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When I try to access my ASP.NET MVC application I get the error:

Access to the path 'C:\inetpub\wwwroot\website\bin\test.Platform.Config.xml' is denied

I run IIS 7.5 with an application pool that has the property:

Identity: ApplicationPoolIdentity

I imagine it is because the 'ApplicationPoolIdentity' cannot read the file I try to access. So my question is: Since the 'ApplicationPoolIdentity' is not a system user, which user or group do I need to grant further access in order to allow the 'ApplicationPoolIdentity' to read the file?

Or is there some other explanation for this authorization problem?

Baxter
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1 Answers1

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Ok I have the solution:

When using "ApplicationPoolIdentity" with IIS 7.5 the corresponding user is (a virtual system user): 

"IIS AppPool\<AppPoolName>"

You can grant this user permissions and check security setting by searching for this user. See the full explanation here:

http://www.iis.net/learn/manage/configuring-security/application-pool-identities

Baxter
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    How to force this changes to be applied? I made this and still no effect. – Johnny_D Sep 30 '13 at 13:23
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    Same, this is horribly frustrating. I've done everything Microsoft said to do and I still get a warning on Authorization. – cowsay Aug 04 '16 at 19:04
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    From the File Explorer's Security tab, when searching for the app pool user to add, I had to change the **From this location** field from the domain directory to the local machine name. This answer helped me to realize that so thanks! – hvaughan3 Jan 26 '17 at 15:24