Xampp on a USB Stick

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

Xampp on a USB Stick

Postby Galdhrim » 28. March 2008 07:18

I am a "noob" user, and before doing something wrong I would like to ask some questions about Xampp:

I saw there is a lite version of Xampp for USB memory sticks, but now, reading the readme.txt file for the normal version, it says I can unpack the zip version on an USB stick. So, can I run the normal Xampp from an USB stick? would it allow me to switch from php5 to php4? can I use the Tomcat add-on too?

I am taking a course named "business on Internet", and I am supposed to setup a web site to "sell" products using shopping-cart, and of course, with SSL. And since I will be working on that project both at home and at university, I would like to be able to carry the server in my USB stick.

And my last question, why we should not execute the Setup_xampp.bat file inside an USB stick?

I have used another "combo" that install Apache+php+MySql+phpMyAdmin, but it is not portable, and it doesn't include all the other apps included in Xampp... so I think Xampp is better for me.

Thanks
Galdhrim
 
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Joined: 28. March 2008 05:20

Postby ridgewood » 29. March 2008 23:41

It really helps to do the 'search' before posting... http://community.apachefriends.org/f/viewtopic.php?t=28747&highlight=usb+drive will get you started. There is a whole list of other threads and posts... try USB drive.

Where you will run into potential problems is 'if' the computer you plug into has ports already allocated and that creates a conflict. The SSL requirement, along with the ports you use, is really a configuration issue... everything will work if it is set up correctly.

Give the volunteers on the board a break and do some homework... you will find them to be very supportive IF you are working/leaning/contributing too :)
ridgewood
 
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Postby Galdhrim » 31. March 2008 12:12

Well, I tried the search, and it seems I can either edit a file and use relative address, or I can use dtx (that also let me change the ports used by xampp), or use AMPStart...

But I dont know which one is the best option... or if I can mix the solution that changes the ports (just in case), with the one that adjust the unit name...
Galdhrim
 
Posts: 35
Joined: 28. March 2008 05:20

Postby ridgewood » 31. March 2008 13:25

Thanks for the effort :D

What 'e-commerce package' are you planning to use? Some CMS applications use an absolute path in their configurations... examples that come to mind are Joomla! or WordPress... so that their configs have to be manually edited if a drive letter changes... a pain but not fatal. In the case of others, vtiger, there are more subtle configuration issues ....

IMHO, DTX is the simplest solution, since this (testbeds and removable drives) is what it was designed for... it will not write files to the host computer or change the format or line numbers in the config files... it uses the setup.bat in XAMPP which produces 'known' results (hopefully) which are easier to debug.

If you have room on your stick, use the full XAMPP ... create a folder on your C:\ (we use 'ZFDesktop') with XAMPP as a sub-folder (down the road you may wish to add other apps) and unpack (do not install) XAMPP into it.

Copy the DTX control and ini to the /XAMPP directory and launch it... it will call to the setup.bat... and if you are not running any processes that are using the standard ports, all will be well and good.

Build your application and configure it with MySQL etc. as you normally would... when it is running smoothly, copy the main directory to a formated USB drive and relaunch it.

After years of experience and testing hundreds of web apps ... it is faster to build on a main drive and if there are going to be portability problems, they will show up at the beginning when the suite is transfered....

Hope that this helps...
ridgewood
 
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Joined: 10. January 2005 22:02

Postby Galdhrim » 01. April 2008 05:34

Thanks, I tried it, and it seems most of services are running:

MySQL database ACTIVATED
PHP ACTIVATED
HTTPS (SSL) ACTIVATED
Common Gateway Interface (CGI) ACTIVATED
Server Side Includes (SSI) ACTIVATED
SMTP Service DEACTIVATED
FTP Service DEACTIVATED

I am not sure if it is possible to run FTP from an USB stick, I saw somewhere in the forum it is not possible to do that, but maybe I can run it while I still have Xampp on my C: disk. Anyway, for now I think I already have everything I need (but I'd like to learn more about the other things too).
As far as I know, I will have to setup OsCommerce, but probably we will have to try other software too. I have a bit of experience with SMF forum, and Galaxytool (an utility for ogame players), so I figure the hardest part will be to configure the server security, since that is something I have never done before.

