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██ ██
█▌ - APACHE WINDOWS VIA XAMPP - █▌
█▌ █▌
█ ▐▌
█ I am in no way versed in Apache. Out of sheer necessity I had to install ▐▌
█ it to set certain things up. So this tutorial is mainly focused on ▐▌
█ settings, tips, security, etc that I did. The installing part is easy. ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ Windows: I'm using the portable version of 'XAMPP' (xampp-win32-1.7.1.exe) ▐▌
█ and love it. It's bundled with lots of goodies all ready to use out of the ▐▌
█ box. My XAMPP is: Apache HTTPD 2.2.11 + Openssl 0.9.8i, MySQL 5.1.33, PHP ▐▌
█ 5.2.9, phpMyAdmin 3.1.3.1, XAMPP CLI Bundle 1.3, FileZilla FTP Server ▐▌
█ 0.9.31, Mercury Mail Transport System 4.62. ▐▌
█ You don't even need to make/install a SSL certificate or enable it; it's ▐▌
█ done, your site is ready to go https. ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ INSTALLING XAMPP WINDOWS ▐▌
█ XAMPP NOTES ▐▌
█ NAVIGATING ▐▌
█ SETTING HOMEPAGE ▐▌
█ SETTING HOMEPAGE TO ANOTHER DIRECTORY ▐▌
█ TO BAN IPs FROM ACCESSING YOUR SITE ▐▌
█ LINKING OTHER AREAS ON BOX TO YOUR WEBSITE ▐▌
█ FORCE REDIRECT HTTP TO SSL HTTPS ▐▌
█ TO CHANGE SIZE OF FILES ALLOWED TO UPLOAD ▐▌
█ SECURITY TIPS ▐▌
█ TROUBLE SHOOTING ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ INSTALLING XAMPP WINDOWS: ▐▌
█ ````````````````````````` ▐▌
█ Their site is HERE, check for the latest versions. They have a very active ▐▌
█ forum HERE with very nice, helpful peeps, promise :). ▐▌
█ 1. Exclude 'xampp-win32-xxx.exe' and its 'installed location' from virus ▐▌
█ scanners and disk cleaning utilities. ▐▌
█ 2. Double click file to extract it. Extract to root of a drive; it must be ▐▌
█ run from the root of a drive. If you do move this from one drive to ▐▌
█ another the Drive letter must be the same, or you'll need to do some ▐▌
█ editing to the configuration files. ▐▌
█ 3. In your router; forward ports 80 and 443 for https. ▐▌
█ 4. To test this locally, and/or with your own domain (see my DYNDNS ▐▌
█ tutorial to get a free domain for your box) I had to edit my 'hosts' file ▐▌
█ which is here: ▐▌
█ C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc\hosts (the name of this file is hosts, no ▐▌
█ extension) ▐▌
█ Right click on file, select Properties, under Attributes remove Read-only ▐▌
█ if checked/OK. ▐▌
█ Open file with WordPad, Mine had this: ▐▌
█ 127.0.0.1 localhost ▐▌
█ I changed it to: ▐▌
█ 127.0.0.1 localhost ▐▌
█ 192.168.1.2 my.freedomain.com ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ (192.168.1.2 is my internal IP on my network) ▐▌
█ Close that file selecting the red X, select OK; not file / save. Right ▐▌
█ click on file, select Properties, under Attributes select 'Read-only' /OK ▐▌
█ / even if it wasn't set earlier (security reasons). ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ To quickly view your own internal IP on the network double click on the ▐▌
█ network icon in your system tray (far right, looks like 2 computer ▐▌
█ monitors flashing), Support tab, will state 'IP Address: 192.168.2' or ▐▌
█ whatever yours is. ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ Windows 8 users: If you are using the built-in 'Windows Defender' ▐▌
█ antivirus then you must: ▐▌
█ 1. Exclude the 'hosts' file from being monitored by Windows Defender or it ▐▌
█ will remove any changes you make to this file: ▐▌
█ Windows key > type in Windows Defender > Enter > Settings tab > Exclude ▐▌
█ Files and locations > Browse button > navigate to file > OK > Add > Save ▐▌
█ Changes ▐▌
█ 2. Launch your text editor as Admin to make changes to the hosts file. ▐▌
█ Example: Windows key > type in Wordpad > right click Wordpad icon > Run ▐▌
█ as administrator > file type box select 'All Files (*.*)' ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ XAMPP NOTES: ▐▌
█ ```````````` ▐▌
█ 1. Apache configuration file is here: D:\xampp\apache\conf\httpd.conf ▐▌
█ 2. When ever you edit a server configuration file you must restart the ▐▌
█ server; stop then start Apache not refresh the ▐▌
█ Control Panel to have the edits recognized. ▐▌
█ 3. Error log is here: D:\xampp\apache\logs\error.logs ▐▌
