Information here is valid for: Apache >= 2.0.55, PHP >= 4.4.1 < 5, MySQL 5.0.18, PHPMyAdmin 2.7.0-pl2, and maybe later versions (Windows).

Apache

You'll notice a new icon in the system tray. You can start, stop, or restart apache from there. Go to http://localhost/ and if you see the Apache test page, then congradulations—but we're not done yet.

Open up the file "httpd.conf", in a text editing program, found in the Apache directory, under the folder: "conf". Look for: 

DocumentRoot "C:/Program Files/Apache Group/Apache2/htdocs"

or something similar. Change it to: 

DocumentRoot "C:/full/path/to/www/folder/".

Now, look for:

<Directory "C:/Program Files/Apache Group/Apache2/htdocs">

or something similar. Change it to match your DocumentRoot. Restart Apache.

Apache Troubleshooting

After unblocking Apache, and port 80 from any firewalls you have, and http://localhost/ doesnt show the Apache Test page, then try these methods:

If any of these methods dont work, then I forgot a specific method, or I cant help you any further and you'll have to seek help somewhere else. I will not respond to any emails relative to this problem.

PHP

include_path = ".;C:\php\includes\"

For Apache 2.0.*

  • Copy "php4apache2.dll" from the "sapi" folder into the PHP directory. Also, make sure "php4ts.dll" is in the same directory.
  • Open up "httpd.conf", again, from the Apache conf folder, for some more editing.
  • Search for the section about "LoadModule" and add:
LoadModule php4_module "c:/php/php4apache2.dll"

For Apache 2.2.*

  • Download the Apache 2.2.* Handler)
  • Extract "php4apache2_2.dll" and "php4apache2_2.lib" from the zip file into the PHP directory. Also, make sure "php4ts.dll" is in the same directory.
  • Open up "httpd.conf", again, from the Apache conf folder, for some more editing.
  • Search for the section about "LoadModule" and add:
LoadModule php4_module "c:/php/php4apache2_2.dll"
AddType application/x-httpd-php .php .php3 .php4 .phtml

If you want HTML files to translate PHP scripts, just add " .html" to the end of that line.

DirectoryIndex index.php index.html index.html.var
<? phpinfo(); ?>

PHP Troubleshooting

Never really had a problem installing PHP, so, you're on your own with any problems you encounter.

MySQL

mysqlshow -u root -p

When it prompts you for password, enter the one you entered during the MySQL installation.
If you see something afterwards similar to something about Databases: "information_schema", "mysql", and "test", then good!

PHPMyAdmin

$cfg['PmaAbsoluteUri'] = 'http://localhost/phpmyadmin/';
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['extension'] = 'mysql';
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['auth_type'] = 'http';
Alias /icons/ "C:/Program Files/Apache Group/Apache2/icons/"

<Directory "C:/Program Files/Apache Group/Apache2/icons">
    Options Indexes MultiViews
    AllowOverride None
    Order allow,deny
    Allow from all
</Directory>

and under it add:

Alias /phpmyadmin/ "C:/phpmyadmin/"

<Directory "C:/phpmyadmin">
    AllowOverride None
    Order Deny,Allow
    Allow from 127.0.0.1
</Directory>

After a bit you should see the PHPMyAdmin page.

PHPMyAdmin Troubleshooting

If it keeps asking you for username and password, cancel it. You might see an error something like this:

Client does not support authentication protocol requested by server; consider upgrading MySQL client.

Easy to fix.

SET PASSWORD FOR root@localhost = OLD_PASSWORD('password');

Replace "password" with the password used in the MySQL installation, and hit enter.

PHP 5

Make sure

PHPIniDir "C:/PHP"

is in the Apache "httpd.conf" file.

If these methods don't work, then I can't help you. You'll have to seek help elsewhere, for I will not respond to any e-mails relative to other problems.