HTTP Status 443 on Server.CreateObject in VBScript under Classic ASP IIS 6.0

Resolving HTTP Status 443 on Server.CreateObject in Classic ASP (IIS 6.0)

Understand and troubleshoot the elusive HTTP 443 error when using Server.CreateObject in VBScript within a Classic ASP application hosted on IIS 6.0, often indicating COM component or security issues.

Classic ASP applications, particularly those running on older IIS 6.0 servers, often rely heavily on COM (Component Object Model) components instantiated via Server.CreateObject. A common and frustrating issue encountered in this setup is an HTTP Status 443 error. While HTTP 443 typically signifies a secure HTTPS connection, its appearance in the context of Server.CreateObject points to a deeper problem, usually related to the COM component itself, its registration, permissions, or the environment in which it's trying to execute.

Understanding the HTTP 443 Misdirection

The HTTP 443 status code is conventionally associated with HTTPS, indicating that a client attempted to connect to a server over a secure port, but the connection failed or was rejected. However, when this error manifests during a Server.CreateObject call in Classic ASP, it's rarely about the web server's SSL configuration directly. Instead, it's a generic error code that IIS 6.0 might return when an underlying process, such as the instantiation of a COM object, fails catastrophically and IIS cannot provide a more specific error. This often happens when the COM component itself throws an unhandled exception, or when the process hosting the component (e.g., DCOM, COM+) encounters a security or resource issue.

flowchart TD
    A[Classic ASP Page Request] --> B{IIS 6.0 Processes Request}
    B --> C{Encounter Server.CreateObject("My.Component")}
    C --> D{Attempt COM Object Instantiation}
    D -- Fails due to Permissions/Registration/Runtime Error --> E[IIS Returns HTTP 443]
    D -- Successful --> F[COM Object Used]
    E --> G[Client Receives 443 Error]

Flowchart illustrating how a Server.CreateObject failure can lead to an HTTP 443 error.

Common Causes and Troubleshooting Steps

Diagnosing an HTTP 443 error from Server.CreateObject requires a systematic approach, focusing on the COM component's health and its interaction with the IIS environment. The primary culprits are usually related to component registration, permissions, or dependencies.

1. COM Component Registration

The most frequent cause of Server.CreateObject failures is an improperly registered or missing COM component. For a COM object to be instantiated, its DLL or EXE must be correctly registered in the Windows Registry.

regsvr32 "C:\Path\To\Your\Component.dll"

Registering a COM DLL using regsvr32.

For 64-bit systems running 32-bit components, ensure you use the correct regsvr32 version (e.g., C:\Windows\SysWOW64\regsvr32.exe for 32-bit DLLs).

2. Permissions and Identity

IIS 6.0 application pools run under specific identities (e.g., Network Service, Local System, or a custom user). The COM component, when instantiated, will execute under the security context of the process that created it, or its own configured DCOM identity. If this identity lacks the necessary permissions to access files, registry keys, or other resources required by the COM component, it will fail.

1. Check Application Pool Identity

In IIS Manager, navigate to 'Application Pools', right-click your application pool, select 'Properties', then the 'Identity' tab. Note the user account.

2. Verify DCOM Permissions

Open 'Component Services' (dcomcnfg). Navigate to 'Computers' -> 'My Computer' -> 'DCOM Config'. Find your COM component (or the hosting COM+ application). Right-click -> 'Properties' -> 'Security' tab. Ensure the application pool identity has 'Launch and Activation Permissions' and 'Access Permissions'.

3. File System and Registry Permissions

Ensure the application pool identity has read/execute permissions on the COM component's DLL/EXE file and any directories or registry keys it needs to access.

3. Component Dependencies and Environment

A COM component might rely on other DLLs, specific environment variables, or database connections. If these dependencies are not met or are misconfigured, the component will fail to initialize.

4. Debugging and Logging

Since the 443 error is often a generic catch-all, detailed logging within the COM component itself is crucial. If you have access to the component's source code, add robust error logging.

On Error Resume Next
Set objMyComponent = Server.CreateObject("My.Component")
If Err.Number <> 0 Then
    Response.Write "Error creating object: " & Err.Description & " (" & Err.Number & ")"
    Response.End
End If
On Error GoTo 0
' ... use objMyComponent ...

Basic error handling in VBScript for Server.CreateObject.

While the above VBScript error handling might catch some immediate issues, it often won't prevent the IIS 443 error if the component fails catastrophically during its constructor or early initialization. For deeper issues, consider using tools like Process Monitor (Sysinternals) to trace file and registry access attempts by the w3wp.exe process (the IIS worker process) when the error occurs.