Issue to create Virtual directory

Question

Issue to create Virtual directory

Jonathan 480

Hi,

How to do these on server 2022?

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Jonathan 480 Reputation points

2026-11-09T09:50:08.4+00:00

To the virtual directory, I tried to put the user account but I got the issue below.
Ronald Sabiiti 1,830 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-11-09T12:01:40.31+00:00
The error indicates that IIS cannot validate the credentials provided. Please try the following:

Verify the username format (DOMAIN\Username or SERVERNAME\Username).

Re-enter the correct password and check that it has not expired.

Ensure the account is enabled and not locked.

Confirm the account has both share and NTFS permissions on the remote folder.

In IIS Manager, go to Virtual Directory → Basic Settings → Connect as → Specific user → Set, and re-enter the credentials.

Microsoft references:

Configure a Virtual Directory on a Remote Folder

IIS Virtual Directory Configuration
Jonathan 480 Reputation points

2026-11-10T02:41:54.4533333+00:00

I put one other account but still the issue existed. Anything wrong below?
Ronald Sabiiti 1,830 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-11-10T05:50:11.2833333+00:00
The folder structure in the screenshot looks fine. kindly check:

FTP Authorization Rules (ensure the new account is allowed)

NTFS permissions on the physical folder

FTP Authentication (Basic Authentication enabled if required)

If it's still failing, please share the exact FTP error (530, 550, etc.) and a screenshot of the FTP Authorization Rules.
Jonathan 480 Reputation points

2026-11-10T06:36:51.44+00:00

I still get issue like

Status: Connection established, waiting for welcome message...

Response: 220 Microsoft FTP Service

Command: AUTH TLS

Response: 234 AUTH command ok. Expecting TLS Negotiation.

Status: Initializing TLS...

Status: TLS connection established.

Command: USER ftpacc

Response: 331 Password required

Command: PASS *******

Response: 530 User cannot log in, home directory inaccessible.

Error: Critical error: Could not connect to server

FYI
Ronald Sabiiti 1,830 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-11-10T13:10:21.29+00:00

The FTPS connection and TLS negotiation are successful. However, IIS cannot access the FTP user's home directory.

Please verify the following:

Confirm the FTP root folder exists and the configured physical path is correct.

Ensure ftpacc has the required NTFS permissions (Read, List, and Execute).

Check IIS → FTP Authorization Rules and confirm ftpacc is allowed to access the site.

Verify that the account is enabled and its credentials are correct.

Reference: Build an FTP Site on IIS

Could you also confirm whether ftpacc is a local or domain account?
Jonathan 480 Reputation points

2026-11-10T14:47:34.8766667+00:00

ftpacc is a local account.

Ensure ftpacc has the required NTFS permissions (Read, List, and Execute).

The following is fine? Can you share the other places if incorrect below?
Ronald Sabiiti 1,830 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-11-10T14:56:25.4066667+00:00
The NTFS permissions shown are correct. ftpacc already has Full Control, so no changes are needed there.

Please verify:

IIS FTP site's physical path points to the correct folder.

FTP Authorization Rules allow ftpacc Read/Write access.

FTP User Isolation is set to Do not isolate users – FTP root directory.

The local account ftpacc is enabled and its password is valid.

Could you confirm whether the FTP physical path is C:\inetpub\ftproot or C:\inetpub\ftproot\ftppath?
Jonathan 480 Reputation points

2026-11-11T05:47:16.72+00:00

All 4 points were met well before now. Please see it as well below.
Jonathan 480 Reputation points

2026-11-12T07:01:57.97+00:00

Any help?
Ronald Sabiiti 1,830 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-11-12T08:10:19.7133333+00:00
I noticed a possible mismatch:

IIS physical path: C:\inetpub\ftproot

Earlier NTFS permissions were configured on: C:\inetpub\ftproot\ftppath

Please ensure ftpacc has the required NTFS permissions on the actual IIS physical folder (C:\inetpub\ftproot).

Alternatively, if ftppath is intended to be the FTP root, update the IIS physical path accordingly.

