File access using http on IIS6 (error 404)

We have recently upgraded a web server to 2003 server and IIS6 (from
2000 server and IIS5). We were having problems with people managing to
download files on the server using http. Before the change we were
able to access all file types with no problems. Afterwards certain
types did not work (.kb3 and .sql), whereas others did
(.csv, .txt, .doc, .ppt etc).

Having trawled through usenet we couldn't find a solution, but managed
to work out that IIS6 was blocking all file types which were not known
to the server itself, whereas previously IIS5 simply let these files
through with no problem at all, on the assumption that the client
machine would know what to do with them.

This is another case of IIS5 being relaxed about security by default,
and IIS6 being the exact opposite by default.

All we had to do was add the file extensions which did not work as
MIME file types to the relevant virtual directory / website in IIS6.
It was interesting to note that changing the settings in the default
web site had not effect; we had to change them on the actual site
itself.

For those of us who are relatively new to IIS, the MIME settings are
in IIS>HTTP Headers>Mime Map (File Types).

I hope this helps someone else out there.

Re: File access using http on IIS6 (error 404)

Actually I'm amazed you couldn't find this by trawling usenet. This is a
commonly asked question on this particular newsgroup.

it's also documented in the IIS 6.0 help file (under the what's changed
section), and in the Microsoft KB: http://support.microsoft.com/?id=326965

Cheers
Ken


"Mike" wrote in message
news:1190713403.522234.191340@y42g2000hsy.googlegroups.com.. .
> We have recently upgraded a web server to 2003 server and IIS6 (from
> 2000 server and IIS5). We were having problems with people managing to
> download files on the server using http. Before the change we were
> able to access all file types with no problems. Afterwards certain
> types did not work (.kb3 and .sql), whereas others did
> (.csv, .txt, .doc, .ppt etc).
>
> Having trawled through usenet we couldn't find a solution, but managed
> to work out that IIS6 was blocking all file types which were not known
> to the server itself, whereas previously IIS5 simply let these files
> through with no problem at all, on the assumption that the client
> machine would know what to do with them.
>
> This is another case of IIS5 being relaxed about security by default,
> and IIS6 being the exact opposite by default.
>
> All we had to do was add the file extensions which did not work as
> MIME file types to the relevant virtual directory / website in IIS6.
> It was interesting to note that changing the settings in the default
> web site had not effect; we had to change them on the actual site
> itself.
>
> For those of us who are relatively new to IIS, the MIME settings are
> in IIS>HTTP Headers>Mime Map (File Types).
>
> I hope this helps someone else out there.
>