# Linux or Windows to host vbulletin forum?



## JulieAsking (Nov 20, 2002)

Does anyone here know much about vbulletin? I did not understand a reply email they sent me. Am I to understand that if the forum is to be run on a Windows platform I have no choice other than to work through the cgi-bin when it comes to the forum files? I know that on Linux you just upload the appropriate files to a folderyou create on the web server and all is well. I want to know if you can upload the files the same way using a Windows platform.

Also, does vbulletin always install itself in the root of a site? In my current setup I have been told by the hosting company to put all web files into a folder called 'www'. There are other hosting company-provided folders as well as this folder eg. folders named Real Audio, Database, cgi-bin etc. If I was to upload the Upload folder do you know where it would install (if I don't have to go through the cgi-bin)? My hosting company have not been that helpful about forum questions. I suppose if it uploaded to the root I would just make an absolute hyperlink to it from the menu on the html template page.

I would really appreciate confirmation of these questions if possible. If I have to move across to a Linux platform so I can handle the uploading of the forum files, and not have to source someone else to do it, there will likely be a charge and I am trying to get this sorted out so I don't incur that charge for my boss.

Cheers
Xtreme1


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## AbvAvgUser (Oct 3, 2002)

JulieAsking said:


> Does anyone here know much about vbulletin? I did not understand a reply email they sent me. Am I to understand that if the forum is to be run on a Windows platform I have no choice other than to work through the cgi-bin when it comes to the forum files? I know that on Linux you just upload the appropriate files to a folderyou create on the web server and all is well. I want to know if you can upload the files the same way using a Windows platform.


I never preferred using a windows platform. Only one site that I manage is on a Windows server using HSphere. But there shouldn't be much of a difference. You have to upload the files in the right folder.



JulieAsking said:


> Also, does vbulletin always install itself in the root of a site? In my current setup I have been told by the hosting company to put all web files into a folder called 'www'. There are other hosting company-provided folders as well as this folder eg. folders named Real Audio, Database, cgi-bin etc. If I was to upload the Upload folder do you know where it would install (if I don't have to go through the cgi-bin)? My hosting company have not been that helpful about forum questions. I suppose if it uploaded to the root I would just make an absolute hyperlink to it from the menu on the html template page.


You can install vB wherever you want, not necessarily in www or root folder. Take this forum for example. Its on a sub-domain. So it must have been installed in a folder. Ideally speaking, such hugh set of files *must be* installed in separate folder. "www" is essentially the root folder.



JulieAsking said:


> I would really appreciate confirmation of these questions if possible. If I have to move across to a Linux platform so I can handle the uploading of the forum files, and not have to source someone else to do it, there will likely be a charge and I am trying to get this sorted out so I don't incur that charge for my boss.
> 
> Cheers
> Xtreme1


I personally always prefer a Linux server for security and costs. vB is PHP and MySQL so it should work anywhere whether it Linux or Windows. But if your site which has many pages and is already on Windows server, I would suggest, don't shift. Windows is not case specific, Linux is!! So "a" and "A" in Linux is different. So sites may create problems if its loosely coded.


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## Sequal7 (Apr 15, 2001)

VBulletin works on Linux as well as Windows servers (as long as windows has PHP and MYSQL installed)



JulieAsking said:


> I want to know if you can upload the files the same way using a Windows platform.


You can upload to the windows folder the same way, however your FTP program will not be able to set permissions up through FTP (CHMOD) like it would on a LINUX host. You would need to set permissions using your hosts web panel software or hosting control panel for the uplaod or files directories if your allowing file or image uploads through VBulletin.


JulieAsking said:


> In my current setup I have been told by the hosting company to put all web files into a folder called 'www'.


 They are quoting a Unix server, www simply refers to the root directory. The root directory is the hosting account directory in windows hosting. When you connect with FTP you are in your *Root Directory* (there should be no www or htdocs folder on shared hosting accounts but there may be an html folder which is your *web accessable* folder) If your confused, look for the index.htm (or php, asp aspx html etc) page that your sites main page is, that is your sties web root folder. The VBulletin folder goes in that area.
Example, When you unzip vbulletin it creates a folder, upload that entire folder to your server. If you have an existing site, you should now see a new folder named vbulletin (or whatever it unzipped to) Create your MySQL database using phpmyadmin (or your hosts connection utility) Your almost there.
Now open Firefox or IE and locate your vbulletin folder(eg http://yoursite.com/vbulletin/install/install.php) and run the installation utility.


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## JulieAsking (Nov 20, 2002)

Thank you so much for your great replies. 

My concern about having forum software on a Windows platform came from someone saying to me that I would have to use the cgi-bin if I stuck with a Windows platform and it would make installation more difficult and slow things down. (This was an online discussion so I can't get further details).

I have just read this on my hosting company's website re a Windows platform - * If .php files have been uploaded to the cgi-bin directory, PHP may not operate properly. Only the PHP binary needs to be in the cgi-bin directory. Calling a .php file from the cgi-bin directory will produce the error "500-Internal Server Error."

I gather from your replies I can upload the forum files to a folder within the www directory (where my website files live) which is in keeping with the above except for the PHP binary. Can you tell me what that is and also is something called a "shebang" needed in this regard?

Thanks
Julie


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## Rockn (Jul 29, 2001)

Whomever told you that was mistaken. Cgi does not run PHP or vica versa and you can install the files anywhere as long as you maintain the directory structure for the file as described by the insatllation.


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## JulieAsking (Nov 20, 2002)

Many thanks. Really appreciate the help.

Julie


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