Thanks for your help, I will keep searching (and asking) until I get this server running properly.
Galdhrim
 
Posts: 35
Joined: 28. March 2008 05:20

Postby ridgewood » 01. April 2008 12:44

Cool! Now that you have your base established... (I am assuming that you have saved the C:\ build and have copied it to your USB drive) you can play around with the 'alternative porting' on the USB build so that you can run both sessions at the same time. If you break it, you can always reformat the USB and copy it over again.

When you use the term "service" that means something specific... it is a mode that Win32 uses to run 'processes' and this is something that you want to avoid with your portable build. (DTX will not start services)... SO, I am assuming that you used the term instead of 'process or session' but just in case ;)... use the regular xampp-controller to check to see if the servers are running as services ... if they are ... uninstall them using the check boxes then exit it and start DTX ...

FTP is a bit more problematic... you will not need it because you have access to your 'site' locally. The FileZilla FTP server in XAMPP uses a service on the host computer... but it will only run if it can activate that service, which means that one has to have admin privileges on the host...so it can be set up if you have to emulate folks uploading files to your project... but it is a pain in the butt.

You might wish to download Process Explorer http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysi ... 96653.aspx (MSoft bought out SystemInternals but it is still free...) it will run from your stick too!

Keep me posted on your progress ...
ridgewood
 
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Joined: 10. January 2005 22:02

Postby Galdhrim » 05. April 2008 19:06

I still have the folder in my hdd, since I have not needed to carry it (but I figure soon I will have to). I changed the ports, and works fine, OsCommerce was a bit weird, I had to use MySql root user to install... but now I think it is using its own user. SMF forum installed really easy, it detected the right ports... and now I know it can run on https servers.

Also, I activated the xampp security... and now I have to enter a user and pass to browse http://localhost:6060/xampp/

So, for now, I would say everything works fine, thanks for the help, xampp is being REALLY useful to me.
Galdhrim
 
Posts: 35
Joined: 28. March 2008 05:20

Postby oahgneg » 26. May 2008 06:19

Galdhrim wrote:Well, I tried the search, and it seems I can either edit a file and use relative address, or I can use dtx (that also let me change the ports used by xampp), or use AMPStart...


What http://virusscan.jotti.org/ says About AMPStart:

Status: POSSIBLY INFECTED/MALWARE (Note: this file was only classified as malware by scanners known to generate more false positives than the average scanner. )

A-Squared: Found nothing
AntiVir: Found nothing
ArcaVir: Found nothing
Avast: Found nothing
AVG Antivirus: Found nothing
BitDefender: Found nothing
ClamAV: Found nothing
CPsecure: Found nothing
Dr.Web: Found nothing
F-Prot Antivirus: Found nothing
F-Secure Anti-Virus: Found nothing
Fortinet: Found nothing
Ikarus: Found Trojan-Spy.Win32.KeyLogger.EH
Kaspersky Anti-Virus: Found nothing
NOD32: Found nothing
Norman Virus Control: Found nothing
Panda Antivirus: Found nothing
Sophos Antivirus: Found nothing
VirusBuster: Found nothing
VBA32: Found nothing
oahgneg
 
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Joined: 26. May 2008 06:12

Postby Galdhrim » 26. May 2008 08:11

19 antivirus say it is safe, including Avast (award winning AV), Karpersky (it has a VERY good reputation), Nod32 (another very popular AV, supposed to be very good too). And the only AV that gave the alert is known to give more false positives than the average... well, I think it is clearly a false positive. But if you are not sure, try to send it for analisis to some AV provider (in special, to the one that gave the warning).

Also, I downloaded the file, ran it, and Defense+ just detected it looking at the clipboard, and starting apache and mysql... there was not any attempt to put an entry at windows registry... so I think it is a safe application... just make sure you don't have a fake copy of the software.

P.S: if something weird happen to my computer in the next hours... I will tell you :mrgreen:
Galdhrim
 
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Joined: 28. March 2008 05:20


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