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Install via FTP using Configuration Wizard

This guide is specific to installing Movable Type using FTP and using the Configuration Wizard to create the mt-config.cgi file. More detailed installation guides are available.

Note: Though this guide uses the version MT-5.0-en, it can be used to guide the installation of versions MT4.x or MT3.x as the install process is nearly identical.

Install Movable Type via FTP and the Configure Wizard

  1. Download the latest release of MT5: Movable Type Pro or Movable Type Open Source.
  2. Un-compress the downloaded MT-5.0-en.zip (or MT-5.0-en.tar.gz) archive. Usually just double-click on it.
  3. Upload (or move) the static directory (MT-5.0-en/mt-static) via FTP to the web root of the website.
  4. Update permissions for mt-static/support directory to 777. More about file permissions.
  5. Upload the application directory (MT-5.0-en) without the static directory (MT-5.0-en/mt-static) via FTP to the cgi-bin directory. Rename the application directory from “MT-5.0-en” to “mt”.
  6. Create a Movable Type configuration file using the Configuration Wizard. Access the Movable Type application (url will be similar to http://www.example.com/cgi-bin/mt/mt.cgi) and Movable Type will redirect you to the Configuration Wizard if Movable Type can’t locate the mt-config.cgi configuration file. Learn more about the Configuration Wizard.
  7. Create the administrator account. Click “Continue”.
  8. Create the first website. Click “Finish”. Movable Type will then initialize the database with all the configuration options and settings specified.
  9. Click “Sign into Movable Type”… you’ve installed Movable Type.

Warning: because the mt-check.cgi script displays server details which could be useful to a hacker, it is recommended that this script be removed or renamed. If renamed, use the CheckScript directive so that Movable Type knows where the script was moved.

Next Steps

  • Create pages in the website
  • Create a blog in the website
  • Complete out your profile, etc.
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3 Comments

matt on June 3, 2010, 12:28 a.m. Reply

It’s worth noting that you need to chmod your cgi files to 755 before running them.

Chris R on August 29, 2012, 10:38 a.m. Reply

So when I uploaded the MT-5.0-en folder, there is no “support” folder within “mt-static”, so I’m not sure what do do about Step 4 above.

Also, despite having uploaded the mt-static to the html folder and telling the config wizard that it is there, it doesn’t see it. :-(

Thoughts?

jennifery on January 6, 2014, 3:16 a.m. Reply

It’s worth noting that you need to chmod your cgi files to 755 before running them.