█ 4. If you get this error: "Warning: include(lang/jp=.php) ▐▌
█ [function.include]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory in ▐▌
█ D:\xampp\htdocs\xampp\index.php on line 12" ▐▌
█ Fix it like this: ▐▌
█ Open 'lang.tmp' here: \xampp\htdocs\xampp\lang.tmp in your text editor and ▐▌
█ type en on the first line (if your language is English) then ▐▌
█ save. ▐▌
█ If you don't have this file create a blank file and name it lang.tmp as ▐▌
█ XAMPP will ask you for your language again. ▐▌
█ 5. For convenience I have: ▐▌
█ a. mysql_start.bat & xampp-control.exe start at computer startup. ▐▌
█ b. Have made a shortcut on my tool bar for D:\xampp\mysql_stop.bat & ▐▌
█ D:\xampp\xampp-control.exe. You need to use mysql_stop.bat to properly ▐▌
█ shut down mysql, for example every reboot. You'll need xampp-control.exe ▐▌
█ often when making changes to config files. ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ NAVIGATING: ▐▌
█ ``````````` ▐▌
█ The root of website is 'htdocs'. Below are example treepaths: ▐▌
█ FILE IS HERE URL IS ▐▌
█ D:\xampp\htdocs\ http://localhost/ ▐▌
█ D:\xampp\htdocs\mewbies\ http://localhost/mewbies/ ▐▌
█ D:\xampp\htdocs\xampp\mewbies\ http://localhost/xampp/mewbies/ ▐▌
█ D:\xampp\htdocs\xampp\index.php http://localhost/xampp/index.php ▐▌
█ etc. ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ SETTING HOMEPAGE: ▐▌
█ ````````````````` ▐▌
█ If you want your homepage to be: http://yoursite.com ▐▌
█ 1. Copy over to somewhere safe first, and then remove everything in ▐▌
█ 'htdocs' except the 'xampp' directory. ▐▌
█ 2. Place your index.html in there; D:\xampp\htdocs\index.html ▐▌
█ 3. To access your Admin page you will now need to use the default URL: ▐▌
█ http://localhost/xampp/index.php. The 'button' on the xampp-control.exe ▐▌
█ for the Admin page will no longer be able to access that. Instead the ▐▌
█ Admin button will now open your homepage. ▐▌
█ If you leave the index.php file in the htdocs dir the control panel ▐▌
█ application button will still open the Admin page, but the direct URL will ▐▌
█ not open your site, it will open the Admin page. I'm sure you can set that ▐▌
█ in apache correctly if you want to leave index.php there so your control ▐▌
█ panel button still works on it. I didn't bother, see below for a method. ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ SETTING HOMEPAGE TO ANOTHER DIRECTORY: ▐▌
█ `````````````````````````````````````` ▐▌
█ For some reason you might want to have http://yoursite.com open a ▐▌
█ different directory than the default: D:\xampp\htdocs\ ▐▌
█ For example you want it to be D:\xampp\htdocs\mewbies\index.htm ▐▌
█ Edit httpd.conf (D:\xampp\apache\conf\httpd.conf) ▐▌
█ It has this: ▐▌
█ DocumentRoot "D:/xampp/htdocs" ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ Change it to: ▐▌
█ DocumentRoot "D:/xampp/htdocs/mewbies" ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ Below that it is: ▐▌
█ <Directory "D:/xampp/htdocs"> ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ Changed it to: ▐▌
█ <Directory "D:/xampp/htdocs/mewbies"> ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ Stop and start apache (via control panel button- xampp-control.exe). ▐▌
█ Go to: http://localhost (It will open up my ▐▌
█ http://localhost/mewbies/index.html, URL will still be http://localhost) ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ *But your default bookmark for Admin page will not work any longer. You'll ▐▌
█ have to either find that path for it and make new bookmark as it will try ▐▌
█ to open: D:/xampp/htdocs/mewbies/xampp as that has been set as home. ▐▌
█ Or you could edit that file to point correctly. in xampp/htdocs/index.php ▐▌
█ Has: ▐▌
█ <?php ▐▌
█ if (!empty($_SERVER['HTTPS']) && ('on' == $_SERVER['HTTPS'])) { ▐▌
█ $uri = 'https://'; ▐▌
█ } else { ▐▌
█ $uri = 'http://'; ▐▌
█ } ▐▌
█ $uri .= $_SERVER['HTTP_HOST']; ▐▌
█ header('Location: '.$uri.'/xampp/'); ▐▌
█ exit; ▐▌
█ ?> ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ Change line no. 8: header('Location: '.$uri.'/xampp/'); ▐▌
█ To correct path, for example: Change line no. 8: ▐▌
█ header('Location: '.$uri.'/mewbies/'); ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ TO BAN IPs FROM ACCESSING YOUR SITE: ▐▌
