WampServer

Hello,

I am trying to upgrade a backup of Joomla 1.5 website to Joomla 2.5. Meaning that I need to run both versions locally.
I just downloaded Wamp 2.5 with a hope to be able to install PHP 5.2 on it and after spending all evening with this I just can't get PHP 5.2 to work.

I need an idiot proof guide for what to install so that using the latest Wamp 2.5 (32bit version on Windows 8.1 64bit) I could also launch a working Apache-PHP combination that supports Joomla 1.5?



Joomla 1.5 requirements: [www.joomla.org]

Apache versions that I installed but which never start: WampServer2-APACHE2214.exe & WampServer2-APACHE228.exe. (Meanwhile Apache 2.4.9 works fine, but only with PHP5.5)

Should I install Wamp5 like it's 2007 again?


thanks for help

OK now in the morning with a fresh mind I found a "solution" which hopefully will work out for my purposes.

I uninstalled the latest WAMP version and installed "WampServer2.0i.exe" + added "WampServer2-PHP5211.exe".

Now I actually have a server that works with PHP 5.2.11 right away and I only needed to select my desired version of PHP to get it working.

Seriously I can't believe that new server packages have no documentation for backwards compatibility with even PHP5.2. I ended up installing version from 2009-07-11 and even then it was a crazy search to figure out what does it actually contain and will it be compatible with both my old website and the new CMS I am migrating to.

I would suggest that WAMP should have a FAQ section about how to configure and run legacy PHP versions for resurrection of old website backups. Who will remember this stuff later on if even in 2014 it is so difficult to find help.

Hi SDX,

Well in fact WAMPServer is a perfect solution for migrating Joomla 1.5.x to Joomla 3.x by virtue of its ability to switch between multiple versions of Apache and PHP easily. I recently did exactly this.

I found that using WAMPServer 2.5 was just fine, with a little knowledge.

Joomla 1.5 will run with PHP 5.3.28 ( latest version of 5.3 ) which runs with Apache 2.4.9

Joomla 3.x will run with PHP 5.4 or greater ( not sure about 5.5 ) which runs with Apache 2.4.9


So if you had manually installed PHP 5.3.28 ( easily findable on php.net ) that should have done the job for you, so you could switch back and forth between versions of PHP to run both your old and new site when required.

I have a tutorial on manually installing Apache or PHP or MYSQL if you feel the need.


By the way, its a little unfair railing at the WAMPServer people for not having documented and provided every possible combination of every Apache/PHP. Please remember the HUGH price you paid for this amazing little tool.

In recent year the process of switching versions of Apache and PHP has become a lot more difficult due to the fact that the Apache and PHP developers have moved through various compilers i.e. VC6, VC9. VC10, VC11. Code compiled with one compiler is not always compatible with code compiled by another version of the compiler. Because WAMPServers configuration of running PHP as an Apache module this means that both Apache and PHP must be compiled with a compatible version of the compiler to run. This has made the process of picking a version of Apache and then a version of PHP rather more complicated.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Windows 10 Pro 64bit) (Wampserver 3.3.4 64bit) Aestan Tray Menu 3.2.5.4
<Apache versions MULTIPE> <PHP versions MULTIPLE> <MySQL Versions MULTIPLE>
<MariaDB versions MULTIPLE> <phpMyAdmin versions MULTIPLE> <MySQL Workbench 8.0.23>
Read The Manuals Apache -- MySQL -- PHP -- phpMyAdmin
Get your Apache/MySQL/mariaDB/PHP ADDONs here from the WAMPServer alternate Repo
-X-X-X- Backup your databases regularly Here is How dont regret it later! Yes even when developing -X-X-X-

Hi,

Yes you are right about me ranting about free stuff. I perfectly understand that no one has to help me or anyone else - "use at your own risk". As it is, there are free tools available to get everything I needed done (if I can figure out what and how to use without readily available guidance).

If you would ignore my attitude, WAMPServer people could also consider how things look for an outsider like me who needs to fix one website every 5 years or any other person who just uses software that works without understanding every trick under the hood.

WAMP is considered and recommended in many tutorials as a great one-stop solution for fixing a local server for developing a website. People like me. Backwards compatibility is a natural aspect of the server setup as soon as you have a legacy website that needs to be upgraded. But when I came searching I found virtually no information of the net on what to do with legacy support in 2014.

