PROBLEM: Enabling RPC over HTTP on a 64-bit Internet Information Services 7.0 webserver results in application pool failures

Source: Microsoft Support

RAPID PUBLISHING ARTICLES PROVIDE INFORMATION DIRECTLY FROM WITHIN THE MICROSOFT SUPPORT ORGANIZATION. THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS CREATED IN RESPONSE TO EMERGING OR UNIQUE TOPICS, OR IS INTENDED SUPPLEMENT OTHER KNOWLEDGE BASE INFORMATION.

When browsing to a website hosted on a 64-bit IIS 7.0 server, and the website is running inside of an application pool that is running in 32-bit mode, the following error message is displayed in the web browser:

HTTP 503 – Service Unavailable

 

Additionally, the events similar to the following are written to the event log:

Log Name:      Application

Source:        Microsoft-Windows-IIS-W3SVC-WP

Date:          1/1/2009 1:58:29 PM

Event ID:      2280

Task Category: None

Level:         Error

Keywords:      Classic

User:          N/A

Computer:      IISServer

Description:
The Module DLL C:\Windows\system32\RpcProxy\RpcProxy.dll failed to load.  The data is the error.

 

 

Log Name:      System

Source:        Microsoft-Windows-WAS

Date:          1/1/2009 1:58:30 PM

Event ID:      5139

Task Category: None

Level:         Warning

Keywords:      Classic

User:          N/A

Computer:      IISServer

Description:

A listener channel for protocol 'http' in worker process '3368' serving application pool 'DefaultAppPool' reported a listener channel failure.  The data field contains the error number.

The RPC over HTTP Proxy feature is enabled and uses a 64-bit ISAPI filter called RPCProxy.dll.  An application pool running in 32-bit mode cannot load a 64-bit module; therefore, attempting to start the application pool fails.

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products listed in the “Applies To” section.  The problem is scheduled to be fixed in Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2.

To work around this problem, use the appcmd.exe tool to move the Default Web Site/Rpc and Default Web Site/RpcWithCert applications into their own 64-bit application pool.  To do so, use the following commands from an elevated command prompt in the order they are displayed:

1) %windir%\system32\inetsrv\appcmd.exe set config -section:system.webServer/globalModules -[name='PasswordExpiryModule'].preCondition:bitness64

2) %windir%\system32\inetsrv\appcmd.exe add apppool -name:RpcAppPool -enable32BitAppOnWin64:false

3) %windir%\system32\inetsrv\appcmd.exe set app "Default Web Site/Rpc" -applicationPool:RpcAppPool

4) %windir%\system32\inetsrv\appcmd.exe set app "Default Web Site/RpcWithCert" -applicationPool:RpcAppPool

MICROSOFT AND/OR ITS SUPPLIERS MAKE NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES ABOUT THE SUITABILITY, RELIABILITY OR ACCURACY OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE DOCUMENTS AND RELATED GRAPHICS PUBLISHED ON THIS WEBSITE (THE “MATERIALS”) FOR ANY PURPOSE. THE MATERIALS MAY INCLUDE TECHNICAL INACCURACIES OR TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS AND MAY BE REVISED AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE.

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, MICROSOFT AND/OR ITS SUPPLIERS DISCLAIM AND EXCLUDE ALL REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES, AND CONDITIONS WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES, OR CONDITIONS OF TITLE, NON INFRINGEMENT, SATISFACTORY CONDITION OR QUALITY, MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, WITH RESPECT TO THE MATERIALS.