Default Install Folder for websites?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jason Madison
  • Start date Start date
J

Jason Madison

We write a web-based application and currently our installer installs the
web site to

c:\program files\(vendor name)\(app name)\

Someone told me that this isn't the place to install a web site.

Is there a Microsoft recommendation as to where a web site should be
installed?

Also is there an installer Microsoft newsgroup?
 
We write a web-based application and currently our installer installs the
web site to

c:\program files\(vendor name)\(app name)\

Someone told me that this isn't the place to install a web site.

Is there a Microsoft recommendation as to where a web site should be
installed?

Also is there an installer Microsoft newsgroup?
Click to expand...

It should be no problem with appropriate NTFS permissions (other
folders not accessible through web browsers). While Microsoft installs
its SharePoint in C:\Program Files, for performance optimization it
might be better to use a different hard disk than C:\ where the server
operating system is normally installed. It will be also easier to
manage permissions when you would have you site installed on a new
drive in the parent directory just under root, e.g. D:\(app name).
Also don't forget about log files from C:\WINDOWS\system32\LogFiles -
this might need to be changed as well.

A proper installer should ask about path
 
re:
!> Is there a Microsoft recommendation as to where a web site should be installed?

By default, the IIS directory structure is located at :

installdrive:\inetpub\wwwroot

You can install your application as a subdirectory of wwwroot.

That said, there's nothing wrong with installing your app as a subdirectory of Program Files.

installdrive:\program files\(vendor name)\(app name)\ is a perfectly acceptable option.

At least one major vendor I know, Telligent Systems, uses that option...with no problems.

re:
!> Also is there an installer Microsoft newsgroup?

microsoft.public.platformsdk.msi on this same news server
There's lively discussions there.

Here's the documentation center for msi :
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc185688(VS.85).aspx

The Reference is there as well as scripting examples.


Btw, for web applications you could look into creating a Setup and Deployment Project
from within Visual Studio. It's a relatively painless way to deploy web apps.

To do that, with your application project open in either VS 2005 or VS 2008 :

"File", "Add", "New Project", scroll down to "Other Project Types",
"Setup and Deployment", and select "Web Setup Project".




Juan T. Llibre, asp.net MVP
asp.net faq : http://asp.net.do/faq/
foros de asp.net, en español : http://asp.net.do/foros/
======================================
 
I agree, install on a different drive and use a virtual dir in
c:/inetpub/wwwroot. I also find that mimicking the path structure can help
keep things in sync -> D:/Inetpub/wwwroot/<appdir> as for the installer I
don't know, all of my apps are internal so I just file copy or publish.

We write a web-based application and currently our installer installs the
web site to

c:\program files\(vendor name)\(app name)\

Someone told me that this isn't the place to install a web site.

Is there a Microsoft recommendation as to where a web site should be
installed?

Also is there an installer Microsoft newsgroup?
Click to expand...

It should be no problem with appropriate NTFS permissions (other
folders not accessible through web browsers). While Microsoft installs
its SharePoint in C:\Program Files, for performance optimization it
might be better to use a different hard disk than C:\ where the server
operating system is normally installed. It will be also easier to
manage permissions when you would have you site installed on a new
drive in the parent directory just under root, e.g. D:\(app name).
Also don't forget about log files from C:\WINDOWS\system32\LogFiles -
this might need to be changed as well.

A proper installer should ask about path
 
I would want to install to a directory that the end user always backs up and
has fast and easy retrieval wouldn't you?
Generally speaking that implies the wwwroot folder or the My Web Sites
folder.
 
Back
Top