Check this out:
1 - It is not common knowledge that PHP 5.2 is incompatible with for example PHP 5.5 (hey, it is only a minor version number, not like PHP 6 or something.)
2 - It is not common knowledge that some Apache versions do not work with some PHP version (hey, MySQL lately seems to "always work" despite the version used)
3 - It is not common knowledge that there are various "VC" compilers used for Apache, PHP and even WAMP where some versions are compatible and some are not. (it is often not mentioned even which version was used at all)
4 - WAMP homepage says "you can manually add additional Apache, Php or MySql (only VC9, VC10 and VC11 compiled) versions. Explanations will be provided on the forum." It turns out there are serious compatibility limitations to which Apache and PHP releases can be used with WAMP 2.5 but no clues on how to find out more info. And the forum does not have any easy to find section or pinned topic dedicated to the issue.
5 - When you do install WAMP 2.5 it offers "Get more" button to sort of install another version of Apache/MySQL/PHP which just leads to WAMP homepage, where again there is no information on how to actually do it.
6 - Next natural step is to look on [sourceforge.net] where a new user finds "WampServer 2 - Extensions", which looks like what is promised on the homepage. Of course there is no information to prove or disprove this assumption. It turns out that you can nicely install for example "WampServer2-PHP5211.exe" extension over WAMP 2.5... It is not easy to know that all of those extensions are not compatible with WAMP 2.5 (or up to which version are they compatible).
7 - When nothing works to get legacy versions running on new WAMP, a decent approach would be to find older WAMP package which originally came with the version of PHP user needs... Only to find out that it is a hell of a task to know in advance which versions of Apache/MySQL/PHP are included in a specific old WAMP version. (thankfully WAMP 2.5 version installer clearly states this info in the filename, but I could not find any release notes or something about older releases).


All of this could be fixed with a single lookup table and some guidance description around it to show answers for questions like mine:

If you need to run something that requires PHP<version> then the best option is to install this "WAMP<version>.exe" and this package "WAMP_PHP<version>.exe". Done.

One table with "version you need" in one column and "optimal WAMP solution" in another will help not just me but anyone who will ever run into such situation. Otherwise we should hope that gurus like you on forums will keep on helping on case by case basis for indefinite time into the future. Notice that most users don’t even need to understand why one version of X is or isn’t compatible with a version of Y. All people need is a recommendation on what will do the trick.


PS: consider this a feedback/suggestion, I am not demanding and cannot demand anything from anyone at WAMPServer team. Thanks for the free tool which greatly helped me out.

RiggsFolly Wrote:

> I have a tutorial on manually installing Apache or
> PHP or MYSQL if you feel the need.

Hi RiggsFolly where do I find this tutorial I also need to run Joomla 1.5 in Wamp Server 2.5 as well?

I think I have found what I need if my understanding is correct I dont need to instal Apache 2.2.? "Luckily PHP5.3.28 does have have the linkages to Apache 2.4" ?
Add Older PHP versions to WAMP 2.5 64bit [forum.wampserver.com]
and here
PHP 5.3.28 to Wampserver 2.5 [forum.wampserver.com]
And should I stick with PHP 5.3.28 and not the latest 5.3.? (5.3.29 or 5.3.3) ?

Thanks



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/15/2015 12:36AM by TBP.

I would use the latest version of PHP5.3 !




HOW TO MANUALLY INSTALL A NEW RELEASE OF PHP INTO THE WAMP ENVIRONMENT

Before you start

On Apache and PHP you will see the acronyms VC6, VC9, VC10 or VC11. This denotes the compiler version used to compile that program or dll.
Unfortunately you cannot mix the two when it comes to Apache and PHP as it is configured in WAMPServer, although some documentation suggestst that VC10 and VC11 are compatible with each other, I make no guarantee of this.
So first you must find out which compiler was used to compile the Apache you are currently using, so you can get the PHP that was compiled with the same version of the compiler.
As time goes on this becomes more complicated as newer versions of PHP are not being compiled and linked with older versions of the compilers. VC6 seems to have been dropped a little while ago. So if you want to use a new PHP you will probably have to upgrade your version of Apache as well so you have a version that is compiled with at least VC9



The way PHP and Apache interact in the default WAMPServer install is that Apache launches the PHP Interpereter as a dll (php5apachex_y.dll) as this is a very close relationship i.e. not communication via a TCP port like PHP and MySQL, so they both have to have been compiled using the same version of Microsoft Visual C Compiler.


