Installing WordPress Using Fantastico

by Mike Nichols

Among the tasks required for setting up a new blog is installing the WordPress software. You can do this one of two ways: manually, which is the subject for another article, and by using a server script. The most popular server script system among hosting companies is Fantastico. Besides installing WordPress, it can install many other software packages.

This guide takes you step-by-step through using Fantastico to install WordPress on your new blog. It is a very easy process, though you can mess up the installation if you enter wrong information. If your hosting company uses another scripting system, its steps will be similar. The only prerequisite to installation is that you have already set up a domain or subdomain to install WordPress into.

So let’s get started:

Step 1: Open up your host’s control panel program and find Fantastico

Figure 1: Finding Fantastico on your host's control panel

You will see a number of panels displayed. Look for the one that says something like “Software/Services.” Find the button for Fantastico and click it.

Step 2: Locate WordPress in the left column and click it

Figure 2: Locate WordPress in the left column

Step 3: Click on the “New Installation” link

Figure 3: The New Installation link

Step 4: Fill out the required information

Figure 4: Filling out the required information

1. Choose the domain or subdomain in which to install WordPress from the pulldown.

2. Leave the “Install in directory” box blank, which will install WordPress into the root of the directory. If you enter anything into this box, Fantastico will create a subdirectory with that name and install WordPress there! This is the most frequent error people make. Unless you have reason not to do so, leave the box blank!

3. Enter your Administrator username and password. You will not be able to change the username later, so choose carefully. If you make a mistake here, you can always set up a new user with the username and permissions you desire.

4. Enter your Administrator nickname, email address, blog title, and tagline. All of these can be changed later in Settings or Users if you wish.

5. Click the button to install WordPress.

Step 5: Click on “Finish Installation” to start the installation.

Figure 5: Start the installation

Step 6: WordPress has been installed!

Figure 6: WordPress has been installed

Note that Fantastico can uninstall WordPress, too, in case you entered wrong information or it was installed badly. Just start up Fantastico, choose WordPress, find the installation you want to delete, and click delete.

I hope this short guide is useful to you, if for nothing else than avoiding errors in WordPress installation. Remember that your comments are always welcome, and that you can email me using the “Contact” button in the button bar.

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