Error Message: Event ID: 2140 An Internal Windows NT Error Occurred (271867)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Internet Information Server 4.0
This article was previously published under Q271867
We strongly recommend that all users upgrade to Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) version 6.0 running on Microsoft Windows Server 2003. IIS 6.0 significantly increases Web infrastructure security. For more information about IIS security-related topics, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/prodtech/IIS.mspx

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to start the WWW, FTP, SMTP, or NNTP service, the system returns the following error message, and the services cannot be started:
Event ID: 2140
Description: An internal Windows NT error occurred.
There are no Event Viewer events that indicate a problem with Internet Information Server 4.0.

CAUSE

The Metabase.bin file that stores all configuration information for the Internet Information Server 4.0 has become corrupted. This can occur for the following reasons:
  • The system was abruptly shut down while the identify process was running.
  • While using the Internet Services Manager, the system was abruptly shut down without the configuration information being stored.

RESOLUTION

Find and restore a good copy of the metabase. There are three possible locations for these backup copies:
  1. Use the Find feature to do a search for the Metabase.bin.bak file in the Winnt\System32\Inetsrv folder.
  2. If the Metabase.bin.bak file is not found, search for a Metabase.bak in the Winnt\System32\Inetsrv.
  3. If Metabase.bin.bak is still not found, locate an offline copy.
When you locate a good backup copy of Metabase.bin, proceed to the following steps to restore the metabase:

  1. At the command prompt, type the following command to stop the Web services:

    Net Stop IISADMIN /Y

  2. In the Winnt\System32\Inetsrv folder, find and rename the Metabase.bin file to Metabase.old.
  3. Rename Metabase.bin.bak or Metabase.bin (whichever was detected) to Metabase.bin
  4. At the command prompt, attempt to start the World Wide Services by using the following commands:

    Net Start W3SVC

    Net Start MSFTPSVC

    Net Start MSSMTPSVC

    Net Start MSNNTPSVC

If these steps do not resolve the problem, you can restore Metabase.bin from an offline tape backup.

NOTE: When you restore from a backup file, configuration information can be lost depending on the age of the backup copy. You can verify how old the copy is by using the Time/Date Stamp on the Metabase.bin.bak file.

MORE INFORMATION

The list of possible causes is not an exhaustive list of possible reasons the metabase may have become corrupted. However, if the service is unable to start with the same error message, then using this resolution may be a possible fix.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:6/23/2005
Keywords:kbpending kbprb KB271867
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