Has anyone installed Moodle on a Windows 8.1 Laptop? I'm having issues with my install.
Jim, what issues you are facing? as its not the Operating system the Moodle installation is dependent upon, but the web server, application server, and database. which WAMP should take care of, or is it that you are using IIS and MySQL combination?
If you are having difficulty setting upon things individually, then download the Windows Installer Package, that comes with everything intact and pre-set, you wont be installing anything onto the system, but everything runs with start of moodle button (where I mentioned everything, its Apache, PHP, and MySQL) with all settings that are required to run Moodle.
I'm also having problems completing the installation of Moodle version 2.8.5 on my Windows 8.1 laptop with the Windows Installer Package.
In the second step - start the web server of the instructions, I found out that the web server is not by default installed on my laptop and which I have now installed. The "inetpub" folder now exists in the C:\ drive. There is a subfolder called "wwwroot" which only has 2 files: iis-85.png and iisstart.htm. Is this folder where a folder for Moodle should be? Then I ran "Start Moodle.exe" and according to the instructions, I should be ready to install Moodle in the next step.
In the third step - start Moodle installation, I typed "localhost" but only to get the IIS Welcome page.
I also typed "localhost/moodle" but only to get "HTTP Error 404.0 Not Found. The resource you are looking for has been removed, had its name changed, or is temporarily available."
In another thread on the same subject, I read that the "$CFG->dirroot" in the config.php file in the moodle folder must be modified to point to the location of moodle. The problem is that I have config-dist.php but not config.php. In config-dist.php, it says to rename this file to config.php in the top-level directory which I did. Another problem is that there is no "$CFG->dirroot" in the php file only "$CFG->dataroot" and "$CFG->wwwroot".
I've tried all day to do the install but without success. Your help is most appreciated!!
Thanks,
Ruben
Ruben, if you have downloaded windows installer package, then you have to shut down/disable IIS. The reason is, that windows installer package comes with Apache, PHP and MySQL already configured with the package, whilst you have IIS enabled, which has taken over default port 80 already, that is why you are seeing this IIS start message.
The benefit of this installer package is, all services (web server and database) do not start as a service, hence saving upon the system resources.
if for some reason you prefer using IIS, then rather than downloading Installer package, you have to download Moodle installation package, together with PHP and MySQL separately and install them and configure them to run on IIS.
Hi Usman,
Thanks for your reply.
I disabled IIS, rebooted my computer, and re-downloaded moodle.
Then I ran "Start Moodle" with some messages as shown in the attached file.
I typed "localhost" on my browser and got "the webpage cannot be found."
Then, I ran "Stop Moodle" and got the following message:
Stopping XAMPP...
Can't file apache\logs\httpd.pid.
can't find msql\data\mysql.pid.
I think I'm missing something basic in the setup but don't have any clue.
Ruben
Ruben, possibility will be that port 80 being default for web services will still be bound to IIS, for that, open your Moodle folder go to server > apache > conf folder
in the folder you'll see file httpd.conf
right click the httpd.conf file and click open, because its a configuration file so windows will not find any program to open it, rather you'll get a window asking for two options being
1: use web services to find a correct program
2: select from the list of installed programs (choose this option) it will open another window, and you'll see notepad (plus any others that you may have installed) in the list, choose NotePad (or any other appropriate programs) and UNCHECK the option of "Always use the selected program to open this kind of file"
Once file opened in NotePad, use find command and find "Listen" you'll be taken to lines with words like this
# Change this to Listen on specific IP addresses as shown below to
# prevent Apache from glomming onto all bound IP addresses.
#
#Listen 12.34.56.78:80
Listen 80
Where its mentioned "Listen 80" - in my case, values MAY be different for you. just change it to Listen 80, or if there is some other port mentioned, then you can use that too, for example you may have Listen 1080, then you can as well type localhost:1080 to fetch the Moodle installation files using Apache because Apache is listening to that port by default.
See if this works for you!
Usman, it is also Listen 80 in my httpd.conf file.
In the Start Moodle, there is an error "An attempt was made to access a socket in a way forbidden by its access permissions. : make_sock: could not bind to address 0.0.0.0:80." There is a solution in http://www.coolitguys.com/windows/an-attempt-was-made-to-access-a-socket-in-a-way-forbidden-by-its-access-permissions-make_sock-could-not-bind-to-address-0-0-0-080/. The solution says to stop Microsoft related web apps such as SQL Server Reporting Services which is also accessing 0.0.0.0:80. Unfortunately, I can't do it because I'm using these SQL Server services.
If that's the case, I think I will just create a small bitnami instance for now which is free to developers.
I really do appreciate your help!! Take care.
Thanks,
Ruben
I gave a thought after typing my post that you may as well be running Skype (listen on port 80) and SQL Server reporting services does that too assuming you are Microsoft product lover like I am, but still thought of waiting for your reply to get confirmed.
