Machine-Specific and System-Specific Information

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 with SP1

When importing a metabase element to another computer, you must change or remove machine-specific and system-specific information in the import file before you use it; otherwise IIS cannot use these values.

Important

Never include password properties in import files. If you use an import file with a blank password property, the new computer subsequently stores encrypted properties as plain text.

Metabase properties that contain paths to resources in the file system might not match the paths on other computers. For example, the following properties might be written in the import file in the following way:

LogFileDirectory = ""
Path = "c:\inetpub\ftproot"
HttpErrors = "400,*,FILE,
   more HTTP errors
InProcessIsapiApps = "
   more ISAPI applications
ScriptMaps = ".asp,,1,GET,HEAD,POST,TRACE
   more script maps

Change the paths in bold above to the path used by the computer to which you want to import the metabase element. Search for other paths in your import file before using it.

Metabase properties that specify the IWAM and IUSR accounts might not match the user accounts used by other computers. If your import file contains these properties, delete or alter them so that their values do not overwrite the existing valid properties. These properties might be written in the import file in the following way:

<IIsWebService
   Location = "/LM/MSFTPSVC"
   WAMUserName = "AccountName"
   AnonymousUserName = "AccountName">

The ServerBindings property, which is used to configure the port number for a site, might not be set the same way on another computer. However, you might want to import these settings to the new computer so that the computers will be configured the same way. The ServerBindingsproperty is set at the site level, and can be written in the import file in the following way:

<IIsFtpServer
   Location = "/LM/MSFTPSVC/1"
   ServerBindings = ":21:" >
<IIsWebServer
   Location = "/LM/W3SVC/1"
   ServerBindings = ":80:">

Metabase properties that contain ACLs cannot be moved to another computer. If your import file contains these properties, delete them so that their values do not overwrite the existing valid properties. These properties might be written in the import file in the following way:

AdminACL = "LongNumber"

Metabase properties that contain passwords cannot be moved to another computer. If your import file contains properties with passwords, delete them so that their values do not overwrite the existing valid properties. These properties might be written in the import file in the following way:

<IIsWebService 
   Location = "/LM/W3SVC"
   WAMUserPass = "LongNumber"
   AnonymousUserPass = "LongNumber"
   LogOdbcPassword = "LongNumber">