Apache Webserver Setup - Archaic Binary

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Apache Webserver Setup

Thursday, 24 January 2008

In this guide, we are going to setup a web server running Apache 2.0.55 on Windows 2003.

I am going to use a fresh install of Windows 2003 on a simple server machine; your server can also be simple. A Pentium III 600 or better should do the job.

This is what I would recommend at the very least...

Pentium III 600
256 MB Memory (512 Preferred)
10/100 Network Card
12GB Hard Drive (Bigger for more storage on your website)

Boot up your server and let’s begin. If you are presented with the Windows 2003; Configure Your Server Wizard, check the box to never startup again and close the window.

Open Internet Explorer and go to ‘www.apache.org’. You may be presented with some Internet Explorer warnings, just click ‘Ok’ to close the warning. This warning is generated because Windows 2003 has some new security that tightens down Internet Explorer.

On the Apache page, on your left choose ‘HTTP Server’ when the new page loads, again on your left choose ‘from a mirror’ under “Download!”. On the middle of the page on your right you should see an area labeled ‘Apache HTTP Server 2.0.55 is the best available version’ (at the time of writing this document of course). Click the link next to Win32 Binary (MSI Installer); named: ‘apache_2.0.55-win32-x86-no_ssl.msi’. You should be presented with an Internet Explorer warning, just click the ‘Add’ button then click the next ‘Add’ button and then click ‘Close’, then click on the link again to download this file and save it to your desktop for the moment.

Once the download completes, close all windows you have open, and return to the Desktop. Double click to run the file you just downloaded.

The Apache Installer will start. Click ‘Next’ to begin. On the license page, you can read it, and then check the radio button ‘I accept’ then click ‘Next’. You should now be at the ‘Read This First’ page, read some, and then click ‘Next’.

Now we have some settings to complete, this should be self explaining, but we can go through it. First, you’re Network Domain. This is your DNS suffix you can choose anything you want, just make sure you OWN THE DOMAIN if you are setting this up on the internet because if you choose somebody else’s domain, you still cannot change the DNS settings on the master servers, so NO YOU CANNOT take over their site this easily. Sorry.

For your server name, you can choose anything; most common is www.(Network Domain) for example:

www.archaicbinary.net

Then for your Administrator’s Email Address, just put in your primary mail address for the server to send error reports and show on error pages. If you own a domain with mail settings, you probably have This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or whatever.

So far we have done…

(My Examples)
Network Domain: walkthrough.test
Server Name: www.walkthrough.test
Administrator’s Email Address: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

I recommend that you choose to ‘Install Apache HTTP Server 2.0’ for ‘All Users on Port 80’ and then click ‘Next’.

Now you will be asked for a Typical or Custom Install. The best is a Typical since it will give the options we need for this document and get you up and running faster. When asked for your Destination Folder, the default will do fine, so click ‘Next’. Then click ‘Install’ to start the process. When it is done, click ‘Finish’.

Now if you look in your system tray (near the time) you should have a new icon, a feather type thing with a green arrow facing to the right. Click on Start -> Programs -> Internet Explorer and go to the website ‘localhost’ Which means connect to yourself. You should get a Test Page for Apache.

Others can view this site by connecting to your IP Address or Host Name if you registered your IP Address with a DNS Provider. If you have a router or firewall you must open port 80 for traffic from outside your network to connect to your Apache Web Server.

If you open My Computer (from the Start Menu) open the ‘Local Disk (C:\)’ drive then open the folder ‘Program Files’ you will have a folder called ‘Apache Group’ open it then open the folder ‘Apache2’. Inside here, you should find a folder called ‘htdocs’ open this folder, there should be a lot of language files .en .es .it and all that stuff, you can delete all files in here and this is where you will place your HTML files.

Name your first HTML file ‘index.html’ or ‘index.htm’ and place them in the ‘htdocs’ folder. The server will serve these files first.

You have just setup a simple Apache HTTP Server.

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