Before installing Zpanel on Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, there are several prerequisites shown in the Zpanel installation instructions. More precisely, there are several prerequisites to install before using the Zpanel install script to install and configure the WAMP Stack (Apache, MySql, and PHP) on the Windows Server.
FIRST: Install or Enable .Net Framework 3.5.1 which must be done by enabling the “FEATURE” of .Net Framework 3.5.1 rather than downloading it from Microsoft. Here are the instructions to enable this Feature. Why is it necessary to enable rather than install this version of .Net Framework? Because the executable installation file will not install. Version 3.5.1 of .Net is already included as a “Feature” in Server 2008 R2. To install it, you must merely enable this Feature from the server.
NEXT: The Zpanel installation instructions tell us to download and install the latest Visual Studio C++ 2010 Redistributables for your own particular OS (either x86 32bit or x64 64bit architechture). This is not necessarily correct, but hold that thought for now. Also, there is an additional installation file that Zpanel Instructions offer, which contains several 2005, 2008 and 2010 Visual Studio C++ Redistributables for both x86 and x64. Running this file seems to install all the necessary .dll files for those various VS C++ Redistributables. However, there may be a missing version regarding 2005. Hold that thought too.
It appears that the Zpanel uses one of the 2008 x86 32bit disbributables and corresponding.dll’s for purposes of the PHP version 5.3.20 and/or Apache web server version that is installed by the Zpanel stack script.
After installing Zpanal, when you access the zpanel admin console and select “Server Admin” and select “PHP Info” you will find something like this:
PHP Version 5.3.20
System (Windows Whatever Version)
Build Date (And Whatever Build date it is)
Compiler MSVC9 (Visual C++ 2008)
Architecture x86
Configure Command cscript /nologo configure.js “–enable-snapshot-build” “–disable-isapi” “–enable-debug-pack” “–without-mssql” “–without-pdo-mssql” “–without-pi3web” “–with-pdo-oci=C:\php-sdk\oracle\instantclient10\sdk,shared” “–with-oci8=C:\php-sdk\oracle\instantclient10\sdk,shared” “–with-oci8-11g=C:\php-sdk\oracle\instantclient11\sdk,shared” “–enable-object-out-dir=../obj/” “–enable-com-dotnet=shared” “–with-mcrypt=static” “–disable-static-analyze”
Server API Apache 2.4 Handler Apache Lounge
Virtual Directory Support enabled
Configuration File (php.ini) Path C:\Windows
Loaded Configuration File C:\zpanel\bin\php\php.ini
However, NSLOOKUP from the Windows Command line was not working and the zpanel BIND and DIG were not working properly.
Upon running NSLOOKUP from the windows command line, the error message seemed to indicate a cross dependence error of some sort.
Running NSLOOKUP from the windows command line yielded a SideBySide error in the Event Viewer Application Log, as follows:
Log Name: Application
Source: SideBySide
Date: 2/8/2014 10:12:52 AM
Event ID: 33
Task Category: None
Level: Error
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: SVR.MYSERVER.COM Description: Activation context generation failed for “C:\zpanel\bin\bind\bin\nslookup.exe”. Dependent Assembly Microsoft.VC80.CRT,processorArchitecture=”x86″,publicKeyToken=”1fc8b3b9a1e18e3b”,type=”win32″,version=”8.0.50727.6195″ could not be found. Please use sxstrace.exe for detailed diagnosis.
Event
Provider Name=”SideBySide”
EventID Qualifiers=”49409″ 33
Level 2
Task 0
Keywords 0x80000000000000
TimeCreated “2014-02-08T15:12:52.000000000Z” EventRecordID 1084
Channel Application
Computer SVR.MYSERVER.COM
Microsoft.VC80.CRT,processorArchitecture=”x86″,publicKeyToken=”1fc8b3b9a1e18e3b”,type=”win32″,version=”8.0.50727.6195″
C:\zpanel\bin\bind\bin\nslookup.exe
= = = = = = = SOLUTION = = = = = = = =
The win32 version 8.0.50727.6195 of the .DLLs of the 2005 C++ redistributable that must be downloaded, run and installed to fix the problem is located HERE: “Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Service Pack 1 Redistributable MFC Security Update.”
When you click the Download Link, you must choose one of three files to download:
Choose the download you want
File NameSize
- vcredist_x86.EXE 2.6 MB (CHOOSE THIS ONE TO INSTALL)
- vcredist_IA64.EXE 6.3 MB
- vcredist_x64.EXE 3.0 MB
If you lookup Knowledge Base KB2538242 from Google or the Microsoft Support Site, then this will reveal the matching / missing version 8.0.50727.6195 and the link to where to download the correct “vcredist_x86.exe” (NOT vcredist_x64.exe). You are given a choice of 3 different vcredist.exe files to download and install. Choose the x86 (32bit) version regardless of whether your Win server’s operating system is x86 (32bit) or x64 (64bit). Here is why:
IT DOES NOT MATTER WHETHER YOUR WIN OS IS 64-BIT. IT MATTERS WHAT BUILD OF VISUAL STUDIO WAS USED TO CREATE THE PARTICULAR ZPANEL APPLICATIONS, AND IF THE AUTHOR BUILT 32-BIT APPLICATIONS, THEN TO RUN THAT 32 BIT APPLICATION IT REQUIRES THE PARTICULAR 32-BIT DLL’S SHOWN IN THE VISUAL STUDIO ASSEMBLY MANIFEST.
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