Run the .exe, and let the installer do the job for you.
Now go to C:\apache\mysql\bin\, and run winmysqladmin.
If, and it probably will, it asks you for a password, enter root as password, and password as password.
Goto your start menu > PHPtriad > Apache Console > Stop Apache
Now go to start menu > PHPtriad > Apache Console > Start Apache
Note: Do NOT select "Restart Apache".
Now, Apache will pop up in a new window.
Simply minimize it.
Do NOT close it!
Now, open up c:\apache\htdocs\phpmyadmin\config.inc.php.
Find: $cfgServers[1]['password'] = '';
Between the '' tags, enter "password" WITHOUT the quotes
Save & Close
Now, your "webpage" is available at http://localhost!
Ok, nowthat we've installed and configured everything, we can start with the actuall vBulletin install!
Installing your vBulletin
Look at your task menu, and right click the traffic light icon.
Click "Show me"
Now, go to the databases tab.
Right click on the "Test" database
Click "Create Database".
In the window which just opened, enter the exact name which you gave to your online database. (If you're installing a new vBulletin forum on your local PC, you may call it anything you want. Do remember what you call it though).
Click "Create the Database" once you've entered a name.
Click "OK" on the error box which just poped up.
Now, press cancel, and it should bring you back to the databases tab.
Now, you have 2 options.
Follow these steps if you want to install a NEW vBULLETIN, if not, simply scroll down.
Download a new vBulletin copy from the members area.
Extract it to: c:\apache\htdocs\forum
Open up c:\apache\htdocs\forum\includes\config.php.
Set the the servername to "localhost" (without quotes)
Set NO dbusername and NO dbuserpassword!
Set the database name to the name of the database you created a couple of steps above.
Now install vBulletin, and follow vBulletin's steps.
Follow these steps if you want to install your online vBulletin Board on your PC.
I've had to update to the latest php & mysql versions to work with vb3.6.7, but it's worth it. This is an AWSOME article... I wish I'd read it long ago, would've saved a lot of messing about with test forums' using subdirectories & another of my limited mysql's with my hosting company.
Thanks for this article - excellent learning material for we n00bz
That is a good example how BAB is to use those type of setups.
Do it your self, install it the old school way. Then you can upgrade instantly to whatever version you like and not depend on someone to update their software.
I recommend using the right way: install manually and configure yourself PHP and MySQL... if you want to learn something.
If you don't want, yes, use those premade programs.
XAMPP works fine, I used to do it the old way but now its just easier to download something like xampp. If a new version comes out just uninstall and reinstall and save the mysql db files. Simple really