Restart the FTP site and test the connection again.
Jonathan 480 Reputation points

2026-11-12T08:34:24.8666667+00:00

Hi, ftpacc has that right below
Ronald Sabiiti 1,830 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-11-12T08:51:47.32+00:00

The screenshot confirms that ftppacc is listed for C:\inetpub\ftproot. However, SYSTEM is selected, so its permissions are displayed.

Please select ftppacc and verify that it has Read & execute, List folder contents, and Read permissions, applying to This folder, subfolders and files.
Jonathan 480 Reputation points

2026-11-12T09:01:25.9+00:00

Yes, it was already with the following but the issue arose
Ronald Sabiiti 1,830 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-11-12T09:13:32.1+00:00
Try this as well.

Reset the ftpacc password:
net user ftpacc *

Try logging in with SERVERNAME\ftpacc.

Check IIS logs for sc-win32-status.
Jonathan 480 Reputation points

2026-11-12T10:21:10.9333333+00:00

I have done 1 & 2 per your advice.

FYI

#Date: 2026-11-12 00:55:04

#Fields: date time c-ip cs-username s-ip s-port cs-method cs-uri-stem sc-status sc-win32-status sc-substatus x-session x-fullpath

2026-11-12 00:55:04 A - B 21 ControlChannelOpened - - 0 0 1M1c -

2026-11-12 00:55:04 A - B 21 ControlChannelClosed - - 0 0 1M1c -

2026-11-12 01:41:09 C - B 21 ControlChannelOpened - - 0 0 aN93f -

2026-11-12 01:41:10 C - B 21 ControlChannelClosed - - 0 0 aN93f -

2026-11-12 01:41:10 C - B 21 ControlChannelOpened - - 0 0 1Ofb -

2026-11-12 01:41:10 C - B 21 USER anonymous 331 0 0 1Ofb -

2026-11-12 01:41:10 C - B 21 PASS anonymous@ 530 1326 42 1Ofb -

2026-11-12 01:41:10 C - B 21 QUIT - 221 0 0 1Ofb -

2026-11-12 01:41:10 C - B 21 ControlChannelClosed - - 0 0 1Ofb -

2026-11-12 04:01:59 MYIP - B 21 ControlChannelOpened - - 0 0 5P8 -

2026-11-12 04:01:59 MYIP - B 21 AUTH TLS 234 0 0 5P8 -
Ronald Sabiiti 1,830 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-11-12T10:32:30.41+00:00
The log shows an FTP authentication failure:

530: Authentication failed.

1326: Windows logon failure.

Username: anonymous

The client is attempting Anonymous FTP authentication.

Recommendation:

Verify FTP client authentication settings.

Disable Anonymous Authentication if using Windows accounts.

Confirm the correct domain credentials are being supplied.

Check Windows Security Event Viewer (Event ID 4625).

Hope this helps!

2 answers

Your answer

Jonathan 480 Reputation points

2026-11-09T09:50:08.4+00:00

To the virtual directory, I tried to put the user account but I got the issue below.
Ronald Sabiiti 1,830 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-11-09T12:01:40.31+00:00

The error indicates that IIS cannot validate the credentials provided. Please try the following:

Verify the username format (DOMAIN\Username or SERVERNAME\Username).

Re-enter the correct password and check that it has not expired.

Ensure the account is enabled and not locked.

Confirm the account has both share and NTFS permissions on the remote folder.

In IIS Manager, go to Virtual Directory → Basic Settings → Connect as → Specific user → Set, and re-enter the credentials.

Microsoft references:

Configure a Virtual Directory on a Remote Folder

IIS Virtual Directory Configuration
Jonathan 480 Reputation points

2026-11-10T02:41:54.4533333+00:00

I put one other account but still the issue existed. Anything wrong below?
Ronald Sabiiti 1,830 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-11-10T05:50:11.2833333+00:00

The folder structure in the screenshot looks fine. kindly check:

FTP Authorization Rules (ensure the new account is allowed)

NTFS permissions on the physical folder

FTP Authentication (Basic Authentication enabled if required)

If it's still failing, please share the exact FTP error (530, 550, etc.) and a screenshot of the FTP Authorization Rules.
Jonathan 480 Reputation points

2026-11-10T06:36:51.44+00:00

I still get issue like

Status: Connection established, waiting for welcome message...

