Deleting file from static method error: Access to the path … is denied

Question

My host swears the ASPNet account has full access to the folder some photos reside in. I'm trying to delete a photo, here's the C#:

public static bool Delete(string pathAndFilename)
{
    var path = HttpContext.Current.Server.MapPath(pathAndFilename);
    File.Delete(path);
}

(in the full code, there's a try catch in there, and bool return values)

Update: this is happening on local development box too now. Here's what I have been able to try.

I put the current user into the ViewBag, and show it on the page.

ViewBag.Account = HttpContext.User.Identity.Name;

On the dev box, it shows my currently logged in user account, which has full control of every file and folder in the project.

I checked open files, the photo I'm trying to delete wasn't open.

Will try to capture more detailed exceptions. Thanks for the ideas so far!

Answer 1

IUSR? That should be the NETWORK SERVICE or the ASPNET account (depending on the version of IIS)

edit: also there is no reason to give IUSR full access. It only needs read access.

Answer 2

If you use a fully-qualified path ("C:\\foo") or if the string isn't recognizable as a path, it'll throw an HttpException.

It would be helpful if you described exactly what you're seeing.