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You cannot connect to a Web folder from a Windows Server 2003 or Windows XP x64 computer

Article ID: 888123 - View products that this article applies to.

SYMPTOMS

When you try to connect to a Web folder from a Windows XP x64 or Windows Server 2003-based computer by using Windows Internet Explorer, you may receive the following error message:

Internet Explorer could not open http://ServerName as a web folder.
Would you like to see its default view instead?

Additionally, if you try to connect to a Web folder by using My Network Places, you may receive the following error message:

The folder you entered does not appear to be valid. Please choose another.

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This issue occurs when you try to connect to a Web folder by using a Windows Server 2003-based client or a Windows XP x64-based client. Neither Windows Server 2003 nor Windows XP x64 include a Microsoft Data Access Internet Publishing Provider component. In a 32-bit environment, the Microsoft Data Access Internet Publishing Provider component makes it possible to connect to a Web server as a Web folder when the native Web Client service cannot. However, the Microsoft Data Access Internet Publishing Provider is available as only a 32-bit application. Therefore, Windows Explorer and other 64-bit applications cannot use the Microsoft Data Access Internet Publishing Provider component on a Windows x64-based computer.

Note Windows Explorer includes Windows Explorer shell, Windows Explorer common dialog boxes, Windows Explorer My Network Places, and other Windows Explorer applications.

Therefore, the 64-bit applications must use Web Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDAV) by using the native Web Client service redirector to connect to a Web server as a Web folder.

Note

There are currently no plans for porting this deprecated Data Access Internet Publishing Provider component to future 64-bit versions of the operating system.
The native Web Client service redirector for WebDAV provides support for only TCP port 80. Because of this restriction, you cannot establish a Web folder connection to any Web server that implements WebDAV on an alternative port. Therefore, the native Web Client service redirector does not support SSL for WebDAV communication to a Web server because SSL uses TCP port 443. However, this limitation does not apply to the native Web Client in Windows Vista or in a later version of Windows.
The native Web Client service redirector only communicates by using WebDAV. Therefore, you cannot establish a Web folder connection to any Web server that implements the Web folder functionality by using a Web Extender Client component such as FrontPage Server Extensions.

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RESOLUTION

This resolution involves some 32-bit Microsoft Data Access Internet Publishing Provider components. These components apply to only the 32-bit applications that can use the 32-bit components and that are installed on a computer that is running an x64-based version of a Windows operating system. For example, this resolution applies to the 32-bit version of Windows Internet Explorer when it is used on a computer that is running an x64-based version of a Windows operating system.

Note The 64-bit version of Internet Explorer cannot use the Microsoft Data Access Internet Publishing Provider components.

To resolve this issue, use one of the following methods.

Method 1: Install the Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server 2003 client components for backward-compatible document libraries

Users with a Microsoft SharePoint Portal Server license can download the Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server 2003 Client Components for Backward-Compatible Document Libraries. To download these client components, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=df39e250-f7ae-445a-ac9d-a80c9035ed6b

(http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=df39e250-f7ae-445a-ac9d-a80c9035ed6b)

Method 2: Install the Webfldrs.msi package that is available with Windows 2000 or Windows XP

Install the Webfldrs.msi package that is available with Windows 2000 or Windows XP. To do this, follow these steps:

Copy the Webfldrs.msi Windows Installer package that is located in the C:\WindowsFolder\System32 folder from a Windows 2000-based computer or from a Windows XP-based computer to the C:\WindowsFolder\System32 folder that is on your Windows XP x64 or Windows Server 2003-based computer.
On your Windows XP x64 or Windows Server 2003-based computer, click Start, click Run, type webfldrs.msi, and then click OK.
Click Next four times, and then click Install Now.
Click OK to complete the Webfldrs.msi installation.

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MORE INFORMATION

For more information about the Web folders issues that are resolved in the Software Update for Web Folders that is dated May 18, 2007, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

907306

(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/907306/ )

Description of the Software Update for Web Folders: May 18, 2007

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