Problems Starting IIS on a Windows 2000 Computer

When you install or upgrade to Windows 2000 Professional, Windows 2000 Server, or Windows 2000 Advanced Server, the following error message may occur when you attempt to start the Internet Information Services (or, IIS) Web services (WWW, FTP, SMTP, and NNTP):

"Could not start the (WWW, FTP, SMTP, and NNTP) service on the Local Computer.  Error 1747 The Authentication service is unknown."

When you attempt to start the sites in the Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in in IIS, the following error message appears:

"The Service did not respond to the Start or Control Request in a timely fashion."

Solution 1:

The World Wide Web Publishing Service is disabled.

1. From the Windows Start Menu, go to the following location: Control Panel | Administrative Tools, Services.

2. Go to "World Wide Web Publishing," right clock on it, and go to "Properties."

3. Change the startup type to "Automatic."

Solution 2:

This occurs when no Network Interface Card (or, NIC) is installed.  To resolve this problem, install the Client for Microsoft Networks and bind it to a NIC (not a modem).  To do this, follow these steps:

1. In Control Panel, double-click Add New Hardware.

2. Click on [NEXT] to start the wizard.

3. Click on Add/Troubleshoot a Device.

4. Click on Add a New Device (Default Selection).

5. Click on No, I want to select the hardware from the list.

6. Click on Network Adapters.

7. In the Manufacturers field, choose Microsoft, and for Network Adapter, choose Microsoft Loopback Adaptor.

By default, Windows 2000 installs the adapter with the default settings, which include the Client for Microsoft  Networks and TCP\IP.  If you don't require the Client for Microsoft Networks, it is best to disable it.  To do so, follow these steps:

1. Right-click on My Network Places, and then on Properties.

2. Right-click on Local Area Connection and then on Properties.

3. Click to clear the Client for Microsoft Networks check box.

4. Click on OK.

The Client for Microsoft Networks option is now disabled.  IIS 5.0 runs properly with this configuration.

When you have completed these steps, attempt to start the Web services again and they will successfully start.  You can start these services with the following command:

iisreset /start