Using Xampp To Install The Quick Start Package

XAMPP is a free, self contained local server which includes Apache, MYSQL, PHP and more which you can install on a Windows computer or Mac and is great for installing and testing the quick start installer package we have available for download at the website before moving your website to your web hosting companies server.

XAMPP is also really useful if you want to develop your Joomla site locally before moving it to the web hosting provider.

IMPORTANT NOTES

  • Read the documentation for XAMPP to get yourself familiar with using software. 
  • XAMPP may behave differently to the Apache, MYSQL, PHP configuration running via the web hosting company and you may get unexpected results when using Joomla and XAMPP.

To install XAMPP for the quick start package complete the following steps

1. Visit the XAMPP website and download the latest version of the .exe installer for Microsoft Windows

2. After you have downloaded XAMPP click on the .exe file to start the installation process and you will see the following screen

 Step 2

 3. Click on the NEXT button and select the default components

 Step 3

 4. You can now select the directory where XAMPP will be installed. The default directory is C:\xampp\

 Step 4

 5. Select the NEXT button and the following screen will appear

 Step 5

 6. Select the NEXT Button

 Step 6

 7. Select the NEXT button to setup the local server on your computer based on the information you have entered into the configuration settings noted above.

 Step 7

 8. The Final screen will confirm that XAMPP was successfully installed on your computer.

Select the FINISH button to complete the installation process.

 Step 8

 9. The next step is to click on the XAMPP icon on your computer desktop to open the control panel to start Apache and MYSQL as show in the screen shot below. Once Apache and MySQL is started you can move onto the next step.

 Step 9

 10: If you did not change the default installation directory you can now browse to the C:\xampp\htdocs\ directory. Once you are in the htdocs directory create a new directory called Joomla so your directory structure will look like C:\xampp\htdocs\Joomla\ as show in the screen shot below.

 Step 10

 11. The next step is to open the Joomla directory and copy all the Quick start files included in the template zip package you have downloaded from the website to the C:\xampp\htdocs\Joomla\ as show in the screen shot below

Note: The name of the .jpa file shown in the screen shot will be different depending on the template you have downloaded at the site.

 Step 11

 12. The next step is to open your web browser and enter http://localhost/>

13. You will now see the options for XAMPP where you can create a new MYSQL database. To create a new MYSQL database for the quick start package select phpMyAdmin under the tools option.

 Step 13

 14. After selecting phpMyAdmin choose the databases tab and in the database field enter Joomla for the name of the database and select the create button to create the MYSQL database. The default user name and password for the MYSQL database is root and password.

 Step 14

 15. The next step is to start the installation of the quick start package. To start the installation enter the following into the browser http://localhost/Joomla/kickstart.php and you will see the following screen shot.

 Step 15

 16: To complete the next steps to setup the quick start package open the How do I install the template quick start package article included in this knowledge base and go to step 4 included in the article to complete the steps to setup the quick start package.

How to update to the latest version of Joomla

All the templates we have designed for Joomla come supplied with the template quick start package which allows you to create an exact copy of the demo website you can see at the template gallery

After you have installed the quick start package at your website you may need to update Joomla to the latest verison.

To update to the latest version of Joomla complete the following steps

Log into the administrator area of your website.

 Log In

 Select the components menu and the Akeebackup menu to take a full backup of your Joomla website before you update to the latest version.

