CentOS 5.8 Server, manual install PHP 5.2.17

Question

I would like manually install PHP 5.2.17.
I manage to install httpd and mysql.

But when I want to PHP 5.2.17, I could not found a proper guide.
These the step I had done with a fresh installation of CentOS 5.8 x86_64 (server & server GUI)

1. yum install httpd httpd-devel

2. /etc/init.d start OK

3. /etc/init.d stop OK

4. yum install mysql mysql-server mysql-devel

5. yum remove php

6. yum groupinstall "Development Tools"

7. yum install libxml2-devel

8. wget http://www.php.net/release/php5.2.17.zip to get php5.2.17 (client requirement must use this version)

9. cd php5.2.17

10. ./configure --with-apxs2=/usr/sbin/apxs --with-mysql=/usr/local

This is the area I confuse.

I could not found the /usr/sbin/apxs in my system. I do another Google search on how to manually install PHP, they pointed using ./configure --with-apxs2=/usr/local/apache2/bin/apxs --with-mysql

Both localtion I also cannot find apxs or apache2. I scare I make any mistake on it. Please help and guide on this.

I am newbie in CentOS

Answer

Ok, after few days research on this topic. I do know the parameter for what.
That is the specify directory would like to install to it.

That’s the reason I can’t find the path is created.

For best practise, it good to do it like this way

if you prefer install inside apache folder

./configure --prefix=/usr/local/apache/php

or

./configure --prefix=/usr/local/php

Check more discussion of this question.