█ ```````````````````````````````````` ▐▌
█ Edit 'httpd.conf' ▐▌
█ This section for example has this: ▐▌
█ <Directory "D:/xampp/htdocs"> ▐▌
█ Options -Indexes FollowSymLinks Includes ExecCGI ▐▌
█ AllowOverride All ▐▌
█ Order allow,deny ▐▌
█ Allow from all ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ </Directory> ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ Change to: ▐▌
█ <Directory "D:/xampp/htdocs"> ▐▌
█ Options -Indexes FollowSymLinks Includes ExecCGI ▐▌
█ AllowOverride All ▐▌
█ Order allow,deny ▐▌
█ Allow from all ▐▌
█ deny from 207.226.175.210 ▐▌
█ deny from 207.226.176.* ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ </Directory> ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ That will now deny anyone with that 1st IP and anyone in the 2nd IP's ▐▌
█ range. They will receive a 403 error. To send them off to another location ▐▌
█ use a 'Rewrite'. ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ LINKING OTHER AREAS ON BOX TO YOUR WEBSITE: ▐▌
█ ``````````````````````````````````````````` ▐▌
█ Symbolic Links and/or Alias Directive. You can read about this on your ▐▌
█ Admin Page under the link Documentation/Apache 2 documentation /Mapping ▐▌
█ URLs to the Filesystem/ -this opens an outside URL HERE. Basically it's ▐▌
█ like creating a shortcut that the users won't be aware of. An example they ▐▌
█ give: ▐▌
█ "For example, with: ▐▌
█ Alias /docs /var/web ▐▌
█ The URL http://www.example.com/docs/dir/file.html will be served from ▐▌
█ /var/web/dir/file.html. The ScriptAlias directive ▐▌
█ works the same way, with the additional affect that all the content ▐▌
█ located at the target path is treated as CGI scripts." ▐▌
█ Other examples are HERE. ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ This is what I did. I have on my D drive (same drive I have xampp on) ▐▌
█ another directory that I want my users to have access to and I don't want ▐▌
█ to copy the contents over to my D:\xampp folders. ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ For an example the directory I want my users to access is 'wallpaper' ▐▌
█ which is located here: D:\MyStuff\graphics\large\wallpaper ▐▌
█ I want the URL to be http://mysite.com/gfx ▐▌
█ Edited httpd.conf ▐▌
█ Add this: ▐▌
█ Alias /gfx /MyStuff/graphics/large/wallpaper ▐▌
█ <Directory /MyStuff/graphics/large/wallpaper> ▐▌
█ Order allow,deny ▐▌
█ Allow from all ▐▌
█ </Directory> ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ If it's on another Drive, just add the drive in the path, like this: ▐▌
█ Alias /gfx F:/MyStuff/graphics/large/wallpaper ▐▌
█ <Directory F:/MyStuff/graphics/large/wallpaper> ▐▌
█ Options Indexes ▐▌
█ Order allow,deny ▐▌
█ Allow from all ▐▌
█ </Directory> ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ *Note alias '/gfx' is what the user will enter in the URL to access that ▐▌
█ path. It can be anything you like. ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ FORCE REDIRECT HTTP TO SSL HTTPS: ▐▌
█ ````````````````````````````````` ▐▌
█ For my other site I have the entire web-site redirected to https. If you ▐▌
█ don't want the entire site but only a certain area; see comment below ▐▌
█ settings. ▐▌
█ Edit httpd.conf (D:\xampp\apache\conf\httpd.conf) ▐▌
█ Has this: ▐▌
█ ServerAdmin admin@localhost ▐▌
█ ServerName mydomain.com:80 ▐▌
█ DocumentRoot "D:/xampp/htdocs" ▐▌
█ <Directory /> ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ Change to: ▐▌
█ ServerAdmin admin@localhost ▐▌
█ ServerName mydomain.com:80 ▐▌
█ RewriteEngine on ▐▌
█ RewriteRule ^/(.*) https://your.site.com/$1 ▐▌
█ DocumentRoot "D:/xampp/htdocs" ▐▌
█ <Directory /> ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ Or to only have https on a certain area of your site for example directory ▐▌
█ named 'mewbies' enter settings like this for the above: ▐▌
█ RewriteRule ^/(mewbies.*) https://your.site.com/$1 ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ save, exit, restart apache, test that by going to ▐▌
█ http://your.site.com/mewbies , you'll be redirected to ▐▌
█ https://your.site.com/mewbies ▐▌
█ *Note: Something I have noticed with this setting if you have a ▐▌
