osTicket - Prerequisites and Installation

This tutorial outlines the prerequisites and installation of the open-source helpdesk ticketing system osTicket.

Environments and Technologies Used

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

Operating Systems Used

• Windows 10 (21H2)

List of Prerequisites

• Microsoft Azure
• Virtual Machine
• osTicket Installation Files

Installation Steps

Step 1: Connect to Your Virtual Machine with Remote Desktop

• If you need help connecting to your virtual machine, please see my tutorial here

Step 2: Install and Enable Internet Information Services (IIS) in Windows

• At the bottom left, search for Control Panel
• Underneath Programs, select Uninstall a Program
• On the left side of the screen, select Turn Windows Features On or Off
• Select Internet Information Services (IIS), and select OK

Step 3: Download, Install, and Open the Web Platform Installer

• osTicket Installation Files link
  • Download Web Platform Installer > select Download Anyway > at the top right, select Open File
  • Follow the prompt to install Web Platform Installer
  • Open the Web Platform Installer

• Once Web Platform Installer is open, go to the top right of the screen and search for MySQL 5.5
• Go to MySQL Windows 5.5 and click Add
• Go to the top right again and search for PHP
  • Adjust the list to Sort by "name"
• Add all simple versions of x86 PHP up until 7.3
• Select Install at the bottom of the screen and it will tell you to create a username and password to complete the installation

• Username: root
• Password: Password1
• Follow the prompt to complete the installation
• You might get a message stating that "some products have failed to install"
  • Ignore that message and select Finish
• Download and install the following from within the lab files: link
  • PHP Version 7.3.8
  • PHP Manager 1.5.0 for IIS 10
  • Microsoft Visual C++ 2009 Redistributable Package

Step 4: Install osTicket v1.15.8

• Download osTicket (download from within lab files: link)
• Right-click on the file and select Extract All
  • Open the new osTicket folder
    • Copy the Upload folder into C:\inetpub\wwwroot
    • Rename “Upload” to “osTicket”

Step 5: Restart the IIS Server

• Search for Internet Information Services (IIS) and select Open
  • Select Restart on the right-hand side
• On the left side of the screen, select Virtualmachine > Sites > Default Website > osTicket
• On the right side of the screen, click “Browse *:80”
  • This should open osTicket in your web browser
• Before continuing, head back to IIS
• Open IIS

Step 6: Enable Extensions in IIS

• Go back to IIS > Sites > Default Web Site > osTicket
• Double-click