David
Mon Aug 08 06:21:12 CDT 2005
Ok, here is the story.
No, we never REMOVED the capability to set the install path for IIS through
the install GUI. If you looked through the history of IIS setup, you would
have noticed that it was never there to begin with**. The reason is
simple -- SYSOCMGR, the component manager for Windows, does not support text
box input, and we are not allowed to pop up our own UI dialog. Everything
has to be a check box and used the goofy "Details" button (instead of the
more modern treeview concept) to drill for details.
I guess that's what you get when you are using a 10+ year old system from a
different era that has never been updated (think back to the mid 90s and you
will realize no one ever asked the questions that you find obvious now --
but times have changed -- at that time, the notion of GUI elements to
configure servers was brand new -- hindsight is 20/20, so we know the old
GUI is bad by today's standards, but knowing the history of the components
is always important context).
So, how has the IIS team dealt with it?
1. For the vast majority of basic users, the defaults from the GUI is
perfectly sufficient. These users just want a functional website, probably
do not have multiple hard disks/partitions, and to give the choice in the
GUI usually amounts to confusion.
2. For the more advanced users that desire complete control, they should not
be using the GUI nor trying to set its default. Introducing a GUI introduces
the human error element, which is contradictory to this user's desire for
complete control. Unattend file should satisfy this user class.
I think you fall into the #2 category, so please do not second-guess nor
read too much into what we set for users in the #1 category. ;-) You are
already in the "special" category -- we presume you have an idea what you
are doing and can figure stuff out. Usually, when you start wanting to
automate, you will also look into the IIS Administration APIs and see how to
programmatically set every single IIS configuration property -- ultimate in
control -- but obviously, too much detail for the basic user and mostly too
much for all but the most advanced users.
Actually, I am surprised that you are writing install procedures for IIS and
actually contemplating having someone click through the GUI. Usually, by the
time people reach the level to record steps taken to build a machine, they
usually have the whole thing automated and the procedures simply document
what automation does -- so that you have manual control if something
prevents automation from functioning. However, realize that the GUI only
offers a fraction of what can be done in automation -- so please adjust
your procedures accordingly.
** Kudos to the person that explains why this is almost true
--
//David
IIS
http://blogs.msdn.com/David.Wang
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
//
"Russ" <Russ@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:7E145964-04AF-4A4A-9560-2668DB83FDD3@microsoft.com...
Can anyone tell me why MS decided to remove the capability to set the
install
path for IIS through the install GUI? I understand that this path can be
modified if an unattended setup file is used. Is MS trying to tell us that
IIS should almost always be installed to C:? We have always installed IIS
on
a separate drive than the O/S. We are currently writing our install
procedures for IIS 6 and need to decide whether to go with an unattend file
or use the gui and let iis install to C:.
Thanks for your input!
Russ