Ravenswood Joomla Server - help needed

[Duer 157099]

http://www.ravenswoodit.co.uk/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=81&Itemid=13

Anyone familiar with this? I'm having what is probably a really simple problem -- This program is supposed to run as a stand-alone, yet it's not working for me and I don't know where to start looking for the answer.

Basically, I unzip the file and extract all files to a folder, click on the .exe and it runs, but if I try to navigate to the home page (http://localhost/..) the browser says page not found. I turned off ZoneAlarm, still won't work. I do have a router, is there a setting in there that I need to adjust?

What am I missing, anyone?

Thanks in advance.

Edit to add more info. From the Ravenswood page:

Ravenswood JS is a win32 web/mysql/php server for Joomla! 1.0.n. It provides a completely standalone environment for develeopment, test and demonstration purposes. No installation is required and no system files or registry changes are required.

It uses the well known Uniform server to provide the AMP environment with the addition of the Unitray plugin to control access to various additional options, Joomla 1.0.n has been installed and configured.

Tested with Windows XP, 2K, 2K3

UHP2 now replaces the older UHP

This release can be run from disk, flash drive etc.

10/01/07: updated with the latest Joomla release 1.0.12. and UHP2 1.2

To use: just unzip the package into a directory and then run joomla.exe

Your new web site should come up in a browser window and an icon should appear in the system tray, right click on the icon for additional facilities.

Joomla admin user is (admin) and the password is (admin)
Mysql database user is (root) and the password is (root)

[FormerDittoHead]

1. Typical geeks - what you posted was the complete, online documentation...!

I'd look in the installed directory for something more than this, otherwise, typically, I'm thinking the people who produced this assume the users are completely versed in programming and/or how to run a LAMP Server...

There isn't even a damn FAQ or message board to field simple questions such as yours...

[Duer 157099]

2. Actually I did find a message board

and thought I'd be home free.

http://www.ravensportal.co.uk/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=18&board=5.0

But nooooooooo, I've been reading ALL the threads and while many of them describe the same problem I'm having, nobody yet has described the appropriate solution! This is really beginning to take it's toll.

For example, several people found that they had Skype installed, which uses port 80. I don't. In fact, I just did a "netstat" and no entries for port 80, so it's not being used by another program.

As far as I know, there's no other incident of apache running... I'm assuming that since this program is "stand alone" that you don't *need* to install apache/php before running this... (???)

[charlie]

3. I just installed it to have a look

Run the batch file called start.bat, not joomla.exe.

[Duer 157099]

4. Yes, have tried that

Have tried everything I can think of...

edit to add: it runs through the batch file, and gets as far as the redirect.html, and that's when it stops cold, when it tries to redirect to http://localhost/joomla -- says "Unable to Connect"

[Duer 157099]

5. This is beyond absurd

I have now tried running this on 4 different machines, 2 win98 boxes, 1 winXPhome and 1 winXPpro.

Each time, something different seems to be the problem, but in ALL cases, the redirect to the localhost page fails.

W.T.F.????

This is just too much to take.

[Duer 157099]

6. OK -- really simple question:

Do I need to have Apache installed already on my machine??? If so, why doesn't the documentation say so? I'm assuming it has local copies of *everything* needed, otherwise, how could it be portable, and run from a flash/disk???

[charlie]

7. No

In fact, looking at the Uniform Server forums, checking if there's another Apache install is one of first things they do in troubleshooting. It already runs two instances of Apache as it is.

Like I said upthread, I downloaded the thing, unpacked and ran it, and it worked the first time on my old XP beater. That you've done it on 4 separate machines without success -- maybe you've gotten a borked copy of the files? Have you tried re-downloading the package?

[Duer 157099]

8. Thanks Charlie -- yes, I've downloaded it a couple timea

Although, always from the author's site -- is that where you got it?

On my XPPro laptop, which I don't even connect to my network, so it's not even configured to use the router at all, same problem -- although, it also seemed to have a problem setting up the w: drive. Maybe it's a drive format issue.

