I always get the fun research projects.  Ok, this really isn't research its necessity (don't ask) but I was asked so I did.

First thing, house keeping -- head on over to the WordPress, PHP and MySql website and get your downloads. 

For the record, I used WP version 2.5.1 - why?  After looking at their forum and noticing the post after post after post about problems upgrading, installing (new) and not seeing many responses and experiencing these same issues myself, I found it necessary to use an older version.  Guess what?  It DOES work, perfectly.  Scrap the 2.6.  Let me say this again, only using a larger font size...

Moving on -- while those are downloading, setup IIS on your box and enable CGI.

Now that CGI is enabled, let's talk about the php install.  Surprise, you can't do the all mighty next next next next on this install.  Well, you can, but there's reasons why not, so first up, we change the install path.

Why?  Later on, setting up a handler will yell at you if there's spaces in the path.  No really, so NO SPACES in the install path.  Valid install path : "C:\php\v5", "C:\someDir\MyDir\YourDir\".  Invalid install path : "C:\php v5\", "C:\its installed over here\php\in this spot".  Got it?  Ok, moving on.  Select FastCGI from the list of options as such ...

Click next and onto the big "gotcha".  If you plan on tagging this thing into a database, now's the time to tell it under "Extensions" -- in this example, we're using mysql, so expand "Extensions" and find it and tell the installer you want it.

Next and you are done with the PHP side.  Onto mysql.  I'm using version 5.0.67-community, run the setup.  You want a basic install, next next next and when prompted, yes, you want to configure your server now.  Standard config, install the service and include the bin, (next) set the SA password, and off it goes.  MySql is installed.   While we are here, setup the database for our wordpress install. 

Now we have to tell IIS to use the FastCGI that we installed, so with the help of this blog post, open up inetmgr (type it into the command line search box)

Nav down to your main site and pop open "Handler Mappings".  In here, we need to tell IIS "when you see this extension, use this stuff" so we will as the following.  Don't forget the * as highlighted.

If you can't find the exe in the popup, switch out the dropdown.  This confused me for a minute.

Click ok, you'll get an info popup saying "do you want to enable it?" and yes, you do.

Now, fire up your favorite editor, notepad, and type in the following to retrieve the php info screen

<?php phpInfo(); ?> and save it as phpTest.php into the root of your website.  Navigate on over to yoursite/phpTest.php and you should get a nice, detailed page as to what all is running, configured and otherwise ready for you.  Find the mysql section to ensure that it is running (its alphabetical so its not hard to find).

Yay.  Now, for wordpress.  Unzip the files into your website directory and pop open the file "wp-config.php".  Immediately you'll see "db_name", "db_user" etc.  These are what you would think they are.  Fill them out.  Don't forget to generate your secret key.  Now if all is good in the world (and it is if you listened to the Don't use 2.6 warning earlier) you can now navigate over to http://localhost/index.php and you will be prompted for a blog name and given a strange password that you should change.