ASP 0131 or HTTP 500 Internal Server error when you log on by using Outlook Web Access

When you try to log on to a Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 computer by using Outlook Web Access (OWA), and you have the Show Friendly Http Error Messages check box in Microsoft Internet Explorer turned on, you receive the following error message: You also receive the following error message:

This issue may occur when the Enable Parent Paths option has been disabled on the application settings for the virtual directory for the OWA ASP pages.

To resolve this issue, turn on the Enable Parent Paths option on the Exchange 5.5 virtual directory in Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS). To do so, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click Internet Information Services Manager.
2. In the IIS console, expand the Web site that OWA is running under (typically this is the Default Web site).
3. Locate the Web folder that contains the ASP Web application.
4. Right-click the Web folder, and then click Properties.
5. On the Directory tab, click Configuration in the Application Settings section.
6. On the App Options tab, click to select the Enable Parent Paths check box.
7. Click OK, and then click OK again to apply the changes.

If you run the Microsoft Base Security Analyzer on the Exchange 5.5 virtual server, the Microsoft Base Security Analyzer recommends that you disable the Enable Parent Paths option in Internet Information Services (IIS). Additionally, the Microsoft Secure Internet Information Services 5.0 Checklist recommends that you disable the Enable Parent Paths option. However, OWA requires that the Enable Parent Paths option be turned on.

To view the Secure Internet Information Services 5.0 Checklist, visit the following Microsoft Web site:http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsserver/2000/bb735378.aspx
For additional information about the ASP 0131 error message, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
For additional information about the Enable Parent Paths option in IIS 6.0, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: