PHP: Apache 2.x on Microsoft Windows

Sun, iPlanet and Netscape servers on Microsoft Windows

Last updated: Fri, 12 Mar 2010

Apache 2.x on Microsoft Windows

This section contains notes and hints specific to Apache 2.x installs of PHP on Microsoft Windows systems. We also have instructions and notes for Apache 1.3.x users on a separate page.

Note: You should read the manual installation steps first!

Note: Apache 2.2 Support
Users of Apache 2.2 should note that the DLL file for Apache 2.2 is named php5apache2_2.dll rather than php5apache2.dll and is available only for PHP 5.2.0 and later. See also » http://snaps.php.net/

You are strongly encouraged to consult the » Apache Documentation to get a basic understanding of the Apache 2.x Server. Also consider reading the » Windows specific notes for Apache 2.x before reading on here.

Apache 2.x is designed to run on the Windows version designated as server platforms, such as Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows 7. While Apache 2.x works tolerably well on Windows 9x, support on these platforms is incomplete, and some things will not work correctly. There is no plan to remedy this situation.

Download the most recent version of » Apache 2.x and a fitting PHP version. Follow the Manual Installation Steps and come back to go on with the integration of PHP and Apache.

There are three ways to set up PHP to work with Apache 2.x on Windows. You can run PHP as a handler, as a CGI, or under FastCGI.

Note: Remember that when adding path values in the Apache configuration files on Windows, all backslashes such as c:\directory\file.ext should be converted to forward slashes: c:/directory/file.ext. A trailing slash may also be necessary for directories.

Installing as an Apache handler

You need to insert the following lines into your Apache httpd.conf configuration file to load the PHP module for Apache 2.x:

Example #1 PHP and Apache 2.x as handler

# 
LoadModule php5_module "c:/php/php5apache2.dll"
AddHandler application/x-httpd-php .php

# configure the path to php.ini
PHPIniDir "C:/php"

Note: Remember to substitute your actual path to PHP for the C:/php/ in the above examples. Take care to use either php5apache2.dll or php5apache2_2.dll in your LoadModule directive and verify that the referenced file is in fact located at the file path that you point to in this directive.

The above configuration will enable PHP handling of any file that has a .php extension, even if there are other file extensions. For example, a file named example.php.txt will be executed by the PHP handler. To ensure that only files that end in .php are executed, use the following configuration instead:

<FilesMatch \.php$>
      SetHandler application/x-httpd-php
 </FilesMatch>

Running PHP as CGI

You should consult the » Apache CGI documentation for a more complete understanding of running CGI on Apache.

To run PHP as CGI, you'll need to place your php-cgi files in a directory designated as a CGI directory using the ScriptAlias directive.

You will then need to insert a #! line in the PHP files, pointing to the location of your PHP binary:

Example #2 PHP and Apache 2.x as CGI

#!C:/php/php.exe
<?php
  phpinfo();
?>

Warning

A server deployed in CGI mode is open to several possible vulnerabilities. Please read our CGI security section to learn how to defend yourself from such attacks.

Running PHP under FastCGI

Running PHP under FastCGI has a number of advantages over running it as a CGI. Setting it up this way is fairly straightforward:

Obtain mod_fcgid from » http://httpd.apache.org/mod_fcgid/. Win32 binaries are available for download from that site. Install the module according to the instructions that will come with it.

Configure your web server as shown below, taking care to adjust any paths to reflect your how you have installed things on your particular system:

Example #3 Configure Apache to run PHP as FastCGI

LoadModule fcgid_module modules/mod_fcgid.so  

# Where is your php.ini file?
FcgidInitialEnv PHPRC        "c:/php" 

AddHandler fcgid-script .php  
FcgidWrapper "c:/php/php-cgi.exe" .php

Files with a .php extension will now be executed by the PHP FastCGI wrapper.

Sun, iPlanet and Netscape servers on Microsoft Windows

Apache 1.3.x on Microsoft Windows

Last updated: Fri, 12 Mar 2010

add a note User Contributed Notes
Apache 2.x on Microsoft Windows

Michael
03-Mar-2010 05:48


The value for FcgidWrapper cannot contain spaces..





