Running Legacy Software on Windows 2008

These notes were compiled from taking a Windows 2000 legacy app that used an ISAPI DLL and getting it to work on a Windows 2008 server.  I've also added other items to think about when moving from one platform (especially if you change hosting sites) to another.

• Install the "Application Development Tools" for Windows 2008.
  • Install the entire set of tools which should at a minimum include:
    *ASP.NET
    *.Net Extensibility
    *ASP
    *CGI
    *ISAPI Extensions
    *ISAPI Filters
    *Server Side Includes
• Disable UAC (User Access Control)
  (Note: I couldn't create a file in the c:\inetpub\wwwroot directory without turning off UAC!)
  
  Option #1 - Disable UAC your self.
  
  Reboot required after these steps!
  
  Start > Control Panel > System and Security > Action Center.
  On the left panel click "Change User Account Control Settings"
  To disable UAC move the slider all the way to the bottom.
  Click "OK".
  
  Reboot required now!
• Classic ASP & Server Side Includes
  I think if the "Application Development Tools" were installed this should be completed already.
  
  To install "ASP & Server Side Includes":
  Click start
  Right Click on My Computer
  Select "Manage"
  Click on "Roles"
  On the right hand side, click on "Add Role Services" (NOT "Add Roles")
  Click "Next"
  From here, check the following 2 items:
  "ASP" & "Server Side Includes"
  Click "Next",
  Click "Install"
  Notice the note about "….server might need to be restarted…. (We will reboot later)
  Click "Close" when finished.
  
  To verify the install:
  Click start
  Right Click on My Computer
  Select "Manage"
  Click on "Roles"
  Look for the following in the middle screen under "Application Development":
  "ASP" - installed. (May prompt to also enable ISAPI Extensions so agree!)
  "Server Side Includes" - installed. (verify this one for sure !!!)
   
• Enable 32-bit mode in the IIS Application Pool (Win 2008)
  
  Open IIS Manager,
  Choose Application Pools (directly above "Sites" in the left panel),
  Right click DefaultAppPool and select Advanced Settings.
  Change "Enable 32-bit Applications" to True.
  
  To verify:
  Repeat the steps above and look for True
   
• IIS Configuration Change - allow ISAPI modules
  
  Launch IIS Manager.
  Click on the Computer Name (in the left panel).
  In the "IIS" section click "ISAPI and CGI Restrictions".
  Click "Edit Feature Settings" (in the right panel).
  Check "Allow unspecified ISAPI modules".
  
  To verify, repeat the above steps.
  
  Notes:
  http://www.iis.net/ConfigReference - IIS Configuration Guide.
   
  • IIS 6.0 (Win 2003):
    Web Service Extensions - All Unknown ISAPI Extensions - Allowed.
     
• Specific ISAPI Modules - disabled or enabled
  
  Open IIS Manager, expand Sites, then select Default Web Site.
  In the "IIS" section, Double click "Handler Mappings",
  Make sure "ISAPI-dll" is "ENABLED" for the state. The list could be grouped by state with "Disabled" at the top and greyed out.
  
  Fix:
  If it shows up in the "Disabled" group then right-click on "ISAPI-dll" item and choose "Edit Feature Permissions".
  Make sure all features have check marks: Read, Script, Execute. Click "OK".
   
• Applicationhost.config file - remove "bin" from Hidden Segment.
  The "Applicationhost.config" file is a server wide configuration for IIS where as web.config is for a host.
  
  Opened the C:\windows\system32\inetsrv\config\applicationhost.config file.
  Comment out the Hidden Segment section containing "bin". This should be removed to prevent blocking of that directory.
  
  <hiddenSegments applyToWebDAV="true">
  <add segment="web.config" />
  <!-- <add segment="bin" /> -->
  
  Note: Entry may not exist if ASP.NET is not installed.
  
