Posted on February 20, 2007 at 4:30 PM in how-to
Note: The below is an archived entry from Earthling, formerly EarthLink's official blog. The blog itself has been decommissioned and is no longer updated, and comments are trackbacks are no longer accepted.
I saw a comment on the WordPress support forums from an EarthLink hosting customer wondering, among other things, how to do a custom installation of WordPress so that they can choose a different path, or have their blog live at the root level of their domain(right at, say, mydomain.com). With lots of help from my fellow EarthLinkers I've put together an unofficial how-to on skipping the easy install and doing your own manual install in your account.
Read on for the instructions. They have EarthLink-specific information sprinkled throughout the usual instructions for a standard WordPress installation. EarthLink-specific steps are set off and italicized:
- Create a database for WordPress on your web server, as well as a MySQL user who has all privileges for accessing and modifying it.
EarthLink: Use the MySQL Databases link in the Control Center to create a new database. Write down the database name, password, and server name as you’ll need that info shortly.
- Download and unzip the WordPress package, if you haven’t already. You can nab it from here. It's free.
- Rename wp-config-sample.php to wp-config.php
- Open wp-config.php in your favorite text editor and fill in your database details.
- Use your database name (which you wrote down) for both DB_NAME and DB_USER.
- Enter the database password (which you wrote down) for DB_PASSWORD.
- Enter your sever name (which you wrote down) for DB_HOST.
When you’re done the file should look something like this:
define(’DB_NAME’, ‘mg_123456789′); // The name of the databasedefine(’DB_USER’, ‘mg_123456789′); // Your MySQL username
define(’DB_PASSWORD’, ‘password’); // …and password
define(’DB_HOST’, ‘mysql123.hosting.earthlink.net’); // 99% chance
(Note: You are in the 1% of people who must change DB_HOST.)
- Use your database name (which you wrote down) for both DB_NAME and DB_USER.
- Place the WordPress files in the desired location on your web server:
- If you want to integrate WordPress into the root of your domain (e.g. http://example.com/), put the contents (not the directory itself) of the unzipped WordPress directory into the root directory of your web server.
- If you want to have your WordPress installation in its own subdirectory on your web site (e.g. http://example.com/blog/), just rename the “wordpress” directory before or after you upload it to your Web site. For example if you want the WordPress installation in a subdirectory called “blog”, you should rename the directory called “wordpress” to “blog” and upload it to the root directory of your web server.
- If you want to integrate WordPress into the root of your domain (e.g. http://example.com/), put the contents (not the directory itself) of the unzipped WordPress directory into the root directory of your web server.
EarthLink: Use the File Manager to create an .htaccess file in the directory used for the blog. Add the following to the body of the .htaccess file:
AddHandler php5-script .php
If an .htaccess file already exists, just add that same line to the end of the file. This will make your WordPress PHP files use the correct version of PHP on EarthLink’s servers.
- Run the WordPress installation script by accessing wp-admin/install.php in your favorite web browser.
- If you installed WordPress in the root directory, you should visit: http://example.com/wp-admin/install.php
- If you installed WordPress in its own subdirectory called blog, for example, you should visit: http://example.com/blog/wp-admin/install.php
- If you installed WordPress in the root directory, you should visit: http://example.com/wp-admin/install.php
Comments
Thanks for your efforts. I am currently awaiting a promised email response from Earthlink to get detailed answers to my questions. In the meantime, a few things I wish to note:
(1) I'm told that Earthlink supports only WordPress 2.0.4.
(2) Earthlink's Wordpress installation menu creates as .htaccess file with the command as the FIRST line.
(3) It is actually quite simple to follow Earthlink's own procedure, which yields 'www.hostsite.com/wordpress'and then manually move this installation to another directory after changing the Word Press general options to reflect the new target subdirectory for WordPress address and blog address, and then logging in as you suggest. So far doing it this way works for me, BUT:
(a)my Permalinks don't work;
(b)I don't know yet whether multiple blogs (installations) are possible at Earthlink.
Posted by RD | February 20, 2007 11:18 PM
Earthlink Live Chat help proved to be completely useless, worse than useless.
