howto: install debian, updates, mysql, cherokee web svr, php

I just ran through this process on my RPi and noted down all the steps I took to do a completely headless install (ie: no monitor or keyboard plugged into the RPi) of the debian squeeze image, update the system, install and run hexxeh's rpi-update tool, set up my ssh authorized keys, install mysql client and server, the cherokee web server and php5.

I figured I may as well share it here on the off chance it helps someone out.

***************************************************************

PREPARE THE SD CARD
- slotted sd card into laptop's card reader
- used win32diskimager to write the debian squeeze img to sd card
- opened boot partition and renamed boot_enable_ssh.rc to boot.rc (as I run my rpi headless and only access via ssh)
- rebooted laptop into gparted live
- used gparted to modify sd card partitions to make full use of 16gb

GET THE RASPBERRY PI ON THE NETWORK / INTERNET
- rebooted laptop back into windows; launched dhcp server on laptop
- configured internet sharing of wifi connection
- plugged rpi network directly into laptop network
- slotted sd card into rpi and booted
- ping -t 192.168.1.100 (the first ip of my dhcp range)
- once it was replying, connected to rpi via ssh using putty
- log into rpi

INITIAL SETUP OF OS ON RPI
note: everything below which is prefixed with a ]$ is a command completed via the putty ssh terminal window

- configure timezone

Code: Select all

$ sudo dpkg-reconfigure tzdata

- update apt package list, needed to run this twice to fix error

Code: Select all

$ sudo apt-get update

- update debian system files

Code: Select all

$ sudo apt-get upgrade

- install certificate authority certs

Code: Select all

$ sudo apt-get install ca-certificates

- install hexxeh's rpi-update tool https://github.com/Hexxeh/rpi-update#readme

Code: Select all

$ sudo wget http://goo.gl/1BOfJ -O /usr/bin/rpi-update && chmod +x /usr/bin/rpi-update

- rpi-update requires git (and I use git to version my own code too)

Code: Select all

$ sudo apt-get install git-core

- run hexxeh's tool to update rpi firmware

Code: Select all

$ sudo rpi-update

- reboot the rpi to complete updates

Code: Select all

$ sudo shutdown -r now

- log back into the rpi when it comes back up
- setup rpi's ssh to automate future logins via authorized key

Code: Select all

$ mkdir .ssh

Code: Select all

$ chmod 700 .ssh/

- fire up the text editor (nano) and create an authorized_keys file where I paste in my public key (which I generated on my laptop), save and exit

Code: Select all

$ nano .ssh/authorized_keys

- change the permissions of the auth_key file

Code: Select all

$ chmod 600 .ssh/authorized_keys

INSTALL AND CONFIGURE CHEROKEE WEBSERVER
note: I decided to use cherokee over apache because it is slimmer and far more simple to administer
I basically use the same steps from here: http://www.howtoforge.com/installing-ch ... an-squeeze
But I found that this guide didn't mention creating the www-data group

- install mysql, during this process you will be prompted to set a mysql root password

Code: Select all

$ sudo apt-get install mysql-server mysql-client

- create the www-data group which the cherokee process will run under

Code: Select all

$ sudo addgroup www-data

- install cherokee webserver

Code: Select all

$ sudo apt-get install cherokee

- fire up a web browser on my laptop and plug in the rpi's ip address and confirm that the placeholder page is displayed

- install php5

Code: Select all

$ sudo apt-get install php5-cgi

- edit the php config file

Code: Select all

$ sudo nano /etc/php5/cgi/php.ini

- hit ctrl+W and search for "cgi.fix_pathinfo=1", remove the ; form the front of the line (aka uncomment)

- restart cherokee so it will pick up php

Code: Select all

$ /etc/init.d/cherokee restart

- fire up the cherokee admin webpage

Code: Select all

$ sudo cherokee-admin -b

- in a web browser on my laptop I connect to http://192.168.1.100:9090 using the details which were output on the rpi's ssh window
- go to vServers, pick the default vhost and go to the Behavior tab; click the Rule Management button
- click the "New" button next to Behavior to add a new rule
- an overlay window pops up; select "Languages" from the left column, then choose "PHP" and click the "Add" button
- click the "Create" button in the Configuration Assistant window:
- to finalize the setup, click the box that says NON FINAL and it should change to FINAL
- in the upper right corner there should now be a "Save" link - click it to save the new configuration
- click the "Graceful restart" button

- back in the rpi ssh window, hit ctrl+C to shut down the cherokee admin web page

- grant my pi user permissions of the www directory

Code: Select all

$ sudo chown -R pi www/

- create a file to test php

Code: Select all

$ nano /var/www/info.php

- paste in the following: <?php phpinfo(); ?>
- ctrl+X and save

- in the web browser on my laptop I punch in http://192.168.1.100/info.php which should display a whole stack of info about the system

- do a little dance, your RPi is now a little web server

Brillant! Just what i was looking for. Will try it as soon as my piece of pi arrives ...

The very first step should be to change the default password with the 'passwd' command!

-Matt

The very first step should be to change the default password with the 'passwd' command!

-Matt

Indeed! So obvious I left it out. Oooops.

Hi to all,
So my comments
A lot of time I serch in forums default login - username "pi" and password "raspberry"

sudo wget http://goo.gl/1BOfJ -O /usr/bin/rpi-update && chmod +x /usr/bin/rpi-update

chmod not working for me, get permission error. I use standalone

Code: Select all

sudo chmod +x /usr/bin/rpi-update

@Fuzzwah, Thank you for the step by step guide, Will try it as soon as my Raspberry Pi arrives.

Thanks, that was really helpful. For anyone else following the above - you need to install the php5-mysql package as well, if you want the mysql server from PHP.

Good catch on the php5-mysql, I actually rebuilt my server and realised that I'd missed that in the apt-get command line.

The other package I realised I missed was ntpdate, which will sync the time on your pi against an internet server.

Wish I could edit the original post

Success! Although the partition ran out of space after adding one html page