For more information read our blog post simple guide to backup your Joomla website

 Backup

 Once you have successfully take a full backup of your website you can now update to the latest version of Joomla

To update to the latest version select the update now button

 Controle Panel

 Choose the Install update button

 Update

 

 

 

The update will start and once completed you will now be running the latest version of Joomla

How do I install The Joomla Template Quick Start

A template quick start installer allows you to create an exact copy of the website and template you can see running at the template gallery

  1. You don’t need to worry about installing a new installation of Joomla
  2. Or setting up the Joomla template
  3. The website quick start installer does everything for you in a few simple steps
  4. Watch the video to find out more about how easy it is to setup the Joomla website installer

 

 

What is included in the quick start

  1. A default installation of the latest version of Joomla
  2. The Joomla template you have purchased at the website is setup and ready to go for you
  3. All the demo content including menus, modules, content, images, slideshow is setup for you

Why should you use the quick start

  1. It’s easy to install and use
  2. It will save you a lot of time
  3. Comes with everything you need to help you quickly setup your site
  4. After you have installed the quick start installer you will have an exact copy of the template and website you can see at the gallery

How do I setup the template quick start

The following step by step instructions will guide you through installing and setting up the quick start installer at your website.

Step 1: Create a MYSQL database

The first step is to log into your web hosting control panel and create a new MYSQL database which will be used to store all the MYSQL data for your Joomla website.

  1. Log into your web hosting control panel and select the MYSQL Databases icon

 How to install the joomla template step 1

 

2. Enter the MYSQL database name for the web site and select the Create database button

 How to install the joomla template step 2

 How to install the joomla template step 2 and

 

3. Create a new MYSQL user name and password which needs to be assigned to the new MYSQL database you have created

 How to install the joomla template step 3

 

 

4. Add the MYSQL user you have created to the MYSQL database

 How to install the joomla template step 4

 

 

5. Give the user ALL privileges to the MYSQL database you have created

 How to install the joomla template step 5

 

 

Step 2:  Upload the .jpa backup file to the public_html directory

Once you have created the new MYSQL database and user name you need to upload the .jpa file included in the quick start files directory included inside the template zip file you have downloaded at the website.

To upload the .jpa file to your web hosting space complete the following

  • Open the FTP software you have installed on your computer
  • Select the  jpa file included in the quick start files directory
  • Using the FTP software you have installed on your computer upload the jpa file to the public_html directory

Step 3: Upload all the kick start files to the public_html directory

After you have uploaded the jpa file to the public_html directory you now need to upload ALL the kick start files located in the /quickstart files/kickstart/ directory included inside the template zip file to the public_html directory

IMPORTANT : all the files show in the screen shot need to be uploaded to the same place you uploaded the JPA file to.

 How to install the joomla template step 3 1

 

Step 4: Install the quick start Installer

  • Open your browser and enter your website domain plus a forward slash / after the domain name followed by the name kickstart.php
  • Example will look like this http://www.yourwebsitedomain.com/kickstart.php
  • After you have entered your domain name followed by kickstart.php you will now see the following screen
  • Select the GREEN START BUTTON

 How to install the joomla template step 4 1

 All the Joomla files included in the JPA file will now be extracted to the public_html directory

 How to install the joomla template step 4 2

 Select the GREEN RUN THE INSTALLER BUTTON

 How to install the joomla template step 4 3

 The following screen will now appear which will allow you to review all the settings on your server.

Select the BLUE NEXT BUTTON

 How to install the joomla template step 4 4

 The following screen will now appear where you can enter the MYSQL database information

  • For the database type select MYSQL or MYSQLi
  • Enter Localhost in the database server host name
  • Enter the MYSQL name, MYSQL user name and MYSQL password you created in the steps noted above
  • select the BLUE NEXT BUTTON

 How to install the joomla template step 4 5

 The data will now be written to the MYSQL database you setup for the website

 How to install the joomla template step 4 6

 How to install the joomla template step 4 7

 You will now see the following screen where you can enter the information about the Joomla website

Once you have entered the information about your web site select the BLUE NEXT BUTTON

 How to install the joomla template step 4 8

 You have now completed the installation of the quick start file.

You now need to remove the installation files.

Click on the RED REMOVE INSTALLATION DIRECTORY BUTTON

 How to install the joomla template step 4 9

 To view the Joomla web site select the GREEN VIEW YOUR SITE FRONT END BUTTON

You will now see an exact copy of the Joomla template and website you can see running at the template gallery.