How to Install Koha on Windows 10

Koha is a comprehensive software system that is used by libraries to manage their collections, patrons, and staff. Installing Koha on Windows 10 can be a daunting task, but this tutorial will guide you through the process step-by-step.

Prerequisites

Before starting the installation process, you will need to ensure that your system meets the following requirements:

• Windows 10 (32 or 64-bit)
• Minimum of 4GB RAM
• At least 10GB of free hard drive space

Step 1: Download Koha

1. Go to https://koha-community.org/download-koha/
2. Select your Koha version
3. Under the "Windows" section, choose "Zip Bundle"
4. Click on the download link and save the zip file to your computer.

Step 2: Install Perl

1. Go to https://www.perl.org/get.html
2. Download the latest version of Perl for Windows.
3. Run the installer and follow the prompts to complete the installation.

Step 3: Install Apache

1. Go to https://www.apache.org/dyn/closer.cgi (or https://httpd.apache.org/download.cgi if the previous link doesn't work)
2. Under the "Files" section, choose the version of Apache that matches your system architecture (32-bit or 64-bit).
3. Download the zip file and extract the contents to a folder on your computer.
4. Open the extracted folder and run the "httpd.exe" file to start Apache.

Step 4: Install MySQL

1. Go to https://dev.mysql.com/downloads/mysql/
2. Download the latest version of MySQL for Windows.
3. Run the installer and follow the prompts to complete the installation.

Step 5: Create a MySQL database and user for Koha

1. Open the MySQL Command Line Client.
2. Enter your MySQL password when prompted.
3. Type CREATE DATABASE koha_library; to create a new Koha database.
4. Type CREATE USER 'koha_user'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'password'; to create a new database user.
5. Type GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON koha_library.* TO 'koha_user'@'localhost'; to give the new user full permissions on the Koha database.
6. Type FLUSH PRIVILEGES; to save the changes.

Step 6: Configure Koha

1. Extract the contents of the Koha zip file to a folder on your computer.
2. Open the "koha-conf.xml" file with a text editor.
3. Locate the following lines:

<sql_server>localhost</sql_server>
<sql_user>kohaadmin</sql_user>
<sql_pass></sql_pass>
<intranet_port>8080</intranet_port>
<opac_port>80</opac_port>

4. Change "localhost" to "127.0.0.1" in the <sql_server> line.
5. Change <sql_user> to "koha_user" and <sql_pass> to the password you created for the new MySQL user.
6. Change <intranet_port> to "8080" and <opac_port> to "80".
7. Save and close the file.

Step 7: Launch Koha

1. Open a command prompt and navigate to the Koha directory.
2. Type perl koha-perl.exe and press Enter.
3. Wait for the Koha installation process to complete.
4. When prompted, enter the name of the Koha database you created in step 5 (e.g. "koha_library").
5. After the installation is complete, open a web browser and enter "http://localhost:8080" (or whatever port you set in step 6) in the address bar.
6. You should now see the Koha login screen. Enter "koha_user" as the username and the password you created in step 5.
7. Congratulations! You have successfully installed Koha on Windows 10.

Conclusion

Installing Koha on Windows 10 can be a bit overwhelming, but following this tutorial should make the process much simpler. If you encounter any issues during the installation process, consult the official Koha documentation or seek help in the Koha community forums. Good luck!

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