module 'WebAdministration' was not loaded because no valid module file was found in any module directory

[eliassal]

SUMMARY

I have a very basic playbook with the example given at https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/collections/community/windows/win_iis_website_module.html#ansible-collections-community-windows-win-iis-website-module

- 
- name: Acme IIS site
    community.windows.win_iis_website:
      name: Acme
      state: started
      port: 80
      ip: 127.0.0.1
      hostname: acme.local
      application_pool: acme
      physical_path: C:\sites\acme
      parameters: logfile.directory:C:\sites\logs
    register: website

When I run the playbook I get

TASK [Acme IIS site] *****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
An exception occurred during task execution. To see the full traceback, use -vvv. The error was: at <ScriptBlock>, <No file>: line 35
fatal: [webservansible]: FAILED! => {"changed": false, "msg": "Unhandled exception while executing module: The specified module 'WebAdministration' was not loaded because no valid module file was found in any module directory."}

I added before the following tasks which goes through

- name: Add a PowerShell PowerShellGet module
    community.windows.win_psmodule:
      name: PowerShellGet
      state: present
  - name: Add a PowerShell PackageManagement module
    community.windows.win_psmodule:
      name: PackageManagement
      state: present
  - name: Add a PowerShell module
    community.windows.win_psmodule:
      name: IISAdministration
      state: present
      accept_license: true
      skip_publisher_check: true

but it did not help

ISSUE TYPE

• Bug Report

COMPONENT NAME

WebAdministration

ANSIBLE VERSION

salam@salam7:~/projects/jptoto_windowsLab$ ansible-playbook -i hosts_iis webserver_playbook.yaml

PLAY [webservers] ********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

TASK [Gathering Facts] ***************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
ok: [webservansible]

TASK [Ensure that IIS is installed] **************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
ok: [webservansible]

TASK [Add a PowerShell PowerShellGet module] *****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
ok: [webservansible]

TASK [Add a PowerShell PackageManagement module] *************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
ok: [webservansible]

TASK [Add a PowerShell module] *******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
ok: [webservansible]

TASK [Ensure the globomantics website directory is created] **************************************************************************************************************************************************************
ok: [webservansible]

TASK [Acme IIS site] *****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
An exception occurred during task execution. To see the full traceback, use -vvv. The error was: at <ScriptBlock>, <No file>: line 35
fatal: [webservansible]: FAILED! => {"changed": false, "msg": "Unhandled exception while executing module: The specified module 'WebAdministration' was not loaded because no valid module file was found in any module directory."}

PLAY RECAP ***************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
webservansible             : ok=6    changed=0    unreachable=0    failed=1    skipped=0    rescued=0    ignored=0   

COLLECTION VERSION

----------------- -------
community.windows 2.1.0

CONFIGURATION

CONFIG_FILE() = /etc/ansible/ansible.cfg

OS / ENVIRONMENT

WSL2 ubuntu 22.04

STEPS TO REPRODUCE

create a playbook
run the playbook

---
- hosts: webservers
  vars:
    globomantics_site_path: "c:\\inetpub\\wwwroot\\globosite"
    default_index_file: "index.html"
  tasks:
  - name: Ensure that IIS is installed
    win_feature:
      name: "Web-Server"
      state: present
      restart: no
      include_sub_features: no
      include_management_tools: yes
  - name: Add a PowerShell PowerShellGet module
    community.windows.win_psmodule:
      name: PowerShellGet
      state: present
  - name: Add a PowerShell PackageManagement module
    community.windows.win_psmodule:
      name: PackageManagement
      state: present
  - name: Add a PowerShell module
    community.windows.win_psmodule:
      name: IISAdministration
      state: present
      accept_license: true
      skip_publisher_check: true
  - name: Ensure the globomantics website directory is created
    win_file:
      path: "{{ globomantics_site_path }}"
      state: directory
  - name: Acme IIS site
    community.windows.win_iis_website:
      name: Acme
      state: started
      port: 80
      ip: 127.0.0.1
      hostname: acme.local
      application_pool: acme
      physical_path: C:\sites\acme
      parameters: logfile.directory:C:\sites\logs
    register: website
  - name: Create sub iis website
    win_iis_website:
      name: "Globomantics Application"
      state: started
      port: 8080
      physical_path: "{{ globomantics_site_path }}"

