Having trouble moving my .NET Core 3.0 Web Application from IIS Express to IIS

I've developed a web application targeting .NET Core 3.0 on the server. The project is based on Visual Studio 2019's template for ASP .NET Core Web Application.

I selected ASP.NET Core 3.0 and specified that the application would be implementing Individual User Accounts (Identity).

Development has been going well. I changed connection strings so that Identity tables were built in my application database. I've been developing for several weeks now, running and debugging within IIS Express.

OK, so now it's time to deploy. I set up Web Deploy on the target server, created the deployment template and Published. The web application was created on the target server.

However, I was receiving a run-time error:

HTTP Error 500.30 - ANCM In-Process Start Failure

The diagnostics in the Windows Event log point me to a specific line number, line 77 in Startup.cs

app.UseRouting();

app.UseAuthentication();
app.UseIdentityServer();
app.UseAuthorization();
app.UseEndpoints(endpoints =>
{
    endpoints.MapControllerRoute(
        name: "default",
        pattern: "{controller}/{action=Index}/{id?}");
    endpoints.MapRazorPages();
});

So I backed off of the target deployment to see whether I could get the application running on IIS on my local development workstation. I created an application named cashflow and I mapped it to c:\inetpub\cashflow.

I created a file based deployment and saw all of the application files copied into c:\inetpub\cashflow.

I browse to http://localhost/cashflow and I get the exact same error:

HTTP Error 500.30 - ANCM In-Process Start Failure

Here's what I find in the Windows Event log:

Sorry for the HUGE stacktrace. The most relevant item within the output is I guess the reference to the failure on line 77.

at Cashflow.Startup.Configure(IApplicationBuilder app, IWebHostEnvironment env) in C:\Users\Yossi\source\repos\Cashflow\Startup.cs:line 77

I guess I'm missing something vital which is necessary to support app.UseAuthorization(); Can you help me out with this? Thanks!

