Visual Studio 2008 extensions for SharePoint

I wanted to install VS 2008 extensions for SharePoint in my Vista box.I downloaded the package from here and started installing and got the following message

"This product can be installed if Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 has been installed first."

As usual searched in Google and found this blog entry on how to resolve the issue.

It was indeed save lots of time for me. Thanks goes to who ever contributed to this thread.

Windows media player 11 cannot play the movie - codec missing ??

Couple of weeks back I got the movie "Death Race" ( http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0452608/ ) from one of my co employees( Savindu ).

Since I was busy with the project work I thought of watching it after the release.
Just after the release I got my new laptop with Windows Vista installed and was working with setting up my development environment in it.So further delays of watching the movie.

After that I wanted to watch that movie and I opened it with the Windows Media Player in my new laptop.
To my amazement I could only hear the sounds but no visuals. I was scratching my hair and thinking what could be the reason for it.

Then I realized that one of the codec is missing and needed to install the codec.Then I start Googling and search for codecs for Media player in Vista.Non found which relates to Windows Vista in Microsfot sites.

Then I forget about searching for codecs and installed Real Audio player 10 Gold and tried to play the movie(.avi) file.

Bad to worst, got the same error and luckily it mentioned about the component that could be missing in order to play this file which is "ICM.XVID".

Then I Googled with that name and found the following link http://www.divxmovies.com/software/

Then I downloaded the XviD codec v1.1.3 and installed it.
Official site : http://www.divx.com/

Bingo here we go , at last I can see visuals and sooner than later I am going to watch the movie.

But my worry is why Microsoft cannot ship Windows Vista with all the codecs OR at least make avilable those codecs in their support sites.

This is rediculous.......

Setting up dev environment in Vista

Things I have done in Windows Vista while creating my development environment.

1. Installed the SP1.
2. Disabled the Business Contact Manager in Outlook with Business Contact Manager.
Reference : http://support.microsoft.com/kb/903094

Thanks goes to my co-developer Chatura for providing me the link.

3. Installing VS 2005 and VS 2008 side by side

First install VS2005 and then VS2008

Step 1 : Installed VS 2005 ( Team server architect )
Step 2 : Installed VS2005 SP1
Step 3 : Installed VS2005 Vista SP
Step 4 : Installed VS2008

4. Installing SQL Server 2005 developer edition

Step 1 : Run the owc11.exe

This will install the MS Office web components 2003

Step 2 : Make sure to remove the express edition ( MS Sql Server Mobile )

I did install without removing it and finally intallation failed. :(

Once again thanks goes to Chatura for helping me to trouble shoot the issue.

Step 3 : Install SQL Server 2005 dev edition

5. Installing Nant

Step 1 : Extract the nant bundle into a folder
Step 2 : Add the Nant.exe path into the environment variables (path).

6. Adding the Nant Addin into VS2005

Step 1 : Extract the zip contents into [User Name]\Documents\Visual Studio 2005\Addins
Step 2 : Start VisualStudio
Step 3 : In Tools>Addin Manager check NAntAddin and Startup columns
Step 4 : Now activate the Add-in in Tools>NAntAddin
Step 5 : The Add-in should now be visible (you can dock it and resize as desired)

So far so good, I need to see how the box going to perform when I start developing again in full throttle.