As I indicated in my previous comment, it is possible to accomplish all of the above without doing a manual installation. Or I am missing something?
Of my list of unanswered questions for Earthlink, here are the top two:
(1) None of my PERMALINKS function: there's aren't any in my blog's file structure. What went wrong?
(2) How is it possible to create multiple blogs on one Earthlink-hosted web site? Word Press requires multiple installations, one for each blog (each presumably in a separate subdirectory). But how is it possible to maintain multiple blogs on Earthlink?
Posted by RD | February 20, 2007 11:52 PM
I cannot generate PERMALINKS after installing Wordpress.
Perhaps the secret of my failure is on this page?
http://codex.wordpress.org/Using_Permalinks
Is Earthink lacking some necessary feature to get Permalinks to work properly, such as Apache? Eaethlink does not provide proper documentation on its capabilities, and is always behind in upgrading and documenting its resources.
Posted by RD | February 21, 2007 2:56 AM
RD: Not sure what time zone you're in, but all of your comments came in late last night for me, one shortly after the other. Thanks for bearing with me while I made sure I had the right information to give you this morning. Specifically (my answers after the >>):
(1) I'm told that Earthlink supports only WordPress 2.0.4.
>>The easy install installs version 2.0.4. We will be performing updates in the future. You may be able to install a more recent version via a manual installation, but that hasn’t been tested and isn’t supported (isn't supported in the sense that our technical support folks won't be able to help you out with it, but it very well may work). For what it’s worth, I don’t know of any specific platform differences that would prevent you from running 2.1 on your own. (Your mileage may vary).
(2) Earthlink's Wordpress installation menu creates as .htaccess file with the command as the FIRST line.
>>The instructions in this blog entry are for performing your own custom/manual installation. You shouldn’t need to mess with the .htaccess file if you’re using the easy install.
(3) It is actually quite simple to follow Earthlink's own procedure, which yields 'www.hostsite.com/wordpress'and then manually move this installation to another directory after changing the Word Press general options to reflect the new target subdirectory for WordPress address and blog address, and then logging in as you suggest. So far doing it this way works for me, BUT:
(a)my Permalinks don't work;
(b)I don't know yet whether multiple blogs (installations) are possible at Earthlink.
>>(a)The easy install is intended to be just that – easy. So it doesn’t necessarily support moving your WordPress files or reconfiguring to house your blog in a different place. I have a feeling your permalinks aren’t working because you moved the blog from the standard spot where the easy install puts it. If you want to host your blog in a directory other than yourdomain.com/wordpress, I suggest you follow the manual installation instructions. If your permalinks aren’t working even after using the standard “free tools” easy install (and you haven’t moved it to a different directory) please shoot me an email and I’ll make sure Hosting support looks into it for you.
>>(b)As far as multiple blogs go, it’s not possible using the easy install, but you may be able to do it on your own using manual installations.
Hope that all helps you figure out what your best approach is to get where you want to go. If you end up experimenting, let me know how things go.
Posted by Dave C. | February 21, 2007 11:49 AM
Thanks for your considerable efforts. All this sounds good so far, but there is one major stumbling block to work out, relating to "pretty permalinks".
For reference, see:
http://wordpress.org/support/topic/106898?replies=13
http://wordpress.org/about/requirements/
http://codex.wordpress.org/Permalinks
One user asked these key questions:
Is Earthlink hosting on apache or IIS?
Do they have mod_rewrite and AllowOverride on and enabled?
I'm assuming you have taken these issues into consideration, so I will try a manual install once I succeed in acquiring Wordpress 2.1. I used the easy install to begin with, which I hope doesn't interfere with subsequent fiddling. I don't want to do the easy uninstall, because I'm assuming that would mess up my existing arrangement.
Posted by RD | February 21, 2007 12:14 PM
This information is in the thread on the WordPress support site too, now, but for completeness' sake over here, here's more info from elnkhostingpm:
"EarthLink does allow you to manipulate your .htaccess file. The File Manager even allows you to add common directives without knowing the exact code to do so.
