Final Preparation

Transferring the files

The first task is to upload the uncompressed collection of files that you created during the last section to your Web server. If you are installing on a localhost - for example the computer you are working on – then it is simply a case of copying and pasting (or moving) the files into the root folder (or a sub-folder) of the Web server. If however you are running the server on a remote host, then this process will involve the use of a FTP client program, some Web Browsers have such a tool built in or can be added in, or the control panel of your host provider, if one is available.

The root folder is located in different places depending upon the operating system/distribution and Web server package you are using and it might be called htdocs, httpd, or www, but we would be here a long while if we tried to detail every possible combination of OS, distribution, package, and directory structure. So, establishing this is up to you!

In some cases it will be possible – as well as quicker and easier - on remote hosted servers to upload the compressed file via your FTP client and to then unzip or uncompress the file directly into the root directory. This will most often be the case with Linux based Web servers where command line access is available. Some hosting companies incorporate a file management system within their bespoke control panels which will include an FTP program.

Occasionally files will become corrupted during the transfer and it may be necessary to complete this procedure more than once.

If you get completely stuck then ask at the forums for assistance after first doing a search in case someone else has already asked the same question.

A bit more preparation...

You are now, almost, ready for the final leap-of-faith and the installation of Joomla! but we would recommend gathering together some final bits of information that will be needed to complete the task and it is better to have them to hand from the beginning rather than scrabble around for them whilst proceeding with the installation itself.