1)Download and install XAMPP (it's up to you if you want it be installed as services). You can get it here at http://www.apachefriends.org/en .
2)After you have installed this you will be asked if you would like to open the XAMPP Control Panel. Select yes and click the buttons labeled start next to Apache and mySQL.
3)Download PHPbb and copy the contents of the the main PHPbb2 folder into the ht-docs directory (it will probably be at c:\program files\xampp\ht-docs on most pcs depending on where you chose to install xampp). Note: You may delete anything that is already in there if you wish and you may also put your phpbb files into a directory such as “forums”.
4)Enter "http://127.0.0.1/yourforumpath/install/install.php" ( without the " ) in your browser and replace 'yourforumpath' with the path to your phpbb files as seen from htdocs. example: if your phpbb is in C:\program files\xampp\htdocs\forums\, then enter 'http://127.0.0.1/forums/install/install.php'.
5)Open another browser. Enter http://127.0.0.1/phpmyadmin/
6)Create a new database in phpmyadmin, that means: just enter a name for the database and click on create.
7)Fill in the values on the phpbb install.php page like this:
Database type = mySQL 4.x
Database Server Host name = 127.0.0.1
Your Database Name = This is whatever you called your database earlier
Database Username = root
Database Password = There is no password
Prefix for database = You don't have to put anything here however if you are using the same database for multiple sites then you may wish to give it a prefix that you will remember.(e.g. Phpbb_)
8)Fill in the details for the Administrator user
9)You should now be done. To test it you can input the local ip, external ip or 127.0.0.1 (this one only works on the pc it is installed on).
10) Enjoy .
Guide best viewed at 1280 x 1024 or higher (although is fine with everything else). Thanks to ImageShack for Free Image Hosting.
EDIT: As shadowfox has stated below, the steps for IPB are very similar. The only noticable change is that to get to the install screen on IPB the url is http://127.0.0.1/you...stall/index.php rather than install.php.
Edited by Exploding B0B, 28 October 2005 - 06:26 PM.