Manual Installation Overview

This help file applies to an out-of-date version of MainBoss.
The most recent version of MainBoss is MainBoss 4.2.4.
This help file does not exist in MainBoss 4.2.4, but the index for that version can be found here.

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To install and configure MainBoss, some operations must be done by someone who has Windows Administration privileges (typically someone from the IT department). Other operations must be done by someone with SQL Server Administration privileges. Finally, some operations must be done inside of MainBoss by someone with the MainBoss Administration security role. (In some organizations, the same person will perform all these functions.)

Below we list the recommended order of operations for installation and initial set-up, as well as the privileges needed for each step (if any).

  1. Install SQL Server first. This should be on a computer that is accessible to all other computers where you wish to use MainBoss. We will call this the Server computer. [Windows Administration privileges]
  2. Install the MainBoss software on a single computer first. Ideally, this should be the computer where SQL Server is running; this eliminates any issues that may arise when accessing SQL Server over your local area network. [Windows Administration privileges]
  3. Start MainBoss on the computer where you just installed it, and create a maintenance organization database as described in Creating a Maintenance Organization. [SQL Server Administration privileges; anyone who creates a MainBoss database is automatically granted the MainBoss Administration security role on that database. The SQL Server dbcreator permission is not sufficient.]
  4. If you intend to import data from MainBoss Basic (MainBoss 2.9), follow the instructions given in the guide Migration from MainBoss Basic to MainBoss. [SQL Server Administration privileges]
  5. Enter the license keys you were given when you licensed MainBoss. For more information, see Entering License Keys. [MainBoss Administration security role]
  6. If multiple people will be using MainBoss, you must add those people to MainBoss's table of authorized users, as described in Users. [MainBoss Administration security role]
  7. Once you have MainBoss working correctly on one computer, either set up ClickOnce deployment or install the MainBoss software on all other computers where you wish to use MainBoss. [Windows Administration privileges]
  8. Once the software is installed on a given computer, each person who will be using MainBoss on that computer must start MainBoss and add the MainBoss database to their personal list of known maintenance organizations. For more information, see Installing MainBoss on Other Computers. [Any user can add a MainBoss database to his/her list of known databases. However, a user's access to a database is controlled by the user's security roles as specified in that database.]
  9. If you have licensed the MainBoss Service module, install MainBoss Service as described in Setting Up MainBoss Service. [Windows Administration and SQL Server Administration privileges]
  10. If you have licensed the Web Access and/or Web Request modules, install MainBossWeb as described in Appendix C: MainBossWeb. [Windows Administration privileges]

The Windows operating system is full of pitfalls, especially if your IT department has set up a customized environment. For help dealing with difficulties during the installation process, see Appendix A: Setting Up SQL Server and Appendix B: Troubleshooting, especially if you'll be using SQL Express.

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