USB MediaWiki
| Self-contained USB MediaWiki |
Introduction
Uniform Server Mona has some very powerful features these can be exploited to great advantage. This tutorial provides a step-by-step guide for running a personal self-contained Wiki using the popular MediaWiki application. Final configuration runs on a USB memory stick containing Uniform Server, MediaWiki and portable Firefox. There are no conflicts with a host machine running another server on standard ports. Added to this any browser settings do not conflict with a host’s browser.
USB memory sticks are very cheap hence you can have a personal application on each memory stick the following techniques are applicable to other applications.
Building your server
Sounds dramatic! All that’s required is a copy of Uniform Server and UniServer_USB plugin. Move this combination to different ports so as not to conflict with another running server (running on ports 80, 443 and 3306 ).
- Create a new folder named server_temp (can be any name you like)
- Download the newest version of Uniform Server (UniServer4_2.exe) from SourceForge save to folder server_temp.
- Extract Uniform Server, double click on file UniServer4_2.exe creates a new folder named UniServer.
- Delete UniServer4_2.exe no longer required and saves disk space.
- Download plugin UniServer_USB_1.1.exe from SourceForge save to folder UniServer
- Extract plugin, double click on file UniServer_USB_1.1.exe, no need to change path. Click Extract, confirm file replace click Yes to all.
- Delete UniServer_USB_1.1.exe no longer required and saves disk space.
- Run file CLEAN.bat (double click to run) this removes all unnecessary files these are not required for a USB server.
- Read and delete file read_me.txt
- Navigate to folder server_temp\UniServer\udrive\plugins\move_servers
- Run file Run.bat press enter (or change values as required) at all prompts.
Important Note the following values these will be required latter:
Apache port 81
SSL port 444
MySQL port 3307 - That completes building a USB server.
- Steps 1-4 Extracts Uniform Server
- Steps 5-9 Adds portable Firefox, USB unitray and a PAC file to Uniform server. Replaces appropriate files.
- Steps 10-11 Moves the server to different ports, prevents conflicts if a host PC is running a server.
Programs (Apache and Firefox)are renamed allowing you to run multiple servers.
If you are intending to run multiple servers each server must have unique ports hence you will need to repeat step 11.
On each run of file Run.bat ports are automatically incremented.
Running servers hard drive
The above combination was designed to allow development on a hard drive before being copied to a USB stick.
- Start servers using server_temp\UniServer\Server_Start.bat
- Stop servers using server_temp\UniServer\Stop.bat
- Alternatively control the servers using UniTray. To start UniTray run file Start_UniTray2.bat
Running servers from USB memory stick
Installing packages is faster with the servers running on a hard drive. When complete copy the entire content of folder server_temp\UniServer\udrive to the top-level of a USB memory stick.
Running servers is automatic when USB stick is plugged in to a USB port, just click run at the pop-up.
Alternatively manually run as follows.
- Start servers using usb_server_start.bat
- Stop servers using usb_server_stop.bat
- Alternatively control the servers using UniTray. To start UniTray run file Start_UniTray2.bat
Summary
The above creates a self-contained server that is host PC independent. This allows you to run a personal copy of any application from a USB memory stick. Remainder of this page looks at installing such an application starting with the above server configuration.
Installing MediaWiki
The following instructions show you how to install MediaWiki on the above server combination.
It’s a personal server and will not be used online hence no need to change any of Uniform Server’s settings, its locked down and safe to use even when your PC is connected to the Internet.
Preparation
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Download Mediawiki
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Wiki – Installation
- Start Uniform Server (run server_temp\UniServer\Server_Start.bat)
- Wait for portable Firefox to start, at the pop-up click radio button Disable Session store click Next
- Uniform Server's initial opening page is displayed.
- Type the following into portable Firefox address bar: http://localhost/wiki/ redirects to installation page.
- Click the link Please set up the wiki first.
- This opens the configuration page scroll down to Site config and fill in the form.
| Site config | |
| Wiki name: | MPG (whatever you like) |
| Contact e-mail: | admin@localhost |
| Language: | en-English |
| Copyright/license: | (radio button) select No license metadata |
| Admin username: | WikiSysop |
| Password: | root (whatever you like) |
| Password confirm: | root |
| Object caching: | No caching radio button |
| Memcached servers: | leave blank |
| E-mail, e-mail notification and authentication setup | |
| E-mail features (global): | (radio button) select Disabled |
| User-to-user e-mail: | (radio button) select Disabled |
| E-mail notification about changes: | (radio button) select Disabled |
| E-mail address: | (radio button) select Disabled |
| Database config | |
| Database host: | localhost:3307 |
| Database name: | wikidb |
| DB username: | root |
| DB password: | root |
| DB password confirm: | root |
| Superuser account: | tick box |
| Superuser name: | root |
| Superuser password: | root |
| MySQL specific options | |
| Database table prefix: | leave blank |
| Storage Engine: | (radio button) select MyISAM |
| Database character set: | (radio button) select MySQL 4.1/5.0 binary |
Click Install MediaWiki
Completing Wiki Installation
After creating the database a second page will display.
Scroll down this page you will see the conformation message:
Installation successful! Move the config/LocalSettings.php file to the parent directory, then follow this link to your wiki
Detail for moving file refer to above image
- Copy file: UniServer\udrive\www\wiki\LocalSettings.php E)
- To folder: *\UniServer\udrive\www\wiki D)
Accessing Wiki
Access your wiki by typing the following into your browser address bar:
- http://localhost/wiki/ or
- http://localhost/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
Enable image uploads
To enable image uploads:
- Open file: server_temp\UniServer\udrive\www\wiki\LocalSettings.php
- Change this line: $wgEnableUploads = false;
- To: $wgEnableUploads = true;
Final Step Copy to USB memory stick
Copy the entire content of folder server_temp\UniServer\udrive to your USB memory stick.
Conclusion
MediaWiki is extremely easy to install on UniServer, add the UniServer USB plugin and you have a fully Self-contained personal MediaWiki.
The above technique is applicable to most applications. First build your server as explained above, install application and copy to a USB memory stick.