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SharePoint 2010: Install on Windows Server 8 Beta

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Table of Contents:

Note:  The Wiki table of contents functionality didn't pick up all my sections for some reason so I created one manually. This is also the reason for the large number of edits.

Note: This is a cross-post from my blog post at http://craiglussier.com/2012/03/01/install-sharepoint-2010-on-windows-server-8-beta/.

Introduction:

This post is a guide on how to install SharePoint 2010 on Windows Server 8 Beta.  I'm passing along my experience and notes to the community.

The PowerShell script within the TechNet Gallery, SharePoint 2010 on Windows Server 8 Beta - Install Pre-reqs and Roles/Features, will help you through this install should you elect to attempt this "unsupported" install.

What is the reason for this article?

Simply put, the SharePoint 2010 installer doesn't work with the Windows Server 8 Beta due to new security and compatibility changes which have been put in place for good architectural reasons. Please be advised that any installations using this method are not officially supported by Microsoft. All installations using this method are for testing/evaluation/development purposes only. This article is subject to change in the future at any time.

Getting Prepared for the Installation:

You will need the following to follow this guide. This list reflects what I have used to perform the installation:

  • A development environment within which to install the software. For most, this will likely be within a virtual environment. I did this within the context of a Windows 2008 R2 functional level forest/domain. I have not tested this procedure on a standalone machine (i.e. not in a domain)
  • Windows Server 8 Beta (freely available download)
  • SharePoint Server 2010 with Service Pack 1 (I downloaded the ISO from my MSDN account. Download from your own source. I have not tested this with an evaluation version)
  • SQL Server 2008 R2 x64 or SQL Server 2012 x64 (I downloaded these ISOs from my MSDN account. Download from your own source. I have not tested this with an evaluation version)
  • TechNet Gallery PowerShell Script: SharePoint 2010 on Windows Server 8 Beta - Install Pre-reqs and Roles/Features
  • PowerGUI version 3.8.0.129 (freely available download)
  • A means of creating an 'emulated' ServerManagerCMD.exe file.

**The installation procedure:
**
Step 1) Install Windows Server 8 Beta
For early adopters like myself, this will likely be in a virtualized environment. I didn't encounter any issues installing this OS. The install is straight forward. I did not encounter any issues installing Windows Server 8 Beta.

Step 2) Join your new Windows Server 8 Beta instance to a development/test domain
I have a development environment and joined the new Windows Server 8 Beta to my development domain and I suggest you do the same. So everyone knows the Forest/Domain functional level is Windows 2008 R2. Please note that I have not tested the install without joining the Windows Server 8 Beta OS to a domain.

Step 3) Install SQL Server (includes running my PowerShell Script to configure Server Roles/Features and Install SharePoint 2010 Pre-requisites)
This step includes running my PowerShell Script from the TechNet Gallery to Install the Prerequisites and Roles Features to run SharePoint 2010 on Windows Server 8 Beta. The reason this is not in its own step is because the timing of the install depends on which version of SQL Server you install.

There are many blog posts available online on how to install SQL Server so I won't rehash that here. At this time, I have experienced mixed installation results based on the SQL version and I outline the details below. 

I have installed SharePoint 2010 on the Windows Server 8 Beta using:

  • SQL Server 2008 R2 x64
  • SQL Server 2012 x64

I have experienced SharePoint 2010 to work fine with both of the above SQL versions on Windows Server 8 Beta - the only difference is the SQL install procedure.

DO NOT consider installing SharePoint 2010 in Stand Alone mode - even for "testing". This will install an express version of SQL. You can do it (it's not really recommended anyway), but you won't be able to install the 2008 Management Studio Express (based on my testing) so what's the point? I've tried it so I could report the results here. Just install a full version of SQL Server the first time and save yourself a headache.

If installing SQL Server 2008 R2 x64:

  • Before you install SQL Server 2008 R2 x64, run my PowerShell script - SharePoint 2010 on Windows Server 8 Beta - Install Pre-reqs and Roles/Features first. This is free and available on the TechNet Gallery. This will save you from .NET Framework related dependency issues during the install.
  • Install SQL Server 2008 R2 x64
    • While installing SQL Server 2008 R2 x64, you will encounter the following message: "This program has compatibility issues". When you see this, click on "Run the program without getting help".

http://craiglussier.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/WinSrv8AndSP-ProgramCompatibility.gif

 

If installing SQL Server 2012 x64:

  • NOTE: I have tested this procedure with the newly released SQL Server 2012 x64. The procedure works fine. Full disclosure - I used SQL Server 2012 x64 Enterprise Edition.
  • Go ahead and install SQL Server 2012 x64 first. You should not experience any issues installing this version of SQL - I didn't.
  • Once the installation of SQL Server 2012 x64 is completed, run my PowerShell script -  SharePoint 2010 on Windows Server 8 Beta - Install Pre-reqs and Roles/Features. This is free and available on the TechNet Gallery.
  • DO NOT install my script first if installing SQL Server 2012 x64. I got some weird .NET Framework errors.

Notes on what my PowerShell script does:

  • Download from the TechNet Gallery - SharePoint 2010 on Windows Server 8 Beta - Install Pre-reqs and Roles/Features
  • Install Windows Server 8 Beta Roles/Features
    • All Web Server related roles required for SharePoint 2010
    • Windows Identity Framework - this is now a Server Feature within Windows Server 8 Beta and not a separate download
    • Enabling full support for .NET 3.5 and .NET v2 ISAPI
  • Change IIS 8 Beta Default App Pool .NET Framework to v2.0 - SharePoint 2010 needs this so you don't run into errors
  • Download SharePoint 2010 Prerequisites from Microsoft
  • Install SharePoint 2010 Prerequisites. For each prerequisite, you'll see each installer and be prompted.

