Comments on: How to Install PHP on Windows

By: Robert K

Robert K — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 07:48:55 +0000

Thanks for this, Xampp is especially easy to get running and comes with phpmyadmin for mysql too. Very useful tool! I remember the old days of php <4 when I had to manually configure it – a good guide is needed and this fits the bill :)

By: ben332211

ben332211 — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 21:59:06 +0000

One option for getting Apache, PHP & MySQL up and running very quickly is EasyPHP: http://www.easyphp.org/

I often recommend this to newbies’s looking at learning PHP or just wanting to easily test code locally.

It’s obviously not a good option for power users or for running a production server, but is a useful tool that does exactly what it claims, :)

Best Wishes,
-Ben

By: Craig Buckler

Craig Buckler — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 08:20:13 +0000

@Gaitors

I’ve read that it must be secured, both php, and apache, if not secured, anyone may have access to your computer.

No – that’s not true. Apache listens for requests on HTTP port 80 and sends back a response. The only way someone could access it is if you configured your modem/router to forward outside requests to port 80 to your PC.

Therefore, you’d have to explicitly configure your system to allow outside access. Even if you did, Apache is a highly secure web server and hackers would have extremely limited access.

By: Mike Borozdin

Mike Borozdin — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 19:22:39 +0000

Just forbid any incoming connections to Apache and MySQL (80 and 3306 ports). May only localhost be able to connect to itself.

By: Gaitors

Gaitors — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 16:32:15 +0000

I’ve never had the courage to install php/apache. I’ve read that it must be secured, both php, and apache, if not secured, anyone may have access to your computer. I’ve purchased books to learn how to program php, and mysql. The instructions don’t/have never made sense on how to password secure the information. No one seems able to clarify that information. Does anyone here have the ability to explain how to secure this information to someone who has never done this, and is a rank newbie at it? (And incredibly paranoid about security.. my computer has been hacked in the past)

By: Mike Borozdin

Mike Borozdin — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 07:53:02 +0000

I prefer installing it a separate package, I mean I can download any version of PHP I want, any version of Apache and any version of MySQL, although I can use any other database I want.

By the way, PHP works nicely with IIS 7 built-in Vista and Windows Server 2008.

By: Tybe-O

Tybe-O — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 07:24:13 +0000

In several small companies I’ve deployed similar setups on Windows office servers. Usually those machines are also running IIS, for instance for Exchange web access. If the purpose of the Apache server is to host a development environment one might consider changing the default port to, say, 8080. Look for the ‘Listen‘ directive in the top section of httpd.conf

By: Keith

Keith — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 19:48:38 +0000

I love that the article is about installing PHP on windows and the image is of an Apple Macbook. I know you can use bootcamp or any number of other methods for putting Windows on Apple hardware, but it just struck me as funny.

By: alex.w747

alex.w747 — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 14:56:52 +0000

BTW, with PHP CGI you can use different PHP version in different folders or sites and do not change extension.
For example you can create PHP4, PHP51, PHP52, PHP53 folders or virtual sites and publish quickly test your application by executing unit tests with different base URLs.

By: Craig Buckler

Craig Buckler — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 11:17:47 +0000

Thanks for the tip, alex.w747. I’ve never noticed any significant performance differences between installing as a CGI or module – especially within a development system. Either should be fine.

I actually use both: PHP5 as a module and PHP4 as CGI. You can then configure your environment to test the same code in both PHP versions (the subject of another article…)