Bad Request (Invalid Hostname) on Windows 2003

I have just installed a windows 2003 web server and have got as far as get the "Bad Request (Invalid Hostname)" message (400 error). Other than finding out the cause is due to some corrupt file on the web server, I have found no definate solution to this. Can anyone please help?

 

Hi wixondm and welcome.

... Other than finding out the cause is due to some corrupt file on the web server, I have found no definate solution to this ...

- you know this is the problem
- you think this may be the problem
- other??

The error happens exctly when? During install, setup, other?

Internet/intranet?

General network enviornment?

 

Newt,

Thanks for your prompt response

The answer I suppose is I think this may be the problem. My brief experience of Windows 2003 so far leads me to believe that a setting may need to be adjusted to make the page viewable. Just to clarify the situation. Locally through the intranet the web server can be seen. The IP address can be pingged successfully. A domain name has now resolved and displays the same error. The server has all the latest patches added. I'm not convinced the Windows 2003 permissions are completely right and that may be the case for IIS 6.

My line of thinking is because IIS 6 is shipped locked down, something needs to be enabled to get everything working.

What do you think?

 

From what I read, IIS 6 is pretty locked down as installed.

On the off chance that you are using extensions that it can't understand, you might try

- Open your IIS
- Click on Web Extension
- Enable Unknown ISAPI extension (Click Allow button)

If you are using .php stuff, you'll get that message with certain code errors.

I haven't played with 2003 or IIS 6 so I'm sorta groping in the dark here. Any event log errors that might help out? How about IIS logs?

 

ASP.net is installed by default which I have activated together with ASP. That is all I have done.

I do not have access to the server directly at the moment. I did look at a machine running Windows 2000 Advance Server it and it has more items on the ISAPI filter than IIS 6 does. From memory the ISAPI is crossed out which does suggest you may be on the right track.

It may be best if I post a follow up on Monday.

Thanks for your help so far

 

I checked the event logs which showed a list of 400 errors but no internal details. I checked to make sure the default website IP address was the external IP and found it wasn't. When I changed it I could see the server from the domain name and not internally. Once I set the host headers to look at the external site seperately from the internal intranet, both worked.

Thanks for your help.

 

Excellent news. Thanks for posting back.