How to: Drupal Multisite on Windows Localhost

Goal

Setup test/development environment for Drupal on local Windows computer.

Strategy

Keep original clean Drupal installation, then create many test/client sites, such as:

sites/defaut
sites/site1
sites/site2
sites/dev.mysite.com

If site1 doesn’t work, delete site1 folder. No need to re-install Drupal nor all contributed modules, since default installation remains intact and contributed modules are still in sites/all/modules.

To avoid path and redirect problems, name your sites/ folders as peers of your domain:

sites/dev.adastra.ca
sites/adastra.ca


1. Install WAMP

Quicklink:

• How to: Develop Drupal on WAMP Localhost

2. Create Databases

• Make sure Apache and MySQL services are running.
• Launch phpMyAdmin via /phpmyadmin/ or WampServer icon in system tray.
• Create base database: drupal6 (leave parameters as default - user: root, no password)
• Create other databases: site1 and site2.

3. Install Drupal

• Unzip Drupal 6 into c:\wamp\www\drupal6 folder.
• Go to http://drupal6 and follow installation instructions.

4. Create Multi-side Folders

• Copy /sites/default content to /sites/site1.
• Open /sites/site1/settings.php and set $db_url to:

$db_url = 'mysql://root@localhost/site1';

• Also, in settings.php uncomment and set $base_url to:

$base_url = 'http://site1'; // NO trailing slash!

• Note: Close settings.php so you can proceed with step #9. If applicable, delete default.settings.php from /sites/site1
• Repeat Step 4 for site2 and other sites.

5. Enable Virtual Host

• Open C:\wamp\bin\apache\Apache2.2.11\conf\httpd.conf in Notepad (insert your Apache version number instead of 2.2.11).
• Remove the # before Include conf/extra/httpd-vhosts.conf, as follows:

# Virtual hosts
Include conf/extra/httpd-vhosts.conf


6. Add Virtual Host

• Open C:\wamp\bin\apache\Apache2.2.11\conf\extra\httpd-vhosts.conf in Notepad and add these lines at end of file:

<VirtualHost *:80>
DocumentRoot c:/wamp/www/drupal6
ServerName site1
</VirtualHost>


<VirtualHost *:80>
DocumentRoot c:/wamp/www/drupal6
ServerName site2
</VirtualHost>


<VirtualHost *:80>
DocumentRoot c:/wamp/www
ServerName localhost
</VirtualHost>

7. Map Virtual Host

• Open C:/Windows/System32/drivers/etc/hosts in Notepad and add these lines after 127.0.0.1 localhost, as follows:

127.0.0.1   localhost
127.0.0.1   site1127.0.0.1   site2

8. Restart Apache

• Save all changed files.
• Select WampServer icon in system tray > "Restart all services".
• Note: If you receive a white screen with "Forbidden Access" error message, "Restart all services" again.

9. Install Multiple Drupal Sites

• Go to:http://site1/install.php and http://site2/install.php  to install the sites.
• Go to:http://site1 and http://site2 to view your multi-site installations.

Modules/Themes Location

• To share modules/themes between all sites, store them in sites/all/modules and sites/all/themes respectively.
• To make modules/themes available only to one site, store them in sites/site1/modules and sites/site2/themes respectively.

Import Database Larger than 2MB

If you are importing an existing database that is larger than 2MB, you can use the WAMP menu to navigate to PHP > php.ini. In php.ini, increase the upload_max_filesize to:

upload_max_filesize = 8M

Note: Remember to set it back to default of 2MB after import.