Web deployment task failed. Could not connect...server did not respond

I've been publishing my Lightswitch app using Visual Studio 2012 RC to my localhost (Win 7, SQL 2008 R2, IIS 7.5) just fine. Now I'm trying to publish to a remote server (Win 2008 R2, SQL 2008 R2, IIS 7.5) and I'm having trouble.

When I try to Publish, I receive the following error:

> Web deployment task failed. (Could not connect to the remote computer > ("###.###.###.###") using the specified process ("Web Deployment Agent > Service") because the server did not respond. Make sure that the > process ("Web Deployment Agent Service") is started on the remote > computer. Learn more at: > http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=221672#ERROR_COULD_NOT_CONNECT_TO_REMOTESVC.)

I've checked each of the things the "learn more" link suggests to check. I have verified that MsDepSvc and WMSVC are both running and Ports 80 and 8172 are both responding to port scans. In the Publish settings, for the Service URL, I'm using the IP address (http://###.###.###.###) of the remote machine. For the User Name, I'm using DomainName\Administrator which is what I use to log on using RDP.

I've posted on the MSDN Forums where a member suggested I roll back the Web Deployment Tool from V2.0 to V1.1. Which I've done, but it did not change anything.

Following the advice in an answer to this SO Question I've tried running msdeploy from the command line.

From the command line on the server I get:

> C:\Program Files\IIS\Microsoft Web Deploy>msdeploy -verb:dump > -source:dirpath=c:\temp,computername=http://SeverName:80/msdeployagentservice,username=Administrator,password=XXXX > -verbose -debug Verbose: Using ID 'c12c3392-2290-44b7-9434-dbd0ff5f9385' for connections to the remote > server. Verbose: Pre-authenticating to remote agent URL > 'http://ServerName:80/msdeployagentservice'; as 'Administrator'. > MSDeploy.dirPath (name=MSDeploy.dirPath) c:\temp (name=dirPath) > (keyAttribute=c:\temp) (linkName=Child1)

From the command line on the dev machine I get:

> C:\Program Files\IIS\Microsoft Web Deploy V3>msdeploy -verb:dump > -source:dirpath > =c:\temp,computername=http://###.###.###.###:80/msdeployagentservice,username=Administrator,password=XXXX -verbose -debug Info: Using ID '7f0b7d5b-e202-424c-a7dd-246920253081' for connections to the remote server. Verbose: Pre-authenticating to > remote agent URL 'http://###.###.###.###:80/msdeployagentservice' as > 'Administrator'. Verbose: Pre-authenticating to remote agent URL > 'http://###.###.###.###:80/msdeployagentservice' as 'Administrator'. > Error Code: ERROR_COULD_NOT_CONNECT_TO_REMOTESVC More Information: > Could not connect to the remote computer ("###.###.###.###") using the > specified process ("Web Deployment Agent Service") because the server > did not respond. Make sure that the process ("Web Deployment Agent > Service") is started on the remote computer. Learn more at: > http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=221672#ERROR_COULD_NOT_CONNECT_TO_REMOTESVC. > Learn more at: > http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=221672#ERROR_COULD_NOT_CONNECT_TO_REMOTESVC. > ---> Microsoft.Web.Deployment.DeploymentException: Object of type 'dirPath' and path 'c:\temp' cannot be created. ---> > System.Net.WebException: The remote server returned an error: (400) > Bad Request. at System.Net.HttpWebRequest.GetResponse() at > Microsoft.Web.Deployment.AgentClientProvider.GetHttpResponse(HttpWebRequest > request) --- End of inner exception stack trace --- --- End of > Inner Exception Stack Trace --- at > Microsoft.Web.Deployment.DeploymentManager.CreateObjectPrivate(DeploymentProviderContext > providerContext, DeploymentBaseOptions baseOptions, DeploymentObject > sourceObject, String serverVersion) at > Microsoft.Web.Deployment.DeploymentManager.CreateObject(DeploymentProviderOptions > providerOptions, DeploymentBaseOptions baseOptions) at > MSDeploy.MSDeploy.CreateObject(DeploymentProviderOptions > providerOptions, DeploymentBaseOptions baseOptions) at > MSDeploy.MSDeploy.ExecuteWorker() at MSDeploy.MSDeploy.Execute()
> at MSDeploy.MSDeploy.Main(String[] unusedArgs) Error count: 1.

