How to Install Apache 2.4, PHP5./5.6 and Mysql on Windows Server 2008/2012

Downloading all files

Download Apache

We are going to use the unofficial Windows binary from Apache Lounge for windows.  it is provided as a manually install-able ZIP file from www.apachelounge.com/download/  For 64bit download  httpd-2.4.12-win64-VC11 Download and extract the zip and copy it to the root of C:\. This will be C:\Apache24 when it is all done.

Download windows Visual C++ Re-distributable 

We need minimum visual c++ 2012  http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=30679   

.NET 4.5 OR 4.00  here it is 4.5  http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=30653

Download PHP

Download php-5.X.X-Win32-VC11-x64.zip Thread Safe from http://windows.php.net/download/ . Extract and rename folder to php and move to C:\.

Note : Thread Safe for Apache and non thread safe for IIS

Edit Apache’s config file, c:\Apache24\conf\httpd.conf and add the following lines to the bottom of the file.

LoadModule php5_module "c:/php/php5apache2_4.dll"

AddHandler application/x-httpd-php .php

# configure the path to php.ini

PHPIniDir "C:/php"

While we are at it we can add index.php to Apache’s list just incase we want to have a starting page as php.

Find Directory index and add index.php

DirectoryIndex index.html index.php

Install Apache Service

Now let’s install Apache as a service. Open a command prompt and type.

c:\apache24\bin\httpd -k install

If do not want Apache starting automatically at start-up/reboot:

GUI Way

START | RUN

Type in services.msc, hit Enter or click OK

Locate Apache2 service and double-click (or right-click for Properties)

Find the caption Startup type: (in the middle of the dialog box), use the pull-down and select Manual

Click OK

PHP Edits

Now we have to do a few edits to the php.ini file to tell it to load support for mysql and the location for the extensions. Since there is not a already set php.ini file we need to rename one of the two examples to php.ini.

Rename c:\php\php.ini-development to php.ini

Now let’s edit php.ini

Uncomment extension directory.

; Directory in which the loadable extensions (modules) reside.

; http://php.net/extension-dir

; extension_dir = "./"

; On windows:

extension_dir = "ext"

Uncomment mysql modules

extension=php_mysql.dll

extension=php_mysqli.dll

Save the changes and open a command prompt. Restart Apache to re-read the changes made to PHP.

So now we have Apache running and configured to use php. Lets create a file called info.php, save it and see if Apache parses the info correctly to display the results.

Open Notepad or your favorite Windows editor and type and save the following.

 <?php

phpinfo();

?>

Open your browser and type, localhost/info.php for the location and you should receive alot of information about PHP.

MySQL

Download and install mysql-5.6.19-win64.msi. Change installation directory to C:\MySQL\MySQL Server 5.6 instead of Program files as there could be permissions issues. Once the installation is completed you can let the configuration wizard run and setup the database server. The defaults will work just fine, but remember what you set the password to for root.

PHPMyAdmin

PHPMyAdmin is a very nice tool to use for administering your MySQL installation.

Download and install phpmyadmin-3.4.10.1-english.zip.

Extract the file and move to c:\apache24\htdocs. Rename directory to phpmyadmin.

Create a config directory under phpmyadmin. Open a browser and type localhost/phpmyadmin/setup/index.php to complete the installation.