Windows Server 2008 as development machine - step by step

Question

I have found many tutorials about using Windows Server 2003 as a development machine, and very little information about Windows Server 2008 for the same purpose.

For a nicer experience, I have followed the steps from Convert your Windows Server 2008 to a Workstation.

I am searching for the requirements and installation order for IIS 7 with IIS 6 compatibility mode, .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 (does it require the installation of .NET Framework 3.0 feature, or can be installed directly), SQL Server 2005 SP2 (with Reporting services and Analysis Services), Visual Studio 2008 SP1.

Answer 1

.NET Framework 3.5 Service Pack 1 - installation order

• System Update Readiness Tool
• .NET Framework 3.0 (Windows Server 2008 feature)
• .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 (full package)
• An update for the .NET Framework 3.5 Service Pack 1 is available (KB959209)

.NET Framework 3.5 Service Pack 1 - links

• Before you install .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 on Windows Vista or Windows 2008 Server, make sure that Windows Update service is turned on.
• Description of the System Update Readiness Tool for Windows Vista and for Windows Server 2008 - Since the .NET Framework 2.0 and 3.0 are OS components on Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, they rely on the OS component store to be in a good state to be able to install correctly (quoted from here)
• Unified .NET Framework Troubleshooting Guide

Answer 2

MSI 4.5 - installation order

• MSI 4.5 hotfix - Error message when you use Windows Installer (MSI) 4.5 to install multiple MSI packages in Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003 or Windows XP: API call rejected - No actions in Context

MSI 4.5 - links

• Update to MSI 4.5 (KB958655)

Answer 3

SQL Server 2005 - installation order (thank you Anthony)

• IIS 7 with IIS 6 backwards compatibility (for reporting services)
• KB 950636
• SQL Server 2005
• SQL Server 2005 SP3
• Visual Studio 2005 SP1 (for BIDS)
• Visual Studio 2005 SP1 update for Vista (for BIDS)

SQL Server 2005 - links

• Error message when you install SQL Server 2005 SP3 on Windows Vista: "Visual Studio 2005 has a known compatibility issue with this version of Windows"
• Update for Windows Server 2008 (KB950636) - Install this update to resolve an issue where SQL Server 2005 installation is not completed successfully on a system running Windows Server 2008.
• You receive a warning message on the System Configuration Check page of the SQL Server 2005 Setup program on a computer that is running Windows Vista or a Server Core installation of Windows Server 2008
• How to install and how to configure SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services on a computer that is running Windows Server 2008
• SQL Server 2005 on Windows Server 2008
• Installing SQL Server 2005 Reporting Service on IIS 7
• SQL Server User Provisioning Tool for Vista

Answer 4

Visual Studio 2008 - links

• Using Visual Studio 2008 with IIS 7.0
• Unable to start debugging on the web server with VS2008 SP1 and IIS7
• Unable to start debugging on the web server. IIS does not list an application that matches the launched URL.

Answer 5

IIS 7 - installation order

• IIS 7 (Windows Server 2008 role)
• You may be unable to manage IIS by using Server Manager if two threads access IIS at the same time

IIS 7 - links

• Installing IIS 7.0 on Windows Server 2008

IIS 7 with IIS 6 backwards compatibility - links

• Installing SQL Server 2005 Reporting Service on IIS 7

Answer 6

http://www.codersbarn.com/post/2008/08/09/SQL-Server-2005-on-Windows-Server-2008.aspx

I use W2K8 on VMWare Workstation for SharePoint development and it has been hassle-free from day one. Install all the IIS7 features (includes the IIS6 compatibility stuff) and you should be good to go.

Anthony :-)