However, mod_rewrite is not enabled so you'll need to use the workaround prescribed by WordPress of adding /index.php to your Permalink structure if you're using anything other than the default. "
Posted by Dave C. | February 21, 2007 12:51 PM
"However, mod_rewrite is not enabled so you'll need to use the workaround prescribed by WordPress of adding /index.php to your Permalink structure if you're using anything other than the default."
These are not clear and explicit instructions. I need to know EXACTLY what to do to get pretty permalinks.
On a positive note, I have been able to effect multiple installations of Wordpress for multiple blogs, and it appears that Wordpress 2.1 functions.
Posted by RD | February 21, 2007 9:15 PM
I'm appalled by how far behind the state of the art Earthlink is and how disrespectful of its customers it is not to provide the infrastructure to enable them to do what they need to do. I am certainly not going to recommend this company as I did in the past and even help people set up accounts. It's even worse not to inform customers of the parameters in which the system functions so they can make proper decisions on their own.
Case in point: the PERMALINKS problem. "Pretty permalinks" are important for two reasons. An intelligible structure such as year-month-(day)-posttitle is helpful in a ways spelled out on the Word Press permalinks page. Secondly, considering that some customers will be importing already existing blogs into a new format in order to host them on Earthlink means the preservation of already existing blog structures matters. For example, I used to publish a blog on my own site via the clumsy method of publishing the blog from Blogger's site. I want to preserve this structure intact at the same location. But now I have a problem, and I can't get clear instructions from anyone on how to overcome this obstacle, nor do I know what will and what will not work on Earthlink since nobody will give me any information. Furthermore, the instructions on the Word Press site are confusing enough especially not knowing which route to take given the Earthlink situation. Should I continue to torture myself trying to set up the blog the way I want it, or should I close down all my Earthlink accounts which I've maintained for years, and find a more hospitable host?
Posted by RD | February 23, 2007 12:08 AM
RD: Somewhere along the line, it seems like you may have misunderstood my intent in providing the unofficial instructions above regarding custom WordPress installs.
We offer and support the easy install of WordPress in the free tools. For technical support beyond the installation itself and beyond making sure the software actually works after the install, I recommend you work with the software authors and support community. When you go beyond what we(EarthLink) officially support, you're really blazing your own trail and by definition won't have documentation on how to get from point a to point d, unless users like yourself choose to share their experiences. If you're stuck on something, hopefully the helpful folks around you in the WordPress community can lend a hand if you put a specific problem in front of them. I've only done standard installations and the one experimental custom install myself so you've reached the limits of what I know about what can be done in the current system.
That said, if there's some specific functionality or documentation you'd like us to consider adding to the supported easy install, I know the product team would love to hear about it and I encourage you to use the "feedback" link in the hosting Control Center to let us know. I think your suggestion about providing some basic instructions for how to import a blog from somewhere else or some of the other major platforms is a very good one, and one I'll also suggest to the product team directly.
Posted by Dave C. | February 23, 2007 8:06 AM
There is a "DAT" file in the directory WordPress is installed to. The system looks for that DAT file to know whether the application exists-- if the DAT file isn't there, the system assumes the application hasn't been installed.
There are two lessons to take from this:
1. Don't mess with the DAT file if you want to manage your Free Tools using the Control Center.
2. Multiple installs should work fine.
The system will install WordPress to its default directory, and then you can rename that directory. The system won't see a DAT file, so you can just install again (using a different database)-- voila, two installations. You'll need to tweak it, of course, because as noted above some settings and script actions rely on knowing the paths they live on.
Several of the new "Free Tools" can be installed this way. PhpBB for example.
NOTE: I haven't tried any of this, I'm just making an assumption based on the way the system works. YOUR MILEAGE MAY VARY.
Posted by JB | February 28, 2007 4:55 PM
Some time ago my experiment with multiple installations of WordPress worked perfectly. My second installation used Wordpress 2.1., which functions fine. I don't recall my exact procedure, but I believe I uploaded a properly configured wp-config.php file and .htaccess file along the rest of the files into the subdirectory of my choice, and then logged in at the proper subdirectory to install Wordpress and access it on successive occasions. No problem.
