Wednesday, April 9, 2008

How to Create a MOSS 2007 VPC Image: Part 1



How to Create a MOSS 2007 VPC Image: Part 1

I have finally been able to create a fully-functional MOSS 2007 Virtual PC image, including POP3 email service for testing MOSS email functions! To celebrate this accomplishment, I've decided to share my process, step-by-step, screenshots included. Because documenting this process with screenshots is so lengthy, it will be broken into a series of posts on this blog.

 

Although I ask that you don't consider this to be the ultimate authority on how to create a MOSS 2007 VPC image, you should still be able to use this procedure to build a fully-functional image for MOSS 2007 demos and development work.

 

Before proceeding, here are a couple of assumptions:

 

1. You have access to all of the required software:

  • Microsoft Virtual PC with SP1
  • Windows Server 2003
  • SQL Server 2005 with SP1
  • MOSS 2007 Enterprise
  • SharePoint Designer 2007
  • Microsoft Office 2007
  • Internet access

2. This will not be a lesson on how to use Virtual PC; I'll assume that you are already familiar with the tool and are capable of building a basic virtual machine using Windows Server 2003.

 

That being said... let's dive in!

 

Part 1: Getting Started, Installing IIS, and Installing .NET Framework 2.0

 

Start by building a VPC “base image” with a clean installation of Windows Server 2003

VPC settings:

Memory: set a value which is at least half of the physical memory on your host machine

Networking: 1 adapter, mapped to a network adapter on your local machine

 

Install Virtual Machine Additions:

 

VPC Actions menu > Install or Update Virtual Machine Additions

 

Perform Windows Update inside the virtual machine

 

Select Start > All Programs > Windows Update

 

Follow the instructions and install all available updates, including Internet Explorer 7

 

 

 

Install IIS with .NET Framework 2.0

 

Select Start > Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs:

 

In the Add or Remove Programs dialog box, click the Add / Remove Windows Components button on the left side:

 

 

In the Windows Components Wizard dialog box, highlight the Application Server option, then click the Details button:

 

 

In the Application Server dialog box, highlight the Internet Information Services (IIS) option, then click the Details button:

 

 

In the Internet Information Services (IIS) dialog box, highlight the World Wide Web Service option, then click the Details button:

 

 

In the World Wide Web Service dialog box, select the Active Server Pages option, the Server Side Includes option, and the World Wide Web Service option, then click the OK button:

 

 

Click OK twice more to close the dialog boxes and return to the Windows Components Wizard dialog box:

 

 

Scrolling down the list of options, locate and deselect the Internet Explorer Enhanced Security Configuration option:

 

 

Scrolling a bit further down the list of options, locate and select the Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 option:

 

 

Click the Next button to begin the IIS installation; you may be asked to insert the Windows Server installation media.

 

When the installation is complete, click the Finish button:

 

 

You should now have a fully-functional IIS web server installed inside your VPC image.

 

In Part 2, we'll look at how to install and configure POP3 email service inside the VPC image.

 

Comments

Thank you - Great

hi, thank you very much for bringing light into this. Please make rest available - the seasons day are passing very fast.
Thank you - Donald
at 12/21/2006 1:27 AM

Thanks.. ^^;

.
at 2/11/2007 9:23 PM

Thx

Thanks for writing it out.
I'll give this a try.

Ad Weterings - The Netherlands
http://microsoftwatcher.spaces.live.com/
at 2/23/2007 4:15 AM

Thanks

This has been very useful. Great step-by-step directions.
at 3/20/2007 10:29 AM

.NET Framework Version

What version of W2K3 server should I be using?  Just curious because when I attempted to use Add/Remove programs to select .NET Framework 2.0, it wasn't listed among the possibilities.

Awesome effort here, by the way.
at 3/29/2007 2:20 PM

Disk Setup

Great set of articles. Thank you for posting.  What size/number of disks are recommended for this virtual environment?
at 5/17/2007 10:07 AM

Could not install SP2

I keep getting "Access is denied" when i try and install SP2 from Windows Update.
I am running on Vista, but VPC 2007 is supposed to support it.

Any ideas?
at 6/7/2007 6:32 PM

Domain Controller needed?

Great series.
Does the windows server need to be a domain controller?  Are all local accounts ok.
at 6/8/2007 12:25 PM

thanks for posting this!

great help :)

-gezelle
at 6/12/2007 11:44 PM

RE:.NET Framework 2.0, it wasn't listed among the possibilities

You have to install the 2.0 framework
download it from msft
at 6/13/2007 5:53 PM

Doain ontroller

I've heard that it is important to have another server acting as domain controller. Is this true?

\anders
at 8/20/2007 8:21 AM

Which version of VPC?

Should one use VPC 2004 or 2007?
at 9/11/2007 8:40 PM

How big should my virtual disk be when making this VPC image?

What's a good size for a small to medium-sized site?
at 10/8/2007 2:26 AM

Answers to .NET Framework. VPC Version, W2K3 Version


Download .NET Framework 2.0 from http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=0856eacb-4362-4b0d-8edd-aab15c5e04f5&DisplayLang=en

I have used both. Been using VPC 2007 with WSS 3/MOSS 2007 images for the last 10 months.

W2K3. Minimum on a VPC is Standard. In production you could use Web Edition in the WFE.

Dave B
at 11/20/2007 4:51 PM

How big a VPC drive.


I have found a 25 gig split in two 15 and 10. I keep VHD's dynamic.

With 15 gig you have enough room for all of the updates. You can install MOSS on Drive D which is a best practice in production.

If you get the size wrong on the second partition you can use VhdResizerto resize. Cann't resize the boot partition. Oh yes VhdResizer is freeware. ANDit works.

Dave
at 11/20/2007 5:17 PM
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