http://www.landpro.com.au/Windows_7_Install_IIS_7_&_PHP_&_FastCGI.php
Install IIS 7.5 PHP & FastCGI for PHP on Windows 7
Why install IIS?
Obviously you want to design web sites on your local computer and test them before uploading to your web server.
Why install FastCGI and not ISAPI?
Up until php version 5.3 most web developers using php installed ISAPI
From php version 5.3 on ISAPI is not longer supported.
The alternative is to use FastCGI
Although there are many web sites complaining about this change ISAPI works well for a website with 0-20 users,
however FastCGI runs much faster under a heavy user load and equally as well with smaller loads.
This guide has been updated and rewritten as the easiest way to successfully Configure IIS 7.5 to work with FastCGI and PHP on Windows 7 is to use
Microsoft Web Platform Installer 2.0 from http://www.microsoft.com/web/Downloads/platform.aspx
Why?
The installer does all the hard work
No more downloading PHP then configuring the php.ini file
No more going into your Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager and adding a Handler Mapping FastCGI Module
No more going into your System Properties and setting up your Environmental Variables
No more spending endless hours surfing around looking for solutions that help you get it all working (it rarely happens first time)
Microsoft have done all the hard time consuming work for a change - miracles do happen.
NOTE: This install was completed on Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit and works for 32 bit systems.
STEP 1
Open the site and click on Download It Now
Download it to your chosen folder
Step 2
Open the folder you downloaded to & double click wpilauncher
Step 3
Click Run
Step 4
Wait
Step 5
Select to programs you wish to install
In this case click on Web Platform in left column
Go to Frameworks and Runtimes then click Customize
Step 6
Now just tick the boxes under PHP
Click Install
Step 7
Now wait while Web Platform Installation downloads, installs & configures your files
Step 8
Success! - click Finish
Step 9
Now to check the install - go Start then Run
If Run does not appear on menu simply type Run in 'Search progams and files' box
Step 10
Type cmd
Step 11
The screen below appears - after C:\Users\User> type cd c:\PHP
Hit 'Enter' on keyboard
Step 12
After c:\PHP> type PHP -info
Hit 'Enter' on keyboard
Watch the screen
Step 13
The screen below is the bottom of the file
Step 14
Next test
Open Notepad and type <?php phpinfo();?>
Step 15
Save (using Save As...) the file in C:\inetpub\wwwroot as info.php
Step 16
Save php.info file here
Step 17
Close open folders
Open browser and type http://localhost/info.php
The file below should come up on the screen.
Success!
Note: This screen can provide a lot of information about your setup that may come in handy in the future.
Congratulations! - you have now Installed, Configured & Tested IIS 7.5 & PHP & FastCGI
The next step is using databases such as MySQL and Interfacing it with PHPMyAdmin, links below
NOTE: This installation does NOT enable mcrypt by default - see link below
In PHPMyAdmin you will receive the following
PHPMyAdmin Error "Cannot load mcrypt extension. Please check your PHP configuration"