How To Start A Forum (from scratch)

[KahneFan]

I've seen many people come on here and ask "How do I build a forum", so I'm hoping this might help.

For this example I will be giving probably the easiest meathod. You could host it yourself, but that's a much longer/harder process that most (new) forum owners don't need to bother with. There's also free hosts, but most of those won't give you your data when you want to leave, so I'm going with a host you pay for.

1) Find a host
- 1a) When finding a host make sure they offer free programs/software such as... SMF
- 1b) More than likely if your host says they offer "cPanel", they (should) offer SMF plus much more.

2) Sign up for a domain name and hosting account.
2a) Please know that it may take up to 24 hours for your new domain and hosting account to actually work.

3) Go to your hosts cPanel or free program area and find SMF. More than likely there will be an "install" button... click it and follow the directions.
3b) If the installation asks "where would you like to install SMF" and gives you something like: yourdomain/______ and asks you to fill in the blank, leave it blank if you want your forum to be your home page. If you want to have a separate home page and then have people click "forum" to go to your forum, then type "forum" in the blank. Please understand the second option means you have to create a home page or front end of some sort (and that's a whole other story). Note: You can move your forum to a /forum folder later if you want to build a home page.

4) As long as everything was completed, you should now have a forum. Now you should be able to go to yourdomain.--- and start working on your forum.

I will be a little more specific now and give an example of the host I use. I use GoDaddy, which some people don't like, but to me they are extremely easy to use. Plus, if you ever want to move, it's pretty easy to move to a new host.

1) Go to http://www.godaddy.com
2) Click Hosting
3) Sign up for (minimum) Economy Plan. I suggest going to the Deluxe plan since it's not much more, but gives unlimited web sites if you want to build more than 1.
4) Add a domain (if you don't have one already)
5) Complete Registration
- again, be aware that you may need to wait a day before step 6
6) Go back to GD and sign in to your account.
7) Look for "My Products" --> click "Hosting"
8 ) Your account should appear --> click "manage account"
9) Click "Content"
10) Click "GoDaddy Hosting Connection"
11) Click "Message Boards/Forums"
12) Click "Simple Machines Forum"
13) Click "Install Now"
14) Select your domain and click "continue"
15) Fill in the blanks:
- Database Description: (you can leave as is)
- database password: (something you'll remember)
- confirm db password: just retype above
16) "Install it into a folder:" {erase what is there to make your forum your main site} or {erase what is there and type "forum"}
-  Note: You can move your forum to a /forum folder later if you want to build a home page.
17) Fill In The Blanks:
- Admin Name: (this will be YOUR username on your forum)
- Admin Password: (this will be your password on your forum)
- Verify Admin Password: (retype above)
- Email: (your regular email address)
- Forum Name: (this will appear on the top left of your forum)
18) Click "Finish"
19) GoDaddy will automatically set up your forum and it should be live in about 10 minutes or so. They will usually send an email to the address you listed to let you know when your site is complete.
20) Go to your new site!

21) Leave your forum as is and start getting new members, or
- 21b) Come back here and ask bunches of questions on how to customize your forum 


I used to use a host that had cPanel, but I no longer do, so if any has cPanel and would like to list steps to installing SMF through cPanel, feel free.

If you have any questions after reading this, please feel free to post them and we'll be happy to help.

[phpMyTony]

Can I just say, well done
My dad uses GoDaddy, and I use cpanel aswell!

Very great guide

[H]

Moved topic here. The other board is intended for management strategy etc although that isn't too obvious at the moment.

Cpanel is good although I'd recommend staying away from godaddy (for hosting, not domains ). Searching this board for godaddy should give you multiple reasons why!

I know that the doc team are currently re-working the install section so you might be interested in joining the doc help squad

[KahneFan]

I know that the doc team are currently re-working the install section so you might be interested in joining the doc help squad

Is there a section of this board to help with this.

[phpMyTony]

http://blogs.simplemachines.org/team/253307/Simple+Machines+Wants+You+To+Help+With+Documentation.html

[KahneFan]

Thanks. The difference here though is my instructions include pre-install and I would think SMF instructions would be post install. I've seen a lot of people who ask how to start from scratch, not just after install.

