Err Msg: 0002 the System Could Not Find the Specified File

Last reviewed: November 13, 1998
Article ID: Q195703

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Internet Information Server version 4.0

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the registry, make sure you understand how to restore it if a problem occurs. For information about how to do this, view the "Restoring the Registry" Help topic in Regedit.exe or the "Restoring a Registry Key" Help topic in Regedt32.exe.

SYMPTOMS

When you start the Internet Information Server (IIS) SMTP service, the SMTP service does not start and you may receive the following error message:

   Error: 0002 the system could not find the specified file.

CAUSE

This error is displayed when the SMTP service is installed and the Windows NT 4.0 Option Pack is not installed in the <default> paths indicated in the IIS 4.0 Setup program. The typical install location for IIS 4.0 is \<%System path%>\System32\Inetsrv.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, use either of the following methods:

Remove IIS 4.0 and the SMTP service, and then and reinstall them in the default paths.

-OR-

Modify the registry to indicate the actual path to the Inetinfo.exe for the SMTP service.

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

For information about how to edit the registry, view the "Changing Keys And Values" Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or the "Add and Delete Information in the Registry" and "Edit Registry Data" Help topics in Regedt32.exe. Note that you should back up the registry before you edit it. If you are running Windows NT, you should also update your Emergency Repair Disk (ERD).

To change the SMTP service path to the Inetinfo.exe, use Registry Editor to locate the following keys:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SMTPSVC

Verify that the String value in "ImagePath" designates the path Inetinfo.exe. For example, C:\Winnt\System32\Inetsrv\Inetinfo.exe.

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SMTPSVC\Parameters

Verify that the String value in "InstallPath" designates the path Inetinfo.exe. For example, C:\Winnt\System32\Inetsrv\Inetinfo.exe.

NOTE: For information on using the Microsoft Management Console (MMC), please refer to the IIS 4.0 online documentation.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Internet Information Server version 4.0.

Additional query words: SMTP
Version : WINNT:4.0
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbbug
Solution Type : kbpending

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