Key facts
- Honest position: dijitul's Plesk servers are Linux and do not run Classic ASP or VBScript
- Classic ASP only runs on Windows with Microsoft IIS
- We rebuild in PHP, WordPress or another PHP CMS, quoted before we start
- Access .mdb and SQL Server data migrated to MySQL or MariaDB
- 301 redirects from old .asp URLs to new pages to protect Google rankings
- After the rebuild, hosting is dijitul Complete Hosting at £1 a day + VAT
What Classic ASP is, and why it's a problem now
If your web addresses end in .asp, your site was built with Classic ASP, Microsoft's web technology from the late 1990s. Pages are written in VBScript and usually read from a Microsoft Access .mdb file or a SQL Server database.
It still works, but it's hard to look after:
- It only runs on Windows servers with Microsoft IIS, so your choice of host is limited.
- Microsoft replaced it with ASP.NET in 2002 and hasn't developed it since.
- Few developers still write VBScript, so changes are slow and costly.
- Access databases weren't designed for many website visitors at once and can lock or corrupt.
- Older forms often build SQL by joining text together, which makes SQL injection easy.
Our honest position
dijitul hosting runs on Linux Plesk servers. Linux can't run Classic ASP, and we won't pretend otherwise or try to bodge it. If what you need is a like-for-like Windows host for an .asp site, we're not the right fit.
What we do well is get you off Classic ASP for good, onto a modern PHP site that any competent web developer can maintain, hosted somewhere you have full control.
How a Classic ASP migration works
- Audit. We list every page, form, login area and database table, and any emails the site sends.
- Choose the platform. For brochure sites, WordPress is usually best. For data-driven systems, such as a product catalogue or members area, a PHP framework like Laravel is often a better fit.
- Move the data. We export Access or SQL Server tables and import them into MySQL or MariaDB, fixing date formats and character sets along the way.
- Rebuild. Pages, forms and logic are recreated in PHP, using prepared statements for every database query.
- Redirect. Every old .asp address gets a 301 redirect to its new home, so links and search rankings carry over.
- Launch. The new site goes live on our servers behind Cloudflare, with SSL and daily backups.
What it costs
A rebuild is custom work, so it's quoted. A small brochure site is a modest job. A bespoke ordering or members system takes longer. We give you a fixed price after the audit. Once the new site is live, hosting is dijitul Complete Hosting at £1 a day + VAT. For larger bespoke systems, see custom software hosting.
Moving from other Windows platforms
The same approach works for older ASP.NET Web Forms sites and Windows-only CMS platforms. If you run Umbraco, see Umbraco alternative hosting. For older PHP sites that just need a home, see old website hosting.
Classic ASP features and their PHP equivalents
Almost everything a Classic ASP site does has a direct, well-supported equivalent in PHP. This is roughly how the pieces map across in a rebuild:
| Classic ASP | PHP equivalent |
|---|---|
| VBScript pages (.asp) | PHP pages or CMS templates |
| Response.Write | echo, or template output |
| Session and Application objects | $_SESSION and configuration files |
| ADODB connections and recordsets | PDO with prepared statements |
| Microsoft Access .mdb or SQL Server | MySQL or MariaDB |
| CDONTS or CDOSYS email | Authenticated SMTP via a mail library |
| Server-side includes (#include) | include, or CMS template partials |
| Global.asa | Application bootstrap code |
That's why a rebuild is predictable: we're translating known patterns, not inventing new ones. Bespoke business logic, such as pricing rules or booking checks, is rewritten carefully and tested against the old site's output.
Frequently asked questions
Can Classic ASP run on Linux hosting?
No. Classic ASP needs Windows and Microsoft IIS. There have been third-party attempts to run it elsewhere, but none are a sensible base for a business website. If you want Linux hosting, the site needs rebuilding in a language such as PHP. dijitul quotes for this and keeps your old URLs working.
Who can update my old .asp website?
Some Windows developers still work with Classic ASP, but they're increasingly rare. For anything beyond small edits, most businesses are better off rebuilding in PHP or WordPress so any developer can maintain it. dijitul rebuilds Classic ASP sites on a quoted basis and hosts the result for £1 a day + VAT.
Will I lose my Google rankings if I move off Classic ASP?
Not if it's done properly. The key is a 301 redirect from every old .asp address to the matching new page, keeping titles and content similar, and submitting a new sitemap. dijitul maps every old URL during the rebuild so rankings and inbound links carry over.
Can you move my Microsoft Access database to MySQL?
Yes. dijitul exports the Access .mdb tables, converts data types, date formats and character sets, and imports them into MySQL or MariaDB. The website code is then rewritten to read from the new database. This is part of a quoted Classic ASP migration.
Is Classic ASP still supported by Microsoft?
Classic ASP is still available as a feature in IIS, but Microsoft replaced it with ASP.NET in 2002 and hasn't developed it since. It receives no new features, the developer pool is shrinking and it ties you to Windows hosting. Planning a move is sensible before something breaks.
Related
Tell us what you need to run
We spec it, build it, host it and look after it. Clear quote, no jargon.