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Home Learn Application Frameworks Chapter 3. Install and Configure PHP on IIS Install and Configure PHP

Install and Configure PHP

By Tali Smith

November 15, 2009

Introduction
The fastest and easiest way to install PHP on Internet Information Services IIS is by using the
Microsoft Web Platform Installer Web PI. Web PI completely automates setting up IIS, FastCGI,
and the latest version of PHP from the php.net Web site. With Web PI, you can navigate to the
Web Platform tab and select PHP under Framework and Runtimes customize link. Alternately,
use the instructions that follow as guidance for installing PHP with Windows Installer or using a
compressed Zip file installation.

Table of Contents

There are two builds for each PHP version: one is threadsafe, and one is not referred to as the

Building and Running ASP.NET Applications

nonthreadsafe [NTS] version. The threadsafe version is designed for environments where the
Web server core can keep the PHP engine in memory, running multiple treads of execution for

Using ASP.NET Forms Authentication

different Web requests simultaneously. The architecture of IIS and the FastCGI extension provide

ASP.NET Integration with IIS 7

an isolation model that keeps requests separate, removing the need for a threadsafe version. The
NTS version does not have any of the code that allows PHP to manage multiple threads. As a

How to Take Advantage of the IIS 7.0

result, there is a performance improvement on IIS when using the NTS version when compared to

Integrated Pipeline

the treadsafe version because the NTS version avoids unnecessary threadsafety checks FastCGI
How to Capture ASP.NET Page Trace Events

ensures a singlethreaded execution environment.

in IIS 7.0 Tracing

Upgrading ASP.NET 1.1 to IIS 7.0 on Windows

Install PHP

Vista and Windows Server 2008

ASP.NET 2.0 Breaking Changes on IIS 7.0

There are two main ways to install PHP on a Windowsbased computer: download the Windows

Wildcard script mapping and IIS 7 integrated

Installer or use the Windows Zip file from the PHP Web site. Either method will get PHP working,

pipeline

but both have some extra steps that are needed to make PHP work well.

How to use the Sample ReadOnly XML

Windows Installer

Membership and Role Providers with IIS 7.0

The Windows Installer version can get a complete PHP environment up and running, but the

ASP.NET Technical Resources

installation of extensions can be confusing. By default, no extensions are installed, and this can
adversely affect the usefulness of the PHP installation. Alternately, all of the extensions can be
installed; this results in an unstable system because some of the extensions can conflict with
others. It is generally easier to use the Zip file installation.

Running Classic ASP Applications on IIS 7 and

IIS 8

Zip File Installation

To use the Zip file installation, follow the instructions in Using FastCGI to Host PHP Applications on
IIS 7.0 and Above. The Zip file installation installs many of the extensions that are available for the

Classic ASP Not Installed by Default on IIS 7.0

and above

Windows Installer version; however, none of the extensions are enabled until their entries in the

Using Classic ASP with Microsoft Access

Php.ini file are set up.

Databases on IIS
Classic ASP Script Error Messages No Longer

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1. Download the latest nonthreadsafe Zip file package with binaries of PHP. Under Windows

Shown in Web Browser by Default

Binaries, click on the most current PHP nonthreadsafe Zip package to download the PHP files.

Using Failed Request Tracing to troubleshoot

Classic ASP errors

2. Unpack the files to a directory of your choice for example, C:\PHP on your IIS server.

Classic ASP parent paths are disabled by

default

3. Rename the Php.inirecommended to php.ini.

APPL_PHYSICAL_PATH Server Variable on

4. Open the Php.ini file in a text editor, then uncomment and modify settings as follows:

Windows Vista RTM

a. Set fastcgi.impersonate = 1.

Classic ASP Applications on IIS 7.0 and IIS 7.5

FastCGI under IIS supports the ability to impersonate security tokens of the calling client. This

Overview

allows IIS to define the security context that the request runs under.

Scenario: Build a Classic ASP Website on IIS

b. Set cgi.fix_pathinfo=0
The cgi.fix_pathinfo provides PATH_INFO/PATH_TRANSLATED support for Common Gateway
Interface CGI. Setting this to 1 will cause PHP CGI to fix its paths to conform to the specification.

Install and Configure PHP on IIS

c. Set cgi.force_redirect = 0.

