WampServer

WampServer’s functionalities are very complete and easy to use so we won’t explain here how to use them.

This is the most erroneous statement I have read.

I have a simple Windows 7 OS.
I loaded the 32 bit version.
I have the green Icon
and when I enter [localhost] to execute the simplest of test files...
Which has worked just fine in the past.
I get
Forbidden

You don't have permission to access /phptest.php on this server.

I have read forums and listed this very problem and I get a wide variety of solutions... none of which work. Or some explainations so complicated and incomplete it boggles the mind.
Why if this is so easy to use... is it not and the solutions are all so erroneous.

Is there a manual... no that that I can find.
Is there a person available from WAMP to address the problem... not that I can find.
I took a course on PHP programming and the instructor was able to fix the problem by changing Skype port assignment... but that doesn't work... now.

So easy to us... hmmm I think NOT!

Anyone out there with the same frustration?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/13/2012 07:09PM by BryanArthurReid.

Hey buddy,

Yeah, I'm a little frustrated with this as well. I've been a developer for 3 years on a Mac, and had to finally break down and buy a Windows machine for business reasons. WAMP has been a total pain to set up. Clashing with everything. It's Mac counterparts are so much easier.

The fact that this doesn't have ANY supported documentation is ridiculous.

Sorry guys but I'm gonna be a bit rude here.

1. Opensource and your attitudes DO NOT MIX WELL with anybody who is gonna try and help you

2. Web developer and server Administrstor are very different jobs so there is no point in writing your developer experience down here.

3. There isn't a manual - why don't you go and write one?

Wamp works fine when your version of windows is set up correctly to run with it.

SERVERS USE PORTS- if some other program like Skype etc takes the port - there is nothing wampserver can do about it. There is an option on the menu to check this and it will tell you what is using the port .

Sometimes other legitimate programs will be using the port so you need to make your mind up, you cant have two program's using the same port.

Wamp needs port 80 and 3306.

If your wamp icon is green - then Apache and MySQL are running so you don't have this issue.
If it's orange or red , then you probably do- so you do the normal thing and check the log files on the wamp menu.



If your getting a forbidden error it's because your hosts file on windows is wrong.
It's @ c:/windows/system32/drivers/etc/hosts

Delete EVERYTHING in the file and just write

127.0.0.1 localhost

and then save the file. Sometimes due to windows 7 security you will have to move the file to the desktop , edit it , and move it back.


------------
Wamp doesn't clash with everything- it's a server and it needs ports to run on. So free up those ports.
If your gonna be using windows - learn a few cmd commands to check the system

Start with

Net
Netstat
Ipconfig
---------------

Wamp does a very very good job at installing a http server, Db server, and a server scripting language.
If you don't believe me, take the time to install them seperately and realise the difference.

If wamp does not work straight away, it's because you have some other programs or server components installed seperately or your windows doesn't have all the standard settings.

And there is tons of help on the forum, all this has been answered a million times before, if you don't fully understand an answer- educate yourself , all the words you need to google are in the posts.

Or if you wanna keep your "I am a developer" mentality and shouldn't have to do this , then don't try set up a server, but I think you should have a bit more respect for the software your work depends on.

It's like a car, if you know how it works, you can look after it better- if you don't know and you don't wanna learn, that's fine - but you will pay someone to do it instead of going back to the manufacturer and complaining. And since Wamp is opensource, you don't even have to pay for help, so appreciate it.

Steven Martin
stevenmartin99@gmail.com
stevenmartin99@hotmail.com
PampServer.com - [pampserver.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/13/2012 07:49AM by stevenmartin99.

Thank you Steve for not being rude and somewhat helpful.
What I don't understand is why learning about how to properly set up WAMP which by the way works wonderfully once it works... is so difficult and nothing written to be helpful to those who want to learn. I enjoyed the use of the software very much and therefore my disappointment and frustration when I finally got the opportuntiy to return to programming and find it no longer works as easily as it once did.

My occupation was Aeronautical Engineering... actually in designing and building rockets. So, maybe I come to this expecting more to help those like me that want to learn but can't find any material to do so. I think we all want to become independent and self supporting. If you look in the forum for solutions to my original concern you will find a multitude of suggestions but never a detail explaintion of how it all works and what system files need to be changed etc. etc. And, if you try first to understand some of the suggestions you will see they can be complex requiring a greater understand of many other things or that the suggestions just plain don't work... over and over again.

As I mentioned in my original note. I did remove Skype from port 80 so you didn't have to go over that topic as many times as you did.

I will as you pointed out change the file you mentioned that I should. If that is critical to setting up this software which is so simply no instructions are needed then why was that not mentioned.

I sincerely do want to learn all I can about the software... I am certainly a user of it and enjoy the experience.

