Network Management

Server Error '/' in Application Error 500 after upgrading to SolarWinds Platform 2025.2

After upgrading to SolarWinds Platform 2025.2, some users may encounter issues accessing the SolarWinds Platform Web Console despite the Configuration Wizard completing successfully.

First published date

6/16/2025 7:35 PM

Last published date

8/23/2025 12:21 PM

Overview

After upgrading to SolarWinds Platform 2025.2, the web Console page may display the following error message when turning off the Custom Errors in the web.config file

Server Error in '/' Application.

The specified network password is not correct

Note:

The error message "The specified network password is incorrect" can be misleading. This message is generated by the IIS service, not by the authentication system itself.

In Hybrid Cloud Observability (HCO) 2025.2, a new feature was introduced that utilizes a "SolarWinds Website Client" certificate, which is tied to the IIS Application Pool identity: IIS APPPOOL\SolarWinds Orion Application Pool.

 

 

Product section

Orion Platform

Cause

This error may occur if the system user profile folder for the Application Pool identity is missing from C:\Users. This folder is essential because it stores the Website Client Certificate required for secure communication, including the "SolarWinds Website Client" certificate introduced in SolarWinds Platform 2025.2.. Without it, the certificate cannot be loaded, leading to authentication failures that surface as the misleading password error.

If the folder is missing or its contents are corrupted, the IIS Application Pool identity (IIS APPPOOL\SolarWinds Orion Application Pool) cannot load the required certificate, resulting in authentication failures and misleading error messages as seen above.

Missing "SolarWinds Orion Application Pool" User folder:

To validate, you can check this registry path:

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList\

Look into the ProfileList for SolarWinds Orion Application Pool with a .bak extension. This indicates that this profile is no longer working due to missing profile folders in C:\users.

 

Resolution

Resolution 1

1. Open the C:\Users folder and validate if the "SolarWinds Orion Application Pool" Folder exists.

  1.  If the folder does not exist, proceed with deleting the registry entries found in this registry path: 
    Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList\
  2. If the folder exist, proceed with deleting the registry entries in the registry path as seen in step a. Once the the registry entry removed, reboot the server then delete the "SolarWinds Orion Application Pool" folder in the c:\users.

3. Run the Configuration Wizard and allow the operation to complete successfully.

4. After the Configuration Wizard completes, verify the C:\Users directory to confirm that the 'SolarWinds Orion Application Pool' has been created.

Required folders/files for SolarWinds Website Client:

C:\Users\SolarWinds Orion Application Pool\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\SystemCertificates\My\Keys
 
C:\Users\SolarWinds Orion Application Pool\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Crypto\Keys
 
C:\Users\SolarWinds Orion Application Pool\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Crypto\RSA

 

Resolution 2 (With W3WP reinstallation):

1. Open the C:\Users folder and validate if the "SolarWinds Orion Application Pool" Folder exists.

  1. If the folder does not exist, proceed with deleting the registry entries found in this registry path: 
    Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList\
  2. If the folder exist, proceed with deleting the registry entries in the registry path as seen in step a. Once the the registry entry removed, delete the "SolarWinds Orion Application Pool" folder in the c:\users after performing the Step 3.

2. Perform the Role Removal of W3WP using the Server Manager.

3. Reboot the server after the W3WP service has been removed from the server. 

4. Run the Configuration Wizard to install the W3WP process and allow the operation to complete successfully.

5. After the Configuration Wizard completes, verify the C:\Users directory to confirm that the 'SolarWinds Orion Application Pool' has been created.

 

Resolution 3 (Quick Fix):

To workaround the issue, change the identity used in the Application Pool in IIS.

Set it from ApplicationPoolIdentity to LocalSystem, then save the changes.

Restart the IIS along with the Application Pool, and then check the website.