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I'm getting "Unable to start program http://localhost:[port] Access is denied." when I try to debug an ASP.NET MVC app. Here are some more details, some of which may not be relevant.

This is happening under a somewhat different context for this project. I recently obtained an elevated account on the network, so now I'm running VS 2017 (15.5.4) as Admin every time I start it so that I can access the TFS server. Previous to this, I had been working offline with my non-elevated account and passing code changes to another developer for him to check in to TFS. I am still logged on to the local PC (Windows 10) with my non-elevated account. I just start VS as an admin and when prompted enter the credentials for the elevated account.

This morning was the first time I ran VS under this new context, got the latest code, and tried to do some work. I had to delete an existing TFS workspace, but I did get a complete refresh of the code from TFS.

The first time I went to F5 the code in this new context I get a warning about the app using SSL and VS wanting to self-sign a certificate. I said yes. I forget exactly what happened at that point, I think the browser (Firefox) timed out trying to connect. Anyway, I tried a different browser (Chrome) and still no luck.

Yet now, whether I , +, , or , I very quickly get the message from above "Unable to start program..." I've done a lot of searching on this problem, but have had no success in getting close to a solution. Here's what I've tried:

Cleaned the build and done a fresh rebuild. Building works, no issues.

Use netsh to look for (and delete) URL reservation. There wasn't one.

Tried using a different port.

Deleted temporary asp.net files.

Turn JavaScript debugging option off in VS.

Crtl+F5, w/o debugger.

Turn SSL off for the project.

Checked, Windows Authentication is on in web.config.

Used Process Monitor to look for any "access denied" for either devenv.exe or iisexpress.exe

So what I'm hoping for here is not so much a silver bullet (though that would be great), but more some help in troubleshooting. Access denied means some resource--a file, a registry setting, a network share, something--is inaccessible in the context in which I'm running. Exactly what that is has got to be recorded somewhere, I hope. What log files does VS write to when you hit ? I've looked at the output during build and there's nothing there.

I'm sure I haven't exhausted all resources in troubleshooting this, I just need some help on where to look. Also, I had to leave that project/site and head to another, so I won't be able to try any ideas you all throw at me until tomorrow, at the earliest.

John Chase
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  • Do you have anything else using the same port? – Owen Pauling Jul 12 '18 at 13:33
  • No, I don't believe so. It's 26982 or something like that. All of this work this morning occurred after a fresh restart of the box, so it's unlikely some old process was still hanging on to the port. Again, I'm at a different site now, so I can do some more checking when I get back over there. – John Chase Jul 12 '18 at 14:17
  • Did you try setting a default page for the app in VS? – erikrunia Jul 12 '18 at 15:11
  • No, I haven't. I'll give that a go, too. Although, I just talked to another developer who sometimes works in that other environment, and he said he had that problem and it had to do something with a registry setting, possible something with FIPS... which rings a bell from years ago. – John Chase Jul 12 '18 at 15:40

2 Answers2

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Please take a look at these answers in a similar question. From the list you provided it appears some of these may be new things to try for your case.

Specifically, I have run across the following answers in that linked question that have worked for me at various times in my career:

  • If you're using Anonymous Authentication, IIS 7 will use the "IUSR" account for directory access (unless you've set it to use the app pool identity. If you haven't granted IUSR sufficient permissions on your site's folders and files, you'll get this error

  • For me in windows 7 it started to work only after I gave 'Read & execute', 'List folder contents', 'Read' permissions to site folder for both users

    • IUSR
    • NETWORK SERVICE
  • I had the same problem, I enabled "Anonymous Authentication" but it still did not work. So I also ENABLED "Forms Authentication" Then it worked without any problems. (also try windows auth)
  • For me, nothing worked except the following, which solved the problem: open IIS, select the site, open Authentication (in the IIS section), right click Anonymous Authentication and select Edit, select Application Pool Identity.
  • I gave access to "IIS_IUser" but instead it should be "IUSR". That solved the problem.
erikrunia
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  • Ok, I'll look at this when I get back over there. Yet my first inclination is that it might not be relevant, at least on the surface, because my question is specific to running it in a debug session from within VS, so it's using iisexpress. (googling...) Interesting. [This link](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/4690358/iisexpress-user-interface) gives some insight into configuring IIS Express, which seems to be user-specific. – John Chase Jul 12 '18 at 14:22
  • I understand where you're coming from, I will simply add that in my experience "relevance" doesn't always matter with Microsoft products and their related error messages. Good luck with your hunt! – erikrunia Jul 12 '18 at 14:43
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I have a very similar problem with yours and my architecture uses windows authentication and what works for me is selecting my project and going to properties. Then select "Enabled" on Windows Authentication.

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