  - name: Copy default index file to site
    win_copy:
      src: "{{ default_index_file }}"
      dest: "{{ globomantics_site_path}}\\index.html"

  - name: Ensure filewall rule is in place for site
    win_firewall_rule:
      name: Globomantics
      enabled: yes
      state: present
      localport: 8080
      action: allow
      direction: in
      protocol: tcp

EXPECTED RESULTS

create iis web site

ACTUAL RESULTS

salam@salam7:~/projects/jptoto_windowsLab$ ansible-playbook -i hosts_iis webserver_playbook.yaml -vvv
ansible-playbook [core 2.15.6]
  config file = /etc/ansible/ansible.cfg
  configured module search path = ['/home/salam/.ansible/plugins/modules', '/usr/share/ansible/plugins/modules']
  ansible python module location = /home/salam/.local/lib/python3.10/site-packages/ansible
  ansible collection location = /home/salam/.ansible/collections:/usr/share/ansible/collections
  executable location = /usr/bin/ansible-playbook
  python version = 3.10.12 (main, Feb  4 2025, 14:57:36) [GCC 11.4.0] (/usr/bin/python3)
  jinja version = 3.1.2
  libyaml = True
Using /etc/ansible/ansible.cfg as config file
host_list declined parsing /home/salam/projects/jptoto_windowsLab/hosts_iis as it did not pass its verify_file() method
script declined parsing /home/salam/projects/jptoto_windowsLab/hosts_iis as it did not pass its verify_file() method
auto declined parsing /home/salam/projects/jptoto_windowsLab/hosts_iis as it did not pass its verify_file() method
Parsed /home/salam/projects/jptoto_windowsLab/hosts_iis inventory source with ini plugin
redirecting (type: modules) ansible.builtin.win_feature to ansible.windows.win_feature
redirecting (type: modules) ansible.builtin.win_file to ansible.windows.win_file
redirecting (type: modules) ansible.builtin.win_iis_website to community.windows.win_iis_website
redirecting (type: action) ansible.builtin.win_copy to ansible.windows.win_copy
redirecting (type: modules) ansible.builtin.win_firewall_rule to community.windows.win_firewall_rule
Skipping callback 'default', as we already have a stdout callback.
Skipping callback 'minimal', as we already have a stdout callback.
Skipping callback 'oneline', as we already have a stdout callback.

PLAYBOOK: webserver_playbook.yaml ****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
1 plays in webserver_playbook.yaml

PLAY [webservers] ********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

TASK [Gathering Facts] ***************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
task path: /home/salam/projects/jptoto_windowsLab/webserver_playbook.yaml:2
redirecting (type: modules) ansible.builtin.setup to ansible.windows.setup
Using module file /home/salam/.local/lib/python3.10/site-packages/ansible_collections/ansible/windows/plugins/modules/setup.ps1
Pipelining is enabled.
<webservansible> ESTABLISH WINRM CONNECTION FOR USER: ansible on PORT 5985 TO webservansible
EXEC (via pipeline wrapper)
ok: [webservansible]

TASK [Ensure that IIS is installed] **************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
task path: /home/salam/projects/jptoto_windowsLab/webserver_playbook.yaml:7
redirecting (type: modules) ansible.builtin.win_feature to ansible.windows.win_feature
redirecting (type: modules) ansible.builtin.win_feature to ansible.windows.win_feature
Using module file /home/salam/.local/lib/python3.10/site-packages/ansible_collections/ansible/windows/plugins/modules/win_feature.ps1
Pipelining is enabled.
<webservansible> ESTABLISH WINRM CONNECTION FOR USER: ansible on PORT 5985 TO webservansible
EXEC (via pipeline wrapper)
ok: [webservansible] => {
    "changed": false,
    "exitcode": "NoChangeNeeded",
    "feature_result": [],
    "reboot_required": true,
    "success": true
}

TASK [Add a PowerShell PowerShellGet module] *****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
task path: /home/salam/projects/jptoto_windowsLab/webserver_playbook.yaml:14
Using module file /home/salam/.local/lib/python3.10/site-packages/ansible_collections/community/windows/plugins/modules/win_psmodule.ps1
Pipelining is enabled.
<webservansible> ESTABLISH WINRM CONNECTION FOR USER: ansible on PORT 5985 TO webservansible
EXEC (via pipeline wrapper)
ok: [webservansible] => {
    "changed": false,
    "nuget_changed": false,
    "output": "Module PowerShellGet already present",
    "repository_changed": false
}

