Error Message: Could Not Start the (WWW, FTP, SMTP, and NNTP) Service on the Local Computer.

When you install or upgrade to Windows 2000 Professional, Windows 2000 Server, or Windows 2000 Advanced Server, the following error message may occur when you attempt to start the Internet Information Services (IIS) Web services (WWW, FTP, SMTP, and NNTP): When you attempt to start sites in the Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in in IIS, the following error message appears: This occurs when no Network Interface Card (NIC) is installed. For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

By default, the Client for Microsoft Networks option is only installed when an NIC is installed on the Windows 2000 computer. When only a modem is installed, no adaptor, except for the corresponding PPP adaptor, is installed.

For the IIS services to start and be enabled, the Client for Microsoft Networks option must be installed.

To resolve this problem, install the Client for Microsoft Networks and bind it to an NIC (not a modem). To do this, follow these steps:

1. In Control Panel, double-click Add New Hardware.
2. Click Next to start the wizard.
3. Click Add/Troubleshoot a Device.
4. Click Add a New Device (Default Selection).
5. Click No, I want to select the hardware from the list.
6. Click Network Adapters.
7. In the Manufacturers field, choose Microsoft, and for Network Adapter, choose Microsoft Loopback Adaptor.

By default, Windows 2000 installs the adaptor with the default settings, which include the Client for Microsoft Networks and TCP\IP. If you don't require the Client for Microsoft Networks, it is best to disable it. To do so, follow these steps:

1. Right-click My Network Places, and then click Properties.
2. Right-click Local Area Connection and then click Properties.
3. Click to clear the Client for Microsoft Networks check box.
4. Click OK.

The Client for Microsoft Networks option is now disabled. IIS 5.0 runs properly in this configuration.

When you have completed these steps, attempt to start the Web services again and they will successfully start. You can start these services with the following command: