Strange problem: IIS7 on Windows 2008-R2 server, with URL rewrite module installed.
At the server level, I open the URL rewrite module. Click on "Add Rule", select a "Inbound Blank Rule", then OK. That immediately closes the IIS manager app.
Never have seen that before (ain't technology wonderful?)
The event viewer shows this message for the IIS-IISManager
IISMANAGER_CRASH
IIS Manager terminated unexpectedly.
Exception:ResourceName:
Microsoft.Web.Management.Server.WebManagementServiceException: Filename: \\?\C:\Windows\system32\inetsrv\config\applicationHost.config
Error: The configuration section 'webFarms' cannot be read because it is missing a section declaration
So I looked into the applicationHost.config file on that server, and did not find a "section name = 'weFarms'. I then looked at a 'sister server' (same config as the server with the error), and the applicationHost.config file did contain this line
<section name="webFarms" overrideModeDefault="Deny" allowDefinition="AppHostOnly" />
at the end of the '/configsections".
After backing up the server's applicationHost.config file, I inserted that command in the problem server's applicationHost.config, saved the file, then restarted the IIS manager. Adding a rule worked normally.
Not sure why that line was missing (and why the IIS manager would crash if it was missing), but post this message in case someone else asks the googles about a similar problem.
Would be curious as to other's thoughts on this issue.
Thanks...Rick...