TASK [Add a PowerShell PackageManagement module] *************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
task path: /home/salam/projects/jptoto_windowsLab/webserver_playbook.yaml:18
Using module file /home/salam/.local/lib/python3.10/site-packages/ansible_collections/community/windows/plugins/modules/win_psmodule.ps1
Pipelining is enabled.
<webservansible> ESTABLISH WINRM CONNECTION FOR USER: ansible on PORT 5985 TO webservansible
EXEC (via pipeline wrapper)
ok: [webservansible] => {
    "changed": false,
    "nuget_changed": false,
    "output": "Module PackageManagement already present",
    "repository_changed": false
}

TASK [Add a PowerShell module] *******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
task path: /home/salam/projects/jptoto_windowsLab/webserver_playbook.yaml:22
Using module file /home/salam/.local/lib/python3.10/site-packages/ansible_collections/community/windows/plugins/modules/win_psmodule.ps1
Pipelining is enabled.
<webservansible> ESTABLISH WINRM CONNECTION FOR USER: ansible on PORT 5985 TO webservansible
EXEC (via pipeline wrapper)
ok: [webservansible] => {
    "changed": false,
    "nuget_changed": false,
    "output": "Module IISAdministration already present",
    "repository_changed": false
}

TASK [Ensure the globomantics website directory is created] **************************************************************************************************************************************************************
task path: /home/salam/projects/jptoto_windowsLab/webserver_playbook.yaml:28
redirecting (type: modules) ansible.builtin.win_file to ansible.windows.win_file
redirecting (type: modules) ansible.builtin.win_file to ansible.windows.win_file
Using module file /home/salam/.local/lib/python3.10/site-packages/ansible_collections/ansible/windows/plugins/modules/win_file.ps1
Pipelining is enabled.
<webservansible> ESTABLISH WINRM CONNECTION FOR USER: ansible on PORT 5985 TO webservansible
EXEC (via pipeline wrapper)
ok: [webservansible] => {
    "changed": false
}

TASK [Acme IIS site] *****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
task path: /home/salam/projects/jptoto_windowsLab/webserver_playbook.yaml:32
Using module file /home/salam/.local/lib/python3.10/site-packages/ansible_collections/community/windows/plugins/modules/win_iis_website.ps1
Pipelining is enabled.
<webservansible> ESTABLISH WINRM CONNECTION FOR USER: ansible on PORT 5985 TO webservansible
EXEC (via pipeline wrapper)
The full traceback is:
The specified module 'WebAdministration' was not loaded because no valid module file was found in any module directory.
At line:35 char:5
+     Import-Module WebAdministration
+     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : ResourceUnavailable: (WebAdministration:String) [Import-Module], FileNotFoundException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : Modules_ModuleNotFound,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.ImportModuleCommand

ScriptStackTrace:
at <ScriptBlock>, <No file>: line 35
fatal: [webservansible]: FAILED! => {
    "changed": false,
    "msg": "Unhandled exception while executing module: The specified module 'WebAdministration' was not loaded because no valid module file was found in any module directory."
}

PLAY RECAP ***************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
webservansible             : ok=6    changed=0    unreachable=0    failed=1    skipped=0    rescued=0    ignored=0   

[Akasurde]

@eliassal Do you have Management Tools installed for Web Server? You can check using

You can check UI here -

[eliassal]

Thanks Akasurde, I added the webadmnistration and was able to run succesfully the playbook. However, visiting IIS management, I saw that the website was created but flagged with red cross and cant start it. After investigating, I noticed that the application pool was not created as expected in the ansible playbook.
Here is the piece of ansible code

- name: Acme IIS site
    community.windows.win_iis_website:
      name: Acme
      state: started
      port: 80
      ip: 127.0.0.1
      hostname: acme.local
      application_pool: acme
      physical_path: C:\sites\acme
      parameters: logfile.directory:C:\sites\logs

and here is a snapshot of the IIS

Here you can see that application pool is not created