, atlwebguy, but it seems so similar, and I figured you might be able to help me

Thanks

Andy

You can verify which user account IIS uses for anonymous web surfers in the IIS MMC. Perhaps it's not the user account you expect.

Nope, confident that IIS is using the correct user.

On the VD, it uses IUSR_WEBSERVER, with the "allow IIS to control password" disabled. In fact, it has that on all the folders in question.

Somewhat more confusing, and maybe the root cause of my problem is this...

The folder structure is 3 deep. Project/www/folder

Now, I have browsing enables on Project, disabled on www, and enabled on folder. However, I can't actually browse any of them?!

That may have muddied the water, or made it clear!! Hope someone can help, this is taking far too long !!!!

Thanks

Andy