Check the IIS virtual path in IIS 7.5

Question

I am trying to encrypt some sections of the web.config file of one of my applications by using RSA encryption at user level.

So I followed all the steps listed in here and I succesfully created the provider and granted access to my application. However, I have some problems in specifying the virtual path for my application.

I run IIS 7.5 in a Windows Server 2008 R2. My application is called www.testsite.com and its ID is 4.

The aspnet_regiis tool is placed in the Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\[version] folder:

Therefore in order to encrypt the connectionStrings section I run the command:

aspnet_regiis -pe connectionStrings -app "[Application Path]" -prov "myRSAProvider"

I tried as [Application Path], the followings:

• /W3SVC/4
• /W3SVC/4/root
• /W3SVC/4/root/www.testsite.com
• /www.testsite.com

And I always receive the error

The configuration for virtual path '[Application Path]' and site 'Default Web Site' cannot be opened.

Failed to map the path '[Application Path]'. Failed!

I tried to browse many resources on the web but this IIS virtual path specification is not extensively covered. In IIS6 I could get it by running aspet_regiis -lk but this command does not work anymore in IIS 7.5. May somebody help?

Answer 1

You may be having two issues.

1. At the end of your command statement specify your site with the command -site "4" Also note that instead of the #4 you could write in your site name instead. e.g. -site "www.testsite.com"

   aspnet_regiis -pe connectionStrings -app "[Application Path]" -prov "myRSAProvider" -site "4"

2. It is also very important that you run the command prompt as Administrator.

I had the same error you had running IIS 7.5 in a Windows Server 2008 R2 and this is what helped me.