How to build OpenSSL on Windows with Visual Studio 2017?

Question

I am trying to use OpenSSL but I am stuck on the step of compiling. The OpenSSL project has very unfriendly (bad) documentation.

Is there any actual help how to build th

Answer 1

I've not used VS2017 but previous versions. I imagine it is much the same. In brief the steps are:

1. Install Perl (either ActiveState or Strawberry)

[EDIT, see my (kritzel_sw) comment below: I would strongly recommend to use Strawberry)]

2. Install NASM

3. Make sure both Perl and NASM are on your %PATH%

4. Fire up a Visual Studio Developer Command Prompt with administrative privileges (make sure you use the 32-bit one if you are building 32-bit OpenSSL, or the 64-bit one if you are building 64-bit OpenSSL)

5. From the root of the OpenSSL source directory enter perl Configure VC-WIN32, if you want 32-bit OpenSSL or perl Configure VC-WIN64A if you want 64-bit OpenSSL

6. Enter nmake

7. Enter nmake test

8. Enter nmake install

[EDIT, unless you change the target directory in the configuration, nmake install needs administrator privileges. So the VC command prompt must be started as administrator for this final step]

If anything goes wrong at any stage, check the INSTALL file and the NOTES.WIN file.