1. From WampManager "Stop All Services".

2. Download the PHP Release you want to install from HERE or if its not a current release from The Acrhives
You should use the Thread Safe build. Usually the Not Thread Safe version has the acronim NTS and the thread safe version does not.
You should download the ZIP and not an .msi
Make sure its built with the same compiler versions as you Apache ( VC6 / VC9 / VC10 / VC11 ),
yes its a mine field. But if you are using WAMPServer 2.4 or > then you want the VC11 Thread Safe version.

3. Create a new folder under c:\wamp\bin\php\ with the name = the version you are installing
So, for example, make a folder called php5.5.11.



4. Now from the folder containing your most recent ( and working ) verions of PHP copy the file called wampserver.conf and paste it into your new PHP folder created in the previous setp.
This file is required by wamp server to properly identify that this is a valid PHP version folder.
The file contains references to the names of the dll files that contain the PHP interpreter, so that the correct file can be copied to the Apache folder when you activate this new version of the PHP interpreter.

The file should look like this, if you are moving from a very old version of PHP you may need to add some new sections from here to your file.

<?php
$phpConf['phpIniDir'] = '.';
$phpConf['phpExeDir'] = '.';
$phpConf['phpConfFile'] = 'php.ini';

$phpConf['apache']['2.2']['LoadModuleName'] = 'php5_module';
$phpConf['apache']['2.2']['LoadModuleFile'] = 'php5apache2_2.dll';
$phpConf['apache']['2.2']['AddModule'] =  '';

$phpConf['apache']['2.4']['LoadModuleName'] = 'php5_module';
$phpConf['apache']['2.4']['LoadModuleFile'] = 'php5apache2_4.dll';
$phpConf['apache']['2.4']['AddModule'] =  '';
?>

More recent versions of PHP i.e PHP6.5 and above are not compiled to work with Apache 2.2 so you should change the file to look like This

<?php
$phpConf['phpIniDir'] = '.';
$phpConf['phpExeDir'] = '.';
$phpConf['phpConfFile'] = 'php.ini';

$phpConf['apache']['2.4']['LoadModuleName'] = 'php5_module';
$phpConf['apache']['2.4']['LoadModuleFile'] = 'php5apache2_4.dll';
$phpConf['apache']['2.4']['AddModule'] =  '';
?>

5. Now unzip the downloaded PHP into your new folder, make sure the folder hierarchy looks like this.




6. Now in your new folder copy the file php.ini_development into a new file called php.ini




Do the same again but paste into a file called phpForApache.ini
You should now have the original file called php.ini_development PLUS 2 more, one called php.ini and one called phpForApache.ini

The php.ini file is used if you are using the PHP CLI i.e. running php from the command line > php script.php
The phpForApache.ini is the php config used by Apache. This file is copied into the currently active Apache's folder and renamed to php.ini by WAMPmaneger when you activate this version of PHP.

It should look something like this:




7. We must now make some change to the php.ini files to WAMPise them. Take your time here it will save you time later.

Edit the newly created phpForApache.ini file

Search for extension_dir and change to
extension_dir = "d:/wamp/bin/php/phpx.y.z/ext/" <- where x,y,z match the folder you are putting the new PHP into.

Search for ;error_log = php_errors.log and change to
error_log = c:\wamp\logs\php_errors.log
Search for anything 'php/' and make sure you change it to you c:\wamp\bin\php\php.x.y.z folder name.

In fact search for anything with a C:\ in it and make sure its changed to the WAMPServer equivalent.

As of PHP5.4 the timezone need to be set
Search for [Date] and put an entry into the date.timezone field as a minimum

date.timezone = "Europe/London"
date.default_latitude = 0.0
date.default_longitude = 51.502973

look here for a list of supported timezone values [www.php.net]

PHP5.5 specific changes
a. All the PHP extensions are commented out, so you need to manually uncomment at least some of them
Check your last used php.ini to see what you need, remember some extensions may have been included in the core of php so you may need to check the php change log for details.


