Hosting an asp.net website in my computer - asp.net

Question

I have an app I am modifying for a client. The app is in asp.net. I have read that I can deploy the app in three ways:
xCopy Deployment
Precompiled Deployment
Web Setup Project
I would like to go with xCopy method. I have not installed visual studio but have SQL server installed.
Coming from a PHP background, is IIS just like apache where I can copy my files inside a directory in IIS and launch the app in a web browser or is there an extra step that required to be able to run the asp.net web app?

Answer 1

Here is a complete guide to:
Install IIS in windows
Install SQL Server Express
Publish to IIS in Visual Studio
Finally, test in the test environment
Note: There is no need to install IIS, just enable its some settings. And you have to install SQL Server and Visual Studio.
Edit:
Install IIS
Open Control Panel, Programs and Features, Turn Windows features on or off.
Make sure that ASP.NET 4.5 is selected under Internet Information Services -> World Wide Web Services -> Application Development Features.
Set ASP.Net Framework from v2.0 to v4.0: Press Windows + R and type "inetmgr" hit enter.
In the Application Pools pane under connections, click DefaultAppPool, and then in the Actions pane click Basic Settings.
In the Edit Application Pool dialog box, change .NET Framework version to .NET Framework v4.0.30319 and click OK.
Install SQL Server Express
Download it from here either x64 and x86 based.
After downloading SQL Server run the setup and click New SQL Server stand-alone installation. In the installation wizard accept the default settings.
Publish to IIS in Visual Studio
Run Visual Studio as Administrator by Right - Click on VS icon.
Right - Click on your project select Publish, in Publish Web create new Profile.
In Connection tab enter localhost -> Service URL, Default Web Site/yourProjectName -> Site/application, http://localhost/yourProjectName -> Destination URL
In Settings tab check Exclude files from the App_Data folder.
enter Remote connection string that you have use to connect with SQL Server database.
Check Update database and click Configure database updates add sql script Grant.sql that you will run in SQL Server which is like:
IF NOT EXISTS (SELECT name FROM sys.server_principals WHERE name = 'IIS APPPOOL\DefaultAppPool')
BEGIN
CREATE LOGIN [IIS APPPOOL\DefaultAppPool]
FROM WINDOWS WITH DEFAULT_DATABASE=[master],
DEFAULT_LANGUAGE=[us_english]
END
GO
CREATE USER [ContosoUniversityUser]
FOR LOGIN [IIS APPPOOL\DefaultAppPool]
GO
EXEC sp_addrolemember 'db_owner', 'yourProjectName'
GO
Finally click on Publish.
Test in Environment
Check that your project files have exits in wwwroot folder at C:\inetpub\wwwroot\yourProjectName. Run your project index.aspx file and test it.