The SharePoint STSADM.exe tool and ASPNet_regiis.exe

Learn the syntax – command operations, parameters and shortcuts, and properties of the SharePoint STSADM.exe tool

WSS 3.0
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc263384.aspx

WSS 2.0
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/wss/2/all/adminguide/en-us/stsk01.mspx?mfr=true

The last post on ASP.Net was actually not using the aspnet_regiis.exe tool at all and what really happened was that the SharePoint Sites web.config file was reconfigured to undue some of the security constrictions of .NET 2.0 that weren’t compatible with SharePoint.  This is why the STSADM.exe tool was used.

Aspnet_regiis.exe is a very helpful tool in its own right and you can learn more about it starting here:
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/k6h9cz8h(vs.71).aspx

a common inventory query done using v2.0.50727 would be:

C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\aspnet_regiis.exe -lk

In the above mapping query WSUS 3.0 is shown with its v2.0.50727.0 applications while the default SBS 2003 sites remain at .NET 1.1.4322.2407.

…and yes the .NET framework is designed so that multiple web applications can run side-by-side with different versions as needed.  In other words, it isn’t a requirement to have all sites with the same version of ASP.Net.  It is only required that the version fits with the application associated with the site.  The above aspnet_regiis.exe tool will help inventory, reinstall, remap, and uninstall as needed.

SBS R2 install and the ASP.Net version

While installing SBS R2, I recently ran across a limited web site lack of display issue and this began a conversation in the SBSC Private Managed Newsgroup under Windows Server Small Business Server.  Below I’ll copy and share the post I made on 8/21/2007.

Initially the thread advised using ASP.Net v. 1.1.4322 across all websites and at that stage of installation everything worked as anticipated.  After later changes happened resulting from remaining R2 Technologies Disk items and others described below, it was required otherwise to use the latest ASP.Net version.   I have not had any problems viewing Monitoring and Reporting or having RWW timeouts since upgrading to ASP.Net 2.0.50727.

“today after running through the rest of the install:

R2 Technologies Disk (Exchange SP2, SharePoint SP2, Update Services aka WSUS 2.0), then configuring IMF, adjusting SharePoint Central Admin UI settings, adding RipCurl Server side patch 911829, installing MS Report Viewer 2005, upgrading to WSUS 3.0, verifying Windows Server SP2 is installed and all other patches are up to date, and then making necessary changes for Outlook 2003 SP2 slipstreamed for SBS Client App deployment

…I discovered strange behavior in viewing browser views from within Server Management or Companyweb.  The message said to go to Application log in Event Viewer for more information.  There I was referred to KB894903 which provides for the ASP.Net version issue fix/upgrade.  http://support.microsoft.com/kb/894903

Prior to the following step I made sure that SharePoint Central Admin website and Companyweb were both set to use ASP.Net version 2.0.50727.  The WSUS 3.0 Administration site does not offer the ability to change ASP.Net versions.

What I did was to type the following command: 

“stsadm -o upgrade -forceupgrade -url http://companyweb” (no quotations)

this was done from the directory of STSADM which by default is at:

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\60\BIN

Now done everything seems to be working as intended and I have the benefit of using the more secure version of ASP.Net”