Configuring the FastCGI Extension for IIS 6.0

Installing PHP on Windows Vista with

d. Set open_basedir to point to a folder or network path where the content of the Web sites is
located.
e. Set extension_dir to point to a location where PHP extensions reside. For PHP 5.2.X, this is
typically extension_dir = "./ext" .

FastCGI
Setting Up a Database for a PHP Application
on IIS
Install PHP and FastCGI Support on Server
Core

f. Set error_log=C:php_errors.log
This can help with troubleshooting.
g. Enable the required PHP extension by uncommenting corresponding lines. More information
follows in the section, Extensions.

Install and Configure MySQL for PHP

Applications on IIS 7
Walkthrough Set Up MySQL 5.1 for PHP
applications
Install the SQL Server Driver for PHP
Enable FastCGI Support in IIS 7 on Windows
Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2,
Windows Vista, or Windows 7
Install and Configure SQL Server 2008 for
PHP Applications on IIS 7
Install and Configure PHP
How to Install the Microsoft Web Platform
for PHP
Using PHP Manager for IIS to setup and
configure PHP
Use the Windows Cache Extension for PHP

Figure 1 Windows extensions

5. Click on Start, Settings, Control Panel, and then doubleclick on the System icon using the class
view.

Enable PerSite PHP Configuration on IIS 7

and IIS 6.0
Create a Separate Site or Virtual Directory for
PHP Content

6. Click on the Advanced system settings link in the left column.

7. From the System Properties window, click on the Advanced tab, and then click on the

Configure SMTP EMail in IIS 7

How to Configure and Optimize the
Microsoft Web Platform for PHP

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Environment Variables button at the bottom.

Run Multiple Versions of PHP on IIS

8. Select the Path variable from the System Variables section, and then click on Edit. Add: c:\php to

Improve PHP Error Messages in IIS 7

your system path.

How to Manage and Administer the
Microsoft Web Platform
Secure Your SQL Server Database
Secure Content in IIS Through Impersonation
Secure PHP with Configuration Settings
Secure Your Infrastructure and PHP
Applications
How to Secure the Microsoft Web Platform
Enable PHP Applications to Make
ApplicationLevel Access Control Decisions

Install and Configure PHP Applications on IIS

Advanced Poll on IIS
b2Evolution on IIS

Figure 2: Edit System Variable

Coppermine on IIS

9. Click OK until you have exited the System Properties window.

Crafty Syntax Live Help on IIS

10. Start IIS Manager by clicking on Start, Programs, Administrative Tools, and then Internet
Information Services IIS Manager.

Gallery2 on IIS
Geeklog on IIS

11. From the IIS Manager, click on the hostname of your server in the Connections panel on the
left.
12. Doubleclick on the Handler Mappings icon.

Mambo on IIS
Install WordPress on IIS
XOOPS on IIS
MediaWiki on IIS
Install osCommerce on IIS
PHPNuke on IIS
Install Zen Cart on IIS
CubeCart on IIS
ExpressionEngine on IIS
LimeSurvey on IIS
OpenAds on IIS
PHPList on IIS

Figure 3: Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager

13. From the Handler Mappings Actions panel, click on Add Module Mapping.

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PHProjekt on IIS
Siteframe on IIS

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PHPWCMS on IIS
pMachinePro on IIS
Install Drupal on IIS
Install Joomla! on IIS
Using FastCGI to Host PHP Applications on
IIS 7
Using FastCGI to Host PHP Applications on
IIS 6.0
Translate .htaccess Content to IIS web.config
Provide URL Rewriting Functionality

Figure 4: Handler Mappings

How to Deploy Applications on the Microsoft

14. Type the following information into the appropriate text boxes, and then click OK.

Web Platform for PHP

Request path: *.php

Module: FastCGImodule

Running PHP Applications on IIS

Executable: C:\php\phpcgi.exe

MIX08: Partying with PHP on Microsoft

Internet Information Services 7

Name: FastCGI

Set Up FastCGI for PHP

Build a HighPerformance PHP Stack with
Windows IIS and Zend Server
Configure PHP Process Recycling Behavior
Best Practices for PHP on the Microsoft Web
Platform
Provision Web Sites for PHP Applications
Using Managed Code
Develop on IIS 7
Enable PHP Syntax Highlighting on IIS 7
How to Develop on the Microsoft Web
Platform

Figure 5: Add Script Map

Scenario: Build an ASP.NET Website on IIS

15. Click OK, and then click Yes.

Overview: Build an ASP.NET Website on IIS

16. In the left panel, click on your servers hostname, and then doubleclick on the Default
Document icon.
17. From the Actions panel on the right, click Add.
18. Enter index.php as the new default document name, and then click OK.
19. Enter default.php as the new default document name, and then click OK.