Application '/LM/W3SVC/1/ROOT/cashflow' with physical root 'C:\inetpub\wwwroot\cashflow\' hit unexpected managed exception, exception code = '0xe0434352'. First 30KB characters of captured stdout and stderr logs:
Application startup exception: System.InvalidOperationException: Key type not specified.
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.ApiAuthorization.IdentityServer.ConfigureSigningCredentials.LoadKey()
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.ApiAuthorization.IdentityServer.ConfigureSigningCredentials.Configure(ApiAuthorizationOptions options)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.Options.OptionsFactory`1.Create(String name)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.Options.OptionsManager`1.<>c__DisplayClass5_0.<Get>b__0()
   at System.Lazy`1.ViaFactory(LazyThreadSafetyMode mode)
   at System.Lazy`1.ExecutionAndPublication(LazyHelper executionAndPublication, Boolean useDefaultConstructor)
   at System.Lazy`1.CreateValue()
   at System.Lazy`1.get_Value()
   at Microsoft.Extensions.Options.OptionsCache`1.GetOrAdd(String name, Func`1 createOptions)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.Options.OptionsManager`1.Get(String name)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.Options.OptionsManager`1.get_Value()
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.IdentityServerBuilderConfigurationExtensions.<>c.<AddClients>b__7_1(IServiceProvider sp)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitFactory(FactoryCallSite factoryCallSite, RuntimeResolverContext context)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteVisitor`2.VisitCallSiteMain(ServiceCallSite callSite, TArgument argument)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitCache(ServiceCallSite callSite, RuntimeResolverContext context, ServiceProviderEngineScope serviceProviderEngine, RuntimeResolverLock lockType)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitRootCache(ServiceCallSite singletonCallSite, RuntimeResolverContext context)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteVisitor`2.VisitCallSite(ServiceCallSite callSite, TArgument argument)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitConstructor(ConstructorCallSite constructorCallSite, RuntimeResolverContext context)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteVisitor`2.VisitCallSiteMain(ServiceCallSite callSite, TArgument argument)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitDisposeCache(ServiceCallSite transientCallSite, RuntimeResolverContext context)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteVisitor`2.VisitCallSite(ServiceCallSite callSite, TArgument argument)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitConstructor(ConstructorCallSite constructorCallSite, RuntimeResolverContext context)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteVisitor`2.VisitCallSiteMain(ServiceCallSite callSite, TArgument argument)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitDisposeCache(ServiceCallSite transientCallSite, RuntimeResolverContext context)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteVisitor`2.VisitCallSite(ServiceCallSite callSite, TArgument argument)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.Resolve(ServiceCallSite callSite, ServiceProviderEngineScope scope)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.DynamicServiceProviderEngine.<>c__DisplayClass1_0.<RealizeService>b__0(ServiceProviderEngineScope scope)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.ServiceProviderEngine.GetService(Type serviceType, ServiceProviderEngineScope serviceProviderEngineScope)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.ServiceProviderEngineScope.GetService(Type serviceType)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Builder.IdentityServerApplicationBuilderExtensions.TestService(IServiceProvider serviceProvider, Type service, ILogger logger, String message, Boolean doThrow)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Builder.IdentityServerApplicationBuilderExtensions.Validate(IApplicationBuilder app)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Builder.IdentityServerApplicationBuilderExtensions.UseIdentityServer(IApplicationBuilder app, IdentityServerMiddlewareOptions options)
   at Cashflow.Startup.Configure(IApplicationBuilder app, IWebHostEnvironment env) in C:\Users\Yossi\source\repos\Cashflow\Startup.cs:line 77
   at System.RuntimeMethodHandle.InvokeMethod(Object target, Object[] arguments, Signature sig, Boolean constructor, Boolean wrapExceptions)
   at System.Reflection.RuntimeMethodInfo.Invoke(Object obj, BindingFlags invokeAttr, Binder binder, Object[] parameters, CultureInfo culture)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Hosting.ConfigureBuilder.Invoke(Object instance, IApplicationBuilder builder)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Hosting.ConfigureBuilder.<>c__DisplayClass4_0.<Build>b__0(IApplicationBuilder builder)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Hosting.ConventionBasedStartup.Configure(IApplicationBuilder app)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Filters.MiddlewareFilterBuilderStartupFilter.<>c__DisplayClass0_0.<Configure>g__MiddlewareFilterBuilder|0(IApplicationBuilder builder)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Server.IIS.Core.IISServerSetupFilter.<>c__DisplayClass2_0.<Configure>b__0(IApplicationBuilder app)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.HostFilteringStartupFilter.<>c__DisplayClass0_0.<Configure>b__0(IApplicationBuilder app)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Hosting.WebHost.BuildApplication()
crit: Microsoft.AspNetCore.Hosting.WebHost[6]
      Application startup exception
System.InvalidOperationException: Key type not specified.
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.ApiAuthorization.IdentityServer.ConfigureSigningCredentials.LoadKey()
