Software Development, Programming, Technology
Install PHP 5.4 (5.x) on Windows 7 IIS 7.5 the EASY way!
I generally develop my websites in Microsoft technologies: ASPX / DotNet C# with SQL-Server databases. But, I do possess a few smaller sites I work on which are build using PHP. Since my normal desktop for webdesign and software development can be a Windows 7x64 Pro machine, I use the built-in Internet Information Services (IIS) 7.5 web server for testing my ASPX sites using localhost (127.0.0.1).
Well, why don't you consider testing my PHP Hypertext Preprocessor based applications locally on Windows 7 with IIS 7.5? Thankfully, you can forget each of the overly-complex installation instructions that appear everywhere over the web and install PHP 5.4 on IIS 7.5 the SUPER EASY WAY: use Microsoft's great "Web Platform Installer 4.0" to make this happen! [Update: you can even use Web Platform Installer 5.0 for PHP 7.0 now, which will work on Windows 10 / IIS 10. PHP 7.0 may also be then be updated / upgraded to PHP 7.1 while using PHP for Windows downloads at php.net]
PHP 5.4 on IIS 7.5 step-by-step instructions
using Microsoft Web-Platform-Installer 4.0
Here will be the basic steps, and I included screen images showing visual feedback you will probably have during the process. And, this entire process only will take a matter of minutes (based on your download rate).
1. Get the the Microsoft web site for the Web Platform Installer for PHP 5.4 ("WPI"). You will see a considerable button on that page saying "Install Now"... click it to download a PHP54.exe (small) program that you simply run to launch the WPI install process. Note: should you already have the MS WPI installed, you ought to be able to don't use anything but that interface straight to add PHP 5.4 -- WPI needs to be accessible via your start-menu, and you may find it here too: "C:Program FilesMicrosoftWeb Platform InstallerWebPlatformInstaller.exe"
[Update] since 2017-Jan: I realized that Microsoft not has the PHP 5.4 Installer in the link location which formerly existed (above), which in its place you might get Version 5.0 with the Microsoft Web Platform Installer for PHP 7.0 and/or PHP 7.1is now here. You will probably must manually enable CGI (in IIS, under WWW Services, App Dev Features). Once you install WPI 5.0, use its Products-search-feature to seek out all things "PHP", and you need to see the newer 7.x PHP WPI options to select; and, if using PHP on IIS with SQL-Server, be sure to put in the Microsoft Drivers 4.0 (x64) for PHP v7.0 for SQL Server in IIS for database connectivity.
Run that PHP54.exe program you downloaded. This will start the platform-installer and proceed with PHP 5.4 on IIS7.5 installation. The program will download some other content, then give you this screen:
Initial Screen once ready.
2. Next, select the "Options" link to begin to see the following screen, from where I chose "IIS" to the "Which Web Server want to use?", since I have Win7x64 Pro with IIS 7.5 running (versus IIS Express 7.5). Then, click "OK" to return to the screen shown in 2, by which I chose to click on the "Install" button...
The IIS / PHP Install Options
You will be presented using the following screen showing what PHP 5.x.x version will be installed on your IIS 7.5 setup in conjunction with any other supplemental packages for managing PHP on Windows / IIS. I just went together with the defaults and chose "I Accept"...
Various Prerequisites : You can opt from defaults here
3. The installation for PHP 5.4 on IIS 7.5 will take place, and once it completes you will start to see the following screen.
4. Now, when you're done, you will understand the Web Platform Installer's menu system that may display some very worthwhile additional packages you may want to set up this way! There are a lot of very helpful packages setup to the super-easy / automatic installation process. See the "Products" and "Applications" tabs for just a list. And, you'll see how your "PHP 5.4.9" (or whatever version you only installed) appears in the report on products as "Installed" now:
5. Lastly, when you want to see just what exactly was installed to see that these WPI-installed products can be taken off via the "normal" way (Control Panel, Programs and Features), here is usually a screen-shot after utilizing the WPI to put in PHP 5.4 on Windows IIS 7.5. I clipped the screen showing only those products which were installed with PHP for Windows via WPI auto-installer:I we do hope you find all this useful and discover how super-simple it may be to run PHP on Windows 7 / IIS7.5 for local PHP web development on a Microsoft Platform! And, this even installs some SQL-Server 2012 drivers and PHP connectivity to SQL-Server.
Final Note: Web Platform Installer for PHP doesn't necessarily keep the PHP installer packages as current when you would prefer. If you should update with a newer version, or perhaps the most recent version, of PHP, i.e., something newer compared to what is available inside the WPI products list like PHP 7.1.x or whatever, there are many rather lengthy notes about one manual approach to achieve this exist as of this website (though, I have not tried them yet).
