Preface and Disclaimer
Note: Installation packages for web servers are available that run smoothly on the majority of
computer
configurations. However, setting up a web server is not a trivial task, and should not be handled by a novice without
guidance. Please realize that you are exposing a portion of your computer to anybody who has access to the
internet. Security is a complicated matter that people make careers out of, and security holes are periodically discovered
in even the best web servers. Plan on checking regularly for updates and/or security fixes. With this in mind, these
instructions are provided as a quick reference only. Non-technical users are advised to consult a systems administrator for
assistance. We are not responsible for any damage, loss, nor compromise of information caused by an improperly configured
server.
Instructions are provided here for installing the Apache web server on a Windows-based computer with the basic
default settings. Apache is free, open source, and runs on multiple
platforms -- which helps explain why it is currently the
most popular web server on the Internet today. While Apache can be run on Windows 95, 98, or ME, these are operating systems
intended for the home user and not a production environment, so these operating systems are not officially supported by
Apache. The documentation for Apache (http://httpd.apache.org) is
extensive and far more detailed that what you will find here.
Step 1 - Preparing your computer (server) for installation
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