Upgrade 2003 to 2008 "frontpage server extensions are installed"

[Peter Lawton]

Trying to upgrade a W2003 server to W2008 and the upgrade is disabled with
the message:-

"Setup has detected that FrontPage server extensions is installed on this
computer. To upgrade your server, uninstall this component."

Not only are FrontPage server extensions not installed but IIS isn't even
installed. No sign of any uninstall for FrontPage server extensions either.

Anyone any idea what the W2008 server is looking at to think they are
installed so I can delete it to allow the upgrade to continue

Thanks

Peter Lawton

[Michael Wehle]

I am having the same issue on two different 2003 machines. I uninstalled
FrontPage 2002 Extensions using Add/Remove Programs, but see no way to
uninstall FPSE. What is the W2008 install looking for?

[Peter Lawton]

As there seemed no MS tool to remove them I got brutal in the end.

1) Removed the frontpage ISAPI filter from all web sites and the top level
"Web Sites" in IIS manager
2) Searched the registry for all entries containing "FrontPage" and "web
server extensions" and deleted as many of the keys as possible
3) Used a delete on boot utility to remove the directory "C:\Program
Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions"

I can't see why they insist on not installing W2008 if FrontPage extensions
are installed, why don't they just remove the extensions during the install
process, or at least publish a "completely remove frontpage extensions" tool

[webdezchris@gmail.com]

Did getting brutal work? Did you get 2008 installed? I have the same
problem and and am up the creek.

[Peter Lawton]

Oh yes, I got the upgrade to run OK in the end after ripping everything
related I could find out of the registry, IIS even works still after the
upgrade.

It really isn't good enough though for MS to insist FrontPage extensions
aren't installed before an upgrade and then not to provide any way to remove
them.

MS even supply a cut down version of FrontPage extensions for W2008 now, why
on earth not just ship that with W2008 and be done with it.

I don't think this problem is isolated either, I've had to do the same on
every W2003 server I've upgraded, that had FrontPage installed at any time.

[Michael Wehle]

Peter, thanks so much for passing on your solution! This works for me too.

[Peter Lawton]

Great, glad it worked for you too :)

Just a shame MS forces us to go to these lengths, I bet this is going to
happen to a lot of people, I've had it on 4 servers already.

[bigbcreations]

Thank you! This worked and I can now upgrade Vista Business to Vista Ultimate.

1) Removed the frontpage ISAPI filter from all web sites and the top level
"Web Sites" in IIS manager
2) Searched the registry for all entries containing "FrontPage" and "web
server extensions" and deleted as many of the keys as possible
3) Used a delete on boot utility to remove the directory "C:\Program
Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions"

[slylabs13]

I had the same problem and was not even using Frontpage Server Extensions. Apparently some idiot in the distant past had used them but I uninstalled them.

Two things come to my mind here. First of all, Microsoft developers are too damn lazy to remove all the crap in the registry and file structure to prevent their own software from crapping on their own software. Secondly, Microsoft developers are too damn lazy to CHECK to see if perhaps the crap they left behind is not really running, and so continue.

In either case people getting paid 6 figures are giving us crap software and WE JUST KEEP TAKING IT!!!!! This is one of a half a million examples (browse the web for Microsoft Software Problem if you doubt me) that all add up to gross negligence and incompetence. Hey, pay me 6 figures to put out crap software! I can do that!

[ccdenny3]

I had the same problem as you guys and went the easy route to resolve. This worked for me:

How about just going into the "Add/Remove Programs - Add/Remove Windows Components - Application Server - Internet Information Services (IIS)" and remove the check mark from the "FrontPage #### Services Manager". Also remove the check mark from "Add/Remove Programs - Add/Remove Windows Components - Remote Storage"