This won't work:


FcgidWrapper "c:/program files (x86)/php/php-cgi.exe" .php





But this will:


FcgidWrapper "c:/progra~2/php/php-cgi.exe" .php

Steve
24-Feb-2010 12:53


I also had a problem with the PHPIniDir declaration.  This is with Apache 2.2 on XP.  I had to include a final slash, as in PHPIniDir "C:\Program Files\php\".  Apache failed to start if I did not include the slash after php.

Kerry Kobashi
14-Dec-2009 06:56


If you find that Apache crashes when you attempt to start it, its likely that one of the PHP extensions is the cause. This is likely the case if you use the PHP Windows installer and choose all extensions in the setup program to be installed on disk. Unfortunately, it will also enable all extensions too causing potential problems.



For example, after installing PHP 5.2.11 and Apache 2.2 under Windows XP, Apache kept crashing. This was due to using all three versiosn of mysql extensions attempting to run:



[PHP_MYSQL]

extension=php_mysql.dll

[PHP_MYSQLI]

extension=php_mysqli.dll

[PHP_PDO_MYSQL]

extension=php_pdo_mysql.dll

Anonymous
10-Dec-2009 09:25


If anybody here encounters an error regarding PHPIniDir, change PHPIniDir "C:/php/" to PHPIniDir "C:\php\".

nicolas dot grasset at gmail dot com
07-Jul-2009 05:08


Here is how I created a silent install for Apache2.2 and PHP5.2.10 on Windows XP (running on a MacBook Pro):



Download Apache2 and PHP5 installer files in a directory and update the msi file names in the following commands.



To have PHP installer find Apache2, do not forget APACHEDIR!



msiexec /i apache_2.2.11-win32-x86-no_ssl.msi /passive ALLUSERS=1 SERVERADMIN=admin@localhost SERVERNAME=localhost SERVERDOMAIN=localhost SERVERPORT=80 INSTALLDIR=c:\apache

msiexec /i php-5.2.10-win32-installer.msi /qn APACHEDIR=c:\apache INSTALLDIR=c:\php ADDLOCAL=ext_php_mssql,apache22

net stop "Apache2.2"

net start "Apache2.2"

CP
16-Apr-2009 06:27


This is old news to some. But people with Apache 2.0.55 / PHP 5.1.2 might like a reminder before they pull their hair out! (Some of us have ISPs using older version and need to test on a like version before we upload.)



If using PHP 5.1.2, to run Apache as a module, do *not* use Stephan's "php5apache2.dll" from http://www.ApacheLounge.com. That is for pre-5.1.2!



**There is a "php5apache2.dll" included with Windows PHP 5.1.2 zip file by default.**



If you forget this and overwrite the included DLL with Stephan's (as I did) you'll spend hours attempting to escape "DLL hell", with no success.

Anonymous
26-Feb-2009 02:32


i followed henke37's way to for the httpd.conf



I added all this at the very end of httpd.conf



# For PHP 5 

#load the php main library to avoid dll hell

Loadfile "C:\php-5.2.8-Win32\php5ts.dll"



#load the sapi so that apache can use php

LoadModule php5_module "C:\php-5.2.8-Win32\php5apache2_2.dll"



#set the php.ini location so that you don't have to waste time guessing where it is

PHPIniDir "C:\php-5.2.8-Win32"



#Hook the php file extensions

AddHandler application/x-httpd-php .php

AddHandler application/x-httpd-php-source .phps 



Also i didn't use short open tags as they are disabled in 

"php.ini-recommended" if you don't change anything

So use this to test 

<?php

 phpinfo();

?>

NOT 

<? phpinfo(); ?> short open tags



added my php directory to the PATH system variable and i start apache manually not as a service



It works for me hope it helps you!

cormac at kernan dot eu
21-Apr-2008 01:08


All good advice from henke, except where it says "Do not edit the system path".  You will NOT be able to load extensions that have dependencies e.g. MySQL, without adding PHP to your system path.  This threw me for some time as other extensions without dependencies will work without this requirement.

cfoesterle at yahoo dot com
10-Feb-2008 04:41


I do not have IIS installed on my server, only Apache. So I had to edit the PHP.ini file and comment out (add leading ";") to the following line "extension=php_iisfunc.dll" as I was getting "Faulting application httpd.exe, faulting module php_iisfunc.dll" errors when this line was active. I also added an additional  "AddType application/x-httpd-php .html" to my httpd.conf file so that inline php would work with files ending with an extension of ".html" on my server.

mjm at alum dot mit dot edu
27-Jan-2008 04:33


If you use the PHP 5 installer, you'll notice that it uses the wrong type of slash on Windows!



