Client computers are unable to register with a Task Server
Article ID: 177015
Updated On:
Products
Issue/Introduction
When the Altiris Agent loads, the client machine attempts to register with a Task Server. This is achieved with the following call:
The registration is failing with the following message:
<response result="failure">![CDATA[Error registering client: System.Exception: We cannot service this request because the web application failed to initialize. ---> System.Exception: Unable to configure remoting during Application Start ---> System.IO.DirectoryNotFoundException: Could not find a part of the path "E:\". at System.IO.__Error.WinIOError(Int32 errorCode, String str) at System.IO.Directory.InternalCreateDirectory(String fullPath, String path) at System.IO.Directory.CreateDirectory(String path) at Altiris.ClientTask.RemoteApi.CSLogFile.Initialize(String LogConfigurationFilePath) at Altiris.ClientTask.Server.Web.WebClientApiManager.GetLogFile() at Altiris.ClientTask.Server.Web.WebClientApiManager.Initialize(String configFilePath) at Altiris.ClientTask.Server.Web.Global.Application_Start(Object sender, EventArgs e) --- End of inner exception stack trace --- --- End of inner exception stack trace --- at Altiris.ClientTask.Server.Web.WebClientApiManager.ProcessRegister(NameValueCollection queryValues, Stream requestStream, Int32 contentLength)]]</response>
Cause
This error will occur if the account used for the Microsoft IIS Default Application Pool is not granted the appropriate NTFS permissions to be able to access the Client Task Server directory on the Task Server the client machine is attempting to register with.
Resolution
IIS running on Windows Server 2003 uses the NETWORK SERVICE account as the default account for the Default Application Pool. Using Windows Explorer, confirm that the NETWORK SERVICE account has Read & Execute, List, and Read NTFS permissions to the root directory where Task Server is installed. For example if Task Server is installed to "E:\Program Files\Altiris\Client Task Server," begin checking the permissions at E:\.
A second NTFS Permission that should be confirmed is the Servername\Users group. Task Server uses the ASP.NET machine account, which by default under Windows Server 2003 is a member of the Servername\Users group. Ensure that Servername\Users has modify permissions to the Client Task Server directories - also beginning at the root level.
Once the permissions have been reset, it is necessary to restart IIS as well as the Altiris Object Host Service and the Client Task Dataloader.
At this point the problem is resolved; however remember that client registration happens upon Altiris Agent startup so until the local user reboots or the Altiris agent service is stopped, no computers will attempt to register with this task server. To ensure you've fixed the problem, either restart one of the client machines manually. If you need to move a large number of machines to the Task Server you have just fixed, use the NS Server (Manage > Jobs > Task Server Configuration > Task Servers) to find the Task Server where clients did successfully register to, and stop the Altiris Object Host Service on the Task Server. Leave the service stopped for a few minutes. This will force the Client Task Agent to attempt a registration and client machines should begin registering with the Task Server you have just corrected.
Applies To
Task Server 6.x
Task Server 7.1
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