It is also quite simple to import content from a New Blogger blog into Wordpress using the utility described here:
http://www.romantika.name/v2/2007/01/31/import-new-blogger-to-wordpress/
The problem, remains, however, with the permalinks. People here, at the Wordpress site, and at Earthlink have been most unhelpful. It is impossible for a novice to select a workaround procedure from the confusing instructions provided on the Wordpress site, and Earthlink does not publicize its specs, i.e. whether one can enable mod_rewrite (whatever that means), whether Apache is used on the system, etc. I have no idea what to do and nobody will help me, and thus my ability to import an existing blog intact is inhibited.
There is an advantage to using "pretty permalinks", but there is a solution that works without going through hell and is almost as good when starting new blogs, called "almost pretty permalinks":
Go to options-permalinks, choose custom structure. Prefix the rest of your parameters with "/index.php".
Example:
/index.php/%year%/%monthnum%/%postname%/
. . . structures your permalinks by year, month, and postname, but prefixed with the ugly "index.php/" like so:
http://sitename.ext/bloglocation/index.php/permalink
It's better than the default option, but still unattractive.
Still, I will not be satisfied until this pretty permalink problem is resolved. It is simply inexcusable that Earthlink will not enable a state-of-the-art installation comparable to Blogger or its competitors. And again, for converting existing blogs to Wordpress for use on Earthlink completely intact, solving this problem is a must. I insist on some assistance here.
Posted by RD | March 3, 2007 8:23 PM
RD, I think the root of the issue here is that you're asking EarthLink to provide support for WordPress, which isn't EarthLink's product. EarthLink has spelled out what it can and can't support with WordPress, and the addition of pretty permalinks isn't supported.
Also, EarthLink is an ISP, and Blogger is a blog hosting company. Dealing with all the ins and outs of blogging is Blogger's specialty. Comparing the two is comparing apples to oranges.
Posted by Tracy | March 5, 2007 10:23 AM
You don't get it at all. Two points:
(1) It's a question of Earthlink supporting permalinks, not Word Press. If you know of other blogware supported by Earthlink that does allow the maintenance of pretty permalinks,please let me know. But if Earthlink makes this imposssible regardless of blogware chosen, then it's Earthlink's deficiency.
(2) If Earthlink can't support web hosting, it should get out of the web hosting business, which it clearly is in. Earthlink should be providing services to its customers for the services it provides and charges for. This is not rocket science. If earthlink is not customer friendly, it shoudl not be in business. And I find your attitude most unhelpful.
Posted by RD | March 5, 2007 10:38 AM
I'm a couple months behind on the discussion, but it relates to my current chalenges. I have manually installed Movable Type on Earthlink web hosting. Other than what I'm told is normal MT installation issues, it works great.
A couple of interesting things I learned along the way:
1. CGI, Perl or PHP scripts do not have to be in the "cgi" directory. Earthlink will execute any script either at the root directory or any sub-dir that you create. Just make sure you set the permissions correctly for the directories and the files that you want to Read/Write/Execute.
2. I read about a script called "servercheck.cgi" (easily found on the net). Run this and it will tell you much more about the earthlink environment. Currently they have Solaris 5.8, Perl 5.008.008, Server Software Apache, CGI 1.1, library "mod_perl" is not installed.
3. MT is able to do permalinks of any configuration, so I'm curious how WP is attempting to do it differently.
4. One thing I am stuck on is doing photo gallaries which require thumb nail image creation using something like Image Magick. For the life of me I could not get the binarys loaded. Earthlink does not allow you to compile any source code. So for now, I do not know how to do photo galaries.
One last thought, I completely agree that Earthlink is scarce on their documentation or even a forumn from other users on how to get the tricks to work.
Work in progress:
http://goreads.com
Posted by Mark Read | May 14, 2007 10:51 PM
Hi Dave! I just wanted to drop a quick note to say thanks for publishing this page. It helped a lot with my install of Wordpress today. Couldn't have done it without you!
Posted by Lisa | August 29, 2007 2:23 PM
Lisa: Thanks for the note. Glad to hear it came in handy.
Posted, in reply to Lisa's comment, by Dave C. | August 30, 2007 9:08 AM