Version 1.1 – June 20 2011

• Added  ”FcgidMaxRequestLen 1000000000” to virtual host settings in order to get the WordPress Flash based image uploader to work. The default value in fcgid caused it to throw a “HTTP Error” when crunching the images.
• Commented out the Apache directive “ServerAlias” which in previous version defaulted to *.example.com. That of course might cause problems when setting up both root domain and sub domains on the same server. Feel free to uncomment or add custom aliases.
• Moved the ports.conf tip from script echo to comments at the end.

#!/bin/bash
# Shell script to create virtual hosts running PHP/FastCGI with mod_fcgi
# on Apache 2
# -------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Version 1.1 (June 20 2011)
# -------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Copyright (c) 2011 Finn Hensner <http://www.gerillafilm.se>
# This script is licensed under GNU GPL version 2.0 or above
# -------------------------------------------------------------------------

clear
echo "# -----------------------------------------------------------"
echo "# ---------- Virtual host with mod_fcgi - installer ---------"
echo "# -----------------------------------------------------------"

read -p "Enter domain name to use: " domainName

read -p "Enter port number for virtual host: " port

if [ $(id -u) -eq 0 ]; then
    read -p "Enter username : " userName
    read -s -p "Enter password : " userPassword
    egrep "^$userName" /etc/passwd >/dev/null
    if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
        echo "$userName exists!"
        exit 1
    else
        pass=$(perl -e 'print crypt($ARGV[0], "password")' $userPassword)
                groupadd $userName;
                useradd -s /bin/sh -p $pass -d /var/www/$domainName -m -g $userName $userName

        [ $? -eq 0 ] && echo "User has been added to system!" || echo "Failed to add a user!"
    fi
else
    echo "Only root may add a user to the system"
    exit 2
fi

clear
echo -e "\n\tDomain name: $domainName:$port"
echo -e "\tUser name: $userName"
echo -e "\tPassword: $userPassword"
echo "(Your user credentials will be saved in a .txt-file outside your web root)"
echo -e "\tFinish with these settings?\n\n"
select yn in "Yes" "No"; do
    case $yn in
        Yes ) echo "Preparing...";

#sleep 1
#groupadd $userName;
echo "Added group $groupName"

#sleep 1
#useradd -s /bin/sh -p $userPassword -d /var/www/$domainName -m -g $userName $userName
#echo "Added user $userName"

sleep 1
mkdir -p /var/www/$domainName/public_html
echo "Creating folder /var/www/$domainName/public_html"

sleep 2
chown -R $userName:$userName /var/www/$domainName
echo "Added ownership to webroot"

sleep 2
mkdir -p /var/www/php-fcgi-scripts/$domainName
echo "Created cgi script folder for $domainName"

sleep 1
echo -e "#!/bin/sh\nPHPRC=/etc/php5/cgi/\nexport PHPRC\nexport PHP_FCGI_MAX_REQUESTS=5000\nexport PHP_FCGI_CHILDREN=8\nexec /usr/lib/cgi-bin/php" > /var/www/php-fcgi-scripts/$domainName/php-fcgi-starter
echo "Created cgi-wrapper for $domainName"

sleep 1
chmod 755 /var/www/php-fcgi-scripts/$domainName/php-fcgi-starter
chown -R $userName:$userName /var/www/php-fcgi-scripts/$domainName
echo "Changed ownership on fcgi-wrapper"

sleep 1
echo -e "<VirtualHost *:$port>\n\tServerName $domainName\n\t#ServerAlias $domainName *.$domainName\n\tServerAdmin webmaster@$domainName\n\tDocumentRoot /var/www/$domainName/public_html\n\n\n\t<IfModule mod_fcgid.c>\n\t\tSuexecUserGroup $userName $userName\n\t\tFcgidMaxRequestLen 1000000000\n\t\t<Directory /var/www/$domainName/public_html>\n\t\t\tOptions +ExecCGI\n\t\t\tAllowOverride All\n\t\t\tAddHandler fcgid-script .php\n\t\t\tFCGIWrapper /var/www/php-fcgi-scripts/$domainName/php-fcgi-starter .php\n\t\t\tOrder allow,deny\n\t\t\tAllow from all\n\t\t</Directory>\n\t</IfModule>\n\n\nServerSignature Off\n\n\n</VirtualHost>" > /etc/apache2/sites-available/$domainName
echo "Added virtual host for $domainName"

sleep 1
a2ensite $domainName
echo "Enabling virtual host $domainName"

sleep 1
/etc/init.d/apache2 reload
echo "Restarting apache"

sleep 1
echo -e "Your account credentials:\n\nDomain name: $domainName:$port\nUser name: $userName\nPassword: $userPassword" > /var/www/$domainName/login-$domainName.txt
echo -e "******************************************************************************"
echo -e "Your account credentials:\n\nDomain name: $domainName:$port\nUser name: $userName\nPassword: $userPassword"
echo -e "Saved text file with credentials in /var/www/$domainName/login-$domainName.txt"
echo -e "******************************************************************************\n\n"
chown $userName:$userName /var/www/$domainName/login-$domainName.txt
chmod 600 /var/www/$domainName/login-$domainName.txt

break;;
        No ) exit;;
    esac
done

# -------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Make sure you edit /etc/apache2/ports.conf and add another NameVirtualHost
# if you want your server to listen to additional ports, ie 8080 for proxying.
# -------------------------------------------------------------------------

