Wrong path returned by Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.ApplicationFolder) under IIS6 WebService

Question

On my test machine running (Windows XP, IIS5.1) the following code executed within a C# .NET WebService (.SVC) under a custom process identity (using machine.config to speci

Answer 1

Yes. it's not a bug. Under which user is running the app pool??

Let's split this a little:

The Test Machine uses IIS to host the service or the built-in web server? If you use the built-in web server, it runs under your user. If you use IIS, which one is the pool user?

If it is Network Service or Local System, the process runs under the context of one of those users, and indeed, the call to:

Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.LocalApplicationData) 

is OK.

You should change the user of the pool (and recycle the pool) to see the change.

Answer 2

Solved. Apparently this is 'by design' because IIS6 does not load user profile settings.

Microsoft advised me to upgrade to IIS7 or call LoadUserProfile first, I wonder what possessed them to change that functionality from IIS5.1.

http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/netfxbcl/thread/890fa85a-b11a-4fbe-a333-cbe69abd72a7

Anyway lesson learned, don't assume functionality hasn't been removed and always test with the same application server even if annoys the IT department!