Installing MOSS 2007 on Windows Vista home edition (32Bit)

First of all, thanks to the authors of the website who published ways to install Windows Sharepoint Services 3.0 on Windows Vista Operating System.

The URL is

http://community.bamboosolutions.com/blogs/bambooteamblog/archive/2008/05/21/how-to-install-windows-sharepoint-services-3-0-sp1-on-vista-x64-x86.aspx

Hats off to the URL content authors!!!

I applied the steps mentioned in the URL. I have windows vista home premium 32bit operating system. However, URL doesn't claim that they have tested installation on Home Premium, however, I did. And I have installed it successfully.

I have SQL 2005 Developer Edition as well as SQL Express. Also have Visual Studio 2008 with .NET framework 2.0, 3.0 and 3.5.

Why I looked these options, because initially I wanted to run virtual PC 2005 or 2007 so that I can run virtual Hard Disk for MOSS 2007. As per the installation instructions, it doesn't support installation on Vista Home, and thanks to google that helped me to find bamboo solutions.

So, I downloaded the files per the URL instructions, and run the installation. While configuring the Sharepoint Services Database, I used SQL Server 2005 default named instance but configuration failed with some errors. Actually I deviated the installation per given the instructions in the URL. Once it failed, I followed the same instructions (installing it on SQL Express instead of regular SQL Default instance), and installation completed smoothly.

Now the challenge starts. I successfully start the Sharepoint services http://servername:8260/

First task is to create a web application, and created it successfully however, when I started the URL it failed with two different errors:

1. Internet Server Error - error on the web.config file.

2. Access Denied.

Please note that I opted Anonymous and Windows Authentication. However, Vista Home doesnt support Windows Authentication, it does support Basic Authentication. So once again I looked into the same URL for possible reasons how to make the website work, but in vain. People were talking about UAC (User Access Control) settings, though I did change it but in vain. So I reverted back all changes.

I tried all options:

1. Changing UAC Settings.

2. Changed Authentication mode in IIS 7.0. 'Basic Authentication' is enabled.

Even completed these steps didnt help me much, so was thinking that what exactly am I missing. And finally I get a breakthrough in the central administration itself.

Click Save to save settings on Authentication Provider page.

Once I changed the option, it solved the problem and I was able to run my team site successfully.