Change C:/Program Files/PHP/" to C:\Program Files\PHP\" and everything works great!

packard_bell_nec at hotmail dot com
03-Oct-2007 03:24


If you install PHP as an Apache CGI binary, you can add: 

AddHandler cgi-script .php

into Apache httpd.conf, and add shebang line to every PHP scripts like: 

#!php

<?php

phpinfo();

?>

. But adding shebang line has a disadvantage that if you decided to install PHP as an Apache module afterwards, then the shebang line WILL appear in the web page. 

In fact, you do NOT need to add shebang line to every PHP script even if you install PHP as an Apache CGI binary, because you can add: 

ScriptInterpreterSource Registry-Strict

into Apache httpd.conf, and make the registry file and merge it like: 

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.php\Shell\ExecCGI\Command]

@="\"C:\\Program Files\\PHP\\php-cgi.exe\""

. Then you will NOT need to change the PHP scripts which do not contain shebang line.

philippeboucher at newlogiccanada dot com dot com
31-Jul-2007 09:05


To do a silent install of PHP wich correctly modify the httpd.conf file, you HAVE (I find no other way) to put the directory of the Apache inside the INSTALLDIR's MSI option.  the APACHEDIR doesn't seem to work.  That's the only way I've make it work.  Maybe it's because my Apache is not in the default directory, I don't know, but there is a solution for people who cannot make work the silent install (for those who are told by the php setup that it cannot find the httpd.conf file).



Hope it helps someone.

anonymousness
15-Jun-2007 02:30


Verrrrrrrry important note:



If you enable multi-byte strings for your installation of PHP, the extension loaded MUST be the first extension in the list.



Apache, NOR PHP will generate any error messages or warning information in the error log or in system logs about this.



This information needs to be included in the Readme or in the distributed INI files.



The recommended PHP ini's should place extension=php_mbstring.dll  at the top of the list of extensions.



I had completely forgotten about this when recently upgrading php on a test server; and almost set out to re-install apache.

charlie at oblivion dot cz
15-Feb-2007 12:19


..try to set the extension_dir in php.ini to the absolute path.. (when you are pretty sure that you have set the PHPIniDir the right way)

Jim Keller
11-Jan-2007 01:35


it's important to note that on Apache 2.2.3 (probably other 2.x versions as well) on Windows, the PHPIniDir directive must use forward slashes to delimit directories, not the backslashes commonly used for Windows path strings. If PHP seems to be ignoring the directive, this may be why.

pcdinh at phpvietnam dot net
07-Oct-2006 10:50


PHP 6 is under active development but for those whose want to try out the new features or just want to keep updated with the development progress of PHP 6.0, you can follow my instructions below to install it on Windows XP and Apache 2.2.3



# For PHP 6 do something like this:

LoadModule php5_module "c:/server/php6/php6apache2_2.dll"

AddType application/x-httpd-php .php

PHPIniDir "c:/server/php6"



You should change the path as in your system. The directive LoadModule php5_module seems a bit strange to you. It should be LoadModule php6_module instead. However, I have just taken a look at php.internals and came across a message that said it should be changed in the near future after the PHP 5.2 is official released. At the time I write this, PHP 5.2 RC6 is planned to be released in the next few days.

subajawa at yahoo dot com
04-Aug-2006 08:56


To install PHP as Apache 2 CGI script, add these lines in addition to the 3 lines mentioned in the document.



<Directory "C:/php">

    AllowOverride None

    Options None

    Order allow,deny

    Allow from all

</Directory>

Isaac dot Brown at ArvinMeritor dot com
17-May-2005 12:59


Some XP machines are having troubles with the PHPIniDir derective not finding the php.ini (or so they think). Directories that do contain a php.ini file are returned as empty and it defaults to the next method of finding php.ini (often C:/windows or C:/winnt). 



This is likely caused by read permissions not being set correctly on NTFS file systems, however, it has occurred when no cause could be identified. If setting correct file permissions doesn't work, the easiest way around this problem is moving php.ini to the Apache directory or adding the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\PHP\IniFilePath string to your registry and setting it to the correct directory.

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Sun, iPlanet and Netscape servers on Microsoft Windows

Apache 1.3.x on Microsoft Windows

Last updated: Fri, 12 Mar 2010