I performed a fresh install of Windows Server 2008 about two weeks ago. Although the setup was easy as can be, I ran into some issues with IIS/FTP. First off, the FTP that is packaged with the server is garbage, don’t even bother.
After IIS is installed (without the FTP service role), go to an article on learn.iis.net and download the FTP service for IIS 7.5. It is much easier to use and incorporates itself right into the IIS 7.5 management console. You can then install FTP right on top of your already existing websites and they act more like a combined website/ftp project rather than having to deal with two separate management consoles, two separate sites, etc.
I have discovered a bug though, in FTP for IIS 7.5… I played a LOT with one FTP site’s configuration and eventually broke the FTP site for no apparent reason. Primarily, I was messing with the authentication rules and the virtual hosts. But for some reason, it just wouldn’t start, restart OR stop. Even after restarting the entire IIS service, my FTP site would not activate or deactivate. Even when removing the site and re-adding the site, it still would not work.
I ended up solving the problem by removing the site and re-creating the site with a different name. Perhaps there is a registry entry or configuration file that got fudged while playing around with my site, and was stored by name so that it would pick up the bug again when I re-added the site with the same name. Once I changed the name to the site though, I was able to start and stop it without problem.