asp.net error "tt is an error to use a section registered as allowDefinition='MachineToApplication' beyond application level. This error can be caused by a virtual directory not being configured as an application..."

Question

I have an asp.net application of type web site. I keep getting the error below in VS 2008. The site works fine from a browser.I have made every folder using IIS manager an asp.net app. Why does it keep complaining? The site's folder is below a parent folder. I am not familiar with web site apps instead of web application app. Where are the options to use IIS or the internal web server like WAP has?

"It is an error to use a section registered as allowDefinition='MachineToApplication' beyond application level. This error can be caused by a virtual directory not being configured as an application in IIS"

Answer 1

This error can occur when you are you redefining stuff in the web.config of your virtual directory that you cannot override. Such as authentication or sessionstate. Try deleting all web.configs in your virtual directories to see if that solves the problem.

Answer 2

I dealed a lot with this error when having more than one web.config in the same virtual web directory / website. It may happen if you make a temporary backup of your website for example. Could you verify it?

Answer 3

You likely have a virtual directory set up as a real site, having a bin directory, aspnet_client and web.config.

Either remove those and run it as a relative path, localhost\subdir\default.aspx, or create a new website in IIS to point directly at it.

Answer 4

My workaround was to move each folder into its own folder under wwwroot.