Test drive SharePoint 2007 on your PC with win03_moss.vhd

If you want to evaluate SharePoint 2007, you have to install the software on a server running Windows Server 2003. If you do not have a Windows Server 2003 environment readily available, you can download a pre-configured VHD from Microsoft website. Microsoft has a VHD Test Drive Program which provides an enhanced server-based software evaluation. Basically it is a try before you buy program. Here is the link to Microsoft’s VHD Test Drive Program for SharePoint 2007.

But in order to run the pre-configured VHD of SharePoint 2007, you must also download and install Virtual Server 2005 R2. Here is the link to download Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2. There are two downloads for Virtual Server 2005 R2 Enterprise Edition; the 32-bit and 64-bit download.

How to install SharePoint 2007 VHD?


Step 1 – Download SharePoint 2007 VHD
Step 2 – Download Virtual Server 2005 R2
Step 3 – Install Virtual Server 2005 R2. I installed Virtual Server 2005 R2 on my Windows XP Professional PC. You can install Virtual Server 2005 R2 on either :

System Requirements for Virtual Server 2005 R2

Step 4 – Run WIN03_MOSS_V2.part01.exe which you downloaded from Microsoft’s VHD Test Program website. This will extract the VHD files into a folder on your computer.

Step 5 – Startup Virtual Server Administration website.
Start > All Programs > Microsoft Virtual Server > Virtual Server Administration Website

Step 6 – In the navigation pane, under Virtual Machines, click Add. In Fully qualified path to file, type the fully qualified path to the WIN03_MOSS.VMC file. This file can be found in the folder where you extract the contents of the SharePoint 2007 vhd.

Step 7 – start your virtual machine and access its contents.
Then locate your evaluation virtual machine in the list of available virtual machines in the Status panel and point to the name of the virtual machine to manage.
In the menu of options click on Turn On – note that the status of the virtual machine has changed from Off to Running
Point to the name of the virtual machine again and select Remote Control from the menu.

Step 8 – You may be prompted for credentials to access the remote view of your virtual machine. If you are prompted, use the credentials you used to install Virtual Server on this computer.

Step 9 – Use the following information to log on to Microsoft Windows contained within the virtual machine
Username: Administrator
Password: pass@word1

Step 10 – Open Internet Browser and you are connected to the SharePoint site.