CGI processes do not start

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1

If your CGI processes do not run, ensure that the CGI Web service extension has been enabled. See Requests for dynamic content return 404 error. Also, CGIs will not start unless the account on which the CGI processes run are assigned certain user rights. You can add the account as a member of the IIS_WPG group and assign the account the following two user rights:

  • Adjust memory quotas for a process.

  • Replace a process level token.

If you use anonymous authentication and you call external programs, including PHP programs, from CGI code, the operation may fail. The failure occurs because in IIS 6.0 the default anonymous user account, IUSR_Computername, is explicitly denied access to all executable programs in the %windir%\System32 folder for security reasons. To resolve this problem, remove the IUSR denial access control list (ACL) on the appropriate command-line tools that reside in the %windir%\System32 folder, and grant the IUSR_Computername account Read & Execute access.

Procedures

To assign user rights to an account on the local computer

  1. From the Start menu, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Local Security Policy.

  2. Expand Security Settings, double-click Local Policies, and then double-click User Rights Assignment.

  3. In the details pane, double-click the policy you want to change.

  4. Click Add User or Group.

  5. In the Enter the object names to select box, type the user or group name.

  6. Click OK.