Do we need windows server to install and use IIS?

Question

User1743168990 posted
Hello, I installed/enabled IIS but I can't run it! I am wondering if windows server 20xx is needed to use and configure IIS? In other word, is IIS a stand-alone web server or a part that needs other windows component not already available in windows 7? Thank you in advance

Answer 1

User-1499466209 posted

 Hi,

the sort answer is : yes or no...

the right/longer answer is : IIS is part of the operating system. However, it can be installed on workstation OS', you'll just have some limitations such as maximum concurrent sessions.

I installed/enabled IIS but I can't run it!

What do you mean by "I can't run it"? Any error message?

Answer 2

User1743168990 posted
Thanks for your answer. Yes indeed, I have the following error message when I put "localhost" in the address bar: Not Found HTTP Error 404. The requested resource is not found So, I am wondering if I missed something or need additional application (windows server 2008 or other)!

Answer 3

User-1499466209 posted

No, you don't need anything else (at least for static content) if IIS and it's service roles are properly installed. Could you give us the full correponding line in your IIS logs when you get the 404 error?

Answer 4

User1743168990 posted
I posted above all what I found in the page. There is only one line (Not found, error 404). Where can I found more details about the IIS log?

Answer 5

User-1499466209 posted

 By default, the access log files are in 'C:\Windows\system32\LogFiles\W3SVCxxx' (where xxx is the website ID) and the server error logs are located in 'C:\Windows\system32\LogFiles\HTTERR'

Answer 6

User1743168990 posted
Thanks. Here is what I found in HTTERR: #Fields: date time c-ip c-port s-ip s-port cs-version cs-method cs-uri sc-status s-siteid s-reason s-queuename 2012-02-09 09:44:35 127.0.0.1 49316 127.0.0.1 80 HTTP/1.1 GET / 404 - NotFound - Oh, badly display! So I will limit it to one or tow lines as the rest are the same but at different time.

Answer 7

User1743168990 posted

What do you mean by "I can't run it"? Any error message?

I missed to answer this question. I mean that when I enter "localhost" in the address bar, I don't have the home page of IIS! After the installation of IIS, I should test if it was really installed or not. So when I check "localhost" in the URL bar, I have the error message I pointed here. Normally, I have to get the welcome page of IIS not an error message, right?

Answer 8

User-1499466209 posted

 Ok, and what do you have in the access logs?

Answer 9

User1743168990 posted
I followed the steps pointed in the following link, but I didn't have what I should in the step 10: http://learn.iis.net/page.aspx/28/installing-iis-on-windows-vista-and-windows-7/

Answer 10

User1743168990 posted
Sorry, I don't have an access log! Actually I don't have a website yet! I only set a test website but I deleted it. The folders I have in that path are: AIT, Fax, Firewall, Scm, SQM, Srt, WMI, WUDF, in addition to the HTTPERR.

Answer 11

User-1499466209 posted

 Hum.. If you don't have any website, it seems pretty normal to get a 404 error in your browser I guess...

Answer 12

User1743168990 posted
Not quite true! If everything was OK, I should get a welcome page as a proof of IIS has been installed!

Answer 13

User1743168990 posted
As pointed here (step 10), I should have a welcome page showing that the installation was OK: http://learn.iis.net/page.aspx/28/installing-iis-on-windows-vista-and-windows-7

Answer 14

User-1068643381 posted
i am using IE 9  and it didn't want to work at first but after refreshing the page for 15 minutes and then reloading the page it seems to be working fine.

Answer 15

User1743168990 posted
As such, this is random functioning! I wish to know why and how it works/doesn't work.

Answer 16

User744767459 posted

Hi,

The IIS7 log files located in C:\inetpub\logs\LogFiles by default, you can post relevant log entries here. Thanks.

Answer 17

User1743168990 posted
The logfile in inetpub is empty! I think I'll go back to apache and wamp package! So complicated this IIS! worse is the Microsoft support!

Answer 18

User744767459 posted

Hi,

Sorry for make you confused. I noticed that couples of your questions are not answered in this forum, I'll try provider more information to answer your questions, and help you to fix problems.

1. Installation

IIS is a component of Operating System, you don't need to install additional tools to make it works. Windows Server 2008 R2 has all the IIS features you need to support hosting of Web content in production environments. Windows 7 also has IIS features, but the available features depend on the version of Windows 7. IIS in Windows 7 is ideal for those who want to build and test Web applications.