Using Wireshark, I find that I am logging in okay but after a POST /MSDEPLOYAGENTSERVICE I'm getting an Error 400: Bad request that looks like this:

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01//EN""http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/strict.dtd">\r\n
<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>Bad Request</TITLE>\r\n
<META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" Content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"></HEAD>\r\n
<BODY><h2>Bad Request - Invalid Content Length</h2>\r\n
<hr><p>HTTP Error 400. There is an invalid content length or chunk length in the request.</p>\r\n
</BODY></HTML>\r\n

The only thing I could find that mentioned this specific behavior was a Microsoft Support Article for ISA Server 2000.

What else should I be looking at?

I had the same problem with Web Deploy 3.5 when I installed it with "Web Platform Installer 5.0"

When I tried to publish from Visual Studio I got this error:

---------------------------
Microsoft Visual Studio
---------------------------
Could not connect to the remote computer ("10.0.3.102") using the specified process 
("Web Management Service") because the server did not respond. Make sure that the process 
("Web Management Service") is started on the remote computer.  Learn more at: 
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=221672#ERROR_COULD_NOT_CONNECT_TO_REMOTESVC. 
The remote server returned an error: (403) Forbidden.
---------------------------
OK   
---------------------------

I double checked the services, both was running. I switched off the firewall also and still the same error.

How I solved this problem:

1. open "Add or remove" programs
2. Click on "Microsoft Web Deploy"
3. Click on "Change" button (besides "Uninstall")
4. Click on "Next" in

5. Click on "Change" in

6. Add the features marked with red X

7. Finish the installation

Result: Publish from Visual Studio is working

I encountered this yesterday. In my scenario it entirely boiled down to in the publish settings where it asks for Site Name: I provided MyApplication. When it really was expecting me to provide:

Default Web Site/MyApplication

I brought this up with the Microsoft Deployment team so hopefully they can add clarity that if you don't specify an existing site name that it's not the web deploy server being dead the way this error makes you think.

I have had the same problem and solved it by deleting all the web deploy folders in program files(x86)\IIS and in Program Files\IIS.

After that I reinstalled web deploy 1.1 and web deploy 3.0 without bundled SQL.

Using information from several forums and answers I finally managed to install Microsoft's Web Deploy the way that I could use it for publishing from Visual Studio successfully (tested without activated firewall):

1. Install "Management Services" for IIS using "Add Roles Features" in Server Manager

2. Install Web Deploy (Important: "Complete" AND after "Management Services" had been installed) http://www.iis.net/downloads/microsoft/web-deploy#additionalDownloads

3. Ensure in IIS on server level

   • Open 'Management Service'
   • Allow both Windows and IIS credentials

4. In IIS on site level

   • Open 'IIS Manager Permission'
   • Add user which shall be used for the actual publishing, e.g. Administrator

If Firewall is active: enable "File Sharing" and "Remote Service Management"

To Resolve the issue i used these steps: Server: WS2012. DEV Vs2012 Project MVC4.

1. Create Empty Site on Server with Name required or when publishing use "Default Web Site" if you haven't renamed the default to something else.

I used information in this link

On the server using WPI install the following

> Install Web Deploy (3.5) for Hosting Servers

> Recommended Server Configuration for Web Hosting providers

I made sure other versions where NOT installed

So Verify the Site Name you are using....I use AdminUI. This is an Empty site created on the Test Server

So when using the Wizard, match the site name

Make sure the relevant services ARE running on the server. And that you have sufficient privileges to write to the Site

I have managed to fix this on my server by restarting the Web Management Service

What Chris said: "When it really was expecting me to provide "Default Web Site/MyApplication"." The actual words "Default Web Site", not the name of your server.