[bgk forums]

Hey, I'm new here and found this post on Google. Yes, I know it's old. I just hope this is one of those forums where those newly replied to threads get to be up front. This is probably just an account I'll use on this thread, so the name (bgk forums) is my soon-to-be forum website, all about black ghost knife fish (or just BGKs  )

Since you use hxxp:godaddy.com [nonactive], I'm assuming they have SMF? Do they also have cpanel?

(it's at the top now!)

[KahneFan]

They have SMF, but they use their own cpanel-type of site called the GoDaddy Hosting Connection. It's still click-install easy for SMF.

[efos]

how do i make my message alone appear in my home page at my forum?

[KahneFan]

I'm not sure if I understand what you're asking. But, you can use a portal system, like Simple Portal to create a "home page" for your forum. Then you can build blocks to contain any content you like: http://custom.simplemachines.org/mods/index.php?mod=1104

[earthluvinmama]

I'm a total novice and trying to set up my forum. These instructions were really awesome! Thanks for posting.

I got through step 18 and I'm now getting this message on my page...

You're on a windows server, and some crucial files are not writable. Please ask your host to give write permissions to the user PHP is running under for the files in your SMF installation. The following files or directories need to be writable:

•attachments
•avatars
•Packages
•Packages/installed.list
•Smileys
•Themes
•agreement.txt
•Settings.php
•Settings_bak.php

This is probably something very easily remedied when one know what they're doing...which I do not =(

I would be forever grateful if you could point me in the right direction. Thanks!

[青山 素子]

You'll need to contact your host with that exact message. They'll know how to fix it.

[KahneFan]

The GD Hosting Connection shows SMF works with Widow & Linux, although I personally used Linux, so I'm not sure if Windows requires further steps. However, if contacting GD support does not help, you could try:

1) Download a FTP client (I suggest FileZilla
2) Run FileZilla
3) To log in:
- - Host= www.yoururl.com
- - Username = your username with GD
- - Password = your password with GD

This should now log you into the actual hosting part of your website. If you don't know what you're doing ONLY do this:

If, when loading SMF, you loaded it to "yoursite/", then you should be on the top of your directory and you should already see the folders you listed above "attachments, avatars...". If you loaded SMF to a sub directory "yoursite/forum", then you will need to double click on the "forum" (or whatever) folder, THEN you should see the folders you listed above.

Look at the column labeled "Permissions" and make sure that all of the folders listed above are listed with "0755". If they are... you got me. If they are not listed with "0755"; right click on one of the folders listed and select "folder permissions" and change the "numeric value" to "755" and click "OK". Once you've done this to all the folders listed above you SHOULD be good to go.

[jk-dj]

I'm not sure if I understand what you're asking. But, you can use a portal system, like Simple Portal to create a "home page" for your forum. Then you can build blocks to contain any content you like: http://custom.simplemachines.org/mods/index.php?mod=1104

I have  SMF1.1.11 up and running nicely.  A front page was an afterthought...so, will Simple Portal work without having to move my forum to a sub folder?   I'm fine with manual install of the mod as needed, I just want some experienced advice before I hack up my already working forum.

[KahneFan]

Yes, you can add SP as an after thought and it will make its self your home page and move your forum as a link in the header. AND, if you were to use any of the "page" mods, which allow you to add pages to your site, you could link those from your new front portal page and make it just like someone was navigating a regular site. For example, if you wanted "About" "Contact" "Specials".... type pages.

[earthluvinmama]

Thanks for your help!! I'm up and running now.

Having issues with loading smileys, but that's for another topic 

[KahneFan]

No problem, glad to help. Just curios, as it may help others, did your host help or did the FTP work?

[openearth]

Hi,

thanks for a great post, exactly what i was looking for.

i also use godaddy and i had a question.  i want to start a forum and i want new members to enter their email address for me to collect and store (no i'm not a spammer :-)  i simply want to be able to contact members when i need to and to allow other members to contact each other through email. 

is this possible with godaddy?  and if so, how can it be done?

thanks in advance

denis

[KahneFan]

Are you sure you want members to have each other's email addresses? I would think using the private message system built in to SMF would be better so members couldn't spam other members as easily. I don't see that GoDaddy has any type of email/newsletter type of program. Personally, I set up an email address, then used that with Outlook/Outlook Express/Windows Live Mail on my computer and I create groups that I use for a mailing list I have.

