R2 express install from the command prompt
An express install of EPiServer CMS 5 R2 will try to figure out a unique name for the web site, database, folder etc automatically and install a site without any dialogs.
This feature requires that you have a local installation of either SQL Server 2005/2008 or SQL Server Express 2005/2008.
Currently you can only do 1 express installation the first time you install EPiServer CMS 5 R2 (as part of the MSI wizard). But, you can run it from the command prompt as many times you want*.
1) Open up the PowerShell prompt from the Start menu in Windows. On Windows Vista you have to right click and select "Run as administrator". If you have a 64-bit version of Windows make sure you select PowerShell (X86).
2) Activate the snap-in for the version you are installing.
Add-PSSnapin EPiServer.Install.SnapIn.5.2.375.7
3) Navigate to the correct path (change to “Program Files (x86)” if you are on a 64-bit machine).
cd 'C:\Program Files\EPiServer\CMS\5.2.375.7\Install\System Scripts'
4) Run the installation script with the silentInstall switch.
.\"Install Site (SqlServer).ps1" –installPublicTemplates -registerSite –silentInstall
Wait a few seconds and voila, you have a new site up and running. Windows XP only allows one site running at once so you may need to do some manual work if you aren't on Vista or Windows Server.
*) There is currently a known limitation/bug that you have to close PowerShell and open up the command prompt again if you want to do multiple installs after one another. We’ll fix that in the next release.
30 September 2008