How to Install Drupal on Windows VPS

Introduction

Drupal is an open-source content management system (CMS) that allows you to create and manage a website with a variety of functionalities. This guide will walk you through the steps to install Drupal on a Windows VPS.

Prerequisites

Before starting the installation, make sure you have the following prerequisites:

• A Windows VPS with administrative access.
• PHP version 7.4 or higher installed.
• MySQL or MariaDB installed for the database.
• Internet Information Services (IIS) installed and configured.
• Composer installed on your system.

Step 1: Install Required Software

Ensure the following software is installed:

1. PHP: Download and install PHP from the official PHP website: PHP for Windows.
2. MySQL or MariaDB: Download and install MySQL from MySQL Installer or MariaDB from MariaDB Download.
3. IIS: Install IIS through the Windows Features dialog or using PowerShell commands.
4. Composer: Download and install Composer from the official website: Composer.

Step 2: Configure IIS for Drupal

Set up IIS to serve Drupal:

1. Install IIS: If IIS is not already installed, enable it through the Windows Features dialog or using PowerShell commands.
2. Configure PHP with IIS: Use the IIS Manager to add a new handler mapping for PHP. This involves specifying the path to the PHP executable and setting the request path to *.php. Detailed instructions are available in the Drupal documentation.
3. Set Up a Website in IIS: Create a new site in IIS pointing to the directory where Drupal will be installed. Configure the site bindings to match your domain or IP address.

Step 3: Download and Install Drupal

Proceed with the Drupal installation:

1. Download Drupal: Download the latest version of Drupal from the official website: Download Drupal.
2. Extract Files: Unzip the downloaded file to the directory configured in IIS for your website.
3. Set Permissions: Ensure that the IIS user has appropriate permissions to read and write in the Drupal directory.

Step 4: Configure the Database

Set up the database for Drupal:

1. Create a Database: Log into MySQL and create a new database for Drupal:

CREATE DATABASE drupal;

1. Create a User: Create a new user and grant necessary privileges:

CREATE USER 'drupaluser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'your_password';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON drupal.* TO 'drupaluser'@'localhost';

1. Flush Privileges: Apply the changes:

FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

Step 5: Run the Drupal Installer

Complete the installation through the web interface:

1. Access the Installer: Open your web browser and navigate to the Drupal installation directory (e.g., http://yourdomain.com/drupal).
2. Follow the Wizard: The installer will guide you through the setup process, including:
• System check to ensure requirements are met.
• Database configuration using the credentials created earlier.
• Site configuration and admin user creation.

Step 6: Finalize Installation

After installation:

1. Remove Installation Files: For security reasons, delete the install directory from the Drupal installation folder.
2. Access Drupal: Log into your newly installed Drupal site and begin configuring your website.

Conclusion

You have successfully installed Drupal on your Windows VPS. You can now start customizing and building your website using Drupal’s powerful features.