install php file wants to save

WallPhone

Dino's right. You missing the web server.

Go ahead and download XAMPP. Once that is installed, there will be a htdocs folder inside that, which is where you need to put Vanilla.

Fire up your browser, type in localhost/vanilla/ (xampp delivers everything from it's htdocs folder though the network loopback name--which happens to be "localhost". You could also try 127.0.0.1/vanilla) and you sould get the installer from there.

Minisweeper

Well assuming he has apache installed and configured then he's not missing the web server. A web server must have been involved in order for him to install phpBB to begin with. That said there could be some funky stuff on his apache install which might be why it's not working and it could take a long time to work out. Legolas - as suggested a few times in here I would advise yuo install xampp and see if you can get vanilla up and running on that. Atleast if you can then you know what the process is like and it may trigger something in your head that explains why it's not working the other way. Considering you're installing this onto a local desktop pc which (presumably) you have no intention of publishing to the internet and using as a full time web server, I really wouldnt be too bothered about security risks. I dont mean to undermine you when I say this, and I'm sure that you have or can gain the capability to do so, but if you are planning on using this as a full time web server I would strongly recommend you just purchase some standard web hosting. In the meantime, and hoping to trigger a few ideas, how did you install phpBB? I assume as Wallphone suggested you must have browsed to the install script through your browser even if the folder was located on your desktop...in which case accessing vanilla in exactly the same way should work no bother.

mattucf

@legolas -- A couple things to verify:

Did you have Firefox open already when you started/restarted apache? Sometimes it gets stubborn and won't accept the server's content-type changes. Closing all windows and restarting the browser will fix, if this is the issue.

Do the php files in the vanilla folder have execute permissions for the user or group apache is running under? The server probably defaults to text/plain if it can't execute a handler.

legolas

Hey, thanks a lot guys! You have been very helpful, and that is a big reason why I deleted phpbb and tried to get Vanilla running again. I finally did it. I have a lot to learn, but I am trucking along thanks to your help. As it turns out, I had the forum folder on the desktop, and it would only run from the document root /var/www. Now I know what a "document root" is. Keep a look out for me in the other forums, I have a truck load of questions for all you guys that are smarter than I! Once again, you guys are why I have stayed! Thanks! L.