The WinRM client received an HTTP server error status (500)

Question

Hi All,
I have installed the Exchange 2010 Management Tools and a few roles on our DC (Windows Server 2008 R2) but i cannot even connect to it to configure anything.
If i use the management tools GUI i get an error message saying:
"Connecting to remote server failied with the following error message: The WinRM client received an HTTP server error status (500), but the remove service did not include any other informaition about the cause of the failure. For more information, see the about_Remote_Troubleshooting Help topic. It was running the command 'Discover-ExchangeServer -UseWIA $true -SuppressError $true'."
Using the Exchange Management Shell is get a similar error:
"Connecting to remote server failied with the following error message: The WinRM client received an HTTP server error status (500), but the remove service did not include any other informaition about the cause of the failure. For more information, see the about_Remote_Troubleshooting Help topic.
+ CategoryInfo : OpenError: (System.Manageme....RemoteRunspace:RemoteRunspace) [], PSRemotingTransportException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId: PSSessionOpenFailed"
This comes up 3 times and then said it failed to connect and to enter the Server FQDN i want to connect to.
I have seen other posts where they have said to disable anonymous access for PowerShell in IIS which i have done and to also run the set-user yourusername -remotepowershellenabled:$true which i cannot run because i cannot even connect into it via PowerShell.
Tried to see if there was a way to reinstall the management tools because i have a feeling they didnt install properly but cant find a way to do that.
Tried to uninstall everything but i cannot because it says there are already mailboxes created (presume some default ones) but i cannot connect to remove them to uninstall.
I seem to have reached a wall and cannot see how to proceed.
Please help. Thanks.

Answer 1

Have you tried loading EMS via Admin Tools > Windows Powershell Modules? Amazingly, that will probably work fine for you.
Assuming that loads, or that you can run EMS on another machine:
Check Powershell directory in IIS on the problem server. Make sure SSL is not required. Allow only Anonymous access - no basic/IWA auth etc.
If you can get into Windows Powershell Modules, run the set-user command suggested above from there.
Remove-powershellvirtualdirectory, and then New-powershellvirtualdirectory (either remotely or using Windows Powershell Modules.
Re-check SSL/authentication once this is done.
-Max
Hi Max,
Tried loading EMS via Admin Tools > Windows Powershell Modules but didnt work. Got the following error:
Import-Module : There were errors in loading the format data file:
Microsoft.Exchange.Management.PowerShell.Setup, C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\V14\bin\Exchange.format.ps1x
ml : File skipped because it was already present from "Microsoft.Exchange.Management.PowerShell.E2010".
At line:24 char:34
+                     Import-Module <<<<  $_.Name -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidOperation: (:) [Import-Module], RuntimeException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : FormatXmlUpateException,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.ImportModuleCommand
I think it is a problem with the PowerShell IIS VirtualDirectory because when i browse any other virtual directory i get a response of some sort but when i browse the PowerShell virtual directory i get the same 500 error message.
This error (HTTP 500 Internal Server Error) means that the website you are visiting had a server problem which prevented the webpage from displaying.
Now i think i have made things worse. I was looking at the remove and new point you made an accidently deleted the whole PowerShell virtual directory in IIS using the IIS GUI. I didnt use the Remove-powershellvirtualdirectory command. Now i dont know how to get it back :(
When i try to run New-powershellvirtualdirectory and specify to call it PowerShell it says it is already
New-PowerShellVirtualDirectory : The virtual directory 'PowerShell' already exists under 'DC01.mainserver/Default Web S
ite'.
Parameter name: VirtualDirectoryName
At line:1 char:31
+ New-PowerShellVirtualDirectory <<<<
    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidArgument: (DC01\PowerShell (Default Web Site):ADObjectId) [New-PowerShellVirtualD
   irectory], ArgumentException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : 7833EE63,Microsoft.Exchange.Management.SystemConfigurationTasks.NewPowerShellVirtualDire
   ctory
I have tried to use the remove command but it doesnt find it no matter what i put in the identify parameter. It should be "Default Web Site" right?
Anyways, i have created a new PowerShell virtual directory called ExchPowerShell (still would like to find a way have it called PowerShell) and removed SSL and enabled only Anonymous access. Now get a different error message:
VERBOSE: Connecting to DC01.mainserver
[dc01.mainserver] Connecting to remote server failed with the following error message : The WinRM client sent a request
 to an HTTP server and got a response saying the requested HTTP URL was not available. This is usually returned by a HT
TP server that does not support the WS-Management protocol. For more information, see the about_Remote_Troubleshooting
Help topic.
    + CategoryInfo          : OpenError: (System.Manageme....RemoteRunspace:RemoteRunspace) [], PSRemotingTransportExc
   eption
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : PSSessionOpenFailed
Did a search and i think this is because i now had a different PowerShell virtual directory so if i try to connect and specify the new virtual directory name i get the same error i was getting.
Failed to connect to any Exchange Server in the current site.
Please enter the Server FQDN where you want to connect: DC01.mainserver/ExchPowerShell
VERBOSE: Connecting to DC01.mainserver/ExchPowerShell
[dc01.mainserver] Connecting to remote server failed with the following error message : The WinRM client received an HT
TP server error status (500), but the remote service did not include any other information about the cause of the failu
re. For more information, see the about_Remote_Troubleshooting Help topic.
    + CategoryInfo          : OpenError: (System.Manageme....RemoteRunspace:RemoteRunspace) [], PSRemotingTransportExc
   eption
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : PSSessionOpenFailed
Thank for all you help so far.