There are many, many, many step-by-step guides from 0 to working playable server in the
Tutorials sub-forum.
If you read them all once, you will see that they are all saying basically the same thing, but with specifics for one or another release. (see
Releases sub-forum)
Most people seem to
choose some other release first time off, and have problems because they didn't read all the guides and understand the few places different releases require something specific.
Best advice is to read all guides, pick one you can get all the right files for, and follow it to the letter...
then when it is working, start looking at other releases and introducing their
features into a system that already works.
Take extra special care with the SQL and ODBC parts, and
do not forget your master password. The securities on your database are so high that doing so may require you to re-install the entire OS, or forget about ever running a PT server on it until you have if you get these bits wrong, or forget that password. (actually, you can hack your way around it, but that will destroy the stability, security and coherence of your entire system)
I;
highly recommend installing and setting up on a Virtual Machine, (
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,
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or
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) before attempting to do so on your main PC. If you open to the public you will likely want to do so from a Dedicated remote server anyway, and the Windowed system within a system you get from a VM is very much like the Remote Desktop Connection you will have on your Dedi anyway.