Now there may well be other configuration changes you had made to your existing PHP, these you will have to find and transfer yourself.
I suggest you compare your last \wamp\bin\apache\apachex.y.z\bin\php.ini with this new one and move over anything you believe is relevant.

DONT FORGET, if you are using the PHP CLI you will also need to do this to the php.ini file as well.

8. Make sure all services are stopped in wampmanager, and then right click over the wamp manager icon in the system tray and select the 'refresh' menu item.
When you left click on wamp manager -> PHP -> Version you should see your new version in the list.

If the new version does not appear, then you have probably spelt the phpForApache.ini file name wrong. Correct it and redo the 'refresh'.

9. You can now 'restart all services' from the wamp manager menus.

NOTE: You have not actually changed anything yet, so if wamp,Apache,PHP etc were working before they still should be.

10. Activate your new PHP version.
Using the wamp manager menus again you just need to click on the new version number to activate it.
wamp manager -> PHP -> Version -> 5.5.11 ( <- or whatever the version number is you have just added )

This will cause wamp manager to :-
1. Stop Apache ( the icon will go Orange )
2. Copy the correct files from the PHP folder to the Apache folder or if you are on WAMPServer 2.5 or greater
create the correct SYMLINK in the apachex.y.z/bin folder.
3. Restart Apache. So the wamp manager icon should go GREEN again.

If the wamp manager icon stays ORANGE, then you have missed something, probably a file name spelt wrong. The phpForApache.ini file must exists.

11. Now run localhost from the wamp manager menu, and check the wamp server home page. It should tell you which version of PHP is loaded.





TROUBLE SHOOTING
If it all goes wrong when you activate the new PHP, you can easily back out of trouble by just activating whatever version of PHP you were using before, and then going back to see what you did wrong.


ADDING IONCUBE

You must ensure that you download the correct version to match your PHP :-
compiler( VC6/VC9/VC11 etc ) compiled ionCube dll
correct 32 or 64 bit code
and the Thread Safe version which is the one that is not NON-TS


1. Download the correct ionCube loader from [www.ioncube.com]
2. Place it somewhere on your disk, but not in the WAMP folder.
for example c:\webstuff\ioncube\vc9\
2. Edit the new php.ini Using the wamp manager menus
Add these 2 lines at the bottom of the file.
Remember the version you load will depend upon which MAJOR version of PHP you are using i.e. 5.2,5.3 or 5.4

NOTE on IONCUBE and PHP5.5
Ioncube for PHP5.5 is not yet released as of 13/09/2013, they say they are waiting for PHP 5.5 to become stable and secure and hosting providers to adopt PHP 5.5 before they release their upgrade. They comment that it can take a year or more for hosting companies to adopt new versions of PHP and this I guess is their schedule.

;ioncube Extension
zend_extension = "c:/webstuff/ioncube/vc9/ioncube_loader_win_5.5.dll"

ADDING XDEBUG
XDEBUG comes with WAMP Server and is incredibly useful for debugging CLI or WEB scripts.
But it does not come with the PHP you have downloaded from the PHP website.
When upgrading PHP to a major version release you may need to get an up to date version of xdebug from

http://xdebug.org/download.php

For a minor version upgrade you can probably use the existing xdebug version you already have on disk.

So for a minor PHP version upgrade, copy the folder c:\wamp\bin\php\php5.y.z\zend_ext from your old PHP to your new php folder.
For a major PHP version upgrade get a new dll from the xdebug website and put it in a newly created folder called c:\wamp\bin\php\php5.y.z\zend_ext

Now add a line like this ( version specific of course ) to your php.ini ( using the wamp manager menus, to ensure you are editing the correct file )

;XDEBUG Extension
zend_extension = "d:/wamp/bin/php/phpx.y.z/zend_ext/php_xdebug-2.2.2-5.3-vc9.dll"

[xdebug]
xdebug.remote_enable = off
xdebug.profiler_enable = off
xdebug.profiler_enable_trigger = off
xdebug.profiler_output_name = cachegrind.out.%t.%p
xdebug.profiler_output_dir = "d:/wamp/tmp"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Windows 10 Pro 64bit) (Wampserver 3.3.4 64bit) Aestan Tray Menu 3.2.5.4
<Apache versions MULTIPE> <PHP versions MULTIPLE> <MySQL Versions MULTIPLE>
<MariaDB versions MULTIPLE> <phpMyAdmin versions MULTIPLE> <MySQL Workbench 8.0.23>
Read The Manuals Apache -- MySQL -- PHP -- phpMyAdmin
Get your Apache/MySQL/mariaDB/PHP ADDONs here from the WAMPServer alternate Repo
-X-X-X- Backup your databases regularly Here is How dont regret it later! Yes even when developing -X-X-X-

