Installation Options

During Setup you will be asked to choose between Typical, Full, and Custom installation options. You are able to access all documentation and samples regardless of the option selected. The options provide the ability to move some or most files to your local drive in order to reduce dependency on CD access.

The Typical setup option allows you to run the MSDN Library from the CD. Setup will copy the minimum set of files to your local hard drive. These files include the MSDN Viewer system files and contents index files that are used by the Visual Studio development products. You will see the entire Library table of contents. If you select items in the table of contents that have not been installed locally, you will be prompted to insert an MSDN Library CD.

The Full setup option allows you to run the MSDN Library almost exclusively from your local drive. Setup will copy all MSDN documentation and some sample files to your local hard drive. (Visual C++® and Visual Modeler samples are not copied to your local drive in a Full install.) Files copied also include the MSDN viewer system files, contents index files, and Help files that are used by the Visual Studio development products.

Custom installation allows you to specify local installation of a subset of the MSDN Library. The files you select will be copied to your local hard drive along with the files mentioned in the Typical Setup description. You will be able to access product documentation without having to access the MSDN Library CD for those files that you select to copy locally. In addition to any product or sample files you choose to copy locally, select the Full-Text Search Index to search your product's documentation without need to access the MSDN Library CD.

Note   The Full-Text Index is around 100 MB (the exact size is shown in the custom installation dialog box), so be sure that you have enough hard disk space before installing it.

You will see the entire Library table of contents. If you select items in the table of contents that have not been installed locally, you will be prompted to insert an MSDN Library CD.

To install additional documentation or the Full-Text Index

1. Click Start, Settings, then Control Panel.
   
   
2. Double-click Add/Remove Programs. The Add/Remove Programs Properties dialog box appears.
   
   
3. From the list of programs, select Microsoft Developer Network Library <version X>.
   
   
4. Click Add/Remove. MSDN <version X> Setup will start.
   
   
5. Click the Add/Remove option. The MSDN <version X> Custom dialog box appears. This is the same dialog box that is seen when a custom install is chosen during setup.
   
   
6. Check off the items you want to install.
   
   
7. Click Continue to complete the installation process.