Just in your reply you are helpful... but I feel from reading through the forum I am not alone in my frustration. And, yes I will write a manual and contribute it as soon as I learn more.
Bryan

Steve,
This is what my file looks like before I make your suggested change. It appears to be OK to me... in fact it look redundant. But.... as you mentioned all I need is your single statement.
Bryan


# Copyright (c) 1993-2006 Microsoft Corp.
#
# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows.
#
# This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each
# entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should
# be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name.
# The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one
# space.
#
# Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual
# lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol.
#
# For example:
#
# 102.54.94.97 rhino.acme.com # source server
# 38.25.63.10 x.acme.com # x client host

127.0.0.1 localhost
::1 localhost

127.0.0.1 localhost
127.0.0.1 localhost
127.0.0.1 localhost

It's the ::1 localhost that's the issue

Steven Martin
stevenmartin99@gmail.com
stevenmartin99@hotmail.com
PampServer.com - [pampserver.com]

Ok... well that didn't work.
You were right I could not edit the file in place and had to do the desktop edit and move the file back.
The file doesn't have a file extension so assume it would accept .txt
Here is the modified file
# Copyright (c) 1993-2006 Microsoft Corp.
#
# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows.
#
# This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each
# entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should
# be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name.
# The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one
# space.
#
# Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual
# lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol.
#
# For example:
#
# 102.54.94.97 rhino.acme.com # source server
# 38.25.63.10 x.acme.com # x client host

127.0.0.1 localhost

So... there is no conflict on port 80
The hosts file is set up correctly.
The Wamp icon is Green
My phptest.php file is in wamp/www
NETSTAT -a shows 127.0.0.1 is being listened to
NETSAT -n shows 127.0.0.1:5354, 49156,49191 and 49193 Established
ping 127.0.0.1 works just fine.

Any suggestions?

So Steve,
It wasn't a conflict with port 80.
It wasn't the hosts file...
It wasn't the ::1 that was the issue...

My computer is listen to 127.0.0.1
The WAMP Icon is Green so as you mentioned the ports are fine

If I replace localhost with 127.0.0.1 at least it gets through to the file but doesn't compile it.

I promise to write this all down... investigate it and write your manual for setting up WAMP using Windows 7.

All I need to do is fine out what the problem is...
I do appreciate your help...

Do u want to get Teamviewer I will take a look and then you can document it

Steven Martin
stevenmartin99@gmail.com
stevenmartin99@hotmail.com
PampServer.com - [pampserver.com]

Steve thanks for the offer.
I may have just found out something.
I went to the Home Page [localhost]
And, I see file folders under Projects... (that I did not know before)
And if I click on them they work fine
But I did not see any individual files
For example:
If I save this file saved under WWW as phptest.php
<html>
<body>
<h2>This is the first PHP coding section</h2>
<?php
echo "This is <i>PHP code</i>";
?>
<h2>This is the second PHP coding section</h2>

<?php
echo "This is <b>more</b> PHP code";
?>
</body>
</html>
It doesn't appear on the list under Projects as an individual file. Nor do any of the other files I have stored there.

Nevertheless, I should be able to type in on the address line of my browser
/[localhost]

And get the page to display...

This is the first PHP coding section
This is PHP code
This is the second PHP coding section
This is more PHP code

I was getting the Forbidden message:

But... just like going to the Doctor with an ailment... which suddenly disappears in front of the Doctor.
As I was typing this up... I wanted to again see what would happen and suddenly it works fine.

I truly am no brighter than when I started but SOOOO relieved it works.

I am not sure if it was cache but I have not cleared it out.
It could not have been the port 80 issue as I had corrected that and tested many times afterward with no result. After, restarted the services.

I changed out the hosts file to reflect only 127.0.0.1 and tested it... and it didn't work.

I turned off all services and turned them back on a couple of times... that's about all I did since the last failed test...

So... maybe that was it. Turning off the services and turning them back on after making the changes to the hosts file likely was the fix. And, in the hosts file 127.0.0.1 was mentioned several times... so looked redundant but as you mentioned the ::1 entry might have been the problem. So in the hosts file I deleted the duplicate 127.0.01 entries and removed the ::1 entry. So by turning off all services and then turning them back on... it fixed the problem I am assuming. Still don't know as I am not sure of the process that goes on with turning the services on and off. Does it re-read the hosts file. I would think not but I don't know.

Steve I am so pleased to be back working. I have three Club sites that I am working on and you can understand the use of PHP and the MySQL database makes building those sites so much more effecient and effective.

I do APOLOGIZE sincerely if my patiences had come to an end and was reflected in my notes. I will endevour to understand WAMP better in the future and hopefully contribute to a better understanding of the interplay with the systems.
Bryan



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/13/2012 07:08PM by BryanArthurReid.

I have tried to help by posting a page called 'Help for initial setup and a bit of tailoring'

click here :

http://forum.wampserver.com/read.php?2,81975

This covers your problem with the FORBIDDEN issue as well as others.


PS.
You can edit the hosts file if you run your editor as an Administrator.

When you change the HOSTS file you need to restart the DNS Client service, this starts at boot and caches dns lookups so you dont have to do the same one more than once per boot session. You could of course just reboot if thats simpler. Its supposed to help the simple user, but of course can get in the way of the developer.