Plan an ASP.NET Website on IIS

Planning Step 1: Plan IIS Web Server and
ASP.NET Modules Installation
Planning Step 2: Plan ASP.NET Settings
Planning Step 3: Plan Data Source Settings
Planning Step 4: Plan Application Security

20. In the left panel, click on your servers hostname.

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21. In the Actions panel on the right, click Restart.

Configure an ASP.NET Website on IIS

22. Create a new text document, and save it as c:\inetpub\wwwroot\phpinfo.php with the following

Configuring Step 1: Install IIS and ASP.NET

content:

Modules
Configuring Step 2: Configure ASP.NET

<?phpphpinfo();?>

Settings
Configuring Step 3: Configure Data Source

23. You should now see the PHP information page at http://localhost/phpinfo.php.

Settings
Configuring Step 4: Configure Application
Security

Scenario: Build a PHP Website on IIS

Overview: Build a PHP Website on IIS
Plan a PHP Website on IIS
Planning Step 1: Plan IIS Web Server and PHP
Installation
Planning Step 2: Plan PHP Settings
Planning Step 3: Plan PHP Application
Security
Configure a PHP Website on IIS
Configuring Step 1: Install IIS and PHP

Figure 6: PHP information page

Configuring Step 2: Configure PHP Settings

Configuring Step 3: Configure PHP

Extensions
It is important to determine which extensions are needed by the applications that will be running
and then to limit the installed extensions to only those. For a typical opensource application

Application Security

SPONSOR: Host 10 ASP.NET web sites for free.

installation, for example, the following extensions are installed:

Database ExtensionsMost opensource applications that use MySQL for a database
engine use either the php_mysql or the php_mysqli extensions. For new development work,
either of these extensions work well, or consider using the PDO versions of the MySQL
driver PDO is a PHP extension providing a dataaccess abstraction layer that can be used

Translate this page

Spanish
Microsoft Translator

with a variety of databases; this extra layer of abstraction provides a richer set of object
database functionality and controls. If Microsoft SQL Server or an express version, such
as Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Express or Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition
is the database engine, use the php_mssql extension for opensource applications. For new
development work, use the PDO version of the SQL driver.
Image Handling ExtensionsMany of the opensource applications that enable work with
images make use of the GD2 extension php_gd2, which has a number of good basic
image manipulation application programming interfaces APIs. Some applications use the
ImageMagick application and libraries. There is also a php_exif library for working with the
extended information that modern digital cameras store within the images.
Internationalization and Localization ExtensionsThe two most commonly used extensions
for i18n and l10n are php_mbstring MultiByte String and php_gettext Native Language

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Support. Many of the opensource applications use one or both of these.
Web Services ExtensionsChoose the Web services extensions based on the services
desired. For PHP, the SOAP extension is widely used. The XMLRPC extension is often used
in conjunction with SOAP and other services.

PHP.INI File Settings

The Php.ini file provides PHP with configuration and environmental information. Below are a
number of settings for the Php.ini file that help PHP work better with Windows.

