What is HTTP 503 Error and How to Avoid it

When we connect to the network, when we try to surf the Internet from our operating system, problems can arise. There are failures that can make the connection go wrong, while others may not even allow us to navigate. Today we are going to explain what HTTP 503 error is . It affects Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016 users. Specifically, it can occur after an update. Let’s see what it means and what we can do to avoid it.

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HTTP Error 503 in Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016

HTTP error 503 may occur if we have Internet Information Service (IIS) enabled in the operating system and we upgrade to a newer version. This could cause a system error called HTTP error 503. It indicates that the service is not available.

In addition, if we enter the event log we will see that the message appears informing us of an error called WAS 5189. It is a bug that affects the Windows activation service and for which a group configuration file cannot be generated. Of applications.

This error can occur because the Windows Activation Service (WAS) creates a temporary configuration file for each group of IIS applications. The folder where you create it is C: / inetpub / temp / appPools.

When it is updated, Windows Update scans existing folders and files and records their paths. Later in this way you can restore the update. The problem is that these files are temporary and are deleted when the WAS stops.

Then those files that have been previously scanned are copied to a temporary update location. What happens is that Windows creates a symbolic link to each folder that was copied to a temporary update location before attempting to restore those files. Since these configuration files no longer exist, Windows Update does not remove symbolic links. This is what causes HTTP error 503.

How to avoid HTTP error 503

Microsoft recommends manually eliminating those symbolic links. This way we can avoid the HTTP 503 error that affects Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016 when it is updated. To remove symbolic links we have to do it in the same way as normal files that Windows Update creates.

To do this we have to open the Command Prompt, enter as administrator and execute the following command:

net stop WAS / y

rmdir / s / q C: / inetpub / temp / appPools

net start W3SVC

This way we should solve the problem that causes HTTP error 503. This failure can affect, as we have mentioned, Windows 10 and also Windows Server 2016.

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The importance of keeping systems up to date

Beyond encountering specific errors like this one, it is very important to always keep our systems updated to the latest versions. This is something that we must apply regardless of the type of device or operating system we are using. One way to achieve several goals.

On the one hand we will have the improvements in performance that will give us greater functionality. We already know that with each new version we can achieve improvements when using certain programs or tools. We can make our devices work better and with the latest news.

Also, and this is the most important thing, with the updates that we install we will correct vulnerabilities that may exist. We already know that when surfing the Internet we can run into many threats that can take advantage of security errors in our computers. It is the manufacturers themselves who release security patches and updates to correct those problems.

In short, keeping our systems updated is very important. We must always apply it regardless of the type of devices we are using or the operating system. Something that, as we have mentioned, will also help to maintain our security and avoid problems that compromise us.