How to Install OSCommerce on Dreamhost - Manual Install 6 Steps

Currently the best way to install the OSCommerce Shopping Cart on Dreamhost is by doing it manually. You can do a one-click install for ZenCart which is very similar to OSCommerce. But there currently is no one-click install for OSCommerce on Dreamhost. So in this article I am going to show you step by step how to successfully install the OSCommerce Shopping Cart on your Dreamhost account. Follow closely.

Step 1 – Download OSCommerce

First things first, let's get the most recent version of OSCommerce. Go to www.oscommerce.com and locate the download OSCommerce link. This will allow you to save a .zip file to your desktop. These are the files we need to get OSCommerce up and going.

Step 2 – Unpack & Upload to Server

Now it's time to unpack or unzip the files from your OScommerce .zip file. After unzipping your Oscommerce package, you want to locate the /catalog folder. The files inside this folder are the files you need to install OSCommerce. Now what we want to do is upload these files and folders to your destination of choice. So if you are creating a new site called mysite.com, connect to your Dreamhost server via FTP and create a new folder called mysite.com. Drop all of the files and folders currently inside your /catalog folder on your desktop, into your newly created folder on your Dreamhost server.

Step 3 – Create a New MySQL Database

Now you need to login to your Dreamhost control panel at panel.dreamhsot.com. Once you have done this, locate the MySQL Databases navigation link under Goodies on the left hand sidebar. Once on that page, scroll towards the bottom of the page and locate the section called 'Create a New MySQL Database'. See image below to see what you are looking for...

Your very next step is to fill out the database details for your new database. Create a name, assign a hostname, and create or assign a new username and password. Click the 'Add New Database Now' button to finish creating the database. Now jot down these new credentials so that you don't forget them.

Step 4 – Begin OSCommerce Install Script

Here's what we do next. Open your browser and visit the URL of where you have uploaded your OSCommerce files. So to follow the example we have been doing here, you would go to http://mysite.com/. When you do this, you will see a page shows you your server has met all of the server capabilities for OSCommerce.

Now it's time to fill in your OSCommerce database information that you just created in your Dreamhost control panel. Fill in the database server, name, username, and password. Server is the name of your MySQL server that you assigned your database too in your control panel. Hit continue button.

Step 5 – Webserver and Admin Settings

Now we want to confirm to OSCommerce that we are installing this application in the right place. Confim that this is right and hit the next button...

Then you are presented with a few final options for setting up your admin username and password amongst other things. Fill in these details according to your preference and hit next.

Congratulations! You've done it! You just installed the open source OSCommerce ecommerce system manually on your Dreamhost webserver. You are now presented with 2 links/buttons. One to see your catalog and the other to login to your catalog admin.

Step 6 – 2 Important Security Changes

Be sure to change the permissions on the /includes/configure.php file from 644 to 444. That way this important file can be protected from any potential security risks.

Last but not least, you need to go and delete the /install folder so that the installation process cannot be duplicated.