CGI Scripts Compiled w/16-bit C Compilers Fail to Run on IIS

 Last reviewed: April 22, 1997
Article ID: Q148750

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Internet Information Server version 1.0

SYMPTOMS

If you try to run a CGI script on (Internet Information Server) IIS from a Web Browser using http://<ServerName>/Directory path>/<FileName.exe>?,, you may get the following error: 

   HTTP/1.0 500 Server Error (The handle is invalid.)

CAUSE

CGI scripts compiled with 16-bit C compilers may fail to execute on IIS.

For example, if you compile and build an executable file out of the following C language source code using a 16-bit C compiler, and run the .exe file from a MS-DOS window of a Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 3.51, the correct HTML output will send to the standard out. However if you place the same executable file in the Script directory of the IIS server and try to execute the same executable file from a web browser using http://<ServerName>/Directory path>/<FileName.exe>?, it will fail to generate to web page. 

#include <stdio.h>

void main()
{ 
   printf( "Content-type: text/html\n\n" );
   printf( "<BODY BGCOLOR=\"#FFFFF0\" TEXT=\"#0000FF\">" );
   printf( "<TITLE>This is a Test page</TITLE>" );
   printf( "<h2>Hello World.</h2><br>" );
   printf( "<h1><center>End of the test page.</center></h1>" );
   printf( "</BODY>\n" );
}

RESOLUTION

To correct this problem compile and build the C Language Source code using a 32-bit C compiler, such as Microsoft C++ 4.0 or C++ 2.0.

Additional query words: prodiis
Keywords : iisscript kbnetwork
Version : 1.0 3.51
Platform : WINDOWS

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Last reviewed: April 22, 1997
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