Web Server Busy

[xx75vulcan]

Hi,

I've read all of this user group's posts about Server Time Outs, and
have not found any postings that have a working solution that fixes my
"Server Timed Out" errors.

I have a Windows Server 2003 Enterprise box running IIS 6.0 and
Frontpage Extensions.
I have Service Pack 1 installed.
I have the site broken down into 30 subwebs and each are relatively
small.
Under the "Server EXtensions 2002" Tab in IIS it says:
Microsoft Share Point is installed on this Web Site
Version 5.0.2.6738
Click "settings" to view and set Share Point and FrontPage
Server Extenstion properties and to choose administration commands.

Just recently (I have no idea what changed) my users started getting
"Server Busy" and "Server Timed Out" errors when they try to upload
files to their subwebs. They can successfully log into their sub webs,
and can modify/save html pages, but can not upload new files into the
sub. (Ex. they can not upload a PDF or new JPG files).

I am an admin on the box (and sitting in the DMZ) can upload an
unlimited file size, and have not experienced a "server busy" error. I
have traveled to a machine that is on the regular network, and have
witnessed this "server busy" error, so I know the users are not making
this up.

Users systems range from:
Win NT with Front Page 2000
Win XP with Front Page 2000
Win XP with Front Page 2003
and all seem to experience this issue.

I've read many posts talking about deleting the service.lck and
frontpg.lck files. I have deleted these files and it still does not
eliminate the "server busy" error.

I'm sure I have left out some specs that someone needs to know to help
me solve this great mystery, so please ask. I'd love nothing more than
to solve this, and let this post be an "end all" to the "server busy"
error so many of us seem to be experiencing.

Sincerely,
Chris

 

[Steve Easton]

Have them try this on their machines.

Go here: http://www.95isalive.com/fixes/fpclean.htm and download FP Cleaner ( with
Expression Web Designer and SharePoint Designer support )
Download links are at the bottom of the page.
Run the functions that clear:
The Hidden Temporary files.
The Hidden Cache (*.web) files.

See if it helps.


--
Steve Easton
Microsoft MVP FrontPage
FP Cleaner
http://www.95isalive.com/fixes/fpclean.htm
Hit Me FP
http://www.95isalive.com/fixes/HitMeFP.htm

 

[xx75vulcan]

Hi Steve,

Before I download and use this software, can you tell me if it will
remove the specific permissions that are set for the subwebs? And/or
if it will remove the users that are assigned to each sub?

I only ask because I have approx. 300 users tied to subwebs, and I
don't want to be caught off guard if it's going to cause me to go back
and re-assign them all to their subs again.

Thanks again for your advice!

 

[xx75vulcan]

Ok, I just noticed that it "only removes files associated with the
user logged onto the system."

Whereas, I'm having an issue with all users, EXCEPT myself, who logs
in as an "admin".

 

[David Berry]

It won't affect any permissions. Permissions are set on the server and
aren't affected.

 

[xx75vulcan]

What about re-installing Front Page Server Extensions?

It appears that they're working ok, but I'm down to my last straws in
attempts to resolve the "server busy" errors.

If I Uninstall and then Reinstall the Front Page Server Extensions,
will that mess with the permissions, and/or users assigned to each
subweb?

Will it blow away all subwebs and convert them to regular web folders?

Will it not do anything to the current web structure/permissions/users
assigned to each sub?

 

[David Berry]

If you un-install and re-install the FPSE then yes, it will remove all
permissions and turn your sub webs back into folders. You'll have to
recreate the sub webs and re do all the permissions. Have you tried just
doing a repair on them? That won't remove the permissions. Also, Steve's
program is meant to be run on the user's PCs, not on the server.

 

[xx75vulcan]

The only "repair" I've been able to find is through IIS called "check
server extensions 2002".

When I open this, I see a couple of options:
Reapply file securty settings
Verify existance of webs
Check roles configuration
Tighten security
Check anonymous access

I've attempted to run the "repair" for "reapply file securty settings"
and it went to a screen asking me to wait while it applies it's
settings, and it stood there for over 45 minutes.

I suppose I could re-attempt after hours, when the site's traffic goes
down. Unless I am looking in the wrong area for "repair extensions"

 

[xx75vulcan]

I should mention that every once in a while, I see two errors in the
server's event log under Application:

Microsoft Frontpage Server Extensions: http://[sitename] - Error
#20002 Message: Cannot open file ".fp_folder_info" for writing.

and

Microsoft Frontpage Server Extensions: http://[sitename] - Error
#20001 Message: Cannot open file "frontpage.lck" for reading.

 

[Thomas A. Rowe]

You need to run the server-health check form within IIS for the FP extensions.

--
==============================================
Thomas A. Rowe
Microsoft MVP - FrontPage

http://www.Ecom-Data.com
==============================================

 

[xx75vulcan]

Running the checks on the server-health form within IIS for the FP
Extensions only came up with "Your web site security may need to be
tightened" messages.

Should I run the "repair" for "reapply file securty settings"? (there
is no check for that option - Just repair)
(I've attempted a run once earlier today, and it just appeared to sit
there for 45 minutes.)

 

[xx75vulcan]

Is there a way that I can check to see if the server is genuinly
"busy" as opposed to just having corrupt frontpage extensions?

I ran the Repair Extensions, and deleted all files that end in *.lck
and have not had any luck getting users to be able to upload without
receiving "Server Busy" messages.

 

[Thomas A. Rowe]

yes.

--
==============================================
Thomas A. Rowe
Microsoft MVP - FrontPage

http://www.Ecom-Data.com
==============================================

 

[xx75vulcan]

So here's the newest:

We've discovered it's not a permissions issue. I have traveled to the
user's location, and logged in as admin into frontpage, and I myself
get a server timed out error.

I've discovered that it's not related to uploading a specific file
type, but rather file size. Anything bigger than 0.18 MB will generate
an instant server timed out error.

I did some more research, because I have two seperate web servers
located in my DMZ, and they are both giving this error. This leads me
to think that it's not the servers themself, but somehow, somewhere,
an issue on the microsoft network we're running or even the PIX
Controller.

When using Frontpage to upload files from home (or anywhere not on the
network) users can upload several hundred MB w/o any issues. Seems odd
you got to leave the network to run smoothly?!?!

 

[xx75vulcan]

More Discovery:

Here's something interesting.....I've noticed that online forms that
submit data through e-mail have stopped working. (at the same time
uploading starting giving server time out errors).

I double checked the IP of the Mail server, and it's good.

Just for kicks, I've switched the server's SMTP Mail settings to point
to the internal IP of our mail server, and *poof* the online forms
started working again.

In theory, a machine in the DMZ isn't supposed to be on the inside
network, rather, is supposed to be sitting outside the network, using
all external IP's right?

(We've ALWAYS used external IP for the mail server in the past)

What's going on!?
I'm so confused now.

 

[Ronx]

In theory, a machine in the DMZ isn't supposed to be on the inside

network, rather, is supposed to be sitting outside the network, using
all external IP's right?

Depends on how the DMZ is set up.
On my home network, using only the router, I can set up a "DMZ". The
computers in the DMZ will have internal IPs, and could connect to any
other computer on the network. The DMZ in this case works so that all
requests from external IPs are routed to the DMZ computers.
A better router would place the DMZ on a subnet, and isolate the DMZ
from the rest of the network.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demilitarized_zone_(computing) explains
this better than I can.
--
Ron Symonds - Microsoft MVP (FrontPage)
Reply only to group - emails will be deleted unread.
FrontPage Support: http://www.frontpagemvps.com/
http://www.rxs-enterprises.org/fp