XAMPP on USB drive Windows and Mac

Problems with the Windows version of XAMPP, questions, comments, and anything related.

XAMPP on USB drive Windows and Mac

Postby nzwebdev » 21. November 2012 01:13

Hi,

Sorry if this question has been asked and answered already, however I couldn't find it anywhere in the forums.

PROBLEM:
I've got a client who needs to run their website(uses PHP/MySQL/Apache) from a USB thumb drive on both Windows and Mac, even Linux if possible. They would also like the site to auto load upon connecting the thumb drive to the computer if possible.

ATTEMPTS:
I've managed to get XAMPP Portable Lite installed and running from a USB thumb via Windows 7, however I obviously cannot start XAMPP Portable Lite when connecting the USB to a Mac / Linux system. I've tried installing and running XAMPP for Mac from the USB also, however it can't seem to run outside of the Mac's /Applications directory :(

If anyone could please shed some light on a possible way to achieve what my client is wanting using XAMPP or anything else, I would be grateful!! :)

PS: I noticed there is a solution which would achieve what my client is wanting offered by a company called Stunnix, however they charge a fairly hefty fee, so I'm holding off in the hope a freeware solution to my clients problem exists somewhere :roll:

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help me!!
nzwebdev
 
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Re: XAMPP on USB drive Windows and Mac

Postby Altrea » 21. November 2012 06:14

Hi nzwebdev,

nzwebdev wrote:I've got a client who needs to run their website(uses PHP/MySQL/Apache) from a USB thumb drive on both Windows and Mac, even Linux if possible.

This is not possible with XAMPP, sorry. i don't know any portable webstack solution which is really able to run on cross platform sytems.

nzwebdev wrote:They would also like the site to auto load upon connecting the thumb drive to the computer if possible.

For that the USB autorun needs to start Apache and maybe MySQL, open ports for that and start a browser window with the relating url. This would be a big security issue (malware could use that too) so the os itself has a high interest that this is not possible.
You can try to experiment with USB autostart features to just start apache if you want to. But the more recommend way would be to talk with your client and give him some inside that he don't want to have usb autostart malware on his systems.

best wishes,
Altrea
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Re: XAMPP on USB drive Windows and Mac

Postby JonB » 21. November 2012 15:23

Pretty much the only way to do something like that would be to have a bootable USB device. That idea has its own set of dilemmas, including security and 'user-knowledge' expectations. Its extremely complicated and would require a knowledgeable multi-platform systems engineer to make work, and then maintain. :shock:

I can certainly think of other concepts that would/might be workable, but that is not my job function here.

Tell your client to break out the checkbook.
:lol:
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