Installing an ASP.NET application server

To develop and run ASP.NET pages, you need the following software:

A Windows 2000 or Windows XP Professional computer running IIS 5 or later
The Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1, which you can download from the Microsoft website
The Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 Software Development Kit (SDK), which you can download from the Microsoft website

Make sure both the Framework and the SDK is installed and running on a Windows 2000 or Windows XP Professional system running IIS 5 or higher

To install the .NET Framework and SDK:

Check to see if the .NET Framework is installed on your system by reviewing the list of applications in the Add or Remove Programs dialog box (Start > Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs).
If Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 listed, the Framework is already installed and you do not need to install it again. Skip to step 3.
If the .NET Framework is not installed on your system, install the Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 Redistributable package from the Microsoft website at http://msdn.microsoft.com/netframework/downloads/framework1_1/ and follow the installation instructions on the website.
You install the Framework as a Windows update.
Download the Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 Software Development Kit (SDK) from the same website and follow the installation instructions.

It is highly recommended that you also install the Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) 2.7 package after installing the .NET Framework and SDK. You can download and install the MDAC 2.7 package for free from the Microsoft website at http://msdn.microsoft.com/data/mdac/downloads/.

Macintosh users can use a web hosting service with an ASP.NET plan or install the .NET Framework and SDK on a remote Windows 2000 or Windows XP Professional computer running IIS 5 or later.

After installing the .NET Framework and SDK, create a root folder for your web application. See Creating a root folder for the application.