Why did IIS ApplicationHost.config file disappear?

Hello,

Currently, I am operating two cloud-based instances of Windows Server 2012 and 2016.

In IIS, when I try to add a binding or modify the application pool, the changes are not saved, and I encounter the following error:

C:/Windows/system32/inetsrv/config/applicationHost.config
Error: Cannot write to the configuration file.

When I navigate to the specified path, the applicationHost.config file does not exist.
Additionally, for the Windows Server 2016 instance, there are no backup files available in C:\inetpub\history\.

Would anyone be able to provide insights into the possible cause of this issue or suggest a solution?

Thank you in advance for your help.