How to Install Moodle LMS on Windows VPS

Introduction

Moodle is a widely-used Learning Management System (LMS) designed to provide educators and learners with an easy-to-use online education platform. This guide will walk you through installing Moodle LMS on a Windows VPS.

Step 1: Install Prerequisites

Before installing Moodle, ensure the following components are installed on your Windows VPS:

• Web Server: Install XAMPP (includes Apache, MySQL/MariaDB, and PHP).
• PHP: Moodle requires PHP 7.4 or later.
• Database: Use MySQL or MariaDB for database management.

Step 2: Download Moodle

1. Visit the official Moodle download page.
2. Download the latest stable version of Moodle.
3. Extract the downloaded ZIP file to a folder on your VPS.

Step 3: Place Moodle Files in the Web Server Directory

1. Move the extracted Moodle folder to the XAMPP htdocs directory (e.g., C:\xampp\htdocs).
2. Rename the folder to something descriptive, such as moodle.

Step 4: Create a Database for Moodle

1. Open the XAMPP Control Panel and start the MySQL service.
2. Access phpMyAdmin from your browser.
3. Create a new database (e.g., moodle_db).
4. Assign a username and password for the database user and grant full permissions.

Step 5: Configure Moodle

1. In your browser, navigate to http://localhost/moodle.
2. Follow the installation wizard:
• Select the language for your site.
• Provide the database details (name, user, password).
• Complete the admin setup and provide details for the Moodle admin account.
3. Wait for the installation to finish.

Step 6: Enable Remote Access

To make Moodle accessible remotely, configure the following:

1. Update the config.php file in the Moodle directory to use your VPS’s public IP address.
2. Allow traffic on ports 80 (HTTP) or 443 (HTTPS) in the Windows Firewall settings.
3. Access Moodle using http://your-vps-ip/moodle.

Step 7: Start Using Moodle

Your Moodle LMS is now set up and ready for use. Log in as the admin user to start creating courses and adding content for your learners.