<p>We create new sites in IIS 6 (Windows Server 2003) using IIS Manager.  When these sites are created in IIS 6, the ASP.NET version defaults to ASP.NET 1.1.  We would like it to default to ASP.NET 2.0.  The reason this is a problem for us is that when you take any site on the server and switch the ASP.NET version from ASP.NET 1.1 to ASP.NET 2.0, all web sites recycle.</p>

<p>Is there a setting in the IIS metabase that controls this or a way to create a site via script that sets the ASP.Net version correctly so that we can avoid the IIS reset when setting up each site?</p>

Find the directory for the version of .Net you want, for example;
C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727
Get a cmd prompt there and then run aspnet_regiis -i.
Further info @
http://weblogs.asp.net/owscott/archive/2006/05/30/ASPNet_5F00_regiis.exe-tool_2C00_-setting-the-default-version-without-forcing-an-upgrade-on-all-sites.aspx
Ryan