osTicket - Installing osTicket on VM

This tutorial outlines the installation of osTicket the open-source help desk ticketing system .

Prerequisites

• Have completed part one of the 4 part tutorial
• Be connected to the Windows VM via RDP

Environments and Technologies Used

• Microsoft Azure (Virtual Machines/Compute)
• Remote Desktop
• Internet Information Services (IIS)

Operating Systems Used

• Windows 10 (21H2)

Outline of steps

In this part we will

• Enable IIS
• Download necessary files for osTicket to run
• Register PHP in IIS
• Download osTicket
• Assign permissions

Installation Steps

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Before we can start downloading the files we have to enable IIS. To do so right click the start menu and click run. Type control for the contol pannel and click ok. Then go to programs and under programs and features click turn Windows features on or off. Check the box for Intenet information services and click the plus to the left.

Open the dropdown for World Wide Web Services and then again for Application Development Features. Check the box for CGI and then click ok. This will allow us to install PHP manager which osTicket runs off. Once its completed click close. To test if this worked open a new tab in your VM and type 127.0.0.1. We should see a IIS webpage.

To start downloading the necessary files osTicket needs we will have to open Microsoft Edge. Open this link in your VM's browser. These are the files we will be using. https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/1APMfNyfNzcxZC6EzdaNfdZsUwxWYChf6.

The first download is going to be PHP manager for IIS. In the download files double click PHPmanagerforIIS and click download (if it says file type might be dangerous click download anyway). Then go to file explorer and under downloads double click php manager. Click through (Click I accept when asked) until its done. then click close. Follow the same process for the rewrite file in the downloads link.

After these are downloaded we have to create a directory for PHP on the local hard drive. Go to the file explorer on the VM and under this pc click (c:). Create a new folder and name it PHP (you can do this by right clicking and picking new folder). This is where we will end up putting the PHP install. Now that we have the folder we can install PHP. Go to the downloads and download the PHP-7.3.8 file (download the whole file at once). Once downloaded go to downloads and right click the file. We need to extract all. Then click browse and choose the PHP folder we created under (C:).

Next download the VC_redist file. Then double click and install it.

After we have to download the MySql 5.5.62 file. We then have to install MySql. We will be doing a typical install. When done we want to launch the configuration wizard. We will be making credentials for MySql (write down the credentials you create). We will be doing a standard configuration. Click next and proceed to create credentials. The username is set to root (this is preset) and the password I am using is Password12321. We can click next and then execute. When done we can close.

Next we need to register PHP in IIS. On the VM click start and search for IIS. We need to open IIS as an administrator. Right click IIS and use run as administrator. We can see URl rewrite and PHP manager we installed earlier. Open PHP manager and then register new PHP version. We will browse and go to PHP - CGI. Open it and click ok. Since we have made changes in IIS we should restart IIS. On the right under manage servers click restart.

Since we have made changes in IIS we should restart IIS. On the right under manage servers click restart.

Next we are going to download osTicket 1.15.8 from the instillation files. We then need to extract and copy the "Uploads" folder which is in the osTicket file we downloaded. We will be putting the copy int the c:\inetpub\wwwroot folder. Open a new file explorer next to the Uploads folder and go to c:\inetpub\wwwroot drag and drop the Uploads folder into its new location which will create a copy. When the file is done copying we need to rename it to osTicket * It must be named exactly osTicket to function properly * Since we made changes in IIS we need to restart the server again.

We then are going to enable extensions for osTicket. In IIS click on server-sites-default-osTicket on the right click browse 80. We now have a osTicket webpage where we can check our extensions. Back in IIs go to PHP manager and under PHP extensions click enable or disable an extension. We need to enable php_imap.dll php_inti.dll and php_opcahe.dll. Click on them and enable on the right. When done we can refresh the webpage and we should see sone of the extensions activate.

Afterwards refresh the webpage and we should see sone of the extensions activate.

Next we need to rename the ost-samplecongif file into ost-config. The file is located in C:\inetpubwwwroot\osTicket\include. Right click the file, got to properties - security - advanced then disable inheritance and remove all inheritance permissions. Then we need to add permissions, select a principal. Click in the white box and type everyone, then check names and click ok. Check full control, this will allow osTicket to be set up by anyone. Clcik ok, apply and ok and ok again.

We then need to disble inheritance on the file so it can be used by anyone. Right click the file, got to properties - security - advanced then disable inheritance and remove all inheritance permissions. Then we need to add permissions, select a principal. Click in the white box and type everyone, then check names and click ok. Check full control, this will allow osTicket to be set up by anyone. Clcik ok, apply and ok and ok again.

Next we will set up osTicket in the browser. Go to the webpage and click continue. Here fill out the form and take note of what you put in. For this lab I will use helpdesk name *Lab Help Desk* Default email *Jeff@helper.com* Admin info Name *Jeff Mart* Email *Jeff@gmail.com* User *Admin_User* Pass *Password12321*

Before we continue we ahve to set up our database. To set up our database we have to download heidi sql from the install link. Once downloaded open heidi form downloads and go throught the prompts until the end. Make sure the box is checked to launch then click finish.

In heidi we are going to create a new connnection to the database. On the bottom left click new. For the username and password we will use the same from mySQL server username root and Password12321. Click open and we have our connection.

We then will make a new database in heidi for osTicket. Right click unnamed - create new - databse. For the name we will use osticket. Click ok and we have our osticket database.

Back in the browser for osTicket setup we have to fill out our database settings. For username and password we will use the recently entered root and Password12321. And for the mySQL database name we will use osticket. Click install now and we should get a coingradulations screen form osTicket.

Once that is complete we will delete teh c:\inetpub\wwwroot\osTicket\setup folder in our files.

After we will set the ost-config file to read only. Right click the file - properties - security - advanced - everyone and edit. Uncheck all but read and execute. Click ok - apply and ok again.

Next we will check if we can login by going to this link http://localhost/osTicket/scp/login.php. Open this in a new tab in the VM and we will login using the admin credentials Admin_User and Password12321. Now we are met with the osTicket interface and a ticket saying osTicket installed! This completes the Installation of osTicket and we can move on to part 3 - Post installation setup!