Instructions

To run the script, begin with pasting it into a new file:

nano vhost-fcgi.sh

Make it executable:

chmod 755 vhost-fcgi.sh

Run it:

./vhost-fcgi.sh

To easily install Apache 2 and dependencies, read Shell script: install Apache 2 with dependencies for PHP/mod_fcgi

UPDATES:

Version 1.1 – August 18 2011

• Added apt-get update to refresh package list
• Added MySQL server
• Added php5-gd library (to comply with Drupal 7 requirements)
• Added PDO MySQL driver (to comply with Drupal 7 requirements)
• Moved specific php.ini extensions and fixes to separate custom.ini file
• Added restart of proftpd

To run the script, begin with pasting it into a new file:

nano webinstall.sh

Make it executable:

chmod 755 webinstall.sh

Run it:

./webinstall.sh

To easily set up sites and users, read Shell script: create virtual hosts with PHP/fastCGI (mod_fcgi)

#!/bin/bash
# Shell script to install LAMP with dependencies for running PHP applications
# with mod_fcgi
# -------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Version 1.1 (August 18 2011)
# -------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Copyright (c) 2011 Finn Hensner <http://www.gerillafilm.se>
# This script is licensed under GNU GPL version 2.0 or above
# -------------------------------------------------------------------------
apt-get update
aptitude install apache2 apache2-suexec libapache2-mod-fcgid php5-cgi
a2dismod php5
a2enmod rewrite
a2enmod suexec
a2enmod include
a2enmod fcgid

apt-get install mysql-server
apt-get install php5-gd
apt-get install php5-common php5-mysql

sleep 1
echo "Adding extensions and fixes to custom ini"
echo -e "cgi.fix_pathinfo = 1\nextension=gd2.so\nextension=pdo.so\nextension=pdo_mysql.so\n" > /etc/php5/conf.d/custom.ini

sleep 1
echo "Add server name to Apache config"
echo "ServerName 127.0.0.1" >> /etc/apache2/apache2.conf

sleep 1
echo "Installing ProFTPd server"
apt-get purge proftpd
apt-get install proftpd
#jail users in their home directory
echo -e "<Global>\nDefaultRoot ~\n</Global>" >> /etc/proftpd/proftpd.conf

sleep 1
echo "Removing default virtual host."
rm /etc/apache2/sites-available/default
rm /etc/apache2/sites-enabled/default-000

sleep 1
echo "Restarting apache2 and proftpd"
service apache2 restart
service proftpd restart

The main thing with this setup is to avoid permission issues when installing and running Drupal and WordPress. Since they depend quite heavily on writing files, changing settings, updating plugins and modules you may end up with a very loose permissions scheme that tends to lead to an insecure installation.

Goals

• make Apache run PHP applications as an arbitrary user (not www-data)
• create “sandboxed” websites and users to avoid Apache user gaining access to other sites on the same machine (especially important if you’re using or want to create a shared hosting environment)
• avoid 777 permissions all over the place

(If Apache is already installed, this is where you begin)

Install modules:

aptitude install apache2-suexec libapache2-mod-fcgid php5-cgi
/etc/init.d/apache2 restart

You might get the following error message, ignore it for now:

"Could not reliably determine the server's fully qualified domain name,
using xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx for ServerName"

Disable the mod_php - we will use fcgid instead:

a2dismod php5

Enable the newly installed Apache modules:

a2enmod rewrite
a2enmod suexec
a2enmod include
a2enmod fcgid

Open and edit /etc/php5/cgi/php.ini

nano /etc/php5/cgi/php.ini

Uncomment or add the following line:

cgi.fix_pathinfo = 1

Restart Apache:

/etc/init.d/apache2 restart

In Webmin, go to Servers > ProFTPD Server > Files and directories

Set "Limit users to directories" to "Home directory". Save.
Apply changes (restart ProFTPD Server).

Create a directory for the site which also will be the home directory for your web user:

mkdir -p /var/www/mynewsite.com/public_html

In Webmin, create a user under System > Users and groups > Create a new user

Username: mynewuser
User ID: Automatic
Home directory: browse to /var/www/mynewsite.com/ and select it
Password: Normal password > (Choose a good, random password)
Primary group: New group with same name as user
Create home directory: Yes
Copy template files to home directory: Yes
Create user in other modules: Yes

Make your new user owner of their webroot:

cd /var/www/mynewsite.com 
chown -R mynewuser:mynewusergroup *
NOTE: sometimes the permissions might get corrupted, in that case, try: chown -R mynewuser:mynewusergroup /var/www/mynewsite.com

