Updating IIS After You Change the Computer Name

When you change the name of the computer that Internet Information Server (IIS) is installed on, most IIS functionality continues to work properly without any intervention; however, the following functions of IIS need to be updated:

• The Internet Information Server snap-in for the Microsoft Management Console (MMC).
• Microsoft Transaction Server (MTS) packages that run in a separate memory space (isolated process).

This article explains how to make the MMC and isolated process MTS packages perform properly after the computer has been renamed.

Note: This article does not cover the scenario of having Site Server 3.0 installed. Changing the name of a computer with Site Server installed creates a non-supportable environment. If the computer is renamed, full functionality may only be restored by restoring the OS to its previous configuration from backup. Limited functionality is possible; however, this configuration is not supported.

This article assumes that when the Windows NT Option Pack was installed, a Remote administrative account was NOT selected for MTS; instead, the default of Local user was accepted. It also assumes that no custom MTS packages have been installed (other than the packages that are automatically created for ASP applications). If these assumptions are not true in your case, MTS may need more modification than what is described in this article.

This article also assumes that the original IUSR and IWAM accounts (IUSR_Old_ComputerName and IWAM_Old_ComputerName by default) will continue to be used. Although they use the old computer name, these accounts are still valid and usable.

This article does not apply to Windows 2000, because Microsoft has simplified the process for renaming a computer that is running Internet Information Services 5.0. To change the NetBIOS name of a computer that is running IIS 5.0, simply rename the server and restart it. After you restart the server, Windows 2000 Compensating Resource Managers (CRM) correct the inconsistency in the System COM+ Application and allow IIS 5.0 to function normally with the new NetBIOS name. Note that the IUSR and IWAM account names are not changed, but are still valid.

Fixing the MMC

If no computer name is displayed under "Internet Information Server" in the Scope (left hand) pane of the MMC, you need to create a new console (.msc) for the MMC that includes the Internet Information Server and Microsoft Transaction Server snap-ins.

Note: The following error message may also occur: To fix these problems, create a new console (.msc) for the MMC by performing the following steps:

IMPORTANT: Any customization that you previously performed to the original IIS console will be lost.

1. Start the Internet Service Manager (ISM), which loads the Internet Information Server and Microsoft Transaction Server snap-ins for the Microsoft Management Console (MMC).
2. From the Console menu, click New.
3. From the Console menu, click Add/Remove Snap-in.
4. On the Standalone tab, click the Add button. Select the Internet Information Server snap-in, and then click OK.
5. Click the Add button again, and then select the Microsoft Transaction Server snap-in.
6. Click OK twice to return to the main MMC window.
7. From the Console menu, click Save.
8. To replace the console that is run from the Internet Service Manager Start menu, save the console file to %WinDir%\System32\Inetsrv\Iis.msc.

Updating Isolated Process MTS Packages

1. In the MMC, open the following in the Scope (left side) pane:

     Microsoft Transaction Server\ 
       Computers\ 
         My Computer\ 
           Packages Installed
   						

2. For every ASP application that has been set to run in a separate memory space (isolated process), there is a corresponding isolated process MTS package (called a "server package" in MTS terminology). In the MMC, the names of these isolated process packages begin with the text "IIS-" followed by the Web site name and path enclosed by braces {}, for example: IIS-{Default Web Site//Root/Iissamples/Issamples/Oop}.
   
   The user listed in the Identity property sheet of each isolated process package refers to the old computer name. These must be updated to the new computer name. To do this, perform the following steps for each isolated process package:
   
   
   1. Right-click the isolated process package, and then click Properties.
   2. Click the Identity tab.
   3. For the This user option, change the User from Old_ComputerName\IWAM_UserName to New_ComputerName\IWAM_UserName, provide the account password, and then click OK.
   4. Click OK if you receive the following warning:
      The packages were created by one or more external products. Are you certain the changes you are about to make are supported by these products?