Available Web Server (IIS) Role Services in IIS 7.5
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc753473(WS.10).aspx

If you want to install a open source template, you'll need a Windows 7 Home Premium or higher edition. We have three options to install IIS:

1)Install IIS manually
2)Install IIS via Web Platform Installer(WPI) - We can also using WPI to install Windows Products or Open Source Web Applications.
3)Install IIS from command line or using unattended setup

2.Deploying Website on IIS7

IIS7 comes with a Default Web Site. This website listens for all host headers on port 80, and a single application located at the root, you can just start using it without having to create anything. Just drop your files in C:\inetpub\wwwroot, and hit up http://localhost/fileRelativePath.
 
If you want to create your own site, you can refer to:

Managing Sites in IIS 7
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc771341(WS.10).aspx

3. Troubleshooting

1)Status Code

When you try to access content on a server that is running Internet Information Services (IIS) 7 by using HTTP, IIS 7 returns a numeric code that indicates the status of the response. The HTTP status code is recorded in the IIS log. Additionally, the HTTP status code may be displayed in the client browser.

The HTTP status code may indicate whether a request is successful or unsuccessful. The HTTP status code may also reveal the exact reason that a request is unsuccessful. This the reason why we asked for the information of IIS log entries.

The HTTP status codes in IIS 7.0 and in IIS 7.5
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/943891

2) The log file in Inetpub is empty

Please check the logging settings, make sure logging is enabled and logging directory is correct.

Configuring Logging in IIS 7
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc732079(WS.10).aspx

Then, run following command to flush the log buffer:
C:\Windows\system32>netsh http flush logbuffer

3)Default document and 404.3 error

In your case, the http://localhost arrived IIS without specify a file name. IIS attempts to return the correct files in the order that they appear in the default document list, if one file doesn't exist then try another one.

Default Document <defaultDocument>
http://www.iis.net/ConfigReference/system.webServer/defaultDocument

We can check the default document list and physical files in your site root, figure out which file IIS tried to service and 404.3 returned.

Error message when users visit a Web site that is hosted on a server that is running Internet Information Services 7.0: "HTTP Error 404.3 - Not Found"
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/942032

If you need more information or encounter any problem, please update here. Thanks.

Answer 19

User1743168990 posted

Sorry for my late answer and thank you very much Leo! Finally, an excellent, clear and methodological response! Short a while after my post here, I switched to WAMP to try it on windows and it worked perfectly, at least so far! With your complete answer here, I may return to test II7 later. Thank you again!

Answer 20

User1743168990 posted
By the way, once we installed an open source software (say, drupal or wordpress), could we transfer installed folders to be managed by IIS rather than by apache and Linux-based tools? Or we have to re-installed using IIS server?

Answer 21

User1743168990 posted
Come back again!

Well, I am trying to install IIS by WPI but I have multiple choices. Which one(s) are necessary for the function and management of webserver/website via IIS?

When I tried to activate IIS site via the control panel, it was simply activated and the folder inetpub was added, but via WPI, there is the following install screen proposing multiples choices:

What I have to chose to install ? Do I need these applications to manage Drupal-based website?

Thank you

Answer 22

User-1672167363 posted

Hi IIser,

.

Thanks, 

Martin

 

 

 

 

Answer 23

User1743168990 posted

Hi Martin,

Thanks for your message. Well, I am trying to re-test IIS and see if it will work! So I am trying two methods:

1) via the control panel.

2) via the web platform installer (WPI).

When I use the WPI, I have multiple applications proposed to add to the installtion. So I would like to know what of them are needed and what are needed?

Also, what are the best options/services to select when I install IIS via the control panel?

Actually, I have already posted an illustrated question for the different options but I don't see the post! Why it didn't appear directly?

Thank you

Answer 24

User744767459 posted

Hi,

You just need to install the application which you want to hosted on your IIS server. You can search the application and add it to installation list. If you want to transfer installed folders to be managed by IIS, you can manually create an application in IIS, point the physical path of the application to installed folder.

Create a Web Application (IIS 7)

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc772042(WS.10).aspx<!---->

For the IIS, you can install the recommended configuration which includes a set of recommended IIS features. You can also click "Product" tab on top of the window, navigate to "server", then select the items to install. For which role services  to be selected, you can refer to the following article:

Install Typical IIS Workloads

http://learn.iis.net/page.aspx/136/install-typical-iis-workloads/

Actually, I have already posted an illustrated question for the different options but I don't see the post! Why it didn't appear directly?

IIS forum will check the post automatically, if it detect potential issue(too long, include too much links and etc.), you post will need moderator's approve.