How do I get Peer Web Services (or Personal Web Server) to work so I have a web development environment on my hard drive?

For Windows NT, Peer Web Services needs to be installed first. Go to the Control Panel and click on the Network icon. Click on the Services tab. If Peer Web Services doesn't appear on your list, click the Add button and select Peer Web Services and say OK. (You may need to have the Windows NT CD-ROM available - if the WinNT files aren't on your hard drive somewhere.) Windows NT users now need to download and install NT option Pack 4 This installs the necessary Internet Service Manager (a necessary Personal Web Server component) to enable checking your pages through your browser.

For a Windows 95 or Windows 98 computer, all that is needed is the Personal Web Server.

Go to Microsoft's page for "Personal Web Server" and download and install the Personal Web Server. It looks like (thankfully) the installation process determines which operating system you are using and accomodates both OSs.

Open your browser and see what comes up when you enter "http://localhost/&quot ; (without the quotes). If you get a screen that Personal Web Server (or Peer Web Services if using NT) then you are lucky. If not, that is when the troubleshooting gets tough. Remember to write down the exact error message and then search Microsoft's knowledge base for that message.