Step 4) Create an 'Emulated' ServerManagerCMD.exe and copy it to C:\Windows\System32
This is the part I believe most should be able to get to without assistance, however you'll likely run into issues.

ServerManagerCMD.exe is depricated, isn't supported and isn't shipped with Windows Server 8 Beta. The SharePoint 2010 installer requires it - you can read up more on this at tool at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc732757.aspx. PowerShell cmdlets will take its place moving forward.

I have to give credit regarding where I found this part of the solution - visit http://blog.hand-net.com/sharepoint/2010-06-10-error-lors-de-linstallation-des-office-web-apps-2010-sur-windows-7.htm.

The post is in French, but essentially what the author says is that the installer calls ServerManagerCmd.exe and waits for a particular return code: 1003. If you simulate this, you can trick the installer into sufficiently thinking that ServerManagerCMD.exe is actually there doing what it was designed to do and this will allow the SharePoint 2010 install to proceed.

As a side note, this is also a reason why the Prerequisite installer fails - it also uses ServerManagerCMD.exe to configure the IIS Roles and Features. Since ServerManagerCMD.exe doesn't exist there are issues. Beyond that, the SharePoint 2010 installer won't install all of the correct Roles/Features required within Windows Server 8 Beta even if you did get it to work. That is a major reason why I wrote my PowerShell script as outlined in Step 3.

The author of the mentioned solution provides a Visual Studio 2010 project with the source code and an already compiled binary version which 'emulates'  ServerManagerCMD.exe. I need to recommend here that you download the source code and compile it yourself... I shouldn't have to say it, but it is not recommended to download an executable off of the Internet! You need to compile it with a file name of ServerManagerCMD.exe. Once you have the executable, copy it into the C:\Windows\System32 folder. The binary file and Visual Studio 2010 project downloads are at the bottom of the author's blog post.

All this program does is execute the following code:

namespace Hand.ServerManagerCmdEmul { 
   class Program { 
        static void Main(string[] args) { 
              System.Environment.ExitCode = 1003; 
         }
     }
 }

Once you have this 'emulated' ServerManagerCMD.exe in place, you can install SharePoint as per normal. If you don't have this 'emulated' ServerManagerCMD.exe executable in place, even with the required server Roles/Features and Pre-requisites installed, you'll see this error when attempting Step 5, i.e. attempting to install SharePoint Server 2010:

http://craiglussier.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/WinSrv8AndSP-WithoutEmulate.gif

**
Step 5) Install SharePoint Server 2010**
There are many blog posts available online on how to install SharePoint 2010 so I won't rehash that here. One important thing of note is that my PowerShell script you installed in Step 3 is that after installing IIS 8 Beta, it will change the default application pool .NET Framework version to v2.0. This will ensure that SharePoint 2010 web applications are created without issues and that you won't run into any errors when configuration wizard completes. By default IIS 8 Beta has the default application pool .NET Framework version set to v4.0.

**Step 6) Install PowerGUI version 3.1.0.2058 (the SharePoint 2010 Management Shell doesn't work)
**
I am happy to report that PowerGUI Version 3.1.0.2058, which was the last PowerGUI version compiled to target the .NET Framework v3.5, allows you to execute SharePoint 2010 PowerShell cmdlets as they use .NET 3.5. The key here is that it is a compiled application that specifically targets .NET 3.5. The direct download link for PowerGUI version 3.1.0.2058 is http://powergui.org/servlet/KbServlet/download/3732-102-5885/PowerGUI.3.1.0.2058.msi. Note that this is not the latest version of PowerGUI (which targets .NET 4.0 and won't work with SharePoint 2010 based on my testing) and you need to install version 3.1.0.2058.

In short the SharePoint 2010 Management Shell doesn't work within Windows Server 8 Beta... You can try all you want to add a PowerShellExe.config file to C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\ with what you think should work. In my experience, it doesn't work and there are some issues for Microsoft to iron out here. After SharePoint 2010 is installed, the PowerShell 2.0 engine is installed but it makes no difference.

I did reach out to Gary Lapointe on this. When I wrote to him, he didn't have a Windows Server 8 Beta lab available to test on the spot... With this said, the methods what we both tried in our environments where PowerShell v3 was enabled (which defaults to .NET 4.0) to support .NET 3.5 yielded the same results - it doesn't work. If anyone does find a configuration to make it work please write a wiki article comment or 'Contact Me' and I'll update this post. Thanks and kudos to Gary for the discussion on this and for suggesting to try installing a compiled PowerShell application like PowerGUI.

Lastly, DO NOT uninstall PowerShell v3. It has way too much awesomeness and beyond that, it will fubar your Windows Server 8 Beta installation (thank goodness for VM snapshots!). If you do this hoping it will make the SharePoint 2010 Management Shell work, once you login to Windows after a reboot, you'll be presented with a command prompt and won't be able to do much. I am not even going to share the procedure or code on how to remove PowerShell v3 because you shouldn't do it - you'll need it for many things.

Step 7) Load Central Administration - Enjoy SharePoint 2010!

If you followed this guide all the way to this point,, enjoy SharePoint 2010 within the Windows Server 8 Beta!

Screenshot proving my environment

Please keep in mind that all information contained within this article is subject to change at any time.

Here is a screenshot proving my environment from March 1st, 2010. This was a fun test/eval/dev build.

Click to enlarge. 
 

http://craiglussier.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/SP2010OnWin8Beta-300x164.gif

 

See Also An important place to find a huge amount of SharePoint related articles is the TechNet Wiki itself. The best entry point is SharePoint Resources on the TechNet Wiki