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.ApiAuthorization.IdentityServer.ConfigureSigningCredentials.Configure(ApiAuthorizationOptions options)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.Options.OptionsFactory`1.Create(String name)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.Options.OptionsManager`1.<>c__DisplayClass5_0.<Get>b__0()
   at System.Lazy`1.ViaFactory(LazyThreadSafetyMode mode)
   at System.Lazy`1.ExecutionAndPublication(LazyHelper executionAndPublication, Boolean useDefaultConstructor)
   at System.Lazy`1.CreateValue()
   at System.Lazy`1.get_Value()
   at Microsoft.Extensions.Options.OptionsCache`1.GetOrAdd(String name, Func`1 createOptions)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.Options.OptionsManager`1.Get(String name)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.Options.OptionsManager`1.get_Value()
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.IdentityServerBuilderConfigurationExtensions.<>c.<AddClients>b__7_1(IServiceProvider sp)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitFactory(FactoryCallSite factoryCallSite, RuntimeResolverContext context)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteVisitor`2.VisitCallSiteMain(ServiceCallSite callSite, TArgument argument)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitCache(ServiceCallSite callSite, RuntimeResolverContext context, ServiceProviderEngineScope serviceProviderEngine, RuntimeResolverLock lockType)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitRootCache(ServiceCallSite singletonCallSite, RuntimeResolverContext context)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteVisitor`2.VisitCallSite(ServiceCallSite callSite, TArgument argument)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitConstructor(ConstructorCallSite constructorCallSite, RuntimeResolverContext context)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteVisitor`2.VisitCallSiteMain(ServiceCallSite callSite, TArgument argument)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitDisposeCache(ServiceCallSite transientCallSite, RuntimeResolverContext context)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteVisitor`2.VisitCallSite(ServiceCallSite callSite, TArgument argument)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitConstructor(ConstructorCallSite constructorCallSite, RuntimeResolverContext context)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteVisitor`2.VisitCallSiteMain(ServiceCallSite callSite, TArgument argument)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitDisposeCache(ServiceCallSite transientCallSite, RuntimeResolverContext context)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteVisitor`2.VisitCallSite(ServiceCallSite callSite, TArgument argument)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.Resolve(ServiceCallSite callSite, ServiceProviderEngineScope scope)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.DynamicServiceProviderEngine.<>c__DisplayClass1_0.<RealizeService>b__0(ServiceProviderEngineScope scope)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.ServiceProviderEngine.GetService(Type serviceType, ServiceProviderEngineScope serviceProviderEngineScope)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.ServiceProviderEngineScope.GetService(Type serviceType)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Builder.IdentityServerApplicationBuilderExtensions.TestService(IServiceProvider serviceProvider, Type service, ILogger logger, String message, Boolean doThrow)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Builder.IdentityServerApplicationBuilderExtensions.Validate(IApplicationBuilder app)
   at **Microsoft.AspNetCore.Builder.IdentityServerApplicationBuilderExtensions.UseIdentityServer(IApplicationBuilder app, IdentityServerMiddlewareOptions options)
   at Cashflow.Startup.Configure(IApplicationBuilder app, IWebHostEnvironment env) in C:\Users\Yossi\source\repos\Cashflow\Startup.cs:line 77**
   at System.RuntimeMethodHandle.InvokeMethod(Object target, Object[] arguments, Signature sig, Boolean constructor, Boolean wrapExceptions)
   at System.Reflection.RuntimeMethodInfo.Invoke(Object obj, BindingFlags invokeAttr, Binder binder, Object[] parameters, CultureInfo culture)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Hosting.ConfigureBuilder.Invoke(Object instance, IApplicationBuilder builder)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Hosting.ConfigureBuilder.<>c__DisplayClass4_0.<Build>b__0(IApplicationBuilder builder)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Hosting.ConventionBasedStartup.Configure(IApplicationBuilder app)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Filters.MiddlewareFilterBuilderStartupFilter.<>c__DisplayClass0_0.<Configure>g__MiddlewareFilterBuilder|0(IApplicationBuilder builder)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Server.IIS.Core.IISServerSetupFilter.<>c__DisplayClass2_0.<Configure>b__0(IApplicationBuilder app)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.HostFilteringStartupFilter.<>c__DisplayClass0_0.<Configure>b__0(IApplicationBuilder app)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Hosting.WebHost.BuildApplication()
Unhandled exception. System.InvalidOperationException: Key type not specified.
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.ApiAuthorization.IdentityServer.ConfigureSigningCredentials.LoadKey()
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.ApiAuthorization.IdentityServer.ConfigureSigningCredentials.Configure(ApiAuthorizationOptions options)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.Options.OptionsFactory`1.Create(String name)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.Options.OptionsManager`1.<>c__DisplayClass5_0.<Get>b__0()
   at System.Lazy`1.ViaFactory(LazyThreadSafetyMode mode)
   at System.Lazy`1.ExecutionAndPublication(LazyHelper executionAndPublication, Boolean useDefaultConstructor)
   at System.Lazy`1.CreateValue()
   at System.Lazy`1.get_Value()
