Introduction
As a new feature for Windows Server® 2008, the Server Manager tool provides a single dashboard used to:
- Allow you to install / uninstall Server Roles and Features
- Provide quick status on state of installed roles
- Provide entry points to role management tools
This article provides a step by step walk through installing IIS 7.0 on Windows Server 2008.
Prerequisites
This walkthrough is for all editions of Windows Server 2008. Make sure you have installed one of the supported editions of Windows Vista before proceeding.
Local User Administrator (LUA) Security
Make sure you have administrative privileges on the machine: By default, you do not have them if you are logged on as a user other than the built-in Administrator account, even if this user was added to the local Administrators group on the machine (this is a new security feature in Windows Server 2008, called LUA, which is beyond the scope of this article). Make sure to either log-on as the built-in Administrator account, or explicitly invoke applications as the built-in Administrator, as needed, using the “runas” cmd-line tool.
For example, to launch notepad.exe you could run this command: “runas /user:administrator notepad.exe”. You will be prompted for the password of the Administrator account. It is useful to have a cmd-box shell that’s already elevated, by running “runas /user:administrator cmd.exe”. Every application you run from that cmd-box will be elevated as well, and you will not need to use the “runas” syntax from that cmd-box.
Windows Security Dialog
If you are logged on to an account other than the built in local administrator account you may see the following security alert dialog.
Figure 1: Windows Security (User Account Control)
Procedures
Step 1: Start Server Manager
To start Server Manager, click: Start Menu -> All Programs -> Administrative Tools -> Server Manager. The Server Manager window opens.
Figure 2: Server Manager
Step 2: Adding a Server Role
- In the Server Manager, select Roles.
- The Role Summary View is displayed.
Figure 3: Start Add Roles Wizard
Step 3: Start the Add Roles Wizard
- Click Add Roles.
- The Add Roles Wizard opens.
- Click Next to select roles to install.
Figure 4: Add Roles Wizard Introduction
Step 4: Choose Web Server (IIS) Role to Install
- Check Web Server (IIS).
Figure 5: Check Web Server (IIS) in Add Roles Wizard
Step 5: Web Server Role depends on WAS
The Add Roles Wizard notifies you on any required dependencies; since IIS depends on the Windows Process Activation Service (WAS) feature, the following informational dialog displays.
- Click Add Required Role Services to continue.
Figure 6: Add Dependencies
Web Server is now selected for install. The Select Server Roles dialog box opens.
Figure 7: Selected Web Server (IIS)
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Click Next to continue.
Step 6: Additional Information
The following dialog box and information displays.
Figure 8: Introduction to Web Server Dialog
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Click Next to continue
Step 7: View IIS 7.0 Features
The Add Roles Wizard displays a list of all IIS 7.0 features available to install as shown below. Note that features comprising the default install are pre- selected.
Figure 9: Web Server Features Listed
Note: To install just the IIS 7.0 default features, click the Install button and then proceed to Step 10 below. If you need to install additional features, proceed to Step 8.
Step 8: Select Additional IIS Features to Install
For this example, we install additional IIS features:
- Start by checking the box for ASP.NET. The following dialog displays.
- The Wizards warns if adding an IIS feature will also cause other features to be installed.
Figure 10: Dependency Information
- Click Add Required Role Services to continue.
Step 9: Select Additional IIS Features to Install
Continue selecting additional IIS Role Services features to Install:
- Check the features you require.
Figure 11: Add Features For Web Server
- When you have selected all the features you require, click Next to continue.
Step 10: Summary of Features to Install
- The Wizard provides a summary of what will be installed, as shown below
Figure 12: Summary of Features
- Click Install to continue.
Step 11: Install Progress
After clicking Install, the install progress dialog opens.
Figure 13: Install Progress
Step 12: Install Complete
When IIS 7.0 install is complete, the following dialog opens. Click Close to return to the Server Manager.
Figure 14: Installation Summary
Step 13: Check IIS 7.0 install
You can now perform a quick check to verify that IIS 7.0 is installed.
- Start Internet Explorer web browser and enter the address http://localhost.
- You should see the default IIS “Welcome” page.