ASP.NET Installation Notes

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Installing ASP.NET is generally straightforward. However, a few "gotchas" are worth noting if you are installing ASP.NET for the first time. For general installation instructions, follow the instructions in the download from Microsoft because they might change. The steps are well-documented in whatever their current configuration is.

Where is the Current ASP.NET Download?

The current ASP.NET download is available free from the Microsoft site at http://www.msdn.microsoft.com/netframework/. Look for the Redistributable download, not the SDK version.

What Versions of Windows Does ASP.NET Work On?

You need to be using Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows Me, Windows NT, Windows Server 2003, or Windows XP Pro. Note that Windows XP Home Edition is not a supported configuration. You also need to have Microsoft Internet Information Server installed.

Turn Off Simple File Sharing

The default for Windows XP is to have Simple File Sharing enabled. This does not give you a security tab that you need to set permissions. To turn off Simple File Sharing, open My Computer (or your computer name if you have changed it) and choose Tools > Folder Options. On the View tab, in the Advanced Settings panel, uncheck the Use Simple File Sharing box. Click OK to apply the change.

Setting Permissions for the Folders

You might not have the permissions set correctly to access the folder that contains your application. To set the security for the folder, you need to right-click the folder that contains your application and select Preferences. You should see a tab for Security. If you don't, your disk might be formatted in FAT32. You might need to format it as NTFS to be able to give the correct security permissions. The Windows Help system has instructions on converting a FAT32 volume to NTFS without losing your files.

Do not change the format of your drive without checking with your system administrator or help desk. If you change a FAT32 partition to NTFS, you cannot change back without reformatting the drive.

In the Security tab, you need to add two users to have access to the folder.

1. Click the Add button.
   
   
2. In the Select Users or Groups dialog box, click the Advanced button.
   
   
3. Click the Find Now button.
   
   
4. In the Name (RDN) column, select the ASP.NET user . Click OK to go back to the Select Users or Groups dialog box.
   
   
5. Click the Advanced button again.
   
   
6. In the Name (RDN) column, select the IUSR user. Click OK to go back to the Select Users or Groups dialog box.
   
   
7. In the Security tab of the Properties, you should now see the two new users added in the Group or user names box.
   
   
8. Select the ASP.NET Machine Account (the ASP.NET user account) and grant it full control.
   
   
9. Select the Internet Guest Account (the IUSR user account) and grant it full control.
   
   
10. Click OK to save the changes.
    
    

This creates two new accounts that need to be able to write and execute to the folders where the application is.

Setting the Permissions in the IIS Administrator

You also have to explicitly make the folder you will use for your application in your web root into an application.

1. Open the IIS (Internet Information Services) server Administrator by selecting Start > Programs > Administrative Tools > Internet Information Services.
   
   
2. In the IIS tree control, open the machine, open the Web Sites folder, open the Default Web Site, and find the folder that will contain your web application.
   
   
3. Select the folder, and right-click to open the Properties for the folder.
   
   
4. In the Directory tab, set the Execute Permissions drop-down to Scripts and Executables. Click Create, and then click OK.
   
   

This sets the folder in your web root to be recognized by ASP.NET as an application that can be executed.

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