   at Microsoft.Extensions.Options.OptionsCache`1.GetOrAdd(String name, Func`1 createOptions)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.Options.OptionsManager`1.Get(String name)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.Options.OptionsManager`1.get_Value()
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.IdentityServerBuilderConfigurationExtensions.<>c.<AddClients>b__7_1(IServiceProvider sp)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitFactory(FactoryCallSite factoryCallSite, RuntimeResolverContext context)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteVisitor`2.VisitCallSiteMain(ServiceCallSite callSite, TArgument argument)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitCache(ServiceCallSite callSite, RuntimeResolverContext context, ServiceProviderEngineScope serviceProviderEngine, RuntimeResolverLock lockType)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitRootCache(ServiceCallSite singletonCallSite, RuntimeResolverContext context)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteVisitor`2.VisitCallSite(ServiceCallSite callSite, TArgument argument)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitConstructor(ConstructorCallSite constructorCallSite, RuntimeResolverContext context)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteVisitor`2.VisitCallSiteMain(ServiceCallSite callSite, TArgument argument)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitDisposeCache(ServiceCallSite transientCallSite, RuntimeResolverContext context)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteVisitor`2.VisitCallSite(ServiceCallSite callSite, TArgument argument)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitConstructor(ConstructorCallSite constructorCallSite, RuntimeResolverContext context)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteVisitor`2.VisitCallSiteMain(ServiceCallSite callSite, TArgument argument)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.VisitDisposeCache(ServiceCallSite transientCallSite, RuntimeResolverContext context)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteVisitor`2.VisitCallSite(ServiceCallSite callSite, TArgument argument)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.CallSiteRuntimeResolver.Resolve(ServiceCallSite callSite, ServiceProviderEngineScope scope)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.DynamicServiceProviderEngine.<>c__DisplayClass1_0.<RealizeService>b__0(ServiceProviderEngineScope scope)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.ServiceProviderEngine.GetService(Type serviceType, ServiceProviderEngineScope serviceProviderEngineScope)
   at Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.ServiceLookup.ServiceProviderEngineScope.GetService(Type serviceType)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Builder.IdentityServerApplicationBuilderExtensions.TestService(IServiceProvider serviceProvider, Type service, ILogger logger, String message, Boolean doThrow)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Builder.IdentityServerApplicationBuilderExtensions.Validate(IApplicationBuilder app)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Builder.IdentityServerApplicationBuilderExtensions.UseIdentityServer(IApplicationBuilder app, IdentityServerMiddlewareOptions options)
   at Cashflow.Startup.Configure(IApplicationBuilder app, IWebHostEnvironment env) in C:\Users\Yossi\source\repos\Cashflow\Startup.cs:line 77
   at System.RuntimeMethodHandle.InvokeMethod(Object target, Object[] arguments, Signature sig, Boolean constructor, Boolean wrapExceptions)
   at System.Reflection.RuntimeMethodInfo.Invoke(Object obj, BindingFlags invokeAttr, Binder binder, Object[] parameters, CultureInfo culture)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Hosting.ConfigureBuilder.Invoke(Object instance, IApplicationBuilder builder)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Hosting.ConfigureBuilder.<>c__DisplayClass4_0.<Build>b__0(IApplicationBuilder builder)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Hosting.ConventionBasedStartup.Configure(IApplicationBuilder app)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Filters.MiddlewareFilterBuilderStartupFilter.<>c__DisplayClass0_0.<Configure>g__MiddlewareFilterBuilder|0(IApplicationBuilder builder)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Server.IIS.Core.IISServerSetupFilter.<>c__DisplayClass2_0.<Configure>b__0(IApplicationBuilder app)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.HostFilteringStartupFilter.<>c__DisplayClass0_0.<Configure>b__0(IApplicationBuilder app)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Hosting.WebHost.BuildApplication()
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Hosting.WebHost.StartAsync(CancellationToken cancellationToken)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Hosting.WebHostExtensions.RunAsync(IWebHost host, CancellationToken token, String startupMessage)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Hosting.WebHostExtensions.RunAsync(IWebHost host, CancellationToken token, String startupMessage)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Hosting.WebHostExtensions.RunAsync(IWebHost host, CancellationToken token)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Hosting.WebHostExtensions.Run(IWebHost host)
   at Cashflow.Program.Main(String[] args) in C:\Users\Yossi\source\repos\Cashflow\Program.cs:line 17

I found the answer here:

Adding Identityserver authentication to net core 3 app fails with 'Key type not specified.'

In a nutshell, the solution is to place a certificate within a subfolder of the application and add the following to appsettings.json.

  "IdentityServer": {
    "Key": {
      "Type": "File",
      "FilePath": "Certificates\\certificatefile.pfx",
      "Password": "veryDifficultPassword"
    }
  }

With this in place I am now able to start the application:

C:\inetpub\cashflow>cashflow.exe
Hosting environment: Production
Content root path: C:\inetpub\cashflow
Now listening on: http://localhost:5000
Application started. Press Ctrl+C to shut down.