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Starting FTP Sites Using Iisftp.vbs

  • Article

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1

IIS starts File Transfer Protocol (FTP) sites automatically when they are created, unless the administrator specifically prohibits it with the /dontstart parameter. An administrator might prohibit an automatic start, for example, to allow time for the site to be added to DNS.

An administrator might also pause or stop an FTP site for troubleshooting purposes. In cases like these, you can use the command-line script iisftp.vbs, which is stored in systemroot\System32, to start or restart an FTP site.

Important

You must be a member of the Administrators group on the local computer to run scripts and executables. As a security best practice, log on to your computer by using an account that is not in the Administrators group, and then use the runas command to run your script or executable as an administrator. At a command prompt, type runas /profile /User:MyComputer</STRONG>Administrator cmd to open a command window with administrator rights and then type cscript.exe ScriptName (include the script's full path and any parameters).

This topic includes the following information:

  • Syntax: The order in which you type a command and any arguments and options that follow it.

  • Parameters: The values that are given to variables in the command.

  • Examples: Sample code and an explanation of the results.

Syntax

iisftp/start FTPSite [FTPSite...] [/s Computer [/u [Domain\]User**/p** Password]]

Parameters

FTPSite

Required. Specifies the site name or metabase path of the FTP site. FTP sites must be uniquely identified. If more than one FTP site has the same descriptive name, you must use the metabase path to identify the FTP site.

/s Computer

Runs the script on the specified remote computer. Type the computer name or IP address without backslashes. By default, the script runs on the local computer.

/u [Domain\]User

Runs the script with the permissions of the specified user account. This account must be a member of the Administrators group on the remote computer. By default, the script runs with the permissions of the current user of the local computer.

/p Password

Specifies the password of the user account that is specified in the /u parameter.

Examples

Example 1:

The following example starts the "Products" FTP site on the local computer. The command identifies the site by its name. In this example, the /s parameter is omitted because the server is local. The /u and /p parameters are omitted because the current user of the local computer must be logged on as an administrator in order to run the command.

iisftp /start Products

In response, iisftp displays the following message confirming that the site has been started, and identifying it by its metabase path. The metabase path is the IIS equivalent of an entry in the system registry.

Connecting to server ...Done.

Server MSFTPSVC/1452008085 has been STARTED.

Example 2:

The following example starts the "Products" and "Marketing" FTP sites on the SVR01 remote computer. The command identifies the "Products" site by its metabase path, "MSFTPSVC/1452008085", and the "Marketing" site by name. In addition, the command uses the /s parameter to specify the remote computer, and the /u and /p parameters to run the commands with the permissions of the user's administrator account.

iisftp /start MSFTPSVC/1452008085 Marketing /s SVR01 /u Jim /p p@##word

In response, iisftp displays the following message, confirming that the sites have been started, and identifying each site by its metabase path:

Connecting to server ...Done.

Server MSFTPSVC/1452008085 has been STARTED.

Server MSFTPSVC/1879143292 has been STARTED.