Virtual Server administration website produces a “Page cannot be found error”

I have installed and used Virtual server on both Windows server and Windows XP platforms for a while now. I have come across this issue a couple of times now where in Virtual server installation works fine for a few days and suddenly after installing some security updates, the Virtual Server administration website gives you a “Page cannot be found error”.

I tried to un-install and re-install virtual server software hoping some setting would now be set with the new installation, but that did not work.

I actually rebuilt the operating system and then installed virtual server and bingo it worked. After installing all security patches and services packs, I again got the same “Page cannot be found error”, this basically proved to me that it had to do with some security update, that is causing this issue.

Last week, I read something about a related issue where in a windows security update that restricts access to sites running under default site(port 80) when the files are not under “wwwroot” folder.

I could not create this problem consistently, but definitely solve this problem consistently by doing the following steps:

• Virtual Server by default installs the content to C:\Program files\Microsoft Virtual Server\WebSite\VirtualServer and creates a virtual folder “VirtualServer” under default site.
  
• COPY(not move) the folder: VirtualServer from “C:\Program files\Microsoft Virtual Server\WebSite\VirtualServer” and paste it under “C:\inetpub\wwwroot\”.
  
• Now add a new virtual folder with a different alias(say VS) and point it to this folder which you just copied “C:\inetpub\wwwroot\VirtualServer”
  
• Now try accessing your original Virtual Server administration site or the new one you created and watch it work :-)

One other reason you could be getting the same error would be when you have Virtual server installed and then Virtual PC installed. For some wierd reason these 2 pieces of software donot play well together. In this case, I would suggest uninstalling Virtual PC and see if that helps.