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DIY Web Site: Installing WordPress

September 26th, 2006

Installing wordpress is reasonably simple, but requires some basic web related knowledge. This detailed article covers the whole installation process (downloading WP / uploading / installing / setting up a mysql database), on a FREE web host.

Tip: If you are not interested in all of this and just want a wordpress blog preinstalled or free, see the end of this article.

Installing WP: Technical knowledge required
You should know how to…

1. Sign up for a web host. 
2. Use FTP to upload files and directories.
3. Edit a file using notepad.

Step 1: Download Wordpress:

1. Go to the WordPress download page, and download the latest version (zip file).
2. UnZip that zip file to your desktop. (In Windows XP, just doubleclick the file you downloaded, and click Extract All Files). You will now have a folder called WordPress.

Step 2: Pre install checklist: Before installing WP, Make sure you have the following:

1. Host who supports PHP and MySql: Your host will need to support PHP and offer MySql databases. For this example, I will signup for a free account at Tripod UK. 
2. FTP Login info to your hosting account: this consists of a host, username, and password. See uploading content via FTP for more information. Test the FTP Login and make sure it works, and you are able to upload files.
3. MySql database information: This information includes:
   a. MySql username.
   b. MySql database name.
   c. MySql password.
   d. MySql host (depending on where you host, this may be something.db or localhost)
4. An FTP Client: I recommend FileZilla which is easy to use and free/open source. See my guide on uploading content via FTP for instructions on downloading/using FileZilla.

After signing up at tripod UK, I got the following Information:

FTP Info:
FTP Username: nsharp28
FTP Password: ######
FTP Host: ftp://ftp.members.lycos.co.uk/

MySql Info:
DB Name: nsharp28_uk_db
Username: nsharp28
Password: (none reqd*)
Host: localhost

*Tripod does not require a MySql password, but your host usually will. Please have that password ready. Note - the MySql password is not the FTP password.

STEP 3: Configure WordPress 
Before you upload WordPress, you should edit the WP Config file in your WP folder on your desktop. You can edit the file as follows:

1. Open the WordPress folder on your desktop.
2. Find a file called wp-config-sample.php.
3. Rename that file to wp-config.php.
4. Open that file using Windows Notepad (Or any text editor)
5. At the top of the file, you will see something like this:
   define(’DB_NAME’, ‘wordpress’);    // The name of the database
   define(’DB_USER’, ‘username’);     // Your MySQL username
   define(’DB_PASSWORD’, ‘password’); // …and password
   define(’DB_HOST’, ‘localhost’);    // 99% chance you…
6. Carefully edit the second item in quotes, for each sentence. For example, the DB name is listed as ‘wordpress’ - change that to your db name - be careful not to delete the quotation marks. In my case, the configuration looks like this:
   define(’DB_NAME’, ‘nsharp28_uk_db’);   
   define(’DB_USER’, ‘nsharp28′);    
   define(’DB_PASSWORD’, ”);
   define(’DB_HOST’, ‘localhost’);
   Note: my password is blank, but you need to put the MySql password there. 
7. Save the file, and exit notepad.

OK, You are now ready to upload WordPress

Step 4: Upload Wordpress 

1. Connect to your site via FTP: Using FileZilla, log into the web site.
2. Navigate to the WordPress folder in the LOCAL window in FileZilla.
3. Select all the files in the WP folder (Click a file, and press Ctrl+a)
4. Right click, and click add to Queue
5. In the menu click Queue->Process Queue.
6. FileZilla will start uploading files.

Cool! You are now almost there! Uploading files may take a while. Depending on your connection speed, you can now step out and have a cup of Coffee.

Step 5: Installing Wordpress

Using your browser, navigate to the front page of your web site, In my case, that is:
http://members.lycos.co.uk/nsharp28/index.php
(Warning, lycos has popups)

If everything was OK so far, you will get a message saying the following:

It doesn’t look like you’ve installed WP yet. Try running install.php.

Tip: If you DON’T get above message, see the error checklist below, otherwise click install, and follow the simple process to install WordPress. Note down your username and password somewhere safe. 

Next, click install.php, follow the procedure. WP will generate an Admin Username and password. Save these both for future use.

That’s It! Check out the sample site
http://members.lycos.co.uk/nsharp28/

Error Checklist

1. I still see the default page of the website: Try deleting any page called index.htm or index.html in your ftp window. Don’t delete index.php as that is WP’s index page.
2. I get an error message “Can’t connect to DB: open the config file again and make sure the settings are correct. If you find any problems, fix and upload again.
3. I get an error message “Missing file”: Make sure you have uploaded all files.

Not interested in learning WP, just want a blog?
If you are not interested in learning how to install WordPress, and just want a WordPress blog, you have two options:

1. Get a free WP blog at http://www.wordpress.com/ (it will have an address like: http://something.wordpress.com/)
2. Paid (preinstalled) Blog: see WordPress web hosting for a list of companies who offer hosted wordpress blogs with domain names, set up for you - most offer wordpress as a free addon if you buy a hosting account and domain.

Tip: GoDaddy offers WordPress installed domains with hosting for about $10/$4 per month.

Got any questions? Ask me! (post them as comments below)

PS: I bet a friend 10 bucks that nobody would bother to read this article or try setting up a wordpress site. Prove me wrong

Entry Filed under: Guides, IT