apache2 on ubuntu - php files downloading

Question

On my new Ubuntu system, I've managed to get Apache2 up and running for developing my ZendFramework Web Applications...

I've got my available-sites config working correctly because I am able to request localhost and it servers up the correct index.html from my specified directory.

Problem : if I request index.php, firefox attempts to download the file instead of running the script.

Any Ideas why this would happen?

I've added the following to httpd.conf but it hasn't helped.

AddHandler application/x-httpd-php .php5 .php4 .php .php3 .php2 .phtml

AddType application/x-httpd-php .php5 .php4 .php .php3 .php2 .phtml

Have you restarted apache after changing httpd.conf? Other than that, I don't see a problem. (My server has only AddType, but I'm not sure it matters.) — andrewdski
– andrewdski, Commented Jun 5, 2011 at 21:19
Thanks for your reply. Turns out I had only installed the Apache server, and not PHP. I had assumed it was bundled and would install together... You know what they say about assumption... Ha! — shane
– shane, Commented Jun 5, 2011 at 21:23
If anyone has the problem, and the libapache2-mod-php5 already installed. Then, if you are experiencing the problem in one of the home public-html folders, checkout /etc/apache2/mods-available/php5.conf - it has a section turning off PHP for home folders (for some reasons). <Directory /home/*/public_html> php_admin_value engine Off ... — Grzegorz Oledzki
– Grzegorz Oledzki, Commented Jul 31, 2014 at 11:55

Null · Accepted Answer · 2021-03-25 16:38:47Z

68

If Firefox downloads your PHP files it means that your server doesn't have PHP or the Apache PHP module installed.

Have you installed the Apache PHP module? If not then install it by typing this into a terminal:

sudo apt-get install libapache2-mod-php5

And if yes, do you have your index.php located in /var/www/?

Make sure to enable PHP with the command

sudo a2enmod php5

edited Mar 25, 2021 at 16:38

Null

1,9709 gold badges32 silver badges36 bronze badges

answered Jun 5, 2011 at 21:13

Paris Liakos

2,1613 gold badges22 silver badges23 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

7 Comments

shane Over a year ago

Ha! Thankyou! ( Worked ) Does this mean I need to install mysql separately too? any chance of helping me with the command? Many thanks

damianb Over a year ago

@shane sudo apt-get install mysql-server

shane Over a year ago

Your a gent, thanks. I'm currently on the migration from developing on windows. Will the mysql install give me phpmyadmin too?

Paris Liakos Over a year ago

Obsidian_ was faster:) if you also want to install phpmyadmin use this: sudo apt-get install phpmyadmin and then you will find it here: localhost/phpmyadmin

damianb Over a year ago

it's far easier to download phpmyadmin and set it up yourself tbh, and you'll get a newer version too typically. web apps in the ubuntu repositories are very often out of date by months, if not years. phpmyadmin.net/home_page/index.php

|

Dale E. Moore · Accepted Answer · 2012-08-16 16:53:03Z

12

If you are using userdir (http://localhost/~user/phpinfo.php) you will want to:

vi /etc/apache2/mods-enabled/php5.conf

Change

<IfModule mod_userdir.c>
   <Directory /home/*/public_html>
       php_admin_value engine Off
   </Directory>
</IfModule>

to comment the php_admin_value

<IfModule mod_userdir.c>
   <Directory /home/*/public_html>
       #php_admin_value engine Off
   </Directory>
</IfModule>

then

service apache2 restart

edited Aug 16, 2012 at 16:53

answered Aug 16, 2012 at 16:44

Dale E. Moore

4317 silver badges20 bronze badges

1 Comment

valid Over a year ago

I'm perplexed that this is a solution. Specifically it seems problematic to mention php_admin_value engine no matter if set to On or Off. Why would that be the case? Is an empty directive ignored?

Anonymous User · Accepted Answer · 2012-09-21 05:41:24Z

4

For me, the solution was to create the following 2 symbolic links:

ln -s /etc/apache2/mods-available/php5.conf /etc/apache2/mods-enabled/php5.conf
ln -s /etc/apache2/mods-available/php5.load /etc/apache2/mods-enabled/php5.load

and to restart Apache:

/etc/init.d/apache2 restart

Hitting the http://my_server/test.php file, which has contents:

<?php
   phpinfo();
?>

came right up, and the browser didn't try to download the php file. Didn't have to restart the browser, either.

answered Sep 21, 2012 at 5:41

Anonymous User

9281 gold badge9 silver badges5 bronze badges

1 Comment

Lluís Over a year ago

you can create the simlinks with a2enmod php5

Markus Hedlund · Accepted Answer · 2011-06-05 21:15:41Z

3

You need to enable the PHP extension. Do this with the command sudo a2enmod php.

answered Jun 5, 2011 at 21:15

Markus Hedlund

24.4k22 gold badges82 silver badges113 bronze badges

Comments

damianb · Accepted Answer · 2011-06-05 21:16:04Z

2

I'll assume you installed PHP already and installed the PHP module for Apache here...

Did you restart apache? If not: sudo service apache2 restart

Make sure that your httpd.conf file is also being executed. If necessary, restart it after making an edit that would cause an error on load. If it doesn't fail to restart, it's not running the .conf file.

If the problem still continues, close your browser, reopen it, and clear your cache. It might be the browser just caching the page response.

answered Jun 5, 2011 at 21:16

damianb

1,2241 gold badge7 silver badges16 bronze badges

Comments

alok · Accepted Answer · 2016-12-07 19:16:15Z

0

I have installed php 7.0 and getting the dailog box. I have installed apache php module for 7.0 version and it fix my problem.

sudo apt-get install libapache2-mod-php7.0

answered Dec 7, 2016 at 19:16

alok

2,75624 silver badges17 bronze badges

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

apache2 on ubuntu - php files downloading

6 Answers 6

7 Comments

1 Comment

1 Comment

Comments

Comments

Comments

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

6 Answers 6

7 Comments

1 Comment

1 Comment

Comments

Comments

Comments

Linked

Related