Microsoft Web Platform Installer (Release Candidate)

This Monday we have made available RC of the Microsoft Web Platform Installer (MWPI) - a free tool that makes it simple to download and install the latest components of the Microsoft Web Platform, including Internet Information Services (IIS)  6.0 or 7.0, SQL Server 2008 Express, .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 and Visual Web Developer 2008 Express SP1. The Web Platform Installer offers a single installer to help you obtain the software you need to build and run a complete Web solution on the Microsoft Web platform, whether you are using Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, or Windows Server 2008.   In addition, the Web Platform Installer checks online to ensure the most current versions and new additions to the Microsoft Web Platform are downloaded.

 

The installer can be downloaded from https://www.microsoft.com/web/channel/products/WebPlatformInstaller.aspx where you can watch a short how to demo that walks you through the installation process. It requires that you have installed .Net Framework 2.0 to start it.

Web Platform Installer Announcement

View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: applications .net)

On Microsoft Vista and Windows Server 2008 the installer will offer to install IIS7 and on Windows XP Professional SP3 it will install IIS 5.1. On Windows Server 2003 SP2 it installs IIS 6.0. When started the MWPI checks for new ASP.Net preview technologies, such as ASP.Net MVC Beta or Application Request Routing and offers them to you to install. It also checks for any updates relevant to the components you have already installed. It probably the most convenient way to build a development machine and make sure it is updated with the latest ASP.Net features.