---
title: How to manually install moodle on plesk windows
description: "### How to Manually Install Moodle on Plesk Windows Moodle is a powerful, flexible, open-source learning management system (LMS) widely used by educators worldwide. Installing Moodle on a Plesk Windows server manually allows more control over the environment, ensuring you…"
url: "https://truehost.com/support/knowledge-base/how-to-manually-install-moodle-on-plesk-windows/"
updated: "2024-10-24"
category: Cloud servers in Kenya
---

# How to manually install moodle on plesk windows

### How to Manually Install Moodle on Plesk Windows

Moodle is a powerful, flexible, open-source learning management system (LMS) widely used by educators worldwide. Installing Moodle on a Plesk Windows server manually allows more control over the environment, ensuring you meet Moodle's requirements and optimize your hosting for the best performance.

### Prerequisites

Before starting the Moodle installation process, ensure the following prerequisites are met:

- **PHP 8.1 or above** (Moodle requires PHP 8.1+).
- **PHP Settings**:
  - `max_input_vars = 5000` or higher.
  - `max_execution_time = 300` or higher.
  - `memory_limit = 128M` or higher (256M recommended).
- **MySQL 5.7+** or **MariaDB 10.6+**.
- **IIS (Internet Information Services)** installed on your Windows server.
- **Plesk Admin Access** to manage files, databases, and PHP configurations.
- **Moodle software package** (download from Moodle’s official website).

---

### Step-by-Step Guide

Please follow these steps

#### **Step 1: Set Up PHP 8.1 on Plesk**

1. **Login to Plesk**: Open your browser and log in to your Plesk control panel.
2. **Check PHP Version**:
   - Set the system php to 8.1 and above. Check **[this g](https://truehost.com/support/knowledge-base/how-to-change-system-php-in-plesk-windows/)[u](https://truehost.com/support/knowledge-base/how-to-change-system-php-in-plesk-windows/)[ide](https://truehost.com/support/knowledge-base/how-to-change-system-php-in-plesk-windows/)** on how to do that. If you use **[Truehost Windows Shared packages](https://truehost.cloud/cloud/index.php?rp=/store/windows-hosting),** this should already be set by the admin,
   - Once done, set the domain's PHP version too. Navigate to **Tools & Settings** > **PHP Settings**.
   - Ensure that **PHP 8.1 or above** is installed. If not, install it using [**these steps**](https://truehost.com/support/knowledge-base/how-to-enable-php-handles-plesk-windows/) then set it for the domain that you want to install moodle on. Check **[this guide](https://truehost.com/support/knowledge-base/how-to-change-php-version-handler-for-a-single-domain-plesk/)**on how to.

![](https://truehost.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/image-479.png)

3. **Modify PHP Settings**:

- Go to **Tools & Settings** > **PHP Settings**
- Click on the PHP version that you have set for the domain name
- Select **PHP Settings**.
- Set the following variables to meet Moodle’s requirements:
  - `max_input_time = 600` or higher
  - `max_execution_time = 300` or higher
  - `memory_limit = 512M`
  - Use **[these steps](https://truehost.com/support/knowledge-base/how-to-adjust-max_vars_input-on-plesk-windows/)** to adjust `max_input_vars` to 5000 or higher
- Apply the changes.

1.

#### **Step 2: Create a MySQL Database**

1. In the **Plesk Control Panel**, go to **Databases**.
2. Click **Add Database**.
   - Enter a **database name** (e.g., `moodle`) and save it for later use
   - Select **Mariadb** as the database type.
   - Create a **database user** and password, and save them for later use
   - Click **OK** to save the new database.

![](https://truehost.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/image-482.png)

#### **Step 3: Download and Upload Moodle Files**

1. **Download Moodle**: Download the latest version of Moodle from the [**Moodle Downloads page.**](https://download.moodle.org/releases/latest)
2. **Upload Moodle to Plesk**:

- Using **File Manager** in Plesk, upload the Moodle compressed file to the **httpdocs** directory of your domain or subdomain. Alternatively, you can use **FTP** for this process.

![](https://truehost.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/image-486.png)

- Ensure all files are in the correct directory (e.g., `/httpdocs/moodle` if using a subfolder).
- Extract the file, once you have uploaded it.

