Installation modifies unrelated application pools

[IlkkaV]

I'm facing a strange issue related to application pools in IIS. The problem is that the application pool config of our latest version changes settings also for application pools created by other products (in this case our previous version). When I install our latest version, the following happens:

-All application pools targeting .NET (and ASP.NET) 2.0 get a duplicate ASP.NET v4.0 application pool
-All applications using the 2.0 pools automatically change to use the ASP.NET v4.0 version, even those that are totally unrelated to the product being installed.

Changing the .NET version of the application pool breaks our previous version, so this behavior is highly undesirable as our major versions can be installed side-by-side (product, upgrade, and component codes differ and there's no overlapping naming).

I first suspected that the issue was somehow related to .NET 4.0 installation, but that was not the case. I had the previous version installed when I upgraded my test machine to .NET 4.0 and the application pools were in their original configuration after that upgrade. However, when I installed our latest version (which uses .NET 4.0 for one of the two application pools) also the old version's application pools were modified.

Has anyone else run into this issue? All tips on how to fix this are very much appreciated.

[Server]

Are you sure that this is done by installation itself and not any other custom action? Like WCF activation on something like that...

[rrinblue22]

I hope looking through the verbose installation log would help for an MSI installer

[IlkkaV]

Server wrote:
Are you sure that this is done by installation itself and not any other custom action? Like WCF activation on something like that...

Well the change occurs as soon as the installation finishes. No additional configuration has been done to IIS or anything else on the computer, going straight to IIS manager after the installation reveals that the application pools have changed also for unrelated applications. This is also related only to IIS 7 and IIS 7.5. IIS 6.0 seems to work just fine.

[IlkkaV]

rrinblue22 wrote:
I hope looking through the verbose installation log would help for an MSI installer

Unfortunately not, the affected unrelated application pools are not mentioned in the log at all.

[tjacobsky]

Has there been a resolution to this issue? I am having the exact same problem and I don't know how to resolve it.

[BigDaddy]

IlkkaV wrote:

I first suspected that the issue was somehow related to .NET 4.0 installation, but that was not the case. I had the previous version installed when I upgraded my test machine to .NET 4.0 and the application pools were in their original configuration after that upgrade. However, when I installed our latest version (which uses .NET 4.0 for one of the two application pools) also the old version's application pools were modified.

I don't think that test shows that it is not .NET 4.0 causing your problems. Just because you install something doesn't mean you use all of it. Could be that a portion of the .NET 4.0 is buggy and causing this problem but it doesn't appear until you install your latest version. ??

Not even sure about the problem, but just don't think the logic to rule out .NET 4.0 as your problem is valid.

[IlkkaV]

BigDaddy wrote:
I don't think that test shows that it is not .NET 4.0 causing your problems. Just because you install something doesn't mean you use all of it. Could be that a portion of the .NET 4.0 is buggy and causing this problem but it doesn't appear until you install your latest version. ??

Not even sure about the problem, but just don't think the logic to rule out .NET 4.0 as your problem is valid.

It could indeed be a problem in .NET 4.0, but as it's not the .NET 4.0 that triggers the problems but our latest installer, guess who the customers are going to blame? Anyway, regardless of what's the underlying cause, I'd first and foremost need a way to fix or work around this problem.

[NassereB]

Is there a resolution to this issue?

I am having the exact same problem:
- 1 application pool (asp.net 2.0) with 4 virtual directories.
- 1 application pool (asp.net 4.0) with 1 virtual directories.

After installation 4 additional apppools for each 2.0 virtual directory are created prefixed with "ASP.NET v4.0" and the 4 virtual directories point to the wrong apppools!!!

What am I doing wrong how do I resolve it.

[IlkkaV]

NassereB wrote:
Is there a resolution to this issue?

I am having the exact same problem:
- 1 application pool (asp.net 2.0) with 4 virtual directories.
- 1 application pool (asp.net 4.0) with 1 virtual directories.