Create a fastcgi wrapper script for the new site:

mkdir -p /var/www/php-fcgi/mynewsite.com
nano /var/www/php-fcgi/mynewsite.com/php-fcgi-starter

Add the following to php-fcgi-starter then save:

#!/bin/sh
PHPRC=/etc/php5/cgi/
export PHPRC
export PHP_FCGI_MAX_REQUESTS=5000
export PHP_FCGI_CHILDREN=8
exec /usr/lib/cgi-bin/php

Make the script executable and owned by the user:

chmod 755 /var/www/php-fcgi/mynewsite.com/php-fcgi-starter

cd /var/www/php-fcgi/mynewsite.com chown -R mynewuser:nynewusergroup *  

In Webmin, remove the catch-all virtual server if it exists (Handles the name-based server on address *.)

Then remove the leftovers from the virtual host:

rm /etc/apache2/sites-enabled/000-default

Create a new virtual host:

Servers > Apache webserver > Create virtual host:

Specific address:  mynewsite.com Add name virtual server address (if needed): Yes
Listen on address (if needed): Yes
Port: 80
Document root: /var/www/mynewsite.com/public_html
Allow access to this directory: Yes
Server name: mynewsite.com Add virtual server to file: New file under virtual servers directory
Copy directives from: Nowhere

NOTE 1: if you later create sites to be handled by fcgi you may copy/paste the directives from the initial site and then only change document root and user/group info in the new site’s directives.

NOTE 2:  you still need to create new fastcgi wrapper scripts and unique user for each site.

Tell Apache to listen for the new site:

Servers > Apache webserver > Global configuration > Networking and addresses:

Check "Include all addresses".
Under "Adresses for name virtual servers" add:
mynewsite.com:80

Save and restart Apache (“Apply changes” in Webmin).

Add directives for the site. Virtual server > Edit directives:

ServerName mynewsite.com
ServerAlias mynewsite.com
DocumentRoot /var/www/mynewsite.com/public_html
<IfModule mod_fcgid.c>
 SuexecUserGroup mynewuser mynewusergroup 
 <Directory /var/www/mynewsite.com/public_html>
  Options +ExecCGI
  AllowOverride All
  AddHandler fcgid-script .php
  FCGIWrapper /var/www/php-fcgi/mynewsite.com/php-fcgi-starter .php
  Order allow,deny
  Allow from all 
 </Directory></IfModule>
# ErrorLog /var/log/apache2/error.log
# CustomLog /var/log/apache2/access.log combined
ServerSignature Off

Save and restart Apache. Done!

(Based on Falko Timme’s guide)

/etc/fstab

Add the following line  at the end depending on volume and mount point:

/dev/sdb1 /var/hda/files/

Save and exit.

(If the volume is formatted with NTFS, use the following syntax instead)

/dev/sdb1 /var/hda/files/ ntfs-3g defaults 0 0

First you need to find out what the volume is called within Fedora. To list the drives recognized by the system type the following in terminal:

ls /dev/sd*

Let’s say you want to mount the volume named “sdb1″, then use:

mount /dev/sdb1 /var/hda/files/myvolume

If the volume you want to mount is an NTFS drive, instead use:

mount -t ntfs /dev/sdb1 /var/hda/files/myvolume

Note that you may need to change priviligies on the mounted drive if you want to download directly from Amahi or copy to it over the network.

When you’ve mounted the volume in /var/files/ you only need to specify the name you gave it to add it as a share in Amahi share settings.

If you want to mount the volume automatically when you boot, read Automount a volume in Fedora.

Fire up terminal, locally or via SSH and log in as root.

Edit the GDM config file by following file by typing:

nano /etc/gdm/custom.conf

Add the following to the end of the file:

[daemon]
 TimedLoginEnable=true
 AutomaticLoginEnable=true
 AutomaticLogin=yourusername
 TimedLogin=yourusername
 TimedLoginDelay=0

Save and exit. On reboot, the machine should autologin with the username you specified.

So I went fishing for a cheap setup for my new (HD-)TV needs. Since I consume at least 10 hours worth of podcasting every week there was a small chance I would run across something useful. And then the FLOSS Weekly guys interviewed the project manager for Amahi Home Server.

Quick look:

• YES – Home server running on Fedora Linux
• YES – App-store-ish way of installing applications with one-click (mentioned probaby 100 times in Floss weekly episode 112)
• YES – Built-in and preconfigured VPN and Samba shares
• NO – Replacement of Media center or media streamer
  You still need something that connects to your TV or projector. I chose the reasonably priced Western Digital WD TV Live HD.
• NO – plug-and-play.
  Though this is marketed as a quick and easy solution you still need some basic knowledge not to mention interest in Linux to get it working properly. Example, even if you’ve partitioned or mounted a hard drive in Windows or Mac before it’s still not quite the same with Fedora. That said you get a lot of help with the setup from the excellent installation guide provided by Amahi.

But when I got it running it’s doing just fine. I’ll post some quick terminal guide how-tos of things I had to do in order to mount drives, autologin on boot etc.