![](https://truehost.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/image-487.png)

![](https://truehost.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/image-488.png)

- Move the files from the extraction folder to the domain/subdomain's root folder, e.g from a folder called **moodle** to **httpdocs** directly.
- Check all the files using the checkbox icon in the image below, then Click on **Move**.
- You will then select the new destination, then click on **OK**

![](https://truehost.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/image-489.png)

![](https://truehost.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/image-490.png)

#### **Step 4: Edit the **config-dist.php**** **file**

1. Return to the folder where you copied moved the files, and locate a file called **config-dist.php**.
2. Carefully edit the file by replacing the dummy database details with the actual database details, that you had created and saved earlier.
   - Also, if you are using **mysql** or **mariadb** database, then change dbtype from pgsql to mysql or mariadb respectively. Truehost plesk shared servers use mariadb

![](https://truehost.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/image-492.png)

#### **Step 5: Begin Moodle Installation via Web Interface**

1. **Access Moodle Installer**:
   - Open your web browser and go to your domain (e.g., `https://yourdomain.com/moodle/`).
   - The Moodle installer will start automatically.
2. **Choose a Language** and click **Next**.

![](https://truehost.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/image-493-1024x358.png)

3. **Verify Installation Paths**:

- The installer will bring you to a section where you verfy and edit the installation patjs

- Make sure the correct **Web address** and **Moodle directory **are displayed. Leave the **Data directory **as it is, or change the location.
  - **Web address** is the domain or subdomain that you are installing moodle on
  - **Data directory** is the directory where moodle data will be stored
- I recommend that for **Data directory**, you input it in the format below, depending on whether you are installing on a domain or subdomain. Replace **example.com**or **subdomain.example.com** with your correct domain or subdomain
- This path must be accurate, to prevent errors in the next step

```
C:\Inetpub\vhosts\example.com\moodledata

OR

C:\Inetpub\vhosts\example.com\subdomain.example.com\moodledata
```

![](https://truehost.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/image-494-1024x783.png)

- Once done, return to **config-dist.php** file, open it and scroll down to find Web Site Location and Data Files Locations, named **$CFG->wwwroot** and **$CFG->dataroot**
- Carefully edit the **$CFG->wwwroot** to have the same value as **Web address** had in the above step
- Also edit the **$CFG->dataroot** to have the same value as **Data directory** had in the above step

![](https://truehost.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/image-495.png)

![](https://truehost.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/image-496.png)

- Once done, **Save** the file, **close** it

![](https://truehost.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/image-497.png)

- Return to the Moodle™ setup page and select **Next**.
- Go back and **rename** the file **config-dist.php** to **config.php**.

**4. Confirm Copyright terms**

- You will be presented with a screen such the one below so thta you can confirm the terms of service.
- Click on **Continue**to confirm the terms

![](https://truehost.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/image-498-1024x456.png)

**5. Server checks and Adjustments**

- The next screen will show you the server configurations, with system requirements that have been met and those that have not been met.
- You will need to adjust accordingly so that all system requirements are met.
- This section could tell you that **max_input_vars** must be above 5000, hence why we guided earlier that you adjust it. If you did not, please do it using **[these](https://truehost.com/support/knowledge-base/how-to-adjust-max_vars_input-on-plesk-windows/)** steps.

![](https://truehost.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/image-506-1024x257.png)

- Once you have done the changes, reload the page to see the status.
- When all requirements are met, you will see a message like this: **Your server environment meets all minimum requirements.**

![](https://truehost.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/image-500-1024x830.png)

- Click on **Continue**, and give it time to confirm the settings again. You will see a window showing status information like in the image below

![](https://truehost.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/image-501.png)

- Click on **Continue**
- You will then be taken to a page where you set up admin account details.
- Input the needed details then click on **Update**

6. **Enter Website Details**:

- Next will be to input website details
- Fill in the details then click on **Save Changes**

![](https://truehost.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/image-502.png)

**6. Complete Website Registration**

- The next step will need you to complete your site registration, by inputting needed details.
- Fill in the details, then **check the box to agree to Moodle terms of service**.
- You can optionally check the other box, to be notified of new releases or to receive newsletters from moodle.

![](https://truehost.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/image-503.png)

- Then click on **Register your site**

![](https://truehost.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/image-504.png)

- Congratulations! You have successfully installed Moodle.
- You will now be logged into your admin account and you can now customize your installation as you desire.

![](https://truehost.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/image-505.png)