Accessing Office Word object model through asp.net results in "failed due to the following error: 80070005 Access is denied."

Question

I have developed a website that allows users to upload office documents then uses the office object model to convert the document to an HTML file that it then displays in an iFrame.

I have, of course, included references to Office.interop.word, and the site works fine on my development machine. When I uploaded it to my production server the site functions fine until I try to upload a document. I initially got a similar error that said "COM object not registered". I realized that Word wasn't installed on my production server. So I installed word and now when the server tries to access the word object model I receive the following error:

Retrieving the COM class factory for component with CLSID {000209FF-0000-0000-C000-000000000046} failed due to the following error: 80070005 Access is denied. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80070005 (E_ACCESSDENIED))

I searched the registry for the corresponding CLSID and found a corresponding folder. I added full control to the IUSR_ account and due to the persistence of the error I eventually added full control to "everyone" and ensured these permissions inherited down to the rest of the folder. I then added full control to IUSR_ and again eventually added full control to "everyone" to my microsoft office folder.

I don't know what other permissions to grant and where in order to make this "Access is denied" error go away. I must be granting them in the wrong place, because as far as I know I can't be any more permissive than "Everyone" "Full Control".

Can anyone shed any light?

Answer 1

Ok, I resolved this problem with this steps:

1. In the command line put DCOMCNFG
2. Expand Console Root > Component Service > Computers, right-click on My Computer, And Select Properties
3. In the Tab COM Security > Launch and Activation Permissions Click in Edit Default
4. Add the User (Ex. IIS_IUSRS) or service
5. Check Allow Local Launch and Local Activation

Then Excel, Word and other applications can work, good luck.

Answer 2

This worked for me:

1. In the command line put DCOMCNFG
2. Component Services -> Computers -> My Computer -> DCOM Config
3. Find "Microsoft Word 97 - 2003 Document" (If it is missing check if your Word is also 64 bit (if your Windows is) if it is not run mmc comexp.msc /32 instead of DCOMCNFG on step 1 as suggested by Darkseal here)
4. Right click -> Properties
5. Go To Tab Security and Edit the "Customize" radio buttons so that IIS_IUSRS could have rights for launch and access
6. Go to Tab Identity and choose "The interactive user"
7. Apply changes and try again
8. If all this fails, go also to tab "General" and in "Authentication Level" drop down choose "None".