RTFM

Read The, um, Fine Manual.

I meant to say this in my earlier post about the Installation Guide, but please be sure to review the Installation Guide before you install Team Foundation Server.

First, some stuff has changed since Beta 2 and the July CTP. For example, we now use the same SQL Server for all Team System data - including SharePoint. We've also fixed a lot of the stuff that previously required manual workarounds.

Second,  it's good engineering practice. The vast majority of setup failures I've helped to troubleshoot have resulted from not following directions. Yes, it'd be great if everything was so bulletproof that it just worked out of the box, but Team Foundation Server is not a simple, standalone application.

On my first day of sixth grade, the teacher distributed a two-page test that consisted of over fifty items. On the first page, it said to read all of the items before completing any of the items. The teacher then told us we had something like 15 or 20 minutes to complete the entire test. Of course, the vast majority of people dove right in and proceeded to tackle each item in a race against time. However, those that first read all of the items found that the true test was following directions. The first item was to write your name on the paper. The last item was to only complete the first and last item and skip everything between them. Of course, the other directions included steps that were sure to reveal those that had followed directions. For example, half way through the test there was a step to stand up and announce to the rest of the class that you were halfway done. Moral of the story - follow directions.

While you're at it, review the Readme and Known Issues, too. And since all three documents are available separately, they'll give you some reading to occupy your time while you wait for the bits to download.

Comments

• Anonymous
  September 24, 2005
  I found a missing step in the single server installation...
  
  Step 8(a) After the service logon account page, the reporting service account page is displayed.. Pretty much the same dialog, but a different account. If you followed the install directions it was easy to determine what should go here .. however, it is a missing step in the instructions.
  
  
• Anonymous
  September 24, 2005
  Yes, that's one of the fixes I've made. I'm just waiting on a doc build so that I can post a revised Installation Guide. Also, Team Foundation Server Proxy uses port 8081, which you'll need to open if you install it.
• Anonymous
  September 26, 2005
  Plus, by RTM (Reading the Manual), the doc writers get to find and fix their documentation "bugs", like previously described (sorry, had to go there ;-)
  
  Great Job guys!
• Anonymous
  September 27, 2005
  Just as coders are too close to their code to spot their bugs, writers are too close to their writing to see theirs. :)
• Anonymous
  September 29, 2005
  The comment has been removed
• Anonymous
  August 15, 2006
  Today I am installing the whole VSTFS universe. I am going to post as much as I can relating to the installation
• Anonymous
  July 22, 2007
  The comment has been removed