█ authentication mode for that area: ▐▌
█ When I go to my site http://your.site.com/mewbies ▐▌
█ I'll first be prompted for login- name and pass, submit those, and then ▐▌
█ only are users redirected to https. In other words it seems as though the ▐▌
█ name/pass is being sent via http, then only are users redirected to https ▐▌
█ mode... Definitely this is something to work out and find correct method. ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ TO CHANGE SIZE OF FILES ALLOWED TO UPLOAD: ▐▌
█ `````````````````````````````````````````` ▐▌
█ To allow large file uploads you must change the settings on your PHP & ▐▌
█ Apache conf files, we'll use 600MB file size as the example, change it to ▐▌
█ your own needs: ▐▌
█ Edit this file: D:\xampp\php\php.ini ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ Search for: upload_max_filesize ▐▌
█ Change to: ▐▌
█ upload_max_filesize = 600M ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ Search for: post_max_size ▐▌
█ Has this: ▐▌
█ post_max_size = 8M ▐▌
█ Change to (it must be larger than upload_max_filesize): ▐▌
█ post_max_size = 700M ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ Search for: memory_limit ▐▌
█ Has this: memory_limit = 128M ▐▌
█ Change to, if you don't want any limit: ▐▌
█ memory_limit = -1 ▐▌
█ Or change to (it must be larger than post_max_size): ▐▌
█ memory_limit = 800M ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ Search for: max_execution_time ▐▌
█ Has this: max_execution_time = 30 ▐▌
█ Change to for example: ▐▌
█ max_execution_time = 9600 ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ Search for (just below max_execution_time): max_input_time = 60 ▐▌
█ Has this: max_input_time = 60 ▐▌
█ Change to: max_input_time =3600 ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ Done, save the changes. ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ Edit this file: D:\xampp\apache\conf\extra\httpd-default.conf ▐▌
█ Search for: LimitRequestBody ▐▌
█ If your conf does not have this line; add it ▐▌
█ Has this: LimitRequestBody 102400 ▐▌
█ Change to: ▐▌
█ LimitRequestBody 600000000 ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ If you set it to 0, meaning unlimited up to 2147483647 bytes (2GB) ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ Restart your web server. ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ SECURITY TIPS: ▐▌
█ `````````````` ▐▌
█ For 'Ten Tips Securing Apache' read HERE. This is what I did for what ▐▌
█ applied to my installation and some others: ▐▌
█ 1 .(3) DON'T GIVE AWAY PROGRAM INFORMATION: ▐▌
█ Why give away information that could potentially help a newbie hacker. ▐▌
█ Make them work a little more for it :p. If I were to go to a non existing ▐▌
█ URL on my site (not this site) I would see something like this: ▐▌
█ Not Found ▐▌
█ The requested URL /testing was not found on this server. ▐▌
█ Apache/2.2.11 (Win32) DAV/2 mod_ssl/2.2.11 OpenSSL/0.9.8i PHP/5.2.9 Server ▐▌
█ at 123.456.789 Port 80 ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ Thats just too much info. ▐▌
█ Edit: D:\xampp\apache\conf\extra\httpd-default.conf ▐▌
█ Has this: ▐▌
█ ServerTokens Full ▐▌
█ ServerSignature On ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ Change to: ▐▌
█ ServerTokens Prod ▐▌
█ ServerSignature Off ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ restart apache, test it now :) sweet ▐▌
█ Not Found ▐▌
█ The requested URL /testing was not found on this server. ▐▌
█ Apache ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ You of course could make a custom error page to redirect users to as well. ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ 2. (4) INSTALL A FIREWALL mod_security ▐▌
█ See my tutorial for mod_security ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ 3. (7) BE SPECIFIC ON WHAT IP:PORT APACHE LISTENS ON: ▐▌
█ The default 'Listen 80' directive tells Apache to listen to every IP ▐▌
█ address on port 80. ▐▌
█ Edit this file: D:\xampp\apache\conf\extra\httpd.conf : ▐▌
█ Mine has: ▐▌
█ Listen 80 ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ Change to: ▐▌
█ Listen my.domain.com:80 ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ Also can change this: ▐▌
