PRB: Unexpected error C0042116 with PDW "Web server either is not responding or returned an unrecognized response"

When using the Package and Deployment Wizard (PDW) to deploy an Internet Information Server (IIS) application to a Web server, you receive the following error message: Note Allowing Execute access permissions to a virtual directory is a security risk. Remove Execute access after you deploy your Web application.

This error message could occur because of the following reasons:

• You do not have a virtual directory called SCRIPTS that points to the physical directory C:\Inetpub\scripts.
  
  -or-
• You have not given Execute permissions to the SCRIPTS virtual directory.
  
  -or-
• The virtual server that you are deploying to is not running on port 80.

Verify that the SCRIPTS virtual directory exists and that you have enabled Execute permissions for this directory on the virtual server to which you are deploying.

Use the following steps to create the SCRIPTS virtual directory:

1. Open the Internet Service Manager (ISM) snap-in in the Microsoft Management Console (MMC).
2. Right-click the virtual server that you are deploying to and select New then Virtual Directory.
3. When asked for an Alias, type SCRIPTS and click Next.
4. When asked for physical directory, browse to the physical location of the scripts directory, which is under your Inetpub directory, and click Next.
5. Make sure to allow Execute access permissions and then click Next.
6. Click Finish.

Use the following steps to enable Execute permissions:

1. Open the Internet Service Manager (ISM) snap-in in the Microsoft Management Console (MMC).
2. Right-click the SCRIPTS virtual directory that is under the virtual server that you are deploying to and select Properties.
3. Select the Virtual Directory tab.
4. Under Access Permissions, enable the Execute permissions option.
5. Click Apply and then click OK.

You will not be able to deploy your WebClass application to a virtual server that is not running on port 80.

This behavior is by design.

For more information about the Package and Deployment Wizard, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: