TechTips - Install a MOSS 2007 SharePoint Server Farm

In order to complete this guide successfully you are expected to already have the MOSS 2007 SharePoint software and to have a SQL 2005 server setup and ready to go.

First thing you will want to do is to download all of the following patches and service packs for MOSS 2007 and WSS 3.0, note if you have a 64 bit machine get the 64-bit equivalent of the patch.

MOSS 2007 Service Pack 1

WSS 3.0 Service Pack 1

MOSS 2007 Service Pack 2

WSS 3.0 Service Pack 2

MOSS 2007 Language Pack (change file extension to .ISO (ServerLanguagePack.img changed to ServerLanguagePack.iso) and burn or mount to get files, explained more below)

MOSS 2007 Language Pack SP1

MOSS 2007 Language Pack SP2

WSS 3.0 Language Pack

WSS 3.0 Language Pack SP1

WSS 3.0 Language Pack SP2

MOSS 2007 Cumulative Updates (make sure you get the most recent one, as of this writing Sept 9, 2009 is the most recent for MOSS 2007)

WSS 3.0 Cumulative Updates (make sure you get the most recent one, as of this writing June 30, 2009 is the most recent for WSS 3.0)

Also make sure that there are not any more recent service packs for MOSS 2007 and WSS 3.0(including the language packs).

Once you have all of these files downloaded, I suggest you place them in individual folders named according to what patch they are, so you know which patch is which, this is important because we will be installing all of these in a particular order. I know it sounds crazy but if you don't follow the order you will probably have to tear down the entire SharePoint install and start over, so try to follow the order and instructions closely.

The one pitfall you might hit when installing all of the service packs, language packs, and updates is when it comes to the MOSS 2007 Language Pack, it is in an IMG format. If you know how you can mount this IMG file, but if you don't then you can do one of two things. First you can change the extension to .ISO by right clicking on the file and choosing rename, at the end of the file change IMG to ISO and hit enter. Now you have an ISO file which you can burn with Nero or most other burning programs and then you can extract the files from the CD/DVD or run the install from the CD/DVD. The second option is to use VCD (I wrote an article on it here) or Virtual CloneDrive (again I wrote an article on this as well) or you can check Google for a solution for mounting either IMG or ISO files. Whatever you choose you simply have to get the files into a usable format.

We will start with one server which we will do a complete install of MOSS 2007 and all service packs from start to finish. This server will host the SharePoint Services and also the Central Admin portion of the MOSS 2007 SharePoint server. So pick your server I will use Server1 as the host name for my server for the example. So logon to Server1 with admin rights, install MOSS 2007 from your CD/DVD by double clicking on the icon named SETUP, MOSS 2007 will start to load and the first page you will come to will be the Product Key Window, you simply need to enter the Product Key and then click CONTINUE.

Next is just the terms of the license agreement page, you can read it if you want but once you are ready click the box at the bottom left to put a check next to the label "I accept the terms of this agreement" and then click Continue.

The next window is where you will want to choose the preferred installation type, click on Advanced and it will take you to another window. There are three tabs, in the first one (Server Type) choose Complete - Install all components. Can add servers to form a SharePoint Farm. Next click the tab labeled File Location, don't make any changes here the default location is best for SharePoint(having said that, you can change the location but I don't suggest it, SharePoint can be a real pain if you start moving parts around and it might not work properly, but you can do this at your own risk). The final tab is Feedback and you can choose whatever option you want, I chose not to provide feedback to Microsoft. Click on Continue.

MOSS will take awhile to install maybe 20-30 minutes depending on the hardware you are installing it on. Once it completes the install, a window with a box that is checked labeled "Run the SharePoint Products and Technologies Configuration Wizard now" (you will not want to run this until you install all the language packs) uncheck the box and click Close.

Next click on the WSS Language pack folder and run the setup program (if you used a folder scheme if not locate the patch where ever you saved it). Leave all defaults. Do NOT run the configuration wizard at the end, uncheck the box and click Close.

Next click on the MOSS 2007 Language pack folder and run the setup program. Leave all defaults and install the program. After it is done it will have the Run the SharePoint Products and Technologies Configuration Wizard checked. This time leave it checked and click Close.

This will open the Configuration Wizard. The first page is the typical welcome to the installer program, click Next. You will get a warning window that simply tells you that IIS (Internet Information Services), SharePoint Services and SharePoint Timer Services will be reset during the configuration. Click Yes.

Next you will be asked if you want to connect to an existing server farm or create a new server farm. Since we are creating our first SharePoint farm we will want to choose the "create new server farm" and then click Next.

The next window is going to ask for your SQL information, you should know this and if you don't then you aren't ready for this guide. Put in your Database server name or IP address, the database name you want to connect to, the username and password for the account you want to run the farm with (this account will need full access to the SQL database it is going to be running, if it doesn't it will give an error). Once all the info is filled out correctly click Next.

Next you will configure the SharePoint Central Admin web application. These settings are configurable and I typically like to specify a port number but you can leave the defaults if you know that the ports will be accessible. The authentication piece might matter depending on your setup but I used the NTLM protocol. Click Next.

The next page is just a review of the info you put in, check it over and make sure it all looks right with no typos and then click Next.

The configuration wizard will then run through 9 steps in the configuration process, it should go smoothly as long as you input all of the information correctly and the account has access to the databases. Once done (takes about 20-30 minutes depending on your system) you will get a configuration successful page, click Finish.

If you have done all of this in the right order your primary MOSS 2007 server should be setup and fully updated and you can now add additional servers to create your Server Farm. To add servers to the farm you will do all of the above in the same order on your next server the only change will be in the third step when selecting your server type, you will now choose Web Front End, which only installs the needed tools for the server to host the websites.

If you just want the steps to these two installs here they are:

For the Primary SharePoint Farm Server

1) Install MSSQL 2005 Database with correct collation

2) Install MOSS 2007 - Complete Install

3) Install WSS Language Pack

4) Install MOSS Language Pack

5) Backup Configuration Database

6) Install WSS SP1

7) Install MOSS SP1

8) Install WSS SP1 Language Pack

9) Install MOSS SP1 Language Pack

10) Install WSS SP2

11) Install MOSS SP2

12) Install WSS SP2 Language Pack

13) Install MOSS SP2 Language Pack

14) Install Cumulative updates

15) Run Configuration Wizard

For the Web Front Ends

1) Install MOSS 2007 - Web FrontEnd

2) Install WSS Language Pack

3) Install MOSS Language Pack

4) Install WSS SP1

5) Install MOSS SP1

6) Install WSS SP1 Language Pack

7) Install MOSS SP1 Language Pack

8) Install WSS SP2

9) Install MOSS SP2

10) Install WSS SP2 Language Pack

11) Install MOSS SP2 Language Pack

12) Install Cumulative updates

13) Run Configuration Wizard

I hope this guide is helpful to anyone trying to install and setup a MOSS 2007 SharePoint Server Farm. If anyone has any suggestions or tips please leave comments.