Mark's Development Environment setup.

Download PDF Version available here

The following steps are those I take when setting up a base installation, before installing applications.

1. Install Windows 2003 Server Enterprise Edition

2. Run Windows Update

3. Enable Windows Audio (disabled by default)

4. Make http://localhost/ the home page of the browser

5. If you want to use local Active Directory

a. Add a Loopback adapter (so you have a Static IP offline)

  1. Control Panel -> Add Hardware Wizard
  2. Yes I have already added the hardware
  3. Add a new hardware device
  4. Install the hardware that I manually select from a list
  5. Network adapters
  6. Select Microsoft Loopback Adapter
  7. Next -> Finish

b. Assign 192.168.111.111 to the Loopback device.

c. Promote to domain controller (mydomain.com) using dcpromo

  1. Run dcpromo
  2. mydomain.com
  3. Install DNS and have it auto configure
  4. Pre Win2000 compatibility
  5. Restore mode password

d. Add Host “mydemo” to mydomain.com domain.

e. If multi-homed (more than one network adapter), add entry to host file to point back to Loopback IP

6. Change IE setting to not show friendly error messages

Internet Explorer -> Tools -> Internet Options -> Advanced ->

Uncheck “Show friendly HTTP error messages” so any error message will be displayed to ease debugging.

7. Stop the annoying Win2003 shutdown event tracker. Each time you reboot you have to log a reason why… useful in production, but ANNOYING in development.

a. To open Group Policy, click Start, click Run, type gpedit.msc, and then click OK.

Local Computer Policy

-> Computer Configuration
-> Administrative Templates
-> System
-> Display Shutdown Event Tracker

b. On the Setting tab, click Disabled.

c. Click Apply, and then click OK.

8. Relax the password security on this test install. This way you can have any type of password you like.. just don’t do this on a production machine with any sensitive data!

a. Group Policy Object [computer name] Policy

Computer Configuration

-> Windows Settings
-> Security Settings
-> Account Policies
-> Password Policy

b. Password must meet complexity

9. Run “gpupdate” command to refresh the group policy

10. Install WinZip - http://www.winzip.com/

11. Install Java SDK - http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.2/download.html

12. Install Reader 7 - http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

DONE! Your environment is now ready for the other apps.


Download PDF Version available here

1996-2005 Mark Szulc, Adobe Systems Inc, et al.
All information provided is to be used at the reader's discretion, and is subject to change without notice. Whilst a best-effort is made to test examples and techniques provided, the reader is advised to test thoroughly prior to implementation.