  (Note: Helps to fix the error: HTTP Error 404.8 - hidden segment).
• ODBC - 32 bit & 64 bit drivers.
  There are 32bit drivers and 64bit drivers. There is a separate ODBC Manage App that manages each one.
  • 32 Bit ODBC (legacy drivers) - manage App that manages 32-bit drivers: (Win 2008)
    c:\windows\sysWOW64\odbcad32.exe - manage a data source that connects to a 32-bit driver under 64-bit platform.
  • 64 Bit ODBC - manage App. DO NOT use this for the legacy drivers!!!
    Start, Control Panel, System and Security, Administrative Tools, Data Sources (ODBC)
    Click the tab "System DSN"
    or
    c:\windows\system32\odbcad32.exe - manage a data source that connects to a 64-bit driver
• SMTP
  • SMTP Setup for Windows 2008 (IIS 7.5)
    The SMTP server for IIS7 is just a management tool. Basically, there is only one real SMTP service which is in IIS6. The IIS7 SMTP Server is just another way to manage the old IIS6 SMTP and doesn't act as a separate email service.
    http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc772058%28WS.10%29.aspx - configure SMTP E-Mail IIS 7.
    http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc754007(WS.10).aspx - SMTP E-mail Feature Requirements (IIS 7)
     
  • SMTP Setup for Windows 2008 (IIS 6.0)
    4.2.1. Check & Possible Install SMTP Server
    • Start, Administrative Tools, "Internet Information Services (IIS) v6.0 Manager"
      • If you don't have this option proceed:
        How to install the Management Tool in IIS 7.
        Start, Administrative Tools, Server Manager
        Go to the "Features Summary"area.
        If you don't see "SMTP" listed then continue
        Click "Add Feature".
    • If you don't see an "SMTP" server listed under the server name then you need to install SMTP Server v6.0.
      Skip the next step if you have a SMTP server!
      • Right click on the Server Name and choose: New, SMTP Virtual Server
        (follow the prompts)
         
  • Start SMTP Server
    Start, Administrative Tools, Internet Information Services (IIS) v6.0 Manager
    If SMTP is not running then right click on the SMTP Server and click "Start"
    • SMTP Service - Set to Automatic
      Set the SMTP Service to Automatic so it will start after a reboot.
      Start, Administrative Tools, Services
      Right click on "Simple Mail Transfer Protocol Service" and choose "Properties"
      Startup Type: Automatic
    • Configure SMTP Server: (Connection & Relay)
      Start, Administrative Tools, "Internet Information Services (IIS) v6.0 Manager"
      Right click on "SMTP Virtual Server" and choose "Properties"
      Click the "Access" tab.
      Click "Connection", select "All except the list below", Click "OK". (List should be empty)
      Click "Relay", select "Only the list below"
      Click "Add", "Single Computers", 127.0.0.1 (This will allow just this local server to email.)
  • Note: To send emails via SMTP use localhost or send through another server using the IP address:
    Test sending an Email via DOS:
    (Note: Do these steps while you are on the server!)
    Try not to use the "backspace" key. It does not remove the prior typed key!
    
    telnet localhost 25<enter>
    helo localhost<enter> (Note: aka 127.0.0.1)
    mail from:test@abc.com<enter> (Note: any email address)
    rcpt to:someone@somewhere.com<enter> (Note: Send email to yourself!)
    data<enter>
    To: <To display email address><enter>
    From: <From display email address><enter>
    Subject: a test message<enter>
    Sending a test email from my server<enter>
    <enter>.<enter> (Note: there is a period between the enter keys.)
    
    Error:
    Connecting To localhost...Could not open connection to the host, on port 25: Connect failed
    Fix: Make sure the SMTP server is running.
    
    Error:
    550 5.7.1 Unable to relay for thomasma@us.ibm.com
    Fix: Add 127.0.0.1 to the "Access", "Relay" list of servers. Or other IP address, domain etc… as needed
     

• Hosts file - C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts

  Make an entry for every DNS hostname that is registered.  Not entry is needed for just machine name and local IP addresses.
  <local IP> <host name>
   
• Windows Services
  • Legacy services should show up like this:
    docentsupervisor.exe *32
    Note: If they show up like this "DOCENT~1.EXE" then reboot and they should show correctly.
     
• Firewall note:
  Just a reminder when moving to a new server you may need to address firewall issues.
  • Shared Drives - uses Port 445.
  • FTP - port 21 (commonly used port)
  • SFTP - port 22 (commonly used port)
  • SMTP - port 25
    • port 53 - DNS lookups to determine the name of the SMTP host that handles the mail for the remote domain.
• SQL Server 2008 - Server and Windows Authentication
  • You may want to have your DB admin allow "Windows Authentication" and not just "SQL Authentication".
    Note: Create a local group called "SQL Developers" and added it as a login to SQL Server Management Studio.
    Make sure that “sa” is enabled as a user so you can login as “sa”.