I had this as well and spent hours beating my head against a wall until I tried this. (Thanks Chris!)

FWIW, I was using the name of the default web site (servername) not the words "Default Web Site" which is what you apparently MUST use. Kind of lame, but at least I know now.

Its also a good idea to check if there are any IP address restrictions for the management service - these restrictions are separate from windows firewall.

I had the same problem. Finally solved it by changing to https in the Service URL.

I've also wasted some hours on this error (ERROR_COULD_NOT_CONNECT_TO_REMOTESVC) today, the funny part was that I was able to deploy with the gui contructed Properties/PublishProfiles/<Profile>.pubxml(via right click on project -> Publish... -> create via wizard).

In my case however, I've accidentially messed up the <DeployIisAppPath> attribute. This needs to point to the SiteName instead of ApplicationPool/SiteName. Here is the complete block from my *.csproj file:

<Project ...>
...
  <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)' == 'DEV-Deploy|AnyCPU'">
    <DebugSymbols>true</DebugSymbols>
    <OutputPath>bin\</OutputPath>
    <DefineConstants>DEBUG;TRACE</DefineConstants>
    <DebugType>full</DebugType>
    <PlatformTarget>x64</PlatformTarget>
    <ErrorReport>prompt</ErrorReport>
    <CodeAnalysisRuleSet>MinimumRecommendedRules.ruleset</CodeAnalysisRuleSet>
    <DeployIisAppPath>HERE GOES THE SITE NAME ONLY</DeployIisAppPath>
  </PropertyGroup>
...
</Project>

So if you've configured the SiteName to be Foo, the last part of that config block would be <DeployIisAppPath>Foo</DeployIisAppPath>.

Also, the whole information on the IIS Site for error codes never really helped.

Web deployment task failed. (Could not connect to the remote computer.)

In my case all, I had to restart the web deployment agent service on the remote box.

I had another situation where this suddenly stopped working for me.

It was because I had an IP Address Restriction specified in Management Service and my ISP assigned me a new IP. I forgot I specified that.

1. Open up IIS Manager
2. Click on the server name in the tree on the left
3. In the Features View, select "Management Service"
4. Stop the management service on the right panel
5. Add your new IP under IP Address Restrictions and remove the old one
6. Apply the changes and start the service again
7. Update the troubleshooting section of your server documentation with these steps :)

Please install latest version Microsoft Web Deployment Tool. You can use below link. https://www.iis.net/downloads/microsoft/web-deploy

Same problem on AWS EC2 instance.

1. Navigate to EC2 instances, select corresponding instance and in Descriptions section copy Security groups name

2. Navigate to Security Groups and select corresponding security group and add following Input rules if missing

I tried all the other popular solutions here and none of them worked for me. :(

I had installed "Web Deploy 3.6 without bundled SQL support" first.
Then the "Recommended Server Configuration for Web Hosting Providers".
I thought, "I don't need all that SQL support".
I couldn't move past the "Validate Connection" on my Visual Studio Publish Profile without seeing the same error the Questioner documents above.

I read somewhere how uninstalling and reinstalling Web Deploy would fix it, so I opened up "Programs and Features", found "Microsoft Web Deploy 3.6", then uninstalled it.
It gave me warnings about others being connected to the system, but I was desperate.

After uninstalling, I opened up IIS, clicked on my Server's node, then under the "Management" section opened "Web Platform Installer" and installed "Web Deploy 3.6" this time (which is what I usually install instead of the one without the SQL Support).
Then I was finally able to validate the connection from my local machine via Visual Studio.

It probably has nothing to do with which version of Web Deploy I installed.
I read how this stuff is finicky about the order in which you install these tools and recommendations.
I figure it was because did something out of order (like installing the Recommended Server Configurations after the Web Deploy, instead of beforehand), but it's all good now.

