Error 503 when accessing Web App

If you get error 503 when loading the Web App, this can indicate that there is a problem with IIS rather than with the Web App configuration.

This is usually accompanied by the ‘Application Pool’ processes crashing. This can be checked by:

1. Loading IIS.
2. Expanding the main server node.
3. Double Clicking on ‘Application Pools’.
4. If any of the application pools have a stopped symbol (small black square) on their icon, they have probably crashed.

The root cause of the 503 error is usually that there are links to old Dataflex Web App components that have been uninstalled or moved.

To check the Dataflex components, the following needs to be checked on the main server node, each website note, and each folder node.

Checking the Installed Native Modules At the Server level

1. Select the main server node in the ‘Connections’ treeview on the left hand panel
2. From the main ‘Features View’, double click on ‘Modules’
3. Click on ‘Configure Native Modules’ in the panel on the right hand side
4. Check for any modules for invalid DataFlex components. The location of the component can be checked with the ‘Edit’ button (server node only).
5. Click on them, then click on the ‘Remove’ button (this only shows up on the server level page)

Checking the Installed Native Modules at the folder level

1. Select the folder in the ‘Connections’ treeview.
2. From the main ‘Features View’, double click on ‘Modules’
3. Check for any modules pointing to invalid Dataflex Components.
4. Click on them, and then click on remove in the panel on the right

Checking the Handler Mappings

1. Select the folder in the ‘Connections’ treeview.
2. From the main ‘Featues View’, double click on ‘Handler Mappings’.
3. Look for any mappings with ‘Path’ as ‘*.wso’ that point to invalid Dataflex components.
4. Select them and click on ‘Remove’ on the right hand side panel.

Stop and restart the IIS service by right clicking on the server node and selecting stop, then start.