HOW TO: Install FileMaker Server 20 (2023) for 6-in-1 on Windows Server

1. Overview
2. Warnings and Important Notes
3. System Requirements
4. Download the latest version
5. Start the installer
6. Install Bonjour
7. Continue with the FMS installation
8. Open and re-configure the Admin Console
9. Verify Service:  Automatic startup type
10. Set Server Cache
11. Next Steps

• This document uses the acronym, FMS for FileMaker Server throughout.
• The marketing name for FileMaker Server 20 is FileMaker Server 2023.  Claris has moved to the common practice of naming software releases by the calendar year.  Behind the ‘hood’, the version number is 20, and is the reference we use in this documentation.
• This guide assumes that no version of FMS currently exists on the target machine:  FMS cannot co-exist in parallel to other versions of the product installed on the same machine.  For example, if you have FMS 11 installed, you cannot ALSO have FMS 20 installed on the same machine.  If you are updating an existing installation of FMS, version 19.0 or later, please refer to the article that steps you through that process here.  If your server has a version of FMS that is OLDER than 19, it must be completely uninstalled before continuing.  
• Please take special note of the system requirements.
• You will need local administrative privileges in order to complete this process.
• You should close all programs and save your work prior to proceeding.  
• This installation will require restarting the server at least once, but sometimes more.
• These instructions are based on Windows Server 2022, Standard edition, but should be generally equivalent for other supported versions of Windows Server.
• FMS Credentials:  There are several references to FMS Credentials in these instructions.  These are used in the web-based admin console as well as at the command prompt when executing commands.  This installer sets the credentials as follows:
       Username:    lackner
       Password:    lackner (all lower-case)

Heads-Up:  There are several pre-requisites that MAY need to be installed during the course of this installation.  If so, intermediate restarts may be required.  When this happens, the FMS Installer doesn’t always immediately restart.  If this is the case, please just restart it as indicated below.  Upon completion, the installation wizard will clearly indicate that the installation has been a success, as described toward the end of this step.    

1. Navigate to the FileMaker Server 20.1.2  folder nested inside the newly extracted folder.

2. Start the installer by right-clicking on Setup.exe, and choose Run as administrator.  You will be prompted to allow changes on this device.  Please press Yes.
   
   
   
   
    

3. When prompted to choose a language, please choose English. Press OK.
   
   
    
4. The installer may need to install Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) and Application Request Routing.  If so, press Yes.  This installation will take several minutes.
   
   
   
   
    
5. You may be asked to install Bonjour.  While not absolutely required, we recommend installing it.  Press Yes to continue.
   
   

The Bonjour installer is very straight forward.  Having pressed Yes in the prior step, you’ll be presented with Bonjour’s installation wizard.

1. At the welcome page, press Next.
   
   
    
2. Next, choose I accept the terms in the license agreement, and then press Next.
   
   
    
3. Finally, press Install.
   
   
    
4. When the installation is complete, press Finish.  This will bring you back to the FMS installer.
   
   

After the Bonjour installer has completed, the FMS installation wizard will come back into focus.

1. On the welcome page, press Next.  
   
   
    
2.  You’ll then be asked to accept the license agreement. Choose I accept and then press Next to proceed.
   
   
    
3.  Sometimes there is a pause while the installer waits for ports to close.  This can take up to several minutes.  Just wait for it to finish and continue.
   
   
    
4. Now you’re ready to install.  Click Install to continue.
   
   
   
   NOTE:  This step will take several minutes to complete.
   
   
    
5. Finally, when the installation finishes, you’ll be prompted to restart the server.  Click Yes.  If you are not, please do so anyway.
   
   
    
6. We find that the restart process often can hang up waiting for the wizard to close as seen in the screen shot below.  If this occurs for you, just press Restart anyway.
   
   
    
7. Upon restarting your server, you will likely see a notification that the installation is complete.  Check Launch FileMaker Server Admin Console, then press Finish.
   
   

With the server newly installed, you’ll need to open the web-based admin console to finish configuration.

1. Open the Admin Console in your browser (http://localhost:16001/admin-console/).  Enter your creds as discussed earlier in this document, then press Sign In:
   
   
    
2. You will be asked to confirm security settings.  Because 6-in-1 is not used over the internet, and only is used on a Local Area Network, we use Claris’ default SSL Certificate.  Please select Use the Claris default certificate, and then press Save.
   
   
    
3. When asked to confirm the selection, please click I accept the Risk:
   
   
    
4. You’ll then be brought to the main dashboard.  At this point, you are finished until the databases have been installed.  Note that in the Configuration/Folders section of this utility, you will be able to modify where the live files and/or backed up copies will be held.
   
   

After your server has restarted, please check the services to make sure that FileMaker Server is configured to start Automatically. 

1. Open Services Panel:  You can quickly open the services panel by searching for ‘services’ in the start menu:
   
   
    
2. Verify automatic startup type:  With the services panel open, double-click on ‘FileMaker Server’ and verify that the ‘Startup type’ is set to ‘Automatic’. 
   
   
    
3. Start the service:  The service should have already started, but if, for any reason, it hasn’t, start it now, then close the services dialogs.

FileMaker Server only uses 512MB of dedicated RAM for cache by default.  We recommend expanding that as much as you are comfortable with.  For only a few users, you might be able to get away with between 512 and 2048MB, but the more RAM you allocate, the better it will run.  If you wish to modify the amount of memory that FMS can use, take these following steps:

When FMS is installed and configured, the next step is to install the databases.  The following article will lead you through this process: 

https://support.lacknergroup.com/kb/ArticleID/46/ArtMID/2957