I've been beating myself up trying to install PHP with an Apache server, and no matter what I try nothing seems to work. I'm running Windows XP with Apache version 2.0.55, I've tried installing PHP 4.4.2 and PHP 5.1.2 and so far nothing's worked. I've moved the various DLL files into the system folder, added the "C:\PHP" line to the PATH variable, added all the needed lines of code to the Apache config file, and so far it's either broken Apache or simply didn't load. Has anyone else encountered these problems, and if so what did you do to solve them?

    You might want to look into an all in one solution. Much easier for the uninitiated.

    xampp.

      Are there any packages that just install Apache, MySQL, and PHP? I just want the three installed for me, lol. By all means, if anyone is aware of a single program that will just install those 3 programs, that would be nice.

        Xampp will do it. Most of the extra packages you see listed are actually just php extensions and you will more than likely want them anyway. I dont use windows, nor any of these package type setups, but I assume its a failry clean install / uninstall process if thats what your worried about.

          XAMPP or WAMP are both great but with XAMPP you can switch with a quick script from using PHP 4 to PHP 5. It is a large download about 29MEG with the newest version but you get Apache 2.0.0 PHP 5.1.1 MySQL5.0.18 and phpMyAdmin2.7.0-pl1, plus a mailserver and an FTP server. It is just a matter of downloading the file and running it and within ten minutes you will have all the above running on your WinXP. The first time I set up Apache PHP and MYSQL with reference material it took a couple of days and was not really a pleasent experience, when I found XAMPP I have been using it ever since and don't look back.

            Do I need to use Xampp to manage these services? I don't mind having PHP extensions installed but I don't need anything other than the three programs listed above and I don't want to be forced to use Xampp to manage Apache or MySQL. It would be nice if I could choose what from that package to install, but I may not be able to do that.

            Update:
            I downloaded the complete PHP 5.1.2 install, and added these two commands to the httpd file:

            LoadModule php5_module "c:/PHP/php5apache2.dll"
            AddType application/x-httpd-php .php
            PHPIniDir "C:/ PHP"

            After this, the apache service monitor (at the bottom of the window) but php commands still don't work. A tutorial said that I should add the line "AddModule mod_php5.c" to the config file, but when I do Apache crashes upon starting/restarting. Any Ideas?

            (At least I'm getting closer)

            Edit: It appears that my wish has been granted.

              Well Triad has only Apache, PHP and MySQL but I used it so long ago that I can't remember. You could download it install it and be using it in less than two hours even if you are using a slooooow dial up connection, but with DSL you could download and have it running in less than 45 minutes and forget all the headache of editing all sorts of files, then testing only to find that you forgot to restart the server which doesn't see any changes until it restarts, it is just so much easier if all you are wanting to do is execute and develop PHP code and MySQL. Unless you just absolutelly have to know about something you might only do once, however if you want to make a living out of setting up webservers with variious application then I would just do the download and install and be done with it.

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