[punisher12]

I followed these steps and I purchased my domain and hosting from hxxp:godaddy.com [nonactive] (for now). I went through all the steps and it have been saying that it is installing for the past couple hours now and nothing is working. Just wondering what I did wrong considering the steps says it should take 10mins or so for the site to be up and its been a few hours for me so far and nothing.

[青山 素子]

Given the steps were written almost two years ago, they are possibly changed. If you make a topic in one of the support boards with a good description of your problem and any error messages, you'll get help fixing things.

[KahneFan]

I followed these steps and I purchased my domain and hosting from godaddy.com (for now). I went through all the steps and it have been saying that it is installing for the past couple hours now and nothing is working. Just wondering what I did wrong considering the steps says it should take 10mins or so for the site to be up and its been a few hours for me so far and nothing.

If you were able to get to the installing step and received no errors, you should be good as far as the account you purchased. If it's hanging up at the install stage, it sound like a glitch on the host side. Possibly 1) Delete the original install 2a) Install again 2b) if 1 doesn't work, install in another subfolder; it's easy to re-rout your forum later (i.e. mysite.com/forum ---> mysite.com/smf) If you installed it in the main directory (i.e. mysite.com) and you can't get the install to stop, you may want to contact GD to ask them to cancel the install.

[brewersrus]

I want to start a christian discussion forum and I am on a very fixed income at the moment which my change but I am not able to purchase web hosting and I am wondering if there is a free web hosting site that is not bad??  I may try go daddy if I can come up with the money to pay for it.....

[xenovanis]

Hi brewsersrus

Here you can find more information on hosting services (free and paid)

http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?board=4.0

[brewersrus]

Thanks for your help.  I think I have decided to go ahead and use godaddy because I don't want to run into any trouble with my site..... 

[xenovanis]

See here for a review on GoDaddy

[REVIEW] GoDaddy Hosting

Honestly, we've seen quite a few issues here 

[KahneFan]

See here for a review on GoDaddy

[REVIEW] GoDaddy Hosting

Honestly, we've seen quite a few issues here 

I'm not real sure why you have to add the last line in there. To be honest as well, I've used GD for 8+years with zero issues. And, I host 6 sites with my 1 $6.99/mo account.

I think some of the problems you might find with reviews of GD are that they are the titan of industry. Same issues people will have with Wal-Mart or any other major player of an industry. "I hate them because they are the big dog and I'm supposed to hate them." Go Daddy is very easy to use, and for an average user, they have everything you will need. As stated, I've used them for 8+ years and have never found them to not have a feature I needed in order to run a forum. I'm not trying to "sell' GD any more than any other host. I'm just wanting to throw it out there that I (personally) don't think they are a bad host.

With that said, if you (or anyone) is trying to run a simple forum, almost any host will be able to provide adequate service.

[青山 素子]

While your experience might be good, numerous people have had varying issues with them, a lot of times because they oversell something awful and make their money by packing their shared servers until they burst.

One interesting issue that seems to have gone away was a multi-month issue with users on a certain IP where reverse IP lookups would cause huge delays only on GoDaddy's shared hosting services.

If you're running a small forum, they should be okay, just don't expect to use anywhere near the resources they promise.

[brewersrus]

So what host would you recommend.  I am very very new to this and dont know much about it and dont want to go with the wrong host.  I just want to get my forum up and running........ I would really like to use a free host but if I cant find one that is free that is good enough then I am willing to pay for one, I just want to spend my money on the right one not the wrong one......

[Kindred]

Hi brewsersrus

Here you can find more information on hosting services (free and paid)

http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?board=4.0

We do not recommend any specific hosts.  As team members, that could be a conflict of interest.

[fastcorvetteusa.com]

Bring an old thread back.....I am trying to set up my forum with smf, but i dont use gd.. how would i go about setting this up... ? ?   Thanks for the help in advance...

I've seen many people come on here and ask "How do I build a forum", so I'm hoping this might help.

