Your Windows PC as a Web Server
* Your own PC can act as a web server if you install IIS or PWS
* IIS or PWS turns your computer into a web server
* Microsoft IIS and PWS are free web server components
IIS - Internet Information Server
IIS is a set of Internet-based services for servers created by Microsoft for use with Microsoft Windows.
IIS comes with Windows 2000, XP, and Vista. It is also available for Windows NT.
IIS is easy to install and ideal for developing and testing web applications.
PWS - Personal Web Server
PWS is for older Windows system like Windows 95, 98, and NT.
PWS is easy to install and can be used for developing and testing web applications including ASP.
We don't recommend running PWS for anything else than training. It is outdated and has security issues.
Windows Web Server Versions
* Windows Vista Business, Enterprise and Ultimate come with IIS 7
* Windows Vista Home Premium comes with IIS 7
* Windows Vista Home Edition does not support PWS or IIS
* Windows XP Professional comes with IIS 5.1
* Windows XP Home Edition does not support IIS or PWS
* Windows 2000 Professional comes with IIS 5.0
* Windows NT Professional comes with IIS 3 and also supports IIS 4
* Windows NT Workstation supports PWS and IIS 3
* Windows ME does not support PWS or IIS
* Windows 98 comes with PWS
* Windows 95 supports PWS
How to Install IIS on Windows Vista
Follow these steps to install IIS on Windows Vista:
1. Open the Control Panel from the Start menu
2. Double-click Programs and Features
3. Click "Turn Windows features on or off" (a link to the left)
4. Select the check box for Internet Information Services (IIS), and click OK
After you have installed IIS, make sure you install all patches for bugs and security problems. (Run Windows Update).
How to Install IIS on Windows XP and Windows 2000
Follow these steps to install IIS on Windows XP and Windows 2000:
1. On the Start menu, click Settings and select Control Panel
2. Double-click Add or Remove Programs
3. Click Add/Remove Windows Components
4. Click Internet Information Services (IIS)
5. Click Details
6. Select the check box for World Wide Web Service, and click OK
7. In Windows Component selection, click Next to install IIS
After you have installed IIS, make sure you install all patches for bugs and security problems. (Run Windows Update).
Test Your Web
After you have installed IIS or PWS follow these steps:
1. Look for a new folder called Inetpub on your hard drive
2. Open the Inetpub folder, and find a folder named wwwroot
3. Create a new folder, like "MyWeb", under wwwroot
4. Write some ASP code and save the file as "test1.asp" in the new folder
5. Make sure your Web server is running (see below)
6. Open your browser and type "http://localhost/MyWeb/test1.asp", to view your first web page
Note: Look for the IIS (or PWS) symbol in your start menu or task bar. The program has functions for starting and stopping the web server, disable and enable ASP, and much more.
How to install PWS on Windows 95, 98, and Windows NT
For Windows 98: Open the Add-ons folder on your Windows CD, find the PWS folder and run setup.exe to install PWS.
For Windows 95 or Windows NT: Download "Windows NT 4.0 Option Pack" from Microsoft, and install PWS.
Test your web as described above.
How to install IIS on Windows Server 2003
1. When you start the Windows Server 2003, you should see the Manage Your Server wizard
2. If the wizard is not displayed, go to Administrative Tools, and select Manage Your Server
3. In the wizard, click Add or Remove a Role, click Next
4. Select Custom Configuration, click Next
5. Select Application Server role, click Next
6. Select Enable ASP.NET, click Next
7. Now, the wizard may ask for the Server 2003 CD. Insert the CD and let it run until it is finished, then click the Finish button
8. The wizard should now show the Application Server role installed
9. Click on Manage This Application Server to bring up the Application Server Management Console (MMC)
10. Expand the Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager, then expand your server, and then the Web Sites folder
11. You should see the Default Web Site, and it should not say (Stopped)
12. IIS is running!
13. In the Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager click on the Web Service Extensions folder
14. Here you will see that Active Server Pages are Prohibited (this is the default configuration of IIS 6)
15. Highlight Active Server Pages and click the Allow button
16. ASP is now active!