Response: 220 Microsoft FTP Service

Command: AUTH TLS

Response: 234 AUTH command ok. Expecting TLS Negotiation.

Status: Initializing TLS...

Status: TLS connection established.

Command: USER ftpacc

Response: 331 Password required

Command: PASS *******

Response: 530 User cannot log in, home directory inaccessible.

Error: Critical error: Could not connect to server

FYI
Ronald Sabiiti 1,830 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-11-10T13:10:21.29+00:00

The FTPS connection and TLS negotiation are successful. However, IIS cannot access the FTP user's home directory.

Please verify the following:

Confirm the FTP root folder exists and the configured physical path is correct.

Ensure ftpacc has the required NTFS permissions (Read, List, and Execute).

Check IIS → FTP Authorization Rules and confirm ftpacc is allowed to access the site.

Verify that the account is enabled and its credentials are correct.

Reference: Build an FTP Site on IIS

Could you also confirm whether ftpacc is a local or domain account?
Jonathan 480 Reputation points

2026-11-10T14:47:34.8766667+00:00

ftpacc is a local account.

Ensure ftpacc has the required NTFS permissions (Read, List, and Execute).

The following is fine? Can you share the other places if incorrect below?
Ronald Sabiiti 1,830 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-11-10T14:56:25.4066667+00:00

The NTFS permissions shown are correct. ftpacc already has Full Control, so no changes are needed there.

Please verify:

IIS FTP site's physical path points to the correct folder.

FTP Authorization Rules allow ftpacc Read/Write access.

FTP User Isolation is set to Do not isolate users – FTP root directory.

The local account ftpacc is enabled and its password is valid.

Could you confirm whether the FTP physical path is C:\inetpub\ftproot or C:\inetpub\ftproot\ftppath?
Jonathan 480 Reputation points

2026-11-11T05:47:16.72+00:00

All 4 points were met well before now. Please see it as well below.
Jonathan 480 Reputation points

2026-11-12T07:01:57.97+00:00

Any help?
Ronald Sabiiti 1,830 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-11-12T08:10:19.7133333+00:00

I noticed a possible mismatch:

IIS physical path: C:\inetpub\ftproot

Earlier NTFS permissions were configured on: C:\inetpub\ftproot\ftppath

Please ensure ftpacc has the required NTFS permissions on the actual IIS physical folder (C:\inetpub\ftproot).

Alternatively, if ftppath is intended to be the FTP root, update the IIS physical path accordingly.

Restart the FTP site and test the connection again.
Jonathan 480 Reputation points

2026-11-12T08:34:24.8666667+00:00

Hi, ftpacc has that right below
Ronald Sabiiti 1,830 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-11-12T08:51:47.32+00:00

The screenshot confirms that ftppacc is listed for C:\inetpub\ftproot. However, SYSTEM is selected, so its permissions are displayed.

Please select ftppacc and verify that it has Read & execute, List folder contents, and Read permissions, applying to This folder, subfolders and files.
Jonathan 480 Reputation points

2026-11-12T09:01:25.9+00:00

Yes, it was already with the following but the issue arose
Ronald Sabiiti 1,830 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-11-12T09:13:32.1+00:00

Try this as well.

Reset the ftpacc password:
net user ftpacc *

Try logging in with SERVERNAME\ftpacc.

Check IIS logs for sc-win32-status.
Jonathan 480 Reputation points

2026-11-12T10:21:10.9333333+00:00

I have done 1 & 2 per your advice.

