dotcomUNDERGROUND

This tutorial will guide you to run an Apache web server with PHP and MySQL right from your USB flash drive (pen drive, thumb drive). No installation. Just plug and run!

Pretty handy thing to show or discuss a dynamic web project with a client or teacher.

To get started first we need to download XAMPP Lite from ApacheFriends.org
You can get the package here:

Download XAMPP Lite

Download and extract the .zip archive.

Inside you will find a folder xampplite

Now plug-in your USB Flash Drive and copy this folder there.

Congrats!! You now have a web server on your flash drive.

Now its time to run our web server.

Open the xampplite folder in your flash drive. Run the xampp-control.exe

The XAMPP Control Panel appears.

We have our Start buttons next to the service name to start a service.

Click on them to start a service.

We get the Admin button to manage a service when its running.

Clicking on the button takes us to the XAMPP admin screen.

You might need to click on Language > English if its not being shown in default.

Your Apache document root is E:\xampplite\htdocs (when E: is your flash drive)

If you are wondering why you are taken to http://localhost/xampp/ whenever pointing your browser to http://localhost/ , its because the http://localhost/index.php (E:\xampplite\htdocs\index.php) is redirecting you there. You can replace it with your own if you prefer.

We can stop the services clicking on the Stop button next to running services.

Dont forget to Exit the XMPP Control Panel before un-plugging your flash drive.