Perl CGI: The Happy Path: Installing Apache

Now, you have to get Apache for windows (it is already installed on any self respecting Unix system). Apache is a free (both in terms of cost and in terms of more important freedoms) and can be downloaded from the www.apache.org website. I have included a recent version on the supplied CDRom for the bandwidth repressed.

We installed the installer previously when we installed Perl (you are staying on the happy path, aren't you?). Use the following steps to install Apache.

1. Double click on "My Computer"
2. Double click the icon for the CDRom drive where you have inserted the supplied CD.
3. Double click the "Apache" folder.
4. Double click the "Apache...." icon. The name will change with the version being released, but should start with "Apache...". If I have put multiple versions of Apache in this folder, use the one with the highest version number.
5. Accept the defaults (next, accept, next, next)
6. When asked for a network domain, enter executrain.com. When asked for servername, enter www.executrain.com. When asked for email, enter your email address. These values are not particularly important, but you have to enter something to continue. When asked, select "install as service for all users".
7. continue with defaults (next, complete, next, next, install, finish, reboot)

Now we can configure Apache. You should not need to actually do anything here, but I wanted you to see the configuration file as it is a very rich source of information.

1. Click start-> Programs-> Apache HTTPD Server-> Configure Apache Server-> Edit Configuration.
2. Look at the file, but don't touch anything yet , lest you stray from the happy path and despair of all hope.

Now we can test our installation.

1. Microsoft personal web server, like many Microsoft programs, makes it easy to enter but impossible to leave. I spent about 20 minutes trying to figure out how to do a well behaved disable for the one installed on your workstations, and could not find it. I could nuke it, but would prefer a clean disable. In the mean time, every time you reboot, I believe you will have to right click the Personal Web Server icon, click properties, close the annoying tips window, and click on the "stop service" button.
2. Now bring up the apache web server (again, will be necessary with each reboot unless we tell windows to bring it up automatically). Click on start -> programs -> apache httpd server -> start apache in console.
3. Bring up your favorite web browser.
4. Enter the url http://localhost/
5. You should see the Apache default installation page.

Congratulations! You have installed the Apache web server on your PC. This is the same web browser run by many of the major sites, and does a remarkable job on both small and large systems.

WARNING: You are running a real live web server, and anything you "publish" is accessible to the entire internet any time you are connected (perhaps not if you are behind a firewall of some sort, which I can only hope for your sake that you are).