REQUIRED SETTINGS:
extension_dir = <PATH TO EXTENSIONS>
The extension_dir needs to point to the directory where the PHP extensions are stored. The
path can be fully qualified for example, C:\PHP\ext or relative for example, .\ext.
Extensions that are specified lower in the Php.ini file need to be located in the extension_dir.
If the extensions specified are not in the extension_dir, then PHP will give a warning
message at the start of script execution, and the application may show errors because of the
missing functionality.
extension = xxxxxx.dll
For each extension enabled, a corresponding extension= directive that tells PHP which
extensions in the extension_dir to load at startup time is necessary.
log_errors=On
PHP errors can also go through the PHP error logging facility. This can be used to send
errors to a file or to a service for example, syslog and works with the error_log directive
described below. When running under IIS, log_errors must be enabled with a valid error_log.
Otherwise, FastCGI considers any startup messages which may be benign as an error
condition, which generates an HTTP 500 return error code to the browser.
error_log=<path_to_error_log_file
The error_log needs to specify the fully qualified, or relative, path to the file where the PHP
error log is stored. This file needs to be writable for the IIS service. The most common places
for this file are in various temporary directories for example, C:\inetpub\temp\php
errors.log. That puts the log in a place that IIS can use, and also keeps the log close to
where PHP applications are running.
cgi.force_redirect = 0
This directive is required for running under IIS. It is a directory security facility required by
many other Web servers; however, enabling it under IIS will cause the PHP engine to fail on
Windows.
cgi.fix_pathinfo = 1
This lets PHP access real path info following the CGI specification. The IIS FastCGI
implementation needs this extension set.
fastcgi.impersonate = 1
FastCGI under IIS supports the ability to impersonate security tokens of the calling client.
This allows IIS to define the security context that the request runs under.
fastcgi.logging = 0
FastCGI logging should be disabled on IIS. If it is left enabled, then any messages of any
class are treated by FastCGI as error conditions, which will cause IIS to generate an HTTP 500
exception.

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OPTIONAL SETTINGS:
max_execution_time=##
This directive sets the maximum amount of time that can be taken executing any given
script. The default is 30 seconds. Some applications need more time to process batch
operations for example, Gallery2 loading multiple images from a remote location.
However, setting the execution time higher than 300 seconds is not advised because there
are often other parts of the connection that cannot support such a long execution time.
memory_limit=###M
The amount of memory available for the PHP process in MB. The default is 128 MB, which
is appropriate for most PHP applications.
display_errors=Off
This directive determines whether to include any error messages in the stream that it returns
to the Web server. If turned on, PHP will send the classes of errors that are defined with the
error_reporting directive back to IIS as part of the error stream. Many of the opensource
applications bypass error reporting by executing commands prefaced with @. This allows
the applications to control error handling.
Mail functions
PHP is configured by default to send outbound mail through an SMTP server located on the
same system as the Web server. Note that most Windows installations usually have the Web
and mail servers on separate systems.

Enable PHP Session State

1. In Windows Explorer, create the session subdirectory in the PHP installation directory.
2. Rightclick the session directory, and select Properties.
3. In the Security tab, click Edit.
4. Click Add, and enter IIS_IUSRS for Enter the object names to select.
5. Click OK.
6. Select the Modify permission check box, and click OK.

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Figure 7: Permissions for session folder

7. Click OK in the Session Properties window.
8. Open php.ini in the PHP installation directory, and set the session.save_path setting to the
session subdirectory:
session.save_path="C:\php\session"

9. Save and close the file.

10. Click Start, and then select Command Prompt.
11. Type runas /user:administrator cmd.exe to enable elevated permissions.
12. Type iisreset at the command prompt, and then press the ENTER key.

Figure 8: IISRESET command

Note that PHP uses filebased session state by default. You can modify a number of additional
session settings, including whether cookie or URL sessions should be used, and whether sessions
are created on the first request or need to be explicitly created.
13. Test the session state by using Windows Explorer, navigate to C:\inetpub\wwwroot.
14. Create a folder and rename it phpapp.

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15. Create session.php in the phpapp directory.

16. Paste the following into it:
<?php
session_start();
$counter=isset($_SESSION['counter'])?$_SESSION['counter']:0;
$counter++;
print"Youhavevisitedthispage$countertimesduringthissession";
$_SESSION['counter']=$counter;
?>

17. Save and close the file.

18. Start Internet Explorer, and navigate to http://localhost/session.php.

Figure 9: Using session state

19. Observe that the counter is 1.
20. Request http://localhost/session.php again, or press F5.

Figure 10: Using session state

21. Observe that the counter is 2.
Note: This article uses information from Using FastCGI to Host PHP Applications on IIS 7.0 and
Above by Ruslan Yakushev, published on December 5, 2007.

Links for Further Information

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PHP on Windows Training Kit.

Installing PHP on Windows Server 2008.
PHP on IIS7.
Deploying IIS 7.5 + FASTCGI + PHP on Server Core.

Discuss in IIS Forums

BYTALI SMITH
Tali Smith is a technical writer at Prowess Consulting, a Seattlebased IT
software and services firm with expertise in Microsoft technologies.

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