Create a development SharePoint 2010 Environment Part 1: Installing software requirements for SharePoint foundation on Windows 7:

When you try to install SharePoint foundation on Windows 7, the installer will check for the prerequisites and will not install unless these features re installed. That will not be a problem when you are installing on a Windows 2008 server because you will have the option to run the prerequisite installer. But running the install pre-requisite option (Prerequisite.exe) on windows 7 will not run. Also, you must install SQL server before installing SharePoint Server but if you are installing the SharePoint Foundation, you do not need to worry about the SQL Server as the SharePoint Foundation installation will install configures SQL Express 2008 during the installation process. To prepare you windows 7 machine for SharePoint Foundation installation, I recommend following these steps:

Configure IIS by following these steps:


1- Go to control panel then select Turn Windows features on or off under the Programs and Features group.

2- Go to the Internet Information Services section of the Windows Features dialog box
3- Expand the Web Management Tools, then expand the II6 Management Compatibility section. Make sure you have the same configuration as the figure below:

4-Now expand the World Wide Services section and the Common HTTP Features sections: Configure these sections as figure below:

5- Expand the Health and Diagnostics section, the Performance Features and the Security Features then make these sections as figure below:

6-Click ok, Windows will install the features as shown below:

Then you will need to restart for the new configuration to take effect.
At this point your machine is ready to install SharePoint Foundation as I will explain in my next blog.