I followed this tutorial
PHP 5.3.28 to Wampserver 2.5
[forum.wampserver.com]
with Wampserver 2.5 32bit and PHP 5.3.28

I could get Joomla 3.4 to run but had a big long list of errors like below with Joomla 1.5

Warning: JLoader::import() [jloader.import]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'Australia/Melbourne' for '11.0/DST' instead in C:\wamp\www\mysite\libraries\joomla\import.php on line 29

Strict Standards: Non-static method JLoader::import() should not be called statically in C:\wamp\www\mysite\libraries\joomla\import.php on line 29

Warning: JLoader::register() [jloader.register]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'Australia/Melbourne' for '11.0/DST' instead in C:\wamp\www\mysite\libraries\loader.php on line 71

Do I need Apache 2.2.?
Any ideas?

What setup are you running with this quote from another post of yours?
"I can say that joomla 3 does run in WAMPServer, I have Joomla 1.5 and 3.4 running right now as I am doing a migration at this very moment."

Thanks



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 03/16/2015 11:25PM by TBP.

OK,

The timezone settings issue can probably be corrected by setting the date.timezone in both php.ini files

So edit php.ini, using the wampmanager menus and set the timezone

For example

date.timezone = Europe/London

The STRICT errors may be solved by setting error_reporting to

error_reporting = E_ALL

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Windows 10 Pro 64bit) (Wampserver 3.3.4 64bit) Aestan Tray Menu 3.2.5.4
<Apache versions MULTIPE> <PHP versions MULTIPLE> <MySQL Versions MULTIPLE>
<MariaDB versions MULTIPLE> <phpMyAdmin versions MULTIPLE> <MySQL Workbench 8.0.23>
Read The Manuals Apache -- MySQL -- PHP -- phpMyAdmin
Get your Apache/MySQL/mariaDB/PHP ADDONs here from the WAMPServer alternate Repo
-X-X-X- Backup your databases regularly Here is How dont regret it later! Yes even when developing -X-X-X-

Should both these files in C:/wamp/bin/php/php5.3.28/ contain the same details?
php.ini
phpForApache.ini

Basically yes.

php.ini effects PHP when run from the command line (CLI)

phpForApache.ini effects Apache's use of PHP

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Windows 10 Pro 64bit) (Wampserver 3.3.4 64bit) Aestan Tray Menu 3.2.5.4
<Apache versions MULTIPE> <PHP versions MULTIPLE> <MySQL Versions MULTIPLE>
<MariaDB versions MULTIPLE> <phpMyAdmin versions MULTIPLE> <MySQL Workbench 8.0.23>
Read The Manuals Apache -- MySQL -- PHP -- phpMyAdmin
Get your Apache/MySQL/mariaDB/PHP ADDONs here from the WAMPServer alternate Repo
-X-X-X- Backup your databases regularly Here is How dont regret it later! Yes even when developing -X-X-X-

Im in and working.
1 error on my weblinks page but that might be a Joomla thing?
Notice: Undefined variable: image in C:\wamp\www\mysite\components\com_weblinks\views\category\view.html.php on line 143

It really is painful to see how comlicated everything is here.
I personally solved this issue by running Joomla 1.5 and Joomla 2.5 (to which I migrated) using "Wampee-2.1-beta-2"

Wampee is using :
Apache : 2.2.17
MySQL : 5.5.8
PHP : 5.3.5
PHPMyAdmin : 3.3.9
SqlBuddy : 1.3.2
XDebug : 2.1.0-5.3

Perhaps I also used some other version of WAMP inbetween to run Joomla 1.5 more reliably, but the final side-by-side runs were done using this far-from-state-of-the-art but extremely easy to use WAMPEE.

good luck.

RiggsFolly
Thanks for your help much appreciated.

SDX9000
I like the idea of "Wampee-2.1-beta-2" being portable but at the moment im getting "HTTP 500 - Internal Server Error".
Thanks for the idea.