Unable to create a new subscription or load a new SSL certificate: The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process

Symptoms

• When trying to create or activate a subscription in Plesk > Subscriptions, the following error is shown:

  PLESK_ERROR: Error: The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80070020) In Microsoft.Web.Administration module Exception type: System.IO.FileLoadException at Microsoft.Web.Administration.Interop.IAppHostMethodInstance.Execute() at Microsoft.Web.Administration.Site.Start() at IISWebSite.startStop(IISWebSite* , Boolean start) at IISWebSite.start(IISWebSite* ) at configHosting(test.tst)(WebServerAdapter::configHosting line 408) at configHosting(test.tst)(WebServerManager::configHosting line 3011) at execute console command --install-vhost(vconsoleapp::start line 100) at execute "C:\Program Files (x86)\Parallels\Plesk\admin\bin64\websrvmng.exe" --install-vhost "--vhost-config=tmpECEB.tmp"(vconsoleapp::run line 116) (Error code 1)

• Going to IIS > Sites > example.com > Manage Website (Right-sidebar) > Start, fails with the following error message:

  CONFIG_TEXT: The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process. (exception from HRESULT: 0x80070020)

• Website doesn't load the new SSL certificate selected in Domains > example.com > Hosting Settings

• The following errors might be found in %plesk_dir%\admin\logs\php_error.log:

  CONFIG_TEXT: ERR [panel] Could not open socket

  CONFIG_TEXT: ERR [1] C:\Parallels\Plesk\admin\bin64\websrvmng --reconfigure-vhost "--vhost-config=ich6CDF.tmp" "--config=" failed with code 1.
  stdout:
  The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80070020)
  ...
  at IISWebSite.start(IISWebSite* )
  at setServerState(example.com, true, true)(WebServerAdapter::setServerState line 2321)
  at configHosting(example.com)(WebServerAdapter::configHosting line 493)
  at configHosting(example.com)(WebServerManager::configHosting line 2954)
  at execute console command --reconfigure-vhost(vconsoleapp::start line 93)
  at execute C:\Parallels\Plesk\admin\bin64\websrvmng --reconfigure-vhost "--vhost-config=ich6CDF.tmp" "--config="(vconsoleapp::run line 110)
  stderr:

Cause

Another service is listening to TCP port 80 or 443, for example, an Apache process.

Resolution

1. Connect to the server via RDP

2. Find the process ID from the service listening to ports 80 or 443:

   C:\> netstat -aon | findstr -i ":80 :443" | find "LISTENING"
   TCP 0.0.0.0:80 0.0.0.0:0 LISTENING 2476
   TCP 0.0.0.0:443 0.0.0.0:0 LISTENING 2476

3. Obtain more details with the PID:

   C:\> tasklist /fi "PID eq 2476"
   Image Name PID Session Name Session# Mem Usage
   ========================= ======== ================ =========== ============
   httpd.exe 2476 Services 0 16.708 K

4. Kill the process:

   C:\> taskkill /F /PID 2476

5. Restart IIS:

   C:\> iisreset

6. Repair web configuration:

   C:\> plesk repair web -y