Installing LAMP from source
 

Does anyone know of a tool like ApacheToolbox anymore? That was SUCH a great tool and saved me tons of time and headaches back in it's day.

I went to it's page and it I could see that the newest version of PHP it supports is 4.x and THAT's old. Seems like I tried a few years ago with the same results.

Anyway, does anyone know of a similar tool OR a good howto on it?

I need to install the newest versions of apache (mod_ssl), php, mysql, with the works and would like a good readme with the commands for each part.

I can install a basic Apache installation. But when I compile several things only to have apache complain about pcre and I have to start all over, it gets frustrating.

My question: does anyone have a good (current) guide for installing LAMP with openssl or know of a tool similar to apache toolbox that works with current versions of the software.

TIA,

Adam

You can, but honestly why bother??? You can install the most current versions, along with the openSSL and other modules from packages in most repositories for most distros. You don't say what version/distro you're using, but there are even meta-packages that install everything with one command. Unless you're looking for some VERY esoteric and/or bleeding-edge functionality, you shouldn't need to compile any parts of LAMP from source.

Read the "Question Guidelines" link in my posting signature. Without details about what you're using and what you're actually trying to accomplish by doing this, there isn't much we can help you with.

The reason I ask is because Apache/PHP/SSL/MySQL is currently installed as .deb's on a VERY old (Sarge) Debian box.

This is a new job and the company that I work for has REALLY let the webserver go. I know for a fact that openssl and apache have not been updated in 3 years.

I'm scared to even attempt to do and apt-get update (even though if that would work, I'd LOVE it).

I figure that the path of least resistance would be to install from source alongside the current installation and then I could just do /etc/init.d/apache(whatever) stop and start with the new one. If the new installation blows up, I have the old one right there.

I'm ALL about installing from the package manaager's version, but I'm in a weird spot here. Sorry for not specifying that in my previous post.

If anyone has any better ideas about this than I do, I'd love to hear them. Maybe I should just build an entirely new web server - although I'm SURE there are lots of little 'hidden' jems that would break if I did that. I'm just weighing my options at this point.

Thanks for your reply,

Adam

The last sentence of your reply says it all, for me. If it's that old and unupdated, you're just in for surprises in the future when the old junk dies, and you have to sleep in the server room for a day or two, trying to scramble to fix it.

Me? I'd build out a new web server from scratch, while the old one is running. Migrate things over, test in an orderly (and while the sun is up) fashion, and get things correct and documented so there won't be any 'hidden gems' in the future. You'd be doing yourself a huge favor, if you're the new admin, and dodge a major bullet. And even if they complain about new hardware, remind them that the old web server can now be a backup server/new workstation/test bed/whatever, and it won't go to waste. Since you mention web and MySQL, and it's for a company, you could then implement load balancing, put it in HA mode with a failover, and have master/slave implemented in MySQL.

Good point. Well taken.

Thank you.