For this example I will be giving probably the easiest meathod. You could host it yourself, but that's a much longer/harder process that most (new) forum owners don't need to bother with. There's also free hosts, but most of those won't give you your data when you want to leave, so I'm going with a host you pay for.

1) Find a host
- 1a) When finding a host make sure they offer free programs/software such as... SMF
- 1b) More than likely if your host says they offer "cPanel", they (should) offer SMF plus much more.

2) Sign up for a domain name and hosting account.
2a) Please know that it may take up to 24 hours for your new domain and hosting account to actually work.

3) Go to your hosts cPanel or free program area and find SMF. More than likely there will be an "install" button... click it and follow the directions.
3b) If the installation asks "where would you like to install SMF" and gives you something like: yourdomain/______ and asks you to fill in the blank, leave it blank if you want your forum to be your home page. If you want to have a separate home page and then have people click "forum" to go to your forum, then type "forum" in the blank. Please understand the second option means you have to create a home page or front end of some sort (and that's a whole other story). Note: You can move your forum to a /forum folder later if you want to build a home page.

4) As long as everything was completed, you should now have a forum. Now you should be able to go to yourdomain.--- and start working on your forum.

I will be a little more specific now and give an example of the host I use. I use GoDaddy, which some people don't like, but to me they are extremely easy to use. Plus, if you ever want to move, it's pretty easy to move to a new host.

1) Go to http://www.godaddy.com
2) Click Hosting
3) Sign up for (minimum) Economy Plan. I suggest going to the Deluxe plan since it's not much more, but gives unlimited web sites if you want to build more than 1.
4) Add a domain (if you don't have one already)
5) Complete Registration
- again, be aware that you may need to wait a day before step 6
6) Go back to GD and sign in to your account.
7) Look for "My Products" --> click "Hosting"
8 ) Your account should appear --> click "manage account"
9) Click "Content"
10) Click "GoDaddy Hosting Connection"
11) Click "Message Boards/Forums"
12) Click "Simple Machines Forum"
13) Click "Install Now"
14) Select your domain and click "continue"
15) Fill in the blanks:
- Database Description: (you can leave as is)
- database password: (something you'll remember)
- confirm db password: just retype above
16) "Install it into a folder:" {erase what is there to make your forum your main site} or {erase what is there and type "forum"}
-  Note: You can move your forum to a /forum folder later if you want to build a home page.
17) Fill In The Blanks:
- Admin Name: (this will be YOUR username on your forum)
- Admin Password: (this will be your password on your forum)
- Verify Admin Password: (retype above)
- Email: (your regular email address)
- Forum Name: (this will appear on the top left of your forum)
18) Click "Finish"
19) GoDaddy will automatically set up your forum and it should be live in about 10 minutes or so. They will usually send an email to the address you listed to let you know when your site is complete.
20) Go to your new site!

21) Leave your forum as is and start getting new members, or
- 21b) Come back here and ask bunches of questions on how to customize your forum 


I used to use a host that had cPanel, but I no longer do, so if any has cPanel and would like to list steps to installing SMF through cPanel, feel free.

If you have any questions after reading this, please feel free to post them and we'll be happy to help.

[KahneFan]

Steps 1-3 are non-GD specific. When selecting a host just be sure they offer free software with your account... specifically that they offer SMF. If your host offers cPanel it's (almost) guaranteed that they offer SMF. Otherwise you will need to either search their site or ask their support staff if they offer SMF with their hosting.

[Kindred]

huh

SMF can be downloaded and installed on any host which supports php and mySQL.   

[HouseEros]

Based on that username, I'd guess spammer...but that is just me.

[KahneFan]

huh

SMF can be downloaded and installed on any host which supports php and mySQL.   

You are correct. However, for someone who has zero web experience, but they want to start a forum, finding a host with 1-click install is best.

[Illori]

there have been some users that have issues with installs provided by some of those one click installers as well.

[KahneFan]

there have been some users that have issues with installs provided by some of those one click installers as well.

I've been using 1-click install forums for about 8 years now with no issues. This particular thread is not designed as an end all cure all be all; this is made for those who are very novice to building a forum and want to know where to start. Once they have their board started, they can then try to modify from there. We all started somewhere, I've simply tried to provide a guide for those who are starting from the very beginning.