Step 5 – Create the primary administrator user account

In order to create the first administrator user you must enter the following Query into the database using the MySQL administration panel (or command line). This will set the initial username as admin and the password as admin.

You must edit this password immediately you complete the installation particularly on a public/live Web site otherwise your whole Web site will be vulnerable to anyone who guesses the password.

INSERT INTO `jos_users` VALUES (62, 'Administrator', 'admin', 'your-email@email.com', '21232f297a57a5a743894a0e4a801fc3', 'Super Administrator', 0, 1, 25, '2005-09-28 00:00:00', '2005-09-28 00:00:00', '', '');
INSERT INTO `jos_core_acl_aro` VALUES (10,'users','62',0,'Administrator',0);
INSERT INTO `jos_core_acl_groups_aro_map` VALUES (25,'',10);

Use the data in the code box above to create an Administrator account by Running an SQL Query within the PHPMyAdmin interface.

Run SQL Query view prior to running the Query

Select the SQL tab of PHPMyAdmin and enter the code in the Query window. When ready click the Go button. After a few seconds you should receive a confirmation that the query was successful as follows:

MyPHPAdmin Confirmation screen of successful Query execution

If all goes according to plan you will now be able to access the Administrator Back-end of your Joomla! Web site.

Enter localhost/yoursitename/administrator into the address box of your browser (replace localhost/yoursitename/ with the full URL if the installation is on a remote server), and the following screen will be displayed:

The Administrator Login page of your Web site

Enter the username admin and the password admin and click the Login button.

You wil be presented with a rather plain view of the Control Panel:

Main Joomla! Administrator Back-end. Control Panel without sample data installed

Your first task must be to edit the User admin. Open the User Manager by clicking the Quick Icon on the Control Panel.

Select the User Manager Quick Icon

This will open the User Manager:

The User Manager access screen

Click on the Administrator name and edit the details to your own preferences paying particular attention to the password and the e-mail address.

The User: [Edit] screen with the e-mail and password fields highlighted

You can select and change any of the other details as you wish to at this stage, but you probably could do with a cup of tea (or something stronger!).

Congratulations, you now have access to your basic, clean installation of Joomla!.

If this is the first time you have used Joomla! and want to see how it all could look with a bit of effort you will want to install the sample data. Proceed to Step 6 - Install Sample Data .

If, however, you are now satisfied with what you have created and wish to develop the site yourself proceed to Step 7 – Finish