[HOWTO] Make a home server with PHP and MySQL

[Huckleberry Pie]

OK, so while I'm not intending to make my PC run all day for this server, I would like to share with you a little tutorial on how to make your own server, with PHP and MySQL on it.

You'll need the following tools:

* You (of course)

* A fast PC with at least 512~1024MB RAM, and a 1.5Ghz CPU (A dual core will be fine, but if you're building a dedicated rig, go for a 3Ghz quad)

* Abyss Web Server

* PHP 5

* MySQL Essentials

* PHPMyAdmin

And for our test app, we'll use MediaWiki for our test server.

Start off by downloading Abyss Web Server from their website. I'm on Windows so I'll download the Windows version.

After downloading, open the installer. Click on I Agree, and then Next. The following screen will then appear:

I left the options as is, but it's up to you if you want to omit any items.

After that, choose a directory for the server. Use the default folder for best results, although it would be nice if you try installing it in c:\server instead of in the Program Files directory. Then, click on Install.

You will then be asked if you want to start it automatically, or leave the startup work to you.

Start the web server, and then it will then ask you to access the console configuration.

Choose your language from the three buttons on the right side of your screen. In this tutorial, we'll use English.

You'll then be greeted by a screen with some icons on it. At the Hosts selection box, click on Configure. There's an option if you want to add more, but you'll need to buy the premium version of Abyss, although we're not into that for now.

Next, download the preconfigured PHP 5.5 interpreter (the link provided is for Windows, although there are versions for Mac OS X. I think some Linux distros already have a PHP runtime preinstalled).

Install it, and then edit the php.ini file in the PHP5 installation folder. Find the doc_root line, and then add the following:

doc_root =c:\program files\abyss web server\htdocs

Where c is the hard drive that you're using.

After that, you'll need to make the php files work when you browse them. To do that, go to the console (right-click on the blue Abyss icon in the system tray, and then click on Show Console), click on Configure, and then click on Scripting Parameters. Make sure that "Enable Scripts Execution" is checked or else the PHP stuff won't work. Press Add in the Interpreters table. Since I'm using XP, I'll choose "FastCGI (Local - Pipes)". If your scripts won't work and give you a 503 error, set the interface to "CGI/ISAPI" to solve the problem.

In the Interpreter field, press Browse..., go to the directory where you have installed PHP and click on php.exe if you have installed PHP 4 or php-cgi.exe if you have installed PHP 5. Then add the extension php to the Associated Extensions list. Validate your changes, and then restart the server.

I'll whip up the second part later, OK? God Bless and enjoy...

[Huckleberry Pie]

PART 2:

The next step is to install the SQL server. Go to http://dev.mysql.com/downloads/ and then choose the Community Server. Again, I'm using Windows XP, so I'll choose the Windows version. In my setup, I chose the Essentials version, since I'm only doing this for the lulz . Select the mirror nearest you, and then begin the download. After that, you'll be asked to install and configure it. When you're ready with the configuration, select Detailed Configuration. Follow the on-screen instructions (choosing the Developer Machine option works best of you're just experimenting).

You'll be asked to start MySQL as a service. I recommend to do that so that the database starts when you run your PC. Your username is root, and you are required to enter your password. It will then configure your SQL server according to your settings.

Next, we'll then install PHPMyAdmin. I downloaded the zipped version of the script. Copy all the phpmyadmin files at the htdocs directory (preferably in a separate sub-folder, such as "...\htdocs\phpmyadmin").

On your browser, go to 127.0.0.1/phpmyadmin/index.php - you will then be warned that your configuration file doesn't exist. Make a writable folder named config in the phpmyadmin directory, and then refresh the page. Click on the setup script link to configure.

Click on Add, and then you'll be asked to fill in some details. I didn't add all of them, just the following:

Server Host Name: localhost

Server Port: 3306

Server Socket: N/A

Connection Type: TCP

PHP Extension: MySQLi

Use for config auth: root

Password for auth: <insert password>

Verbose Name: <insert name of server>

phpMyAdmin control user: root

phpMyAdmin control pass: <insert password>

phpMyAdmin database for advanced features: <your desired database name>

Click on Add, and then click on Upload/Download. Enter the directories, either absolute path or relative to phpMyAdmin top level directory, like c:\server\htdocs\sqldb or something like that. You may also choose to allow character set conversion, if you like.

Click on Save, and then move the config.inc.php to the phpmyadmin root directory. You can now log on and edit databases.

Next on the list is MediaWiki.

Download the MediaWiki package at http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Download. Extract the contents of the wiki app to your \htdocs directory, either at the root or in the \wiki folder. Go to 127.0.0.1\index.php. You'll be asked to set up the wiki.

Use root as your DB username and your database password as the DB password. Some of the other fields are self-explanatory, so I'll leave the configuration up to you. Click on Install MediaWiki, and you're done. Move the LocalSettings.php file in your wiki's config directory for your wiki to work.

And voila! Your site's now good to go. There are a few bugs or stuff that I may need to fix in this howto, so if you have any questions, ask me, OK?

Note: Your ISP may have some restrictions regarding the use of home DSL plans to run web, email, ftp or Multi Theft Auto servers. Contact them first if in doubt.

God Bless and enjoy...

Edited September 30, 2008 by Huckleberry Pie

[EvoLuTioN]

Very Nice Tutorial, I was looking around for something like this, Thank you.

[Connor]

I prefer Apache. But nice guide.

Edited September 30, 2008 by Connor

[Chris]

Abyss is a pile of shite. Use Apache 2.2, seriously.

[chris82]

Or, you could just get XAMPP which has Apache/PHP/MySQL among other things, all of which is launched from a single executable and can be run from a USB drive.

Pretty easy steps:

1. Download XAMPP and extract if needed

2. Run xampp_start.exe

3. http://localhost/

4. ????

5. Profit!

[claude-5]

i dont really play on my new rig, so will my old rig:

1.9 GHz P4

512 RAM

do the job?

i just want to see if it will work

[Huckleberry Pie]

Abyss is a pile of shite. Use Apache 2.2, seriously.

I could have done this on Apache, but I'm not that used to that server. But I'll make a tutorial about it...

Or, you could just get XAMPP which has Apache/PHP/MySQL among other things, all of which is launched from a single executable and can be run from a USB drive.

Pretty easy steps:

1. Download XAMPP and extract if needed

2. Run xampp_start.exe

3. http://localhost/

4. ????

5. Profit!

Nice... That's also worth noting if you're too lazy or too desperate to have a PHP-pready server.

i dont really play on my new rig, so will my old rig:

1.9 GHz P4

512 RAM

do the job?

i just want to see if it will work

I guess, but you may consider upgrading if you don't want to stuff it...

[chris82]

Nice... That's also worth noting if you're too lazy or too desperate to have a PHP-pready server.

What do you mean? My XAMPP method includes the full version of PHP5 as an Apache module.

[Huckleberry Pie]

Nice... That's also worth noting if you're too lazy or too desperate to have a PHP-pready server.

What do you mean? My XAMPP method includes the full version of PHP5 as an Apache module.

Yeah, I've read it from their site...