Installing phpBB

Download

phpbb-down: Downloading phpBB

Download phpbb 2.0.xx.zip full package from www.phpbb.com and unpack into a folder in your download directory. Copy its contents to C:\Apache2\htdocs.

Preparing web directory

Clean up the web root directory:

From console:

# rm -rf /usr/local/apache2/htdocs/*

If you would rather use the GUI file manager:

# konqueror&

Then go to that directory and delete all files but not folders, especially rocp folder.


Decide on installation strategy

If you intend to install ROCP as the main site, it is just a matter of copying the contents of rocp directory to htdocs.

# cp -rf /usr/local/apache2/htdocs/cp/* /usr/local/apache2/htdocs

If you want to install phpBB as a sub-web, create a directory in htdocs, say forums.

# mkdir /usr/local/apache2/htdocs/forums
Then follow the guide, taking care to use the sub-web directory. Your forum site will have the URL http://localhost/forums and its variants.

Unpacking and copying files:

Unpack phpBB:

# tar zxf /home/user/phpBB-2.0.xx.tar.gz

Copy to web root:

# cp -rf /home/user/phpBB-2.0.xx/* /usr/local/apache2/htdocs

Create database

Create the database:

  • Log in to Webmin (https://localhost:10000) and go to MySQL server page. Revisit Creating Athena Databases for some examples if you have forgotten the details.
  • Create an empty database called phpbb or with name of your choice.
  • Create a user for phpBB database, say phpbbuser.
  • Create database permission for the phpBB user.

Command line MySQL:

Alternatively, you can try the command-line method described here. Note that MySQL commands can be issued from any home directory without cd to /usr/local/mysql/bin or referring to that directory in a command.


mysql-login: MySQL command line log-in

Log in as root:

mysql -u root -p
Enter password: ********

mysql>

mysql-createdb: Creating phpBB database

Create a database called phpbb

mysql> create database phpbb;

mysql-createuser: Creating phpBB user with permissions

Creating user and permissions

The following command will create a user called phpbbuser with a password of phpbbuser with seven permissions (access rights):

mysql> grant insert, update, select, delete, create, drop, index on phpbb.* to phpbbuser@localhost identified by 'phpbbuser';

mysql-exit: Exiting MySQL server

Let us get out of there.

mysql> exit;

mysql-confmdb: Checking phpBB database

Let us test user log-in:

mysql -u phpbbuser -p;

Let us confirm what we had done.

mysql> show tables from phpbb;


Web installation

phpbb-inst: phpBB web installation

Launch your browser and point it to http://localhost or http://myhost.mydomain.tld if you have a domain. You will see the phpBB installer.


phpbb-inst-setup: Installation settings

Follow the instruction closely and answer all questions honestly. You might need the following data (Warning: Do not use on production server):

Database Type: 4.0
Database Hostname: localhost
Database Name: phpbb
Database Username: phpbbuser
Database Password: phpbbuser
Prefix: Do nothing
Admin Email: your valid email
Domain name: http://myhost.mydomain.tld. If you do not have a domain, use http://localhost.
Server Port: 80
Script Path: / (do not change)
Admin Username: your name
Admin Password: your password

Go through the settings and then click Start Install



phpbb-inst-done: Installation is complete

Installation is done. Click Finish Installation.



Post installation

phpbb-post-inst: Post-installation

You will be told to remove two folders. Do as you are told or else you will not be allowed to log in to your site.


phpbb-post-inst2: Removing unwanted folders

Look for those folders in C:\Apache2\htdocs and delete them.


Almost there

phpbb-login: Logging in

Return to your browser and click Log in link at the top of the page to log in to phpBB.



There now

phpbb-admin-login: phpBB home page

Here is what you have been waiting for, the home page.

Scroll down and look for the Administration Panel. Log in to phpBB as administrative user and configure your forums. If you are not sure of anything, leave the setting at default. Sooner or later you will learn how to use it.



Hosting downloads on phpBB




Q&A

Great! Where is my ROCP?

ROCP is at http://localhost/rocp, http://myhost/rocp or http://myhost.mydomain.tld/rocp. You should go and configure it if you have not already done so.

Is there any alternative to phpBB?

You can evaluate Invision Power Board as seen on eAthena Forums. New versions are no longer free, however. You can, of course, try TikiWiki used to build Shazz Tiki. It comes with a forum.

How do I set a link to ROCP?

You can try addons to phpBB to give it a portal look. Try phpBB.com for one which suits your requirements. The easiest way will be creating a pinned topic with the URL http://myhost.mydomain.tld/rocp and lock the topic.

I want a portal, not a forum...

You may want to consider php-nuke which, like phpBB, is included in some distros. It comes with phpBB as a module. You can also try a fork of php-nuke called post-nuke. A place in which you can search for PHP content management systems (CMS) is Hotscript.com.