phpBB 2.0.20

Building a Web Server, for Windows

Requirements

• Apache 2.0
• PHP 4.4
• [while it is possible to run phpBB under PHP5 -- officially: running phpBB 2.0.x with PHP5 is not supported]
• MySQL 4.0;
  MySQL 4.1/5.0 in combination with PHP's extension 'php_mysql.dll' (the only PHP MySQL extension phpBB2 supports) will require the use of MySQL 'old_password()' function -- for phpBB's database user password
• [It is recommended to only use MySQL v4.0 or v4.1 -- MySQL v5.0 requires minor changes to phpBB2 and the combination is still relatively new]
• Notes:
  • phpBB2 uses PHP extension 'php_mysql.dll' and not 'php_mysqli.dll' -- make sure that under php.ini, PHP extension 'php_mysql.dll' is present and uncommented (under PHP v4, 'php_mysql.dll' support is built in).
  • If using MySQL 5.0, under phpBB, edit file 'install/schemas/mysql_schema.sql'...
    find and replace bbcode_uid char(10) NOT NULL,
    with bbcode_uid char(10) DEFAULT '' NOT NULL,

Download

• Package(full package) : Select from mirror phpBB-2.0.20.zip

Our Configuration

• Install to : C:\www\phpBB2
• [note that phpBB2 will be placed outside of Apache's webroot]
• Access phpBB2 index/forums as : http://localhost/forums/
• Apache's path : C:\www\Apache2
• Apache's webroot : C:\www\webroot
• MySQL's path : C:\www\mysql
• phpBB's MySQL info...
  • database name : phpBB2
  • database's username : phpBB2user
  • database's username password : dbpassword
  • [note to substitute each occurrence of this password under this Guide, for your own alternative]
  • database's table prefix: phpbb_
• phpBB's Admin info...
  • Administrator Username: admin
  • Administrator Password: adminpassword
  • [note to substitute each occurrence of this password under this Guide, for your own alternative]

Setup phpBB's MySQL database and user

• Access the MySQL prompt...
  • C:\www\mysql\bin> mysql -u root -p
  • [note that if password for MySQL user 'root' has not been set; when prompted for the password, leave line blank and hit Enter]
• Create database 'phpBB2' (phpBB's main database, which will hold all tables)...
  • mysql> CREATE DATABASE phpBB2;
• Create secured account with user 'phpBB2user' and password 'dbpassword' (secured account -- only accessible from 'localhost', access permitted only to database 'phpBB2', only needed privileges granted)...
  • mysql> GRANT SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, INDEX, ALTER, CREATE, DROP ON phpBB2.* TO 'phpBB2user'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'dbpassword';
  • [note password 'dbpassword' -- substitute in selected alternative]
  • [note that DROP is only required for database restores, and ALTER is only required for certain modules and future upgrades]
  • When using MySQL 4.1/5.0 with PHP MySQL extension 'php_mysql.dll', the password created for MySQL user 'phpBB2user' will need to be re-processed with a MySQL v4.0 hashing algorithm -- phpBB2 can only use extension php_mysql [over extension php_mysqli] which does not contain the new/improved authentication protocol that is used by MySQL 4.1/5.0...
    mysql> SET PASSWORD FOR 'phpBB2user'@'localhost' = OLD_PASSWORD('dbpassword');
  • [again, note password 'dbpassword']
  • mysql> FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
  • mysql> quit;

Configuration for Apache 2.0

• Edit file C:\www\Apache2\conf\httpd.conf; uncomment line (remove the beginning character '#')...
  • LoadModule alias_module modules/mod_alias.so
• Edit file C:\www\Apache2\conf\httpd.conf; insert code...
  • <IfModule mod_alias.c>
         Alias /forums "C:/www/phpBB2"
    </IfModule>
    
  • <Directory "C:/www/phpBB2">
         Options None
         AllowOverride None
         order allow,deny
         allow from all
    
         AddType text/html .php
         AddHandler application/x-httpd-php .php
    </Directory>
    
• Make sure the 'DirectoryIndex' line has 'index.php' appened to it...
  DirectoryIndex index.html index.php
• Restart Apache

Setup

• Unpack as C:\www\phpBB-2.0.20
• Rename directory C:\www\phpBB-2.0.20 to C:\www\phpBB2
• Start (or restart) Apache at this point, for httpd.conf changes to take effect.
• Visit http://localhost/forums/install/install.php and fill out all the requested information, then select "Start Install"...
  • Basic Configuration
    • Default board language: English
    • Database Type: MySQL 4.x
    • [Select 'MySQL 4.x' regardless of MySQL version]
    • Choose your installation method: Install
  • Database Configuration
    • Database Server Hostname / DSN: localhost
    • Your Database Name: phpBB2
    • Database Username: phpBB2user
    • Database Password: dbpassword
    • [note password 'dbpassword' -- substitute in selected alternative]
    • Prefix for tables in database: phpbb_
  • Admin Configuration
    • Admin Email Address: admin@localhost
    • Domain Name: localhost
    • Server Port: 80
    • Script path: /forums/
    • Administrator Username: admin
    • Administrator Password: adminpassword
    • [note password 'adminpassword' -- substitute in selected alternative]
    • Administrator Password [ Confirm ]: adminpassword
• At this point you should see a screen with the following text...
  • Your admin username has been created. At this point your basic installation is complete. You will now be taken to a screen which will allow you to administer your new installation. Please be sure to check the General Configuration details and make any required changes. Thank you for choosing phpBB 2.
  • Before selecting "Finish Installation", the following directories must be deleted...
    • C:\www\phpBB2\install
    • C:\www\phpBB2\contrib
    • [optional] C:\www\phpBB2\docs

Testing

• Access URL http://localhost/forums