"IIS Manager cannot verify whether the built-in account has access"

Question

Ok, I'm designing a web app using asp.net and need to use the IIS Application Manager to control it. I have a server and all of that but when I tried to go into it and set everything up I got a warning saying:

The server is configured to use pass-through authentication with a built-in account to access the specified physical path. However, IIS Manager cannot verify whether the built-in account has access. Make sure that the application pool identity has Read access to the physical path. If this server is joined to a domain, and the application pool identity is NetworkService or LocalSystem, verify that <domain>\<computer_name>$ has Read access to the physical path. Then test these settings again.

When I tried to browse my app using the IIS, it timed out, I don't know anything about IIS really outside from research I've done online. Just looking for some clarification on it. Thanks for any help.

Answer 1

The server is configured to use pass-through authentication [you can verify this by selecting the site, choosing basic settings -> Connect as... -> {and you should see Application User (pass-through authentication) is set}]. The built in account is set on the app pool's settings. The error message is telling you that the account on the app pool can't access the folder set on the activated application. The normal group you need to put onto a folder is IIS_USERS with Read, List, Read & Execute. IIS timed out because it couldn't initialize the site to load because the OS won't let it touch the files to see what it should load for the request. You might wonder why you didn't get a 401, but its because IIS can't get far enough to actually start giving you any sort of status on your requests.