I have a Windows 10 64-bit computer on which I want to install OpenEMR. I have bitten the bullet and would like to install on Linux, not Windows. So I thought I should use VirtualBox to create a Linux virtual machine and then install there. I have no experience on Linux but am willing to learn, and I have managed to learn some basic terminal commands over the weekend.
I saw that there was an appliance being offered again, for 5.0.0. I followed those instructions on VirtualBox. There’s no GUI with that route, but I sought to apply the latest 5.0.0 patch. I figured out how to share folders between host and guest, and I was going to place the patch in the openemr web directory as instructed.
Here’s where I’ve gotten lost. There is no www subfolder in /var. Since I was getting lost understanding the file structure, I tried to install a desktop. That led to a blank screen. Then I thought Webmin would help, but I can’t seem to connect to it (port 10000 not open?). I went back and looked at the appliance instructions and saw that the appliance is built around the OpenEMR Docker. I don’t know how Dockers work, but is this where I’m going all wrong? Should I be installing a Linux distribution (like Mint or Ubuntu) manually on a new VM and then install the Ubuntu package, or should I stick with the appliance?
I’m all confused about this conceptually and would appreciate help!
That should get you started with Linux as a VM on Windows.
Recommendation.
Once you have a Linux VM with a desktop spend as much time as possible in a term box (It’s like a really non-existent functional CMD in windows).
Webmin (like the desktop) is convenient but try not to become overly dependent on them. Get comfortable with the term box.
Yes, this is exactly what I started to do before your reply, so I’m on the right track.
I’m forcing myself to install with the server, not desktop. It feels masochistic but right.
Everything seems to have installed correctly. But the localhost refuses to connect. I’ve checked the install log in /var, and it looks like the Apache server was started successfully. Is this something to do with a port/firewall? The appliance before had launched fine.
Bingo! I’m in. Thanks for the quick response. On the previous appliance I was just browsing on the server itself to localhost, which was mapped to 127.0.0.1. To access from another workstation on the network, I would just browse to the IP address of the server. I didn’t change the VM network interface away from NAT with the appliance.
So here now, localhost is still mapped to 127.0.0.1, but to launch OpenEMR I have to use the IP address of the server at all times – even on the server itself? I am now in bridged mode.
On a broader note: what then is really the purpose/advantage/difference of the appliance?
The appliance is pre-configured with a number of features where as the VM you just created will require you to add some of those features. The Appliance is more of a fast pre-configured deploy and also plays nicely into a docker migration.
One of the nice features of OpenEMR: You can install it just about anywhere. I like the VM and Appliance simply because I am uncomfortable with windows security and love Linux costs and ease to secure.