SBS 2003 - "Server Application Unavailable" on Backup Console

[BadBoy House]

I'm looking at a problem on a clients' server. They have SBS 2003 Standard and use the built-in backup system.

They check the backup report every day when they swap the backup drives over. Today, the Backup console in Server Management gives the following error:

Server Application Unavailable

The web application you are attempting to access on this web server is currently unavailable. Please hit the refresh button in your web browser to retry your request.

The server is patched and up to date with all updates installed.

I checked the ASP.Net tab within IIS for each site and this shows 1.1.4322 for each one.

I've been through every one of the IIS settings and compared them to another client's who's backup interface is working ok.

Has anyone else seen this before? There's doesn't seem to be much on Google about this error.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

SBS Monitoring doing OK?
Event viewer on the server clean?
Do an iisreset?
Does it show up OK in server manager?

 

[BadBoy House]

Sorry for the late reply.

I'll do an IISRESET just in case. The error message actually comes up in server manager. The backups do seem to be running ok - it's just the report overview screen that displays the error.

Event Viewer has only the following error (multiple times) - not sure if it's related:

Event ID - 0
Source - .NET Runtime
The description for Event ID (0) in Source (.NET Runtime) cannot be found. The local computer may not have the necessary registry information or message DLL files to display messages from a remote computer. The following information is part of the Event - .NET Runtime version 1.1.4322.2500 - Microsoft SBS UpdateServices.SyncSecurity.exe.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Looks to be WSUS related there...but ya never know if it has a domino effect.

If you drill into IIS MMC....can you expand Web Sites...and right click and "browse" the Default Web Site?

If so...can you expand Default Web Site...and right click the Backup app pool and "browse" from there?

Can you expand that Backup app pool object under Default Web Site...and see the bin and Images directories...bin has 3x .dll files, images has 3x .gif files.

 

[BadBoy House]

Cheers YOS.

I'll check these as soon as I can - currently their broadband is down due to a line fault.

 

[BadBoy House]

Stonecat

I can browse the Default Web Site fine from within IIS.

The Backup app pool though displays the page that reads "Server Application Unavailable" when I try to browse that.

Backups seem to be running - I checked the backup drive and they are there - it's just the interface for checking them that's not working by the looks of it.

The server has been restarted since this problem began to occur.

 

[BadBoy House]

Fixed this one eventually. Had to re-register .Net Framework 1.1 (ASP.Net) with IIS.

Steps taken listed here: http://www.ironspeed.com/Designer/3.0.3/WebHelp/Part_VI/_NET_Framework_1_1_Should_be_Re_Registered.htm

The Backup interface now displays properly.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Now there's a weird one...some sites showing up OK..so .Net was working for them. But just not Backup. Huh.

Gotta hate .NET!

 

[BadBoy House]

Yup. Deffinitely a weird one (and a dog to fix).