IIS Fails to Start

[GHoosdum]

A few days ago IIS on my work machine stopped working. In searching for the problem, I came across info about an MS security patch, 939373, that causes the symptoms I was experiencing. I uninstalled it, and still no dice.

Here are the symptoms:
Trying to start the web server from the IIS console snap-in gives a timeout error.
Typing iisreset from the cmd prompt gives me an error: "Restart attempt failed. IIS Admin Service is disabled"
I check in services.msc and IIS Admin service is up and running.

Any ideas? I figure posting here will get me a better help response than using my work tech support, since their usual solution is "reimage the machine" and the reimage process kills every piece of software I need in order to do my job...

[primesuspect]

What OS?

[GHoosdum]

What OS?

Sorry, I failed to mention it's XP Pro SP1 (work takes several years of testing before rolling out service packs or new software versions).

[Shorty]

Is the World Wide Web Publishing Service started?

[GHoosdum]

It is not, it it set to Automatic startup, but when I start it I get the following message:
"The World Wide Web Publishing service on Local Computer started and then stopped. Some services stop automatically if they have no work to do..."

[stoopid]

With KB939373 removed, I would uninstall IIS, reboot, then reinstall it. Upgrading to SP2 wouldn't hurt either ;).

[GHoosdum]

With KB939373 removed, I would uninstall IIS, reboot, then reinstall it. Upgrading to SP2 wouldn't hurt either ;).

I can't reinstall IIS or upgrade to SP2, IIS is installed remotely by a sysadmin and the company's Data Security department hasn't cleared SP2 for install on our machines yet. :-/

[stoopid]

BTW, note that this patch was only for SP2...

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/939373

[stoopid]

I can't reinstall IIS or upgrade to SP2, IIS is installed remotely by a sysadmin and the company's Data Security department hasn't cleared SP2 for install on our machines yet. :-/

Then you may be SOL.

SP2 has been out for YEARS. Are they ever going to clear it for install?

[GHoosdum]

Yes, SP2 is due to be rolled out across the business by January. It usually takes our company somewhere between two and five years to clear any given piece of software for release. For example, we are just now in the midst of an Office 2003 rollout across the business units. We were running on NT4 until 2002 or so, at which point we upgraded to Windows 2000. XP was rolled out in our technology refresh in 2004.

Somehow, Data Security has a way of installing critical updates and security patches on SP1 machines even if those patches were designed for SP2. I don't know how they go about that. Originally, SP2 was being resisted due to it causing something to break domain-wide with our enterprise configuration. I don't know the details because.

Regardless, IIS was working on Tuesday for me. Then 939373 was rolled out by Data Security and it all went BORK.

[Leonardo]

I can't reinstall IIS or upgrade to SP2, IIS is installed remotely by a sysadmin and the company's Data Security department hasn't cleared SP2 for install on our machines yet.Is Billy Bob's Garage & BarBeQue your sysadmin contractor?