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 Windows .NET Server Installation Guidelines

Windows .NET Server Installation Guidelines

You can install the beta 3 release of Windows .NET Web Server, Windows .NET Standard Server or Windows .NET Enterprise Server in a virtual machine using the corresponding Windows .NET Server distribution CD.

Currently, support for .NET Server guest operating systems is experimental.

Note: To use SCSI disks in a Windows .NET Server virtual machine, you need a special SCSI driver available from the download section of the VMware Web site at www.vmware.com/download. Follow the instructions on the Web site to use the driver with a fresh installation of Windows .NET Server. If you have a virtual machine with a SCSI virtual disk and a Windows 9x, Windows Me, Windows NT or Windows 2000 guest operating system and want to upgrade it to Windows .NET Server, install the new SCSI driver before upgrading the operating system.

Installation Steps

Installation Steps

If you want to run Windows .NET Server in a VMware Workstation virtual machine, be sure you have a full installation CD for the operating system.

Before installing the operating system, be sure that you have already created a new virtual machine and configured it using the VMware Workstation New Virtual Machine Wizard (on Windows hosts) or Configuration Wizard (on Linux hosts).

Installing the Guest Operating System

Installing the Guest Operating System

  1. Before starting the installation, use the VMware Workstation Configuration Editor to verify the virtual machine's devices are set up as you expect. For example, if you would like networking software to be installed during the Windows .NET Server installation, be sure the virtual machine's Ethernet adapter is configured and enabled. VMware also recommends that you disable the screen saver on the host system before starting the installation process.

  2. Insert the Windows .NET Server CD in the CD-ROM drive.

  3. Power on the virtual machine to start installing Windows .NET Server.

  4. Follow the installation steps as you would for a physical machine.

VMware Tools

VMware Tools

Be sure to install VMware Tools in your guest operating system. For details, see Installing VMware Tools.

Enabling Sound in a Windows .NET Server Guest

Enabling Sound in a Windows .NET Server Guest

Windows .NET Server does not automatically detect and install drivers for ISA sound cards, such as the Creative Labs Sound Blaster emulated in a virtual machine. For details on installing the driver for the virtual machine's sound card, see Sound in a Windows XP or Windows .NET Server Guest.

Known Issues

Known Issues

The Microsoft Windows .NET Server product activation feature creates a numerical key based on the virtual hardware in the virtual machine where it is installed. Changes in the configuration of the virtual machine may require you to reactivate the operating system. There are some steps you can take to minimize the number of significant changes.

  • Set the final memory size for your virtual machine before you activate Windows .NET Server. When you cross certain thresholds - approximately 32MB, 64MB, 128MB, 256MB, 512MB and 1GB - the product activation feature sees the changes as significant.

    Note: The size reported to the Windows product activation feature is slightly less than the actual amount configured for the virtual machine. For example, 128MB is interpreted as falling in the 64MB-127MB range.

  • Install VMware Tools before you activate Windows .NET Server. When the SVGA driver in the VMware Tools package is installed, it activates features in the virtual graphics adapter that make it appear to Windows .NET Server as a new graphics adapter.
  • If you want to experiment with any other aspects of the virtual machine configuration, do so before activating Windows .NET Server. Keep in mind that you have 30 days for experimentation before you have to activate the operating system.
  • In order to install and run a checked (debug) build of Windows .NET Server in a virtual machine, you must first edit the virtual machine configuration (.vmx or .cfg) file. Add the following line:

    uhci.forceHaltBit = TRUE

For more details on Windows .NET Server product activation, see the Microsoft Web site.

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