Hi Al,
As per MS, IIS is not supported on Windows XP Home Edition, and so cannot be
used to host ASP.NET. However, the ASP.NET web matrix web server does run on
XP Home.
But there is a workaround that has worked for quite a lot of people. You
need to modify the windows sysoc.inf file. Here are the steps:
1/ You will need the installation CD of Win2000 Professional or Server
(winXP Pro CD will not work) or a trial version of Windows 2000 Server.
2/ If you don't have 2 cd-rom player I suggest you to copy the directory
i386 from the WinXP Home on your hard disk
3/ In this directory (i386) there is a file called IMS.CAB with WinRar (or
something similar) unpack the content to a temporary folder (you will need
them at the end of the installation)
4/ Search and find the file: c:\WINDOWS\INF\SYSOC.INF
5/ In the section [COMPONENTS] you will find this line:
iis=iis.dll,OcEntry,iis.inf,hide,7
6/ Change it to this: iis=iis2.dll,OcEntry,iis2.inf,,7
(remember to change the name in iis2.dll and iis2.inf and to eliminate
the word hide. In this way you bypass the protection of XP home)
7/ From the Win2000 cd (Pro or Server) take the files: iis.dl_ and iis.in_
that are in the i386 folder and copy them on your desktop, open a dos
windows and with the prompt pointing at your desktop edit the following
commands:
EXPAND IIS.DL_ IIS2.DLL
EXPAND IIS.IN_ IIS2.INF
this will generate two new files named iis2.dll and iis2.inf
copy and paste IIS2
LL to c:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SETUP\
and IIS.INF to c:\WINDOWS\INF\
8/ Go to control panel/application/windows components and start windows
installer. You will see "Internet Information server" is now available as a
checkable option.
9/ Select it (I suggest that if you are looking only for PWS to select only
that because the more components you install the more files you have to
search for)
10/ It will need about 10/15 minutes and during that time the system is
going to ask you for a lot of files: some are in XP Home CD other in Win2000
CD. At a certain point the system will ask you for the
EXCH_adsiisex.dll file: it is the file you have extracted at the point 3 of
this guide, select it and you should go on without trouble.
11/ At the end restart you computer.
12/ Test if it is working: open Explorer and type in the address line:
http://localhost
13/ If it will not work, try the following:
open a DOS window and type: iisreset /RESTART
go to web proprieties in "directory protection" (I don't know if this
is the exact name) click on "modify" (or edit maybe) "browse" and
finally"find". You will see all user in your PC. Select the one you are
working with and click OK. In the text-box you will see PcName\UserName.
Click OK to close the window. Remember to uncheck "password Control) and
click OK three times. Close and restart the web server and retry point 12.
If all is correct you will see the default presentation page of IIS 5 and
the online help.
good luck.
Anushi
