While attempting to install Sitecore 9.0 on a Windows 8.1 machine I ran into a few gotchas I thought worth sharing.
Gotcha #1 – Powershell Version
SIF requires Powershell 5.1 or later not 5.0 as stated in the install guide Section 2.3.2.
Sitecore Support have stated the documentation will be updated to show the correct prerequisites, i.e. PowerShell 5.1 instead of 5.0.
Gotcha #2 – Sitecore Fundamentals Not Supported
Having upgraded powershell I happily and very eagerly carried on. Util my install script hit another error:
I checked my the xconnect-createcert.json settings and everything looked fine and I could see Signer as one of the params specified for the NewSignedCertificate task:
"CreateSignedCert": {
// Create a certificate signed by the root authority.
"Type": "NewSignedCertificate",
"Params": {
"Signer": "[GetCertificate(variable('Root.Cert.DnsName'), variable('Root.Cert.Store'))]",
"Path": "[parameter('CertPath')]",
"CertStoreLocation": "[variable('Client.Cert.Store')]",
"Name": "[parameter('CertificateName')]",
"DnsName": "[parameter('CertificateName')]",
"ErrorAction": "Continue"
}
}
I took a closer look at the script New-SignedCertificate.ps1, part of Sitecore Fundamentals module. This calls a Windows Cmdlet: New-SelfSignedCertificate, however the version of this cmdlet on Windows 8.1 and Server 2012 does not have a param called Signer, hence the error.
