The required Movable Type Web server components are less likely to be pre-installed on a Windows, so this section gives detailed instructions for setting up your server.

These instructions assume you are using the MySQL database server. It is one of the most common and widely supported. The Enterprise Solution adds support for Microsoft SQL Server. If you are using SQL Server, follow instructions in Installing Enterprise Solution to set up a Movable Type database with SQL Server.

Windows Web Server Setup ¶

Before installing Movable Type on a Windows Web Server, install these required components:

Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS) ¶

• Microsoft IIS 6.0 is provided as part of the Microsoft 2003 Server software.
• Microsoft IIS 7.0 is provided as part of Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate, Vista Business, and Vista Enterprise software.
• If you are using Microsoft Windows Vista, you will need to install an SMTP server or have access to an external SMTP server for email notifications. SMTP is not included with Windows Vista.

Follow your server documentation to insure that IIS is operating properly on your server.

ActiveState ActivePerl ¶

Use your web browser to connect to connect to http://www.activestate.com and follow links and instructions on that site to download the latest Windows MSI package. After downloading, run the setup program using all the default settings.

MySQL Database Server ¶

Use your web browser to connect to http://mysql.com and follow the links and instructions to download the most recent MySQL installer for Windows. Run the installation program selecting a Typical setup. Select the option to Configure MySQL Now and choose Standard Configuration with the default settings. Enter a root password, save your settings, and finish the wizard.

MySQL Administrator ¶

Use your web browser to connect to http://mysql.com and follow the links and instructions to download the most recent MySQL Administrator installer for Windows. Run the installation program to install with default settings.

PHP ¶

PHP is required only if you want to use Movable Type dynamic publishing or customize Movable Type with scripts authored in PHP. Use your web browser to connect to http://www.php.net and follow links and instructions for downloading the Windows PHP installer. Run the downloaded installation program leaving all of the default settings. The installer automatically configures IIS to work with PHP.

Set Up the Movable Type MySQL Database ¶

• Start the MySQL Administrator program. In the Start menu, select MySQL > MySQL Administrator.

• In the Connect to a MySQL server instance: dialog, fill in these fields:

  • Server host: localhost
  • Username: root
  • Enter the root password you specified when you installed the MySQL server.

• Click on the Service Control icon. Check that the message displays "MySQL Service is Running."

• Click on the Catalogs icon. In the empty lower-left pane, click your right mouse button to display a context menu and select Create New Schema. Name the new schema movabletype.

• Click the User Administration icon, then right-click in the lower-left pane (the user list). Choose Add New User. Name the new user mt_user and specify a password for the user. You will need to supply the schema name, user name, and password when you install Movable Type.

• Select the Schema Privileges tab in the right pane and select the movabletype schema in the list of schemas. Assign the following privileges for this user then click Apply changes.

  • SELECT
  • INSERT
  • UPDATE
  • DELETE
  • CREATE
  • ALTER
  • CREATETMPTABLE.

• Restart MySQL. Click the Service Control icon and click Stop Service. Wait until the service is stopped, and then click Start Service.

Configuring IIS to Use ActivePerl ¶

• Check that IIS is functioning. Connect to http://localhost/ in your web browser. You should see a startup page and documentation.

• In the Start Menu, select Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Internet Services Manager.

• In the Internet Services Manager, use the left-side navigation to select the Default Web Site. Right-click and choose Properties.

• Select the Home Directory tab, and then click Configuration.

• Click the Add button. In the form, fill in the fields as follows and click OK to save your changes.

  • Executable: C:\Perl\bin\perl.exe "%s" %s
  • Extension:.cgi
  • Verbs Limit to: GET,HEAD,POST
  • Check that file exists: (uncheck this box)

• If you are running IIS 6.x on Windows Server 2003, you must also enable the Web Services Extension for CGI scripts:

  • Load IIS from the Administrative Tools in the Control Panel by clicking Start > Administrative Tools > IIS Manager (or loading the Control Panel, entering the Administrative Tools folder, and double clicking IIS Manager).
  • Click the name of your computer then click "Web Service Extensions". On the left side of the main frame you will see a green arrow pointing to a link that says, "Add a new Web service extension...". Click that link.
  • In the dialog that is displayed, you are asked for an "Extension name". You can enter any text in that field, such as "CGI script".
  • Next to the "Required Files", click the "Add" button.
  • In the text box, enter the following (without the apostrophes): 'C:\Perl\bin\perl.exe "%s" %s'. Click OK to the accept the new entry.
  • Check the "Set status to allowed" checkbox.
  • Click OK to add the Web Service Extension and close the dialog box.

Installing Movable Type ¶

• Use a Web browser to connect to the Movable Type Download page and follow instructions there to download the Windows (.zip) release file.

• Double-click to extract the release files from the .zip file. You'll see a folder named after the current Movable Type release. Rename this folder to mt.

• Move the mt folder into the Web root folder, usually C:\Inetpub\wwwroot Check the properties of the mt folder to make sure that the Web User has Execute permission.

• Start the Perl Package manager to install Perl modules required by Movable Type. From the Start menu, select All Programs>ActivePerl>Perl Package Manager.

• If you see a Windows Security Alert, click Unblock to give the Perl Command Line Interpreter permission to access the web.

• In the Search box, type DB and press Enter. You see a list of packages that contain the letters DB.

  • Select the package named DBI and chose Install DBI from the Action menu.
  • Select the package named DBD-mysql and chose Install DBD-mysql from the Action menu.
  • Choose Run Marked Actions from the File menu to install the two packages.

• To verify the installation, enter the following Web address in a Web browser: http://localhost/MT/mt-check.cgi

• If you see a green message saying, "Movable Type System Check Successful" at the bottom of the page, your Perl installation is complete.

• To run the installation wizard, start a Web browser connect to the following Web address http://domainname/cgi-bin/mt/mt.cgi where domainname is the domain name for your blog. The installation wizard checks the configuration of your server, including database types and expansion packs, and displays a series of forms that you fill out to complete the Movable Type installation.

• If the installation wizard displays a page listing optional Perl modules and features that you can install, print this page and save it so you know which modules to install later. The listing page tells where to get information on downloading and installing these modules.

• When it completes, the installaton wizard writes the Movable Type configuration file, mt-config.cgi, and starts Movable Type. You are ready to begin adding content to the first blog and creating additional blogs. For instructions, see Working with Your Blog.