5

I have a Classic ASP/VBScript site running on IIS 6, and a program called SmarterStats (found via an earlier question) providing various stats and info from the server logs. This is an internal site, and we do use integrated authentication (AUTH_TYPE = Negotiate).

I'm looking at the report on response codes, and it says that in the last 7 days there have been 255 responses with a 5xx error code... naturally not the most useful stat I could get back.

I have a custom error page for 500 and 500.100 errors that logs the specifics for me to follow up on - and that log is virtually empty. I've tested with an intentionally broken page, and a standard user account, and it is working as expected - custom message, log entry made. (and checked with "friendly error messages" on and off - works either way)

The only entry I have in the log is a single entry for an error -2147024843 (authentication related, took too long to get a response), and that's it... what other errors could be happening and how can I find/track them?

Should I route all the different types of 5xx errors through my custom page? Or is there something else I should be doing?

Resolution: I'm going to go with running all 5xx errors through the custom page. For reasons that leave me totally baffled, the errors have stopped... I've not changed anything, no one has changed anything on that server - but the errors have stopped. Go figure.

Community
  • 1
  • 1
AnonJr
  • 2,759
  • 1
  • 26
  • 39

2 Answers2

2

It seems like logging all 5xx errors via your custom page might be a good idea. Your logging seems to be working, but SmarterStats seems like it might be giving you bogus data?

Don Zacharias
  • 1,544
  • 2
  • 14
  • 31
  • I'm going to go with running all 5xx errors through the custom page. For reasons that leave me totally baffled, the errors have stopped... – AnonJr Jun 20 '11 at 15:52
  • As someone who also works on a Classic ASP/IIS6 app for work, I sympathize completely. HTH! – Don Zacharias Jun 20 '11 at 18:16
1

What version of SmarterStats are you using?

My hosting provider has Version 5.2 and I can see a detailed list of which pages have produced a 5xx error by going to Report Items > Server Responses > 5xx - Server Errors in the navigation tree. The report that gets displayed has a table listing the pages that have produced the error codes so you can then go investigate those pages to see what may be causing the error.

Depending on your site the error might be perfectly normal, for example I have some custom HTTP handlers which implement a standardised HTTP protocol which actually specifies that 5xx errors should be thrown under certain circumstances.

Though this shouldn't apply to an internal only site on public websites it is sometimes the case that badly written crawlers will access your pages in such a way as to produce an error

RobV
  • 28,022
  • 11
  • 77
  • 119
  • I'm using 5.3. I do have a list of pages, but there are a few (3-5) #includes that are shared among most or all of them. I've visited during the two peak times and not been able to see the problem in action so far. – AnonJr Jun 17 '11 at 19:42