█ ServerName localhost:80 ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ To: ▐▌
█ ServerName yourdomain.com:80 ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ exit, save, restart apache ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ *Note doing this I have noticed that on the Admin Page I'm now not able to ▐▌
█ open: security page, cd collection, phonebook, or mercury mail. I get this ▐▌
█ error: FORBIDDEN FOR CLIENT 192.168.1.2 or Access forbidden! Error 403. ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ 5. (8) KEEP USERS OUT OF ROOT / : ▐▌
█ I didn't do this step as naughty me has a number of Alias and symbolic ▐▌
█ links to other locations in my box. ▐▌
█ If you don't need users all over your box just edit this file: ▐▌
█ D:\xampp\apache\conf\extra\httpd.conf ▐▌
█ Has this: ▐▌
█ <Directory /> ▐▌
█ Options FollowSymLinks ▐▌
█ AllowOverride None ▐▌
█ Order deny,allow ▐▌
█ Deny from all ▐▌
█ </Directory> ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ Change to: ▐▌
█ <Directory /> ▐▌
█ Options None ▐▌
█ AllowOverride None ▐▌
█ Order deny,allow ▐▌
█ Deny from all ▐▌
█ </Directory> ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ 6. (9)CLEAN UP HTTPD.CONF FILE ▐▌
█ Any line in the file that is preceded with '#' is called 'commented'. ▐▌
█ These lines are generally notes, directions, possible settings, etc. To ▐▌
█ speed up apache a tiny tad and be sure all the lines that are there should ▐▌
█ be there; remove every commented line. Your conf file will be so much ▐▌
█ easier to read and locate settings after. ▐▌
█ Always make a backup copy first; like ▐▌
█ httpd-before.removing.comments.conf), just in case you remove a needed ▐▌
█ line. ▐▌
█ exit, save, restart apache, make sure all is in order and check your ▐▌
█ error.log. ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ 7. (10) PREVENT DOS/DENIAL OF SERVICE ATTACKS: ▐▌
█ See a chart HERE for setting recommendations. ▐▌
█ Edit this file: D:\xampp\apache\conf\extra\httpd-default.conf ▐▌
█ Has: Timeout 300 ▐▌
█ Change to: 30 ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ Has: KeepAliveTimeout 5 ▐▌
█ Change to: KeepAliveTimeout 2 ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ Edit this file D:\xampp\apache\conf\extra\httpd.conf ▐▌
█ 'LimitRequestBody 102400' would be to limit the size per file uploaded to ▐▌
█ 102400 bytes. ▐▌
█ settings would be 0 (meaning unlimited) to 2147483647 (2GB) ▐▌
█ I want to allow 600MB so 'add' these lines: ▐▌
█ LimitRequestBody 600000000 ▐▌
█ LimitRequestFields 50 ▐▌
█ LimitRequestFieldSize 8190 ▐▌
█ LimitRequestLine 8190 ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ Edit this file D:\xampp\apache\conf\extra\httpd-mpm.conf ▐▌
█ Has this: ▐▌
█ MaxClients 150 ▐▌
█ MaxClients 50 ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ Since my other site is private, very few ppl I changed it to: ▐▌
█ MaxClients 50 ▐▌
█ MaxClients 5 ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ PHP - you'll need to change the settings for upload max size as well to ▐▌
█ match your above settings: ▐▌
█ When editing .ini files I open them with WordPad, edit, then save not by ▐▌
█ file/save (which will corrupt the file) but close it via the red X and ▐▌
█ select Yes. ▐▌
█ Edit this file: D:\xampp\php\php.ini ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ Has this: ▐▌
█ ; Maximum allowed size for uploaded files. ▐▌
█ upload_max_filesize = 64M ▐▌
█ post_max_size = 64M ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ Change to match above settings: ▐▌
█ ; Maximum allowed size for uploaded files. ▐▌
█ upload_max_filesize = 600M ▐▌
█ post_max_size = 700M ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ red X, yes, restart apache, test site that all is good. ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ 8. DISABLE USERS FROM BROWSING DIRECTORIES THAT DO NOT HOLD WEBPAGES: ▐▌
█ Edited httpd.conf ▐▌
█ Under Options has this: ▐▌
█ Options Indexes FollowSymLinks Includes ExecCGI ▐▌
█ Change to: ▐▌
█ Options -Indexes FollowSymLinks Includes ExecCGI ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ But I do have some directories that I want to allow users to browse. For ▐▌
