Advanced Installation
- Last Updated: March 25, 2026
- 4 minute read
- WS_FTP Server
- Version 2024
Advanced Installation
- Options: Select Modules. Depending on your license key,
select which WS_FTP Server modules to install:
- WS_FTP Server (pre-selected)
- Web Transfer Module: The installation program configures the Web Transfer Module to accept SSL connections on port 443. A self-signed certificate is installed. This allows your users to use HTTPS for secure transfers.
- Ad Hoc ModuleNote: WS_FTP Web Server is no longer supported.
The install indicates the type of installation (new installation or upgrade), and the version number.
Optionally click More Info to view the Release Notes.
Click Next.
- Options: Database Engine. Select the type of database to
use with WS_FTP Server. Follow the additional
instructions on subsequent screens for each option.
- Use PostgreSQL (recommended): A PostgreSQL database installs. You do not need to have PostgreSQL on your computer for this option. After clicking Next, specify where to install PostgreSQL Server Application Files and Data Files. Note: If you previously installed WS_FTP Server and then uninstalled it, the PostgreSQL folder will remain on your drive. You must delete the folder before proceeding.
- Use SQL Server: This option requires that a preexisting version of SQL Server be installed. After clicking Next, enter the SQL Server name or IP address with the instance name (formatted as Server/Instance), Login name, and Password.
- Options: User Account. Enter a
username and password to
create two new user accounts:
- System Administrator account: This account has full system administrator permissions for all hosts on the WS_FTP Server. You can use this account access the WS_FTP Server Manager.
- A non-privileged Windows user account named
IPS_plus the name you provide. For example, if you enteradminfor username, the Windows user is namedIPS_admin. This account is used by the configuration data store (PostgreSQL) and serves as the run-as user for theWSFTPSVRvirtual folder. This account will also access to the Package Storage folder when installing the Ad Hoc Transfer Module, and will be visible in the WS_FTP Server Manager under Home > Modules > Ad Hoc Transfer Access. This account will have access to the top directory of the WS_FTP Server host. You can specify either a local or a domain account. If you specify a domain account, you must include the domain and the account must already exist. If you specify a local account, it does not have to exist prior to installation and it will be created if necessary.
Both accounts use the same password.
Note: Your domain password policy may require that you use complex password rules. If so, make sure that you use a password that conforms to the domain requirements. The account will not be created without conforming to the domain password requirements. Special characters, with the exception of "}" are supported in PostgreSQL passwords. You can use these characters in combination with alphanumeric characters when specifying a password.Note: The Windows user account must comply with the security policies on your Windows server. Once the install completes, verify that the account is not set to expire at the next logon and that you are aware of any expiration policies that apply to the account.Click Next.
- Options: Progress WS_FTP Server Folder. Select a location to install the WS_FTP Server. Click Next.
- Options: Select IIS Website. Select the IIS Website under which to create a virtual directory for IIS hosting of the web-based server manager. If IIS is not enabled on this website, the setup program will configure it. A self-signed certificate is created and port 443 (if available) is assigned to listen for SSL connections. Click Next.
- Options: Ad Hoc Transfer Package Folder (only if installing Ad Hoc Module). Select the folder where packages and user uploaded files will be stored. The default location is C:\Progress Ad Hoc Transfer Packages.
- Options: Mail Server Settings (only if installing Ad Hoc
Transfer Module). Enter the settings for your mail server:
- Mail Server: The address of the mail server to which Ad Hoc Transfer Module will connect to send emails to package recipients, and to send notifications.
- Port: Optionally, specify the port that the mail server uses. The default is port 25.
- User name and Password (if required): Optionally, specify a user name and password to connect to your mail server. This is typically not needed.
- Install: Ready To Install. Review your installation settings and click Install. WS_FTP Server installs.
- Click Finish to complete the installation.
If you installed Ad Hoc Transfer Module or WS_FTP Server Web Transfer Client, you must enable web access for users that will use the Ad Hoc Transfer Client or Web Transfer Client and provide them the web address to log on, as described in Configuring Ad Hoc Transfer Module and Configuring Web Transfer Module.
Configuring Microsoft SQL Server to Start on Reboot
If you selected Microsoft SQL Server for the database and Microsoft SQL Server is installed on the same system as WS_FTP, when you reboot that system, you may have to manually start the Microsoft SQL Server service. To avoid this, you can auto restart the service by making it a dependency of the WS_FTP Server services.
There are two commands you can run to add Microsoft SQL Server dependencies manually, which will then cause the WS_FTP Server services to properly wait for SQL Server to start up (if SQL Server is local).
Open the command program (cmd.exe), and use the sc (NT service controller) command as follows:
sc config "Progress WS_FTP Server" depend= MSSQLSERVERsc config "Progress SSH Server" depend= MSSQLSERVER
Where MSSQLSERVER may need to be replaced if the Microsoft SQL Server service is named differently.