I’m Totally Lost!

[Ranger269]

Any help will be greatly appreciated!

I want to build my own forum although I have zero knowledge on how to set one up.

I’ve read through some of the information in the FAQ’s, but I still don’t have a clue as to what all needs to be done, or more to the point, how to actually do it.

First, I’ve already got a domain name through Google.

So next, it appears that I need to find a web server and enter into an agreement for an entry level amount of bandwidth and forum hosting?

Then I need to get PHP and MySQL, which I presume is a matter of doing a search to find their websites and then I download both of them? Would that be to my desktop?

Then the directions refer to “creating a database within the MySQL engine to hold vBulletin's data”. Hopefully running the MySQL will prompt me to do all that with language that I can understand?

Then I need to buy a vBulletin license, after which I can download it. This would be to my desktop?

Then I go back to the web server and upload whatever I got from vBulletin, and then I “run the installer script” which I presume will be just a matter of following directions?

Now if I make it though all of that, I take it that I will be viewing the forum framework and that it is located, not on my computer, but on the web server???

So then I would set up the forums the way I want it?

Now once I’m ready for the forum to go online for public view, how do it get it linked with my domain name url, or is that all taken care of in the set up?

[Zachery]

You're going to want to find a webhost that offers php and mysql, generally you cannot install it yourself.

Your webhost will provide you with tools to make a database, database user and assign that user to the database.

You've got most everything else correct, you install the forum on the server, so it'd work just like it does on this site, we installed it to the forum directory and here it is on the site.

[Ranger269]

Thanks Zachery!

That helps my comfort level. I think my next move is to try out the 24-hour test run and see what I can learn there.

Then my next move would be to sign up with HostGator, or one of the others, and then take it from there.

[bobskeyboardz]

Theres lots of sites now that let you have a subdomain and use there PHP and its all totally free, search google and pick the one you like best!

[peterska2]

Don't use a free host for vBulletin. They are usually crippled or outdated and have many security issues. If they do happen to have the correct configuration then they have ads that interfere with vBulletin's operation.

[Ranger269]

Can someone explain this (from vBulletin Installation)...

Note:
Before installing vBulletin you need to have PHP and MySQL and have created a database within the MySQL engine to hold vBulletin's data.

HostGator instructs me to upload the vBulletin files into their /public_html/ folder. Is the same thing?

I purchased my Vbulletin License and the Tools today, and then download the files to my desktop.

Then I uploaded those files to HostGator storing them in the /public_html/ folder as instructed.

Going to the link that HostGator provided that allows me to view my site while I'm waiting for DNS to resolved my domain name, I see this...

Parent Directory 22-Jan-2008 15:50 -
[DIR] cgi-bin/ 22-Jan-2008 00:07 -
[ ] impex_VBF98F4AA3.zip 22-Jan-2008 16:14 2.7M
[ ] vbulletin_3-6-8_Patc..> 22-Jan-2008 16:12 2.7M

I don't know what to do at this point, but in going back and starting to read some of the vBulletin manual, it appears that I should have done all sorts of things before uploading to HostGator.

[Zachery]

If you need support please post in the correct forums