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I recently set up an Ubuntu server inside VMware to test several Drupal sites offline. Installing Ubuntu is straightforward. Simply download one of the available images and run through the setup process. If you are working with older Drupal sites, especially Drupal 6, I recommend using Ubuntu 8.04.4 LTS (Hardy Heron). It includes PHP 5.2 by default, while later versions ship with PHP 5.3, which can cause compatibility issues for Drupal 6. If you are using Drupal 7 or newer, this is less of a concern.
During installation, Ubuntu will ask whether you want to include optional services. Make sure to install:
- LAMP Server
- OpenSSH Server
- Any additional packages you require
This provides a basic working environment that you can fine tune for Drupal.
Step 1: Increase PHP and MySQL Memory Settings
Drupal benefits from higher memory settings. Update your configuration files as follows:
Edit MySQL settings
sudo nano /etc/mysql/my.cnf
Search for max_allowed_packet. It appears twice. Increase both values to something higher, such as 128M.
Edit PHP settings
sudo nano /etc/php5/apache2/php.ini
Find memory_limit and increase it to 128M or more, depending on your needs.
Step 2: Enable Clean URLs (Apache Rewrite Module)
Drupal relies on the Apache rewrite module to support clean URLs. Enable it with:
sudo a2enmod rewrite
Confirm it is enabled:
apache2ctl -M
You should see rewrite_module in the list.
Step 3: Update Apache Virtual Host Settings
Assuming you are using the default site, modify the Apache configuration file:
sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/default
Locate this section:
<Directory /var/www/>
Inside that block, update:
AllowOverride None
to:
AllowOverride All
This allows Drupal’s .htaccess file to function properly.
Save the file and reload Apache:
sudo /etc/init.d/apache2 reload
Step 4: Deploy Your Drupal Site
At this point you can:
- Copy your web files into
/var/www/ - Import your MySQL database
- Update your settings.php file as needed
Once everything is in place, load your site in a browser and it should behave exactly like your live environment.