█ example if I want users to be able to browse a directory named 'files': ▐▌
█ Add this below the first one: ▐▌
█ <Directory "D:/xampp/htdocs/files"> ▐▌
█ Options Indexes FollowSymLinks Includes ExecCGI ▐▌
█ AllowOverride All ▐▌
█ Order allow,deny ▐▌
█ Allow from all ▐▌
█ </Directory> ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ Test this by making a directory in your website, copy over a file into ▐▌
█ that new directory, then go to that URL. You will now be denied. ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ 9. DISABLE PHP EASTER EGGS: ▐▌
█ These Easter eggs can reveal information about your PHP such as version ▐▌
█ and which modules are installed. If you would like to view these click ▐▌
█ HERE. To disable them: ▐▌
█ Edit this file: xampp\php\php.ini ▐▌
█ Search for 'expose_php' and change: ▐▌
█ expose_php = On ▐▌
█ To: ▐▌
█ expose_php = Off ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ Restart your web server. ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ TROUBLE SHOOTING: ▐▌
█ ````````````````` ▐▌
█ 1. XAMPP Directory Mismatch Warning ▐▌
█ If you get this warning after starting xampp-control.exe - the XAMPP ▐▌
█ Control Panel: ▐▌
█ Current Directory: D:\xampp ▐▌
█ Install Directory: ▐▌
█ *** WARNING: Directory mismatch *** ▐▌
█ Status Check OK ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ This can by fixed by entering a new key in the Windows Registry: ▐▌
█ 1. Window's Start button/ Run / type in: regedit ▐▌
█ then select OK. This will bring up the windows registry editor. ▐▌
█ If you aren't familar with it, it is always a good idea to make a ▐▌
█ backup first: File / Export / save it to where ever you like. If ▐▌
█ there is a problem you just File / Import it back in. ▐▌
█ 2. Left pane navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and then SOFTWARE. ▐▌
█ 3. Right click on SOFTWARE, choose New, and choose Key. ▐▌
█ (This will make a new key with a directory icon named New Key #1) ▐▌
█ 4. Rename that to XAMPP and press Enter. ▐▌
█ 5. Right click on XAMPP, choose New, and choose String Value. ▐▌
█ (This will make a new key named New Value #1) ▐▌
█ 6. Rename that new key to: Install_Dir ▐▌
█ then press Enter. ▐▌
█ 7. Right click on the key Install_Dir and choose Modify. ▐▌
█ 8. Enter in the 'Value data:' text box the path to your XAMPP, such as ▐▌
█ D:\xampp and then select OK. ▐▌
█ 9. Close the Registry Editor. ▐▌
█ 10. Run XAMPP Control Panel and the error should be gone. ▐▌
█ Thank you to the peeps at Apache Friends forum for this fix HERE. ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ 2. XAMPP states busy and won't start ▐▌
█ You can't start your web server- just keeps stating busy. There could be a ▐▌
█ number of reasons. One way to find out the reason is to double click on ▐▌
█ apache_start.bat which is located in your \xampp\ directory. This will ▐▌
█ state an error why the web server won't start. For example when I had ▐▌
█ this problem it stated: ▐▌
█ (OS 10049)The requested address is not valid in its context. ▐▌
█ : make_sock: could not bind to address 192.168.1.3:80 ▐▌
█ no listening sockets available, shutting down Unable to open logs ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ From there I could see that it was trying my network IP '192.168.1.3' ▐▌
█ which was no longer valid for myself. This was the IP that I had put in my ▐▌
█ 'hosts' file (in the step 4 of installing XAMPP in this tutorial). Once I ▐▌
█ changed '192.168.1.3 my.freedomain.com' to '192.168.1.2 my.freedomain.com' ▐▌
█ I was able to start the web server. ▐▌
█ Note: If you have other IPs, domains listed for the same localhost, that ▐▌
█ is fine, it will work. ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ //---------------------------------------------------------------------- ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ If you find mistakes, have suggestions, and or questions please post at ▐▌
█ mewbies forum HERE - thank you. ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█ Last update on 21 Mar '13 ▐▌
█ ▐▌
█▌ █▌
█▌ - mewbies.com - █▌
█▌ █▌
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