I have a WSS 2.0 server where the only important site has already been moved across to another server (and works there) so - as this is a non-supported server that isn't any longer on a support contract - I can now try an in-site upgrade from WSS 2.0 to WSS 3.0 without a safety net.

As a result I've been playing tag with Microsoft's upgrade mechanisms and doing more re-boots than is comfortable in a Remote Desktop session.

I printed out the entire "Upgrading to Windows SharePoint Services 3.0" MS paper (link at www.wssfaq.com) and then naturally ignored everything up to the "Perform pre-upgrade steps" section.

There I notice that I need first to check on my Service Pack level for WSS 2.0 and find out (via my usual search at the WSS FAQ site's WSS FAQ section for "WSS migration") that what I have is SP1 and I need SP2.

So the first download is WSS SP2. By habit I grab the URL to this from the link in the (where else!) WSS FAQ site (MS Articles / Downloads / at the end) and this runs OK.

Step 1 complete.

I decide not to bother with backing up the SQL Server 2K SP3a (this is a throw away install in any case) and move on to "Install all pre-requisites".

Here I assume I have Windows Server 2003 SP1 and move on to the bits in bold text.

The first of this is install .NET Framework 2.0. So I find that via www.microsoft.com/downloads and set it going only for it to complain that it needs Windows Installer 3.0 to be able to install.

So I click on the link it provides for that and I install Windows Installer 3.0 (concentrate now - 3.0!) and it installs and requires a re-boot.

The re-boot naturally cuts the remote desktop connection.

I have a few attempts to re-connect before the re-connect takes and I can once again go to www.microsoft.com/downloads and install (for the second time) .Net Framework 2.0 which insists on me closing the browser pointing at www.microsoft.com/downloads and then works.

The next thing to install is WWF 2.2 so it's back to www.microsoft.com/downloads yet again to look for that. The installation starts and after a while says it needs Windows Server 2003 *SP1* (remember that assumption?!).

So it's back yet again to www.microsoft.com/downloads and there it says for the only Windows Server 2003 SP1 it seems to have that it's not the version to use for a single server and to use windowsupdate.

So windowsupdate, which churns its way through the recognizing software bit and only after doing all that tells me I need Windows Installer 3.1. Having already specially installed Windows Installer 3.0 a while earlier I'm a bit pis*ed off at that and even more pis*ed off when after the installation of Windows Installer 3.1 it wants another re-boot.

After that I can install Windows Server 2003 SP1. Which naturally means that I once again have to go to windowsupdate and see it once again churn through the software recognition before finally - this time - offering me Windows Server 2003 SP1. Install that and wait for the re-boot demand ..... which naturally came.

Now finally I can install WWF 2.2 hopefully without needing to first download anything else.

Maybe not, but I have to go to www.microsoft.com/downloads yet again to look for it ...

OK. That went OK but now *I'm* going to re-boot the server because I don't think I'm in a sufficient state of rest (after playing Tag with MS) to go on to "Deploy upgrade definition files and new site definitions to installation directory" as that sound as if I'll need my wits about me.

So, hoping that I'm wittier tomorrow, I'll leave that phase until then.