FYI

#Date: 2026-11-12 00:55:04

#Fields: date time c-ip cs-username s-ip s-port cs-method cs-uri-stem sc-status sc-win32-status sc-substatus x-session x-fullpath

2026-11-12 00:55:04 A - B 21 ControlChannelOpened - - 0 0 1M1c -

2026-11-12 00:55:04 A - B 21 ControlChannelClosed - - 0 0 1M1c -

2026-11-12 01:41:09 C - B 21 ControlChannelOpened - - 0 0 aN93f -

2026-11-12 01:41:10 C - B 21 ControlChannelClosed - - 0 0 aN93f -

2026-11-12 01:41:10 C - B 21 ControlChannelOpened - - 0 0 1Ofb -

2026-11-12 01:41:10 C - B 21 USER anonymous 331 0 0 1Ofb -

2026-11-12 01:41:10 C - B 21 PASS anonymous@ 530 1326 42 1Ofb -

2026-11-12 01:41:10 C - B 21 QUIT - 221 0 0 1Ofb -

2026-11-12 01:41:10 C - B 21 ControlChannelClosed - - 0 0 1Ofb -

2026-11-12 04:01:59 MYIP - B 21 ControlChannelOpened - - 0 0 5P8 -

2026-11-12 04:01:59 MYIP - B 21 AUTH TLS 234 0 0 5P8 -
Ronald Sabiiti 1,830 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-11-12T10:32:30.41+00:00

The log shows an FTP authentication failure:

530: Authentication failed.

1326: Windows logon failure.

Username: anonymous

The client is attempting Anonymous FTP authentication.

Recommendation:

Verify FTP client authentication settings.

Disable Anonymous Authentication if using Windows accounts.

Confirm the correct domain credentials are being supplied.

Check Windows Security Event Viewer (Event ID 4625).

Hope this helps!

Answer 1

Hi Jonathan,

You can create a virtual directory in Windows Server 2022 through IIS Manager. First, ensure the Web Server (IIS) role is installed. Then open IIS Manager, expand Sites, right-click Default Web Site, and select Add Virtual Directory.

Enter the desired alias and the UNC path to the shared folder (for example, \\ServerName\Sales). If the folder is on another server, configure the appropriate account under Connect as and ensure it has both share and NTFS permissions. Finally, use Test Settings to verify access.

Here is the reference to Microsoft's documentation for detailed guidance:

If this information was helpful, please click Accept Answer.

Thank you for choosing Microsoft Q&A.

Answer 2

On Windows Server 2022, create the virtual directory in IIS Manager → Sites → your website → View Virtual Directories → Add Virtual Directory, replacing the legacy New → Virtual Directory wizard shown in the image.

Create the virtual directory

Sign in to the web server with an administrator account.
Open Server Manager → Tools → Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager.
- If IIS Manager is unavailable, install the Web Server (IIS) server role first.
In the Connections pane, expand:
- Your server
- Sites
- The target website, such as Default Web Site
Select the website or the application under which the directory should appear.
In the Actions pane, select View Virtual Directories.
Select Add Virtual Directory...
Enter:
- Alias: the URL segment, such as Sales
- Physical path: either:
  - Local folder: D:\WebContent\Sales
  - Remote SMB share: \\FileServer\Share\Sales
For a remote share, select Connect as... and enter an account that can access the share.
Select Test Settings.... Both Authentication and Authorization should succeed.
Select OK to create the directory.

These are the current IIS Manager steps; the virtual-directory configuration used by IIS 10 was not changed from earlier IIS versions.^1^

Configure a remote UNC folder

On the file server hosting \\FileServer\Share\Sales:

Share the folder.
Grant the account configured through Connect as... the necessary share permissions.
Grant the same account the necessary NTFS permissions on the folder:
- Read and execute for read-only web content.
- Additional modification permissions only if the application must write there.
Use an account with only the permissions required for the content.

A remote virtual directory requires both appropriate sharing permissions and NTFS permissions.^2^

Avoid placing a clear-text password directly in ApplicationHost.config; IIS Manager encrypts the password when it writes the configuration.^1^

Test it

Browse to:

http://WebServer/Sales

Replace WebServer with the server name and Sales with the alias. The content from the mapped local folder or UNC share should be returned. The virtual directory inherits configuration and security settings from its parent website.^2^

If Test Settings reports an authorization failure, correct the remote folder’s share/NTFS permissions or the Connect as... credentials before changing IIS authentication settings.

References