After installation 4 additional apppools for each 2.0 virtual directory are created prefixed with "ASP.NET v4.0" and the 4 virtual directories point to the wrong apppools!!!

What am I doing wrong how do I resolve it.

I have the issue solved now. In my case the final culprit was that there were overlapping internal names for IIS items. Those cannot be changed in the IIS view, so I had to use the Direct Editor and modify the ISIISItem table.

[joshstechnij]

Note that when an ASP.NET version of 4.0 is set for websites or applications, the InstallShield IIS functionality calls the .NET 4.0 version of aspnet_regiis.exe. When this tool runs, any existing application pools that are not set to use .NET 4.0 are duplicated, renamed to "ASP.NET v4.0 Existing name", and have their .NET framework versions set to v4.0.

Generally speaking, the ASP.NET version field for websites and applications should only be used on these items that are installing on IIS 6.0 machines. When installing on IIS 7.x, an application pool should be installed and have its .NET version set as needed, and the ASP.NET version for websites and applications should be left unset.

[NassereB]

Thank you very much for your answer.

Do we need to create custom actions to support IIS 6.0 and IIS 7.0.
For IIS 6.0:
- Set the ASP.NET version for websites and applications
- Unset the version for application pools

For IIS 7.0:
- Unset the ASP.NET version for websites and applications
- Set the ASP.NET version for application pools

OR is there another or better way to do that?

Many thanks.

[vincente]

does anyone has another solution for this issue,
is NassereB's solution the only solution, or can anyone propose another one.

[NassereB]

Hi,

I have authored a major upgrade (for installer versions where the ASP.NET version is different).
By doing this the application pools and websites/applications gets reinstalled and no duplicates are created.

I have set the ASP.NET version for websites/applications and application pools.

Tested all scenarios (IIS6/7, 32/64bit OS, upgrade and new install) and everything works fine.

[OneDayBehind]

joshstechnij wrote:
When installing on IIS 7.x, an application pool should be installed and have its .NET version set as needed, and the ASP.NET version for websites and applications should be left unset.

This worked for me. I'm glad I found this post or I would've gone insane. 😮

[CodisISUser]

NassereB wrote:
Hi,

I have authored a major upgrade (for installer versions where the ASP.NET version is different).
By doing this the application pools and websites/applications gets reinstalled and no duplicates are created.

I have set the ASP.NET version for websites/applications and application pools.

Tested all scenarios (IIS6/7, 32/64bit OS, upgrade and new install) and everything works fine.

Is this thread still alive? can anyone help me? NassereB ?
I have the same issue and this is happening on IIS 7 or higher as we are setting the versions for applications. Can anyone tell me how can I use custom actions to do this? As I don't want to leave websites and applications version un-set as we have numerous sites for IIS6 as well. If I do this I will end up with 2 set of installers which doesn't look right, please any thoughts?

Thanks in advance

[IlkkaV]

Did you notice what worked for me? Is that of any help? http://community.flexerasoftware.com/showthread.php?196700-Installation-modifies-unrelated-application-pools&p=467044#post467044

[CodisISUser]

IlkkaV wrote:
Did you notice what worked for me? Is that of any help? http://community.flexerasoftware.com/showthread.php?196700-Installation-modifies-unrelated-application-pools&p=467044#post467044

Hi IlkkaV

I am not sure I cannot see any duplicates entry as far as I can tell, I have seen your post but can't figure out much, I will paste my ISIISItem table here:

ISIISItem (s72) ISIItem_Parent (S72) DisplayName (L255) Type(i4) Component_(S72)
IisItem3 ASP.NET v4.0.30319 5 WebServiceExtensionComponent
ISAppPool MyAppName -2147483644 AppPoolComponent
IisItem1 MyApplicationName 1 WebsiteComponent3
IisItem2 IisItem1 MyAppName 2 WebsiteComponent3

Can you any duplicates in there?