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How to: Install Visual SourceSafe on the Server Machine

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The Visual SourceSafe server controls the databases for your site. It also manages the services used by the SourceSafe plug-ins for database access, for example, the LAN service and Web service used by the SourceSafe plug-ins for Visual Studio. It is also possible to use the server computer to support a Visual SourceSafe client.

The Setup program for Visual SourceSafe also offers a Custom option. Use this option if you want to remove Remote and LAN options from your installation.

If you already have an older version of Visual SourceSafe installed on the server computer, the Setup program upgrades your current installation to the latest software version. During the installation procedure, click Yes when you are prompted to upgrade.

If you experience problems or unexpected behavior while you are using Visual SourceSafe, you can repair your current installation by removing Visual SourceSafe software and then reinstalling it. See How to: Uninstall Visual SourceSafe.

Note

If you are removing and then reinstalling Visual SourceSafe to fix a problem with operation, make sure that you back up the database before uninstalling. Making this backup will minimize the possibility of losing critical data.

Installing Visual SourceSafe

By default, Visual SourceSafe installation installs all the components of Visual SourceSafe. Choose Custom during installation to remove Remote or LAN features from your installation.

To install Visual SourceSafe

  1. Ensure that your server computer meets all the server hardware and software requirements described in Requirements for Installing Visual SourceSafe.

  2. Some users on your team might require remote access to the database, for example, a user of the SourceSafe Internet plug-in in Visual Studio. To accommodate these users, you must install IIS on the server computer. See How to: Enable Internet Information Services (IIS).

  3. If secure access will be required, you must also enable SSL, according to instructions in How to: Set Up Secure Sockets Layer (SSL).

  4. If you are upgrading an existing installation of Visual SourceSafe, back up existing databases and inform all users to exit the program.

  5. If you are prompted to convert a database to the new format, make sure that all users of the database can be upgraded to client software that will be compatible with the upgraded database.

  6. Insert the Visual SourceSafe CD in the server computer or a computer connected to the server.

  7. Double-click Setup.exe, and follow the instructions in the Setup wizard.

  8. When you are prompted to select the installation type, click Default, or click Custom and select the items that you want to install.

  9. When installation is complete, if necessary, you can add a new database or choose to use an existing one. For instructions on adding the database(s) for your site, see How to: Add a Database.

  10. Set up the databases for your team. Procedures are described in Securing a Database.

  11. Tell your users the location of installation procedures and the CD key for installation on client computers. You can reuse the same CD key for each user, but you are still required to have an individual license per user. For the client installation procedure, see How to: Install Visual SourceSafe on a Client Machine.

See Also

Tasks

How to: Add a Database
How to: Enable Internet Information Services (IIS)
How to: Install Visual SourceSafe on a Client Machine
How to: Set Up Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)

Concepts

Requirements for Installing Visual SourceSafe
Securing a Database