Cannot Browse the Internet or Use the SBS Console If SSL Is Enabled for All Folders in Default Web Site

ID: Q225305

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Internet Information Server version 4.0
Microsoft BackOffice Small Business Server version 4.5
Microsoft Proxy Server version 2.0

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to connect to an Internet Web site, you may receive the following error message:

HTTP Error 403

403.4 Forbidden: SSL required

This error indicates that the page you are trying to access is secured with Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). In order to view it, you need to enable SSL by typing "https://" at the beginning of the address you are attempting to reach.

Please contact the Web server's administrator if the problem persists.

If the Proxy server is configured to automatically dial the Internet service provider (ISP), it does not attempt to dial when an Internet connection is requested.

Additionally, this error message may appear when you try to start the SBS console.

CAUSE

This behavior can occur if the Scripts virtual directory on the default Web site has been configured to use Secure Socket Layer (SSL). This prevents the client from connecting to the Internet.

Configuring the Admin and Help virtual directories on the default Web site to use SSL prevents the SBS console from starting.

RESOLUTION

If you must configure the default Web site to use SSL, exclude the Scripts, Admin, and Help virtual directories from using SSL.

For additional information about how to install Certificate Server and configure SSL, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q218445 How to Configure Certificate Server for Use with SSL on IIS

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Internet Information Server 4.0.

MORE INFORMATION

It is a good idea not to alter the default Web site by adding SSL, but rather to create virtual Web sites that use SSL instead. The Web Proxy service is completely dependent on the default Web site, so changes (such as adding SSL, changing the default name, changing the IP address from all unassigned to a specific IP address, and so on) can cause instability in the Proxy service and lead to a number of problems.

Additional query words: smallbiz

Keywords : kbenv
Version : winnt:2.0,4.0,4.5
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbbug