So I recently had to reinstall linux on my box after going through the death-seeking trauma of having to deal with sharing one hard drive with windows and linux. (Don't blame me for using windows, Certain programs need to be tested there. and I need to understand it in order to get my facts of it right). So I got done with installing my linux mint7 OS (Gloria) installed everything I needed. Then I tried to run scripts that require php and mysql to run better.
For some reason this wasn't working which meant PHP-MySQL support was not enabled and that meant enabling it. I went through the usual config, apt-get, synaptic package, bla blah blah and some how I still couldn't realize wat was up with it. I wasn't on the internet and google does very less for people offline.
I just kept searching for a way out and guess what it didn't work. lol
I connected to the internet to get help from the linux mint main site http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=19771&start=0 and there my solution was. very embarassing apache2 wasn't fully installed, that was quite a news to me cos I very well know that was the first thing I installed when sudo apt-get was initiated by myself.
anyways; I thought this was an experience to share so here it is. basically what am reflecting here is this; most of the time when we (computer programers and software engineers) get a situation *Shit Happens* we do a lot to solve it and sometimes just as life is we miss the little thing that could assist us. if you think this experience is damn then how come your codes come up with typos? lol
any way here is a list of solutions for you to try in case oneday you get into my situation;
This support is for Linux and Unix system users only with windows users its very simple you just need to install the mysqli.dll file and then do the configuration thing in the file. Windows users have a lot of already made packages and solutions so just keep google search and the solution will be there else leave a comment here and I will follow up ASAP.
for linux/Unix users, first you need to install of this
mysql-server
apache2,
php5,
php5-mysql
(These are just the versios I use now. it may differ depending on you preferences.)
if you are on linux interfaces the synaptic Package Manager should be a very good friend to your problem all you need to do is run it and type in these things in the search select them for installation and you are done else using the Terminal here is what you type sudo apt-get [name of package]. if you are on unix use this; sudo pkg_add -i -v [name of package] (this is for OpenBSD though, am not sure what its like on your Unix system)
This should work for you just as it has for me.
I have actually found a solution to Fixing a linux box with the grub problems and it seems to work out perfect when solving a lot of other problems, all you need is to understand the OS you are using and then put all files in the right directories, etc. I'll blog how I fixed my linux box after a forced shutdown and getting a grub problem recently. then I will try to explain as much as I can the structure of a linux OS possibly a UNIX system too well maybe windows too but that is if I don't get an invite to a court room. :D