IIS Express 8 – Cannot write configuration file

iis-expressvisual studio 2012

I am trying to use IIS Express 8 for a MVC site in VS2012. I am getting the following error whenever I attempt to create the site:

Filename:
\?\C:\Users\xxxxxx\Documents\IISExpress\config\applicationHost.config
Error: Cannot write configuration file

Is there some way to force IIS Express to use a different location for the config & logs folders? I understand I can point to a different location when I am running iisexpress.exe from the command line, but I have no control over this when using Visual Studio.

Alternatively, has anyone got any suggestions why the error is happening? (Side note: My laptop is in a corporate environment which has some stupid encryption on the "Documents" folder, however I haven't had any problems with other software that saves to this location. I also have given the "Everyone" group full access to the folder.)

EDIT – After following the instructions at http://learn.iis.net/page.aspx/1286/iis-80-express-readme/ I still can't seem to get this working. I've tried the following:

  • Added HKCU\Software\Microsoft\IISExpress\CustomUserHome registry key pointing to my alternate directory
  • Added HKCU\Software\Microsoft\IISExpress\8.0\CustomUserHome registry key pointing to my alternate directory
  • Added HKLM\Software\Microsoft\IISExpress\CustomUserHome registry key pointing to my alternate directory
  • Added HKLM\Software\Microsoft\IISExpress\8.0\CustomUserHome registry key pointing to my alternate directory
  • Setting the %IIS_USER_HOME% environment variable pointing to my alternate directory.

Any other suggestions?

Best Answer

@Brad

I had your same problem just now. Removing the encryption on the IISExpress folder and the "Read Only" attribute solved it. In my company Documents is also encrypted, but I don't think removing that encryption from IISExpress would be a problem of any sort.

Hope this helps.

Related Topic