Hi everybody,

I'm currently doing an internship for a small IT solutions company, and my boss has told me to come up with a plan for rebuilding his Webserver. The server has two partitions: one containing the OS and the other containing all the Websites he's built. The boot partition is so full, it hasn't been able to download updates, and so has probably become infected. I'm to delete it and reinstall the OS on a new larger partition, but keep the partition containing the Websites in place. He stressed that I first document all the programs installed on the boot partition so that I can return it to its original state. He said that just checking in Add or Remove Programs wouldn't be enough, that I needed to check through the Websites on the other partition to find out what programs each is using. He said he used .ASP to build some of them and PHP on others. My understanding is that there may be other programs in use as well. Where do I find this information within each Website? Do I need to check the root directory of the Websites partition as well? I'm presently wrapping up getting my MCSA but have no practical experience in IT.

Thanks, Kirk

First thing to do is to backup all existing data. If things go drastically wrong you will have a fall-back.

Second thing is to think how you are going to make the boot partition larger. For this you will need third party software in order to shrink the partition containing the web sites to make room for a larger boot partition. Partition Magic will do it.

Thirdly, find out which server software the web sites are using. The configuration file for the websites will tell you which programmes the sites are using.

Then start writing.

Stuart

StuartS,

Thanks so much for the reply. You mentioned, "The configuration file for the websites...". Are you referring to a file found within each Website, or a single file found in the root directory of the partition containing the Websites? I've talked with someone else, and from what they said, I gather that I will have to use the file extentions of those files present to determine the programs in use.

Thanks again, Kirk

Whoops. Read "extensions" for "extentions". - Kirk

Depends on the web server being used and how it is configured.

If it is Apache you will fond the configuration file on the Apache/Conf folder. That will tell you all you need to know. It could be on Drive C: or drive D:

If is MS IIS then you will find the information where IIS is installed which could could also be on drive C: or Drive D:

There is no way of telling where to look without examining the setup and taking it from there. To find the information you are going to have to understand something of how web servers work.

Stuart

Thanks again, StuartS. The server in question is running Windows Server 2003 Web Edition. I'll access the IIS console in Administrative Tools and have a look-see. After reading your replies, I think I'll also do a little general reading on Web servers. Have a nice day.

- Kirk