I even reformatted a drive, reinstalled a fresh copy of winXPhome (I know! how crazy is this???) and STILL the same problem!

I really really need to get this working, and I'm about to go insane.

[charlie]

9. I guess I got it from where you did

but to be completely certain we're not talking about 2 different packages, here's the URL:

http://joomlacode.org/gf/project/joomlalite/frs

[Duer 157099]

10. Right. That's the same

How can I tell if some other program is running an instance of Apache? I have tried many times to look in my running tasks/processes, but I don't see anything. Could it be hidden? Also, when I just try to go to localhost without starting the RJS (ravenswood joomla server), I get the same error, which tells me that nothing is using that (wouldn't I see a page turn up if so?)

Maybe there's a simple thing I could do to see why I can't get to localhost, even outside of rjs?

I appreciate your help Charlie!

Also, this is going to sound really lame, but how can I capture the output of the DOS window to paste here?

[charlie]

11. Instances of Apache wouldn't be hidden

If it's running, you'll see it in the taskmanager.

Yes, if you're getting identical browser errors whether the server is running or not, then either the server is never running or it's not bound to localhost (or 127.0.0.1).

I'm sorry I can't be much help with this, I'm as stumped as you are.

To copy the output of the CMD window (can't say if this works from a Win9x DOS window, though), right-click anywhere, choose Select All, then press Ctrl-c.

[Duer 157099]

12. Here's something I noticed

If I have ZoneAlarm running while trying this, I get the prompt requesting permission for:

127.0.0.1:3306

??? Shouldn't that be: 127.0.0.1:80?

Why is it using port 3306, and is this the problem?

(btw, same problems occur with or without ZA running)

Re: output of DOS -- are there commands I can insert into the .bat file so that the screen output (all of it, not just one page) get captured in a txt file? I tried putting a command on the top line, after the netstat -an > output.txt and it puts just the netstat portion into a txt file. I'm trying to capture a text file of the whole batch session, I know this must be simple, I just don't use dos very often

(btw, using the native commands in my win98 dos window, all I can do is copy/paste the current window, not all the stuff upstream)

[charlie]

13. 3306 is the port MySQL uses

Sorry, I can't remember any DOS commands that could do that, it's been too long. All I know is redirecting from the command prompt -- command > output.txt -- and that'll only capture what the batch file writes to the console.

[Duer 157099]

14. Well that makes sense (mysql port)

Now I'm re-examining my network settings.

DNS? I have it disabled, because my router acts as a dhcp server. Also, WINS is disabled.

Are either of those needed by apache?

This has *got* to be something really trivial that I'm just not seeing.

Also, does the TCP/IP protocol need to be bound to anything?

It has to be a network setting issue

[charlie]

15. I have the same settings

except I have DNS lookup hardcoded to OpenDNS. The thing is, you and I are using the same Apache configuration, I haven't changed anything. At least, we should be using the same -- I wish the author included a checksum with his download, so we could check for corruption.

Really dumb longshot -- have you pinged localhost? It should answer, server or no. If not, the alias isn't bound to the loopback IP. I know, it's a super longshot, localhost is practically hardcoded in Windows and can't ordinarily be deleted (and on 4 separate machines!), but you might want to check.

[Duer 157099]

16. Yes, ping to localhost works fine

If I could capture the dos window while the bat file is executing, I could perhaps troubleshoot further, but I can't even accomplish that simple task, lol

I did notice on the message board that someone else who was having problems traced it to their nvidia chipset drivers, which I also have -- but even so, when I requested localhost, I'd at least get something if someone (nvidia drivers) were using it, but I don't

browser settings? tried both firefox and IE, same result

[Duer 157099]

17. Suddenly it decided to work

I have no idea why, but I'm glad! This is quite a cool utility, for anyone developing web sites.

When I can muster the mental energy to tackle this problem again, I'll troubleshoot further, just to see where the bug was. It's only working on one system at the moment.

Thanks for everyone's input