Hi Stewart,
Been looking at this again today, here are some answers to the questions you raised, hopefully it may be able to help shed some light on the issue...
>> Is the root website running the same version of ASP.NET as BugNET?
The root and bugnet are both running ASP.NET 2.0, versions match.
>> Is the root of the website system a custom application or opensource or commerical software or just really a basic website?
Its a basic asp.net application that i wrote, uses a third party control (infragistics) for html editing and it is based on a tierdeveloper framework (commercial object mapping) but is a very simple website that drags content to fill in the pages of the site, doesnt do anything clever and uses forms authentication rather than windows.
>> What does the Event Log have to say about all this?
Interesting and good call, there are some of these errors in the application log, tho they may just be the exception that is being thrown by the website
-- start of event text
Event Type: Warning
Event Source: ASP.NET 2.0.50727.0
Event Category: Web Event
Event ID: 1310
Date: 07/09/2008
Time: 16:35:00
User: N/A
Computer: DSVR007144
Description:
Event code: 3006
Event message: A parser error has occurred.
Event time: 07/09/2008 16:35:00
Event time (UTC): 07/09/2008 15:35:00
Event ID: 4eb6d09c565948ba9a82c8f8224a88fd
Event sequence: 1
Event occurrence: 1
Event detail code: 0
Application information:
Application domain: /LM/W3SVC/641733564/Root/bugnet-1-128652753006737500
Trust level: Full
Application Virtual Path: /bugnet
Application Path: D:\home\Default\iphelion.com\htdocs\bugnet\
Machine name: DSVR007144
Process information:
Process ID: 1924
Process name: w3wp.exe
Account name: NT AUTHORITY\NETWORK SERVICE
Exception information:
Exception type: HttpException
Exception message: Could not load type 'BugNET.Global'.
Request information:
Request URL: http://www.iphelion.com/bugnet/default.aspx
Request path: /bugnet/default.aspx
User host address: 92.238.57.231
User:
Is authenticated: False
Authentication Type:
Thread account name: NT AUTHORITY\NETWORK SERVICE
Thread information:
Thread ID: 1
Thread account name: NT AUTHORITY\NETWORK SERVICE
Is impersonating: False
Stack trace: at System.Web.Compilation.BuildManager.ReportTopLevelCompilationException()
at System.Web.Compilation.BuildManager.EnsureTopLevelFilesCompiled()
at System.Web.Hosting.HostingEnvironment.Initialize(ApplicationManager appManager, IApplicationHost appHost, IConfigMapPathFactory configMapPathFactory, HostingEnvironmentParameters hostingParameters)
Custom event details:
For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
-- end of event text
>> What configuration options were changed in the root website's web.config or IIS config which could recursively cascade to BugNET virtual folder?
Ive done my best to use the <clear/> directive to isolate bugnet from the root folder settings, may not have got everything yet though, would be happy to share (off the public forums) the web.config files with you if it will help - feel free to email me on the address my account is registered to.
>> Do these conflict with any of the rules in BugNET's configuration?
They shouldnt do but i dont know bugnet that well so i could have accidentally damaged something.]
>> Is there an option for web.config (which is not specified in a default web.config file) which can help to issolate the folder from the root?
Im looking into this, ive found http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms178685.aspx and http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms228167.aspx but dont have time to read through them today as i have to head out in a bit.
>> What lock-down was done on security levels (of the root application or IIS Users or pools or folder permissions)?
The website including bugnet is running under the website owners user account which has full file permissions over the root folder downwards. The app pools are running under the network service account. What permissions should be assigned to make bugnet work?
>> Can you reproduce this problem on a test website and even on another machine?
Cant do this till at least tomorrow as i have to head out in a minute.
Thanks so much for trying to help fix this, its been driving me insane for a little while now.
Cheers
Andy