it as been for a while now that i try to install a LAMPS server without any results... many HOWTO and quite a bit of patience.

However i still have a problem to get that damn thing going!

So far the best HOWTO i found was : http://www.sgms-centre.com/LAMPS/
with this HOWTO i've got apache,mysql and ssl going but the php still aint working

This part seems to be the problem:
cd apache_1.3.27
./configure --prefix=/opt/apache
cd ../php-4.2.3
./configure --with-apache=../apache_1.3.27 \
--with-openssl=/usr/local/ssl \
--with-mysql=/usr/local/mysql \
--enable-sockets \
--enable-track-vars
make
make install

In the ./configure the php INSTALL state that i should have a --with-apxs (but obviously it is not in that configure lines). I have tried the insert it under --with-mysql but i have a message stating that apache and apxs can't work together...

1st : How can i tell if PHP is or not working?
2nd: Would you suggest any other HOWTO?
3th: what is that apxs and is it as to be there?
4th: after i did a ./configure can i do an other one over it to try something else?
5th:
thanks