Virtual Directory Names with Executable Extensions Are Not Used Correctly (275601)
The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft Internet Information Services 5.0
- Microsoft Internet Information Server 3.0
- Microsoft Internet Information Server 4.0
This article was previously published under Q275601 SYMPTOMSWhen a virtual directory name ends with an executable extension (such as .com, .exe, .dll, or .sh), the files in this virtual directory cannot be viewed with a Web browser.
If the execution rights are not set in this virtual directory, the following error message occurs:
403.1 - Forbidden: Execute Access Forbidden
If the execution rights are set (or write access), the following error message occurs:
404 - File not found
Note Microsoft does not recommend having a virtual directory name that contains .asp because its content will be considered ASP content by Internet Information Services (IIS), regardless of the file types that are present in the virtual directory. CAUSE
IIS interprets the virtual directory with an executable extension as an executable file and tries to run this file. The rest of the URL is passed in the Path_Info variable. Tools such as the FrontPage Server Extensions make use of this functionality.
| Modification Type: | Major | Last Reviewed: | 6/29/2004 |
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| Keywords: | kbpending kbprb KB275601 |
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