What is XAMPP?

It is a pre-bundled Apache, PHP, Mysql stack on Windows. It’s latest release is 1.7.3 which comes with the following tech specs.

* Apache 2.2.14 (IPv6 enabled) + OpenSSL 0.9.8l
* MySQL 5.1.41 + PBXT engine
* PHP 5.3.1
* phpMyAdmin 3.2.4
* Perl 5.10.1
* FileZilla FTP Server 0.9.33
* Mercury Mail Transport System 4.72

What is Windows Server 2008 R2?

It is the latest Microsoft Server Operating System. You can read all about it here.

Why install XAMPP on a Windows Server 2008 R2?

Just Coz. This is a really good one click installer solution without having to go through individual AMP stack installations. It reduces the install pain and time and does away with the necessity of configuring various config files of each software in the stack to get your development, staging or production area up and running.

Here is how to do it in easy 14 mins (most of the time is to wait for the installer to download and then to install):

1. Go to :

 http://www.apachefriends.org/en/xampp-windows.html

2. Go down on the page to see the download section as shown and then click on the XAMPP Windows 1.7.3 EXE 51 MB Self-extracting RAR archive MD5 checksum: 3635a1c0baf15e8a019009e6c1225389

XAMPP 1.7.3 EXE

3. Save it in your downloads folder.
4. Double click on the installer once it has finished downloading.
5. Wait for installer to finish installing.
6. At the end of the installation the command prompt fire up and you will end up accepting most defaults. I rejected the default of saving the server on an external flash drive.
7. The last screen on the command prompt will have option 1 to start XAMPP control panel. Choose this.
8. It will bring the following screenshot. Click on Start for all services.

XAMPP control panel

9. Now click on Apache admin. It will bring up

http://localhost/

xampp on localhost

This screen means your apache is properly installed and up and running
10. Click on phpinfo() to make sure your php is properly installed. It should bring up a screen as below:

phpinfo screen

11. Go back to the XAMPP control panel and click on the Admin button for mysql. It should bring up

http://localhost/phpmyadmin

.

phpmyadmin on xampp

This means your apache web server php scripting language and mysql server are all working in tandem.

In the next post we will learn to install applications such as WordPress and Drupal on this server.

Here is a complete screencast of this :

How to install XAMPP on Windows Server 2008 R2 from edukatr on Vimeo.