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Notes Installing Apache for Windows

Run the Apache .msi file you downloaded above. This will prompt you for:
• Whether or not you want to run Apache for all users (installing Apache as a Service), or
if you want it installed to run in a console window when you choose the Start Apache
shortcut.
• Your Server name, Domain name and administrative email account.

• The directory to install Apache into (the default is C:\Program Files\Apache Group\
Apache although you can change this to any other directory you wish)

• The installation type. The “Complete” option installs everything, including the source
code if you downloaded the -src.msi package. Choose the “Custom” install if you choose
not to install the documentation, or the source code from that package.

During the installation, Apache will configure the files in the conf directory for your chosen
installation directory. However, if any of the files in this directory already exist they will not
be overwritten. Instead the new copy of the corresponding file will be left with the extension
default.conf. So, for example, if conf\httpd.conf already exists it will not be altered, but the
version which would have been installed will be left in conf\httpd.default.conf. After the
installation has finished you should manually check to see what in new in the .default.conf file,
and if necessary update your existing configuration files.

Also, if you already have a file called htdocs\index.html then it will not be overwritten (no
index.html.default file will be installed either). This should mean it is safe to install Apache over
an existing installation (but you will have to stop the existing server running before doing the
installation, then start the new one after the installation is finished).

After installing Apache, you should edit the configuration files in the conf directory as required.
These files will be configured during the install ready for Apache to be run from the directory
where it was installed, with the documents served from the subdirectory htdocs. There are
lots of other options which should be set before you start really using Apache. However to get
started quickly the files should work as installed.

If you eventually uninstall Apache, your configuration and log files will not be removed. You
will need to delete the installation directory tree (“C:\Program Files\Apache Group” by default)
yourself if you do not care to keep your configuration and other web files. Since the httpd.conf
file is your accumulated effort in using Apache, you need to take the effort to remove it. The
same happens for all other files you may have created, as well as any log files Apache created.
Running Apache for Windows

There are two ways you can run Apache:
• As a “service”. This is the best option if you want Apache to automatically start when
your machine boots, and to keep Apache running when you log-off.

• From a console window. Closing this console window will terminate the Apache server.

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