msdeploy failure: IIS 7.5->8.5: Error: The ApplicationHost.config file is invalid / eventlog error 9000 on destination system -

using v7.1 (that ver @ cmd prompt), 3.6 (from web platform installer) of msdeploy.exe

migrating win2008-r2 iis win2012-r2

attempting move iis related over. (and yes, have customized applicatiohost.config, not know mods... why using migration tool,,, move everything...)

command running:

c:\program files\iis\microsoft web deploy v3>msdeploy  -verb:sync -source:webserver, computername=win-67e8gtgadgj  -dest:webserver,computername=192.168.2.21, username="administrator",password="###" 

output:

info: using id '1d59e6bd-0f89-4479-9853-98e164c9f613' connections rem ote server. info: using id '0c99bd7f-faa3-4737-ac35-d65c495402b6' connections rem ote server. info: adding msdeploy.webserver (msdeploy.webserver). info: adding webserver (msdeploy.webserver/webserver). info: adding apphostconfig (). error: (8/24/2015 10:28:43 pm) error occurred when request processed on remote computer. error: applicationhost.config file invalid. cannot proceed synchronization. error count: 1. 

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more information

the sequence of events is:

target system logs 1 error event:

microsoft-windows-iis-apphostsvc -- message 9000 

and msdeploy on source system throws (and msdeploy exits):

error: (8/25/2015 4:36:50 pm) error occurred when request processed on remote computer. error: applicationhost.config file invalid. cannot proceed synchronization. error count: 1. 

update: getting 2 event log errors on target system. message 9000 , 9012. able fix 9012 extending applicationhost.config file. hours of work , no solution yet 9000 error.

i have examined applicationhost.config, , compared baseline, , there seems nothing special there.

what path resolution?

the answer there seems real problems msdeploy, no 1 seems understand (or document) why. tool built go iis 6.x (win 2003) newer iis.

in our experience, when going iis 7.x 8.x, cannot use msdeploy "source:webserver" approach. however, msdeploy can lot of lifting 7.x 8.x.

here steps have seen work:

first, 3 steps. let msdeploy move as can (would nice if move more, far have seen work):

msdeploy -verbose -verb:sync -source:apphostconfig="web site name",computername=sourcemachine -dest:apphostconfig="web site name",computername=destinationmachine,username="administrator",password="password-here"  -enablelink:apppoolextension 

note "enablelink" flag.

repeat above with:

• -enablelink:certificateextension , then
• -enablelink:frameworkconf

once done, msdeploy has done can. should have site migrated, content , app pools, , ssl certs, , configuration related sites , app pools.

for mime mappings, , other iis system wide settings (compression 1 example), on own.

don't ask me why there no document on how this. (don't ask me why msdeploy can't whole freaking server. works great iis 6, not iis 7, kind of crazy that? anyway, send satya email it.)