How to Manually Restore the Metabase When No Proper Backup Exists or the MMC Won't Start

ID: Q234429

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Internet Information Server version 4.0

SUMMARY

To restore the metabase, it is recommended that you use the Restore action in the Microsoft Management Console (MMC). However, if no backup of the metabase was ever created by the MMC, or if the MMC cannot be started because the metabase has been corrupted too badly, you can attempt to manually restore the metabase by using one of the methods described in the MORE INFORMATION section of this article.


MORE INFORMATION

Note: You should back up the metabase regularly using the Backup action in the MMC.

For information on how to back up and restore the metabase by using the MMC, see the IIS Readme file, located at http://localhost/iishelp/iis/htm/core/iisread.htm#general (assuming that the product documentation is installed on the local computer).

If a Backup File Created by the MMC is Available

If the Backup action in the MMC was used to create a backup file (FileName.mdBackupNumber), but the MMC cannot be opened because the current metabase is corrupted, perform the following steps to manually restore the metabase from the FileName.mdBackupNumber file.
  1. Stop all IIS services, and other services that rely on IIS (such as third-party applications or Microsoft Site Server).

    Note: To stop IIS and its dependent services, use the NET STOP IISADMIN /Y command. For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
    Q236166 Using Net Stop and Net Start Commands to Force IIS Services to Re-Read the Registry


  2. Rename the corrupted metabase file, Metabase.bin, to a new name such as Metabase.bad. The Metabase.bin file is located in the %SystemRoot%\System32\Inetsrv folder.


  3. Copy the MMC backup metabase file, FileName.mdBackupNumber, which is located in the %SystemRoot%\System32\Inetsrv\Metaback folder, to the %SystemRoot%\System32\Inetsrv folder. Rename it to Metabase.bin.


  4. Restart the computer.


If an Older Copy of the Metabase.bin File Exists

If no backup file created by the MMC is available, but an older copy of the Metabase.bin file exists elsewhere (typically on a system tape backup), perform the following steps:
  1. Stop all IIS services, and other services that rely on IIS (such as third-party applications or Microsoft Site Server).

    Note: To stop IIS and its dependent services, use the NET STOP IISADMIN /Y command. For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
    Q236166 Using Net Stop and Net Start Commands to Force IIS Services to Re-Read the Registry


  2. Rename the corrupted metabase file, Metabase.bin, to a new name such as Metabase.bad. The Metabase.bin file is located in the %SystemRoot%\System32\Inetsrv folder.


  3. Copy the older copy of Metabase.bin file to the %SystemRoot%\System32\Inetsrv folder.


  4. Restart the computer.


If No MMC Backup or Older Copy of the Metabase.bin File Exists

If no backup file created by the MMC is available, and no older copy of the Metabase.bin file exists, a temporary backup of the metabase may still exist.

When the metabase is updated through the MMC or another process, a temporary backup of the metabase may be created. If the update was interrupted (which is possibly the cause of the corruption in the first place), there is a chance that this temporary file may still exist.

This temporary file is named either Metabase.bak or Metabase.bin.bak, and is located in the %SystemRoot%\System32\Inetsrv folder. If this temporary file exists, perform the following steps to attempt to restore the metabase:
  1. Stop all IIS services, and other services that rely on IIS (such as third-party applications or Microsoft Site Server).

    Note: To stop IIS and its dependent services, use the NET STOP IISADMIN /Y command. For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
    Q236166 Using Net Stop and Net Start Commands to Force IIS Services to Re-Read the Registry


  2. Rename the corrupted metabase file, Metabase.bin, to a new name such as Metabase.bad. The Metabase.bin file is located in the %SystemRoot%\System32\Inetsrv folder.


  3. Rename the temporary backup file (Metabase.bak or Metabase.bin.bak) to Metabase.bin.


  4. Restart the computer.


If No Metabase Backup File Exists

If there are no backup files available of the metabase, the only way to restore IIS functionality is to do the following. Please note that all IIS settings stored in the metabase are lost, however.
  1. Uninstall the Windows NT Option Pack. For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
    Q187870 How to Remove and Reinstall the Windows NT 4.0 Option Pack


  2. Uninstall Internet Explorer.


  3. Delete the Metabase.bin file from the %SystemRoot\System32\Inetsrv\ folder.


  4. Install Internet Explorer.


  5. Install the Windows NT Option Pack.


Additional query words: meta base back up registry corruption hose hosed hung hangs freezes frozen Internet Service Manager ISM 


Keywords          : 
Version           : winnt:4.0
Platform          : winnt 
Issue type        : kbhowto


Last Reviewed: September 15, 1999
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