Here's a link with some helpful instructions to follow when installing Web Deploy on IIS 8.0:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/iis/install/installing-publishing-technologies/installing-and-configuring-web-deploy-on-iis-80-or-later

I had similar problem "ERROR_COULD_NOT_CONNECT_TO_REMOTESVC" and I went to IIS -> Your WebSite -> Advanced Settings and found there was my username in "Physical Path Credentials". I removed it and the wed deploy started working.

Also make sure when you deploy from VS use "localhost" without port number and site name in the next field.

I put port and it also was failing with ERROR_DESTINATION_NOT_REACHABLE.

Ensure that traffic to port 8172 is allowed. Adding an inbound rule on my NSG solved it.

This error ERROR_COULD_NOT_CONNECT_TO_REMOTESVC cost me two days to figure out that for my case, the site name didn't match. The site name on the remote IIS server was different from the site name i had set in visual Studio for the deployment. I hope it helps someone

I was facing a similar issue in Visual Studio 2022.

> Error Web deployment task failed. (Could not connect to the remote > computer ("<>.scm.azurewebsites.net"). On the remote > computer, make sure that Web Deploy is installed and that the required > process ("Web Management Service") is started. Learn more at: > https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=221672#ERROR_DESTINATION_NOT_REACHABLE.) > The requested resource does not exist, or the requested URL is > incorrect. Error details: Could not connect to the remote computer > ("<>.scm.azurewebsites.net"). On the remote computer, > make sure that Web Deploy is installed and that the required process > ("Web Management Service") is started. Learn more at: > https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=221672#ERROR_DESTINATION_NOT_REACHABLE. > The remote server returned an error: (404) Not > Found. Intranet.Hub.Admin

The real issue was that I started the publishing right after the web application is been created. So it would be a good idea to wait for a few minutes before you download the publishing profile from the Azure web application, and upload it to the Visual Studio.

If you are still facing the same issue change the value of Application settings WEBSITE_WEBDEPLOY_USE_SCM to false, download the publishing profile, upload it in the Visual Studio, and then publish.

You can also deploy the Web Deploy as a site extension in your Azure Web App. I wasn't able to do this, as I was using a Linux Azure Web application, the Site Extension option was greyed out. That feature is yet to be provided for Linux.

I also got this working by uninstalling all Web Deploys, and then only install Web Deploy 2.0.

Also, ensure the Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Locator service is started.

I have solved this by putting the word "Default Web Site" in the site name textbox when publishing from the wizard in Visual Studio 2013

Just remove http:// from http://SeverName:80/msdeployagentservice. Also try just using ServerName. I was having this problem and was solved just removing http://

I set my Username and Password, that used in the Config Web Deploy of the iis, in the Connection Window of visual studio and it works fine for me...

Apparently what works for me is simply restarting my visual studio/restarting my computer and do a re-deployment by republishing my web app.

Check for TLS mismatch. We were using SchUseStrongCrypto reg key to force TLS 1.2 on one machine and not the other. Blogged more detail here https://fuseit.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360000328595

Also make sure that a website in IIS exists with the name that you have provided under 'Site Name' field.

In my case Web Deployment Tool is not installed. After installing it in Web Platform Installer worked for me.

I had the same issue while trying to publish a website to azure app service.
In my case, I have created a virtual path for a new website, for some reason that is not related to the subject I deleted that virtual path from the app service.
that I have created it again but forgot the press save in the Azure portal.
the consequence was that error,
of course, this was solved by creating this virtual path again without forgetting to save.

To make it more clear the last virtual path was not exist:

I've tried most of the proposed answers but without solving the problem. However here's my solution :

1-close FTP connections if there are any

2-use a faster connection, using a slow wifi causes this issue

If you have installed web deploy just check if its related services are running

if one of them is stoped you will get such error

I had the same issue while I was publishing a selective group of files. I just selected all files to be published and then published successfully.