I’ve been trying to evaluate Microsoft CMS Server 2002 (“MCMS”), but I don’t have all of the required (expensive) server software. However, it seems that with a bit of creativity, you can actually download evaluation versions of all the software you need. Here’s how I did it.

The instructions to follow are very similar to those for the full CMS product. I’d suggest you open these instructions as they’ll be very important.

Before you start, here are all of the installers you need to download. I’ve mentioned them again in context below, but if you want to set them all downloading in advance (there’s over 1.2Gb of stuff you’ll need), then here’s the list:

Windows Server 2003 R2 Trial Software – fill in the form to get a product code, the eventual downloads are x11-03905.iso (567Mb) and srv03_r2_2075_usa_x86fre_adsr2.iso (120Mb) – 180-day evaluation.
SQL Server 2000 Evaluation Edition Release A – SQLEVAL.exe (268Mb) – 120-day evaluation.
Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Service Pack 4 – SQL2000-KB884525-SP4-x86-ENU.EXE (66.9Mb)
Microsoft .NET Framework SDK version 1.0a – setup.exe (103.7Mb)
.NET Framework 1.0 Service Pack 2 – NDP10_SP_Q321884_En.exe (6.4Mb)
Internet Explorer Web Controls for Content Management Server 2002 with Service Pack 1a – iewebcontrols.msi (649Kb)
Microsoft Visual J# .NET Version 1.1 Redistributable Package – vjredist.exe (6.6Mb)
Content Management Server 2002 SP1 Evaluation (fill in the registration form, or go here to go straight to the downloads – the final English download is cms2002sp1eval.exe, 32Mb) – 120-day evaluation.

Here’s how to install the prerequisite software:

Start by installing Windows Server 2003 R2. The two .iso image files you downloaded – x11-03905.iso (567Mb) and srv03_r2_2075_usa_x86fre_adsr2.iso (120Mb), are disks 1 and 2 of the install. You’ll need the product code from when you registered – it should have been sent to you by email.

I performed my install on Parallels Desktop virtualisation software on a Mac, but the same theory goes for installing on a real PC. For Parallels, create a new Virtual Machine (as a Windows 2003 image), and install from the first disk image (x11-03905.iso). It’ll ask you to switch to the second disk when you’re done installing. You’ll get an evaluation key via email when you register, which you can use to register Windows Server 2003.

Once it’s installed, you’ll need to install IIS as an additional component, as per the MCMS instructions mentioned above. Here’s the important bit:

After you have completed installing the Windows 2000 Service Pack, enable IIS as follows:
Click Start, click Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click Add/Remove Programs.
In the Add/Remove Programs window, click Add/Remove Windows Components, click Internet Information Services (IIS), click Details, and then make sure the check boxes next to the following components are selected: Common Files, FrontPage 2000 Server Extensions, Internet Information Services Snap-In, and World Wide Web Server.

Make sure that you also click on “Internet Information Services (IIS)”, click “Details”, click on “World Wide Web Service” (which should be checked), click “Details”, and make sure that “Active Server Pages” and “Server Side Includes” are checked (they weren’t checked by default when I did this, and MCMS will complain later on if they’re not).

This’ll require re-inserting the first Windows 2003 disk, but doesn’t take too long.

Once you’ve got Windows Server 2003 installed, check for all available updates over the web, to make sure you’re up to date. I think there were about 33 updates I had to install.

Next, you need to install SQL Server 2000 Evaluation Edition Release A (SQLEVAL.exe). Install this by following the instructions from the MCMS instructions page again:

In a single computer environment, MCMS requires you to install both the server and client for Microsoft SQL Server 2000.

Note: If you have SQL Server running on a LAN or WAN elsewhere in your organization, you do not have to install the server components of SQL Server 2000 on the same computer as MCMS 2002.

MCMS 2002 does not support Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 configurations.

During the installation of SQL Server note the following requirements on the pages specified below:

On the Installation Selection page, select the Create a new instance of SQL Server, or Install Client Tools option.

On the Installation Definition page, select the Server and Client Tools option.

On the Setup Type page, select Custom.

On the Select Components page, in the Sub-Components section, make sure Full-Text Search is selected.

On the Authentication Mode page, select the authentication mode. MCMS supports both mixed mode (which is Windows authentication and SQL Server authentication) and Windows authentication mode. Mixed mode allows you to connect to an instance of SQL Server using either Windows authentication or SQL Server authentication. Windows authentication mode allows you to connect through a Windows 2000 user account.

Note: Using the SQL Server sa login, especially with the no password option selected is a known security risk and is not recommended. If this option is selected you will get a warning when you run the Database Configuration Application (DCA).

On the Collation page accept the default settings: dictionary order, case-insensitive, for use with 1252 character set. MCMS 2002 does not support case-sensitive SQL Server instances.

On the Network Libraries page, verify that the Named Pipes and TCP/IP Sockets options are selected.

Once SQL Server is installed, install Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Service Pack 4 (SQL2000-KB884525-SP4-x86-ENU.EXE) to update it. Accept all the default options (I didn’t bother setting an sa password, but you can if you want).

The next part of the MCMS instructions mention installing “High Security Templates (Recommended)”. I didn’t bother. You’re on your own here if you want to do this bit.

Next up, install the Microsoft .NET Framework SDK version 1.0a (setup.exe). Just go for the default install. Then, apply the .NET Framework 1.0 Service Pack 2 (NDP10_SP_Q321884_En.exe). You’ll now need to restart.

Next, install the Microsoft Visual J# .NET Version 1.1 Redistributable Package (vjredist.exe). All you need to do is to say yes to everything :-)

Finally, install the Internet Explorer Web Controls for Content Management Server 2002 with Service Pack 1a (iewebcontrols.msi). You’re now ready to begin the MCMS install proper!

Installing MCMS:

Basically, just follow the instructions for the full version of MCMS, to set up users, databases etc. When you get to “Step 4: Installing MCMS 2002 Components”, double-click cms2002sp1eval.exe rather than inserting your MCMS CD. Perform a custom install, and if you have Visual Studio .NET 2002 or 2003, select the Developer Tools for your version. If you have neither, leave these unchecked, or the installer will complain.

I didn’t have either, and so the following were installed:

MCMS Dependent Modules
CMS Server
Site Manager
Site Stager

Once the installer is done, click “Finish”, making sure that the “Launch MCMS Database Configuration Application” box is checked. You can now re-join the full MCMS instructions at “Step 5: Configuring the MCMS Database”.

You’re now good to go – and not a penny spent!

You can download various versions of the WoodGrove demo site if you want a sample site to play with.