You dont have to uninstall SQL Server, just go to SQL Server configuration manager, select SQL server services (on left side pane), double click SQL server reporting services and click STOP.
after that, switch to Services tab, and select start mode to Manual.
Other than that, if you have Skype installed, let me know too, i'll pave you way to get rid of its issues too.
Hi Usman,
My laptop is down with a virus/malware so I'm using another laptop to install Moodle. This other laptop does not have Microsoft SQL Server or Skype and the installation was running ok until after the Update Profile. I don't know whether I should restart the install or continue where it ended which I don't know how to do.
Thanks,
Ruben
Ruben
by profile update means, you updated your profile in Moodle?
and also tell me, if you have copied over the stuff from older laptop to new one?
and finally, is it WAMP or WIMP you are running on this laptop?
One of the steps of the installation was to update profile. After I clicked the "Update Profile," the next screen was empty.
I did not copy anything to the new laptop. I downloaded the install files from the Moodle website.
I downloaded the Windows install package and ran Start Moodle which starts Apache and MySQL. So, I was running WAMP in the new laptop.
Ruben
That looks weird moodle disappearing suddenly, have you tried accessing with some other browser? if your moodle was new, just for the sake of confirmation that every file got installed fine, do another installation deleting this one, and download the latest package.
Hi Usman,
I reinstalled the latest windows install package and the same thing happened... the installation seemed to have ended. I'm attaching snapshots of the screens during the install in 2 parts. The last screen was the Update Profile and then followed by a blank screen.
Thanks,
Ruben
Ruben, this usually happens when there is inconsistency in cache, all you have to do is, delete the "cache" folder from Moodledata, you'll find moodledata folder right beneath Moodle folder in SERVER folder. and within the moodledata folder you'll see cache folder, just delete it and try reloading the site. and in case if that didn't work, delete the "localcache" folder as well.
both folders will recreate themselves once you reload.
Usman, you're the man! Per your advice, I deleted both cache folders for the site to reload successfully. THANKS so much for your help!
Ruben
Glad it worked for you, meanwhile you are using Windows based machines, have you considered trying the WIMP combo, as in IIS and MySQL?
Though I am using my production servers on LAMP stack, but came back to put myself into IIS again since last time I interacted thoroughly with IIS was back in era of Server 2003/IIS 6, now IIS 8.5 with Server 2012 R2 is available, I have seen drastic improvement over memory usage in Moodle (as I have just started testing on Windows based platforms rather Linux).
I'm still a newbie at Moodle and I'm going to stick with the standard setup for now while I'm learning. I'm coming from a Microsoft background and very possibly end up going the WIMP way. Nice to know about memory improvements in IIS 8.5.
Thanks again for all your help! I'm sure this will not be my last.
Ruben
Another (may be helpful) link in case if you need to moodle testing on a live server, www.gnomio.com, they offer Moodle sites to be created for free with almost all the popular plug-ins and themes already intact.
I also am new to Moodle and have been struggling with Windows install, your user forum has been an invaluable resource. Thank you for the great support.
Bob, what type of issue were you experiencing on Moodle installation on Windows? though it may have been solved for you, but just for the sake of my knowledge that what issues can come up with the Windows Installation so to assist anyone else, or even me
Need your help. I am trying to install moodle on my laptop. My OS is Windows 8. During installation it stops at http://127.0.0.1/admin/index.php?sessionstarted=1&lang=en - . I tried to refresh it several times but its not really working. What should I do? Thanks.
Aleli,
you just mentioned O/S, what about package? are you using IIS or WAMP or the windows installer package?
It takes a lot of time when writing to database, so at one point it does feels like nothing is happening specially when installed on a laptop as you can't expect the performance of a workstation/server class hardware from a normal use machines, so give some time.
Usman,
Im using the windows installer package, moodle 2.8.5. I click on stopmoodle.exe and deleted the "cache" and "localcache" folder under moodledata.
Im new in moodle and im trying to create a project using moodle. Thanks again.
Hi! Im almost done with my project. I just have to add courses and some content. How can I change the themes and the appearance of the page? Thanks.
Aleli,
for changing the look of Moodle, you have to use themes.
themes can be found in plug-in section, link below
https://moodle.org/plugins/browse.php?list=category&id=3
With every theme, its mentioned the Moodle release, the theme is compatible with, as Moodle 2.8 is quite mature to support most of the themes that have released/revised in last 2 months, all you have to do is, download theme, and upload it to your Moodle > Theme folder, and then log-in as admin, and you'll see automated wizard running you through the theme installation.
once theme installation is successful, you can simply go to Administration>theme>theme selector and choose the recently installed theme.
while its been said, on windows installer package, the themes MAY not work, for everything to work as it should, ideally the moodle is installed on a live server.
while you want to test different plug-ins and themes, I would suggest making an account with gnomio.com (its of course free) and they will give you access to a free moodle installation with almost all the popular plug-ins and themes to play with.
Yes, I have it installed on a Windows 8.1 laptop.
Just now I entered in this forum community, Thanks for letting me know for this important discussion