Issues with Web.config in IIS 7 and Modules (in Vista)

A simple web application runs fine on internal web server, but the time we put it on IIS7 specially in Windows Vista, its start giving configuration error, first and foremost is issue with Modules.

This configuration section cannot be used at this path. This happens when the section is locked at a parent level. Locking is either by default (overrideModeDefault="Deny"), or set explicitly by a location tag with overrideMode="Deny" or the legacy allowOverride="false".

And its points to <handlers> section under <system.webServer> section. The issue related to IIS don’t have ASP.NET installed. You can check your Windows feature, although you have installed IIS7 and compatibility for IIS6, ASP.NET is not getting installed automatically. Here is the Windows feature should look like as in following image.

You can find this window from Control Panel –> Programs and Features –> Turn Windows features on or off [Left panel]

If you have ASP.NET installed on your IIS 7.0 then you have to change the configuration from applicationHost.config file, which resides in %windir%\system32\inetsrv\config\applicationHost.config. You can find the entry for handlers and it has value Deny for property overrideModeDefault, change it to Allow.

<section name="handlers" overrideModeDefault="Deny" /> to <section name="handlers" overrideModeDefault="Allow" />

While saving file I am pretty much sure that it asks for Administrator account although your role is Administrators as you are not owner of that file you can’t make change to file, so solution for this is login as Administrator and do the changes. For vista Administrator is not active for login so find my post which help you to login as Administrator.

How to login as Administrator in Windows Vista

Hi All,

In working with Visa, you always get Alert saying “You don’t have permission to access this folder, click continue to get access”, or “Windows needs your permission to continue” or “Destination Folder Access Denied” or due to security you are not able to save file or change who owned by System…. Lots more. Although you have Administrative privileges still its says sometime “You should have administrative permission”. Or if a program needs Admin permission then you can run that application using “Run as Administrator”!!!!

So we need to do login using Administrator account, but the question is from where?

In Vista, the Administrator (or an administrator) is no longer the most trusted object in the operating system. Yes this is to "ostensibly" protect the system, and is part of a general concept of protecting the integrity of the system. The Administration is not activated and you don’t find any User Interface [Up to now, I didn’t fine] which make it active!!! Does it means you can’t make it Active? NO.

To make it active, you have to run command prompt with Administrator permission. Go to Start –> All Programs –> Accessories –> Command Prompt [right click and RUN AS ADMINISTRATOR]

Write following commands to make Administrator active and set the password.

 

First command will make Administrator account active and another will set yourpassword as Administration account password. Last command Exit.

Now, reboot or switch user or logoff from current user; you can see it will ask for Administrator account password.

USE AT YOUR OWN RISK.