IIS custom site HTTP Error 401.3 - Unauthorized

Question

I've created a new site within IIS and pointed to my local Documents directory

C:\Users\name\Documents

via

http://localhost:8080/

The error I'm getting is

HTTP Error 401.3 - Unauthorized

I've checked the properties of the Documents folder under Security. for IIS_IUSRS, Read & Execute, List folder contents and Read are checked.

Others like SYSTEM, myUsername, Administrators have more rights to this folder.

Not sure what I'm missing here, please advise.

Try NETWORK_SVC. Your IIS Application Pool is probably running under that account. — smoore4, Mar 20 '18 at 21:07
do I've to apply security at my username directory or users directory or Documents itself which I've been doing — App2015, Mar 20 '18 at 21:17
Possible duplicate of [IIS - 401.3 - Unauthorized](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/19162553/iis-401-3-unauthorized) — Lex Li, Mar 20 '18 at 21:44

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Mar 21 '18 at 02:04

Download Procmon from here and start tracing. Reproduce the issue and stop procmon.

Filter procmon trace for "access denied". It'll tell you what permissions are needed and for which folder.

Share a screenshot of procmon trace if you find it difficult to analyze and I will try and guide you.

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Mar 21 '18 at 14:03

"C:\Users\name\Documents" would typically be a terrible place to put a web site. It is essentially the same as "My Documents" which is a special Windows folder. And it would have a number of non-web site folders. Try using C:\Web (or something like that) and add IIS_IUSRS to that folder.

BUT, if you really want to use your My Documents as the root of a web site, you can create a web.config file in C:\Users\name\Documents with the following:

  <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
    <configuration>
      <system.web>
        <authentication mode="None" />
      </system.web>
    </configuration>

IIS custom site HTTP Error 401.3 - Unauthorized

2 Answers2