Installation and Setup Essentials
To reduce the chance of encountering problems when you are installing a Visual Studio edition, consider several items in advance. For example, determine in advance how the target computer is configured and whether you installed a Beta. After you have installed Visual Studio, you can take additional steps, such as registering the product and installing optional components. This topic lists items to consider before you install Visual Studio and suggests steps that you can take after you have it
For information about how to install Visual Studio 2008, see the readme file.
Before You Start
After you have decided which edition of Visual Studio to install, consider the following before you start Setup.
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Compare the features that are available in each edition of Visual Studio so that you understand the capabilities of the edition you intend to install. |
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Review the hardware and software requirements for the product to learn about the minimum and recommended configurations. |
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If you have an earlier version of Visual Studio installed on the computer, read about how to run more than one version on the same computer. |
Installing Visual Studio Versions Side-by-Side and Installing Multiple Versions of the .NET Framework If you still have questions, you can post them on the MSDN Forums. |
If you have a pre-release version of Visual Studio 2008 installed on the computer, you must uninstall it correctly before you install a release version. |
Readme.htm on the installation media, or the latest online version at Readme. Information on additional readme files can be found in Locating Readme Files |
Learn about the user permissions that are required for installation, and also about administrative setup options. |
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Learn about how to install Visual Studio on a 64-bit computer and how to develop for the 64-bit operating system. |
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Read about how Visual Studio works on a computer that has Multilingual User Interface (MUI). |
Microsoft Multilingual User Interface (MUI) and Visual Studio |
After You Have Installed
After you have installed a Visual Studio edition, we recommend that you register your copy of the product and check for updates. In addition, you can install optional components, such as the Visual Studio 2005 Image Library. Later, you might want to upgrade, repair your installation, or uninstall.
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Discover the various ways you can register purchased editions of Visual Studio so that you can access special offers and resources. |
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Learn how to check for service releases to make sure that your installation is up-to-date. Also learn how to fix your Visual Studio installation. |
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Learn how to receive a registration key to unlock Express editions for long-term use. |
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Learn how to install over 1,000 images that you can use to create applications that resemble Microsoft software. |
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Read about the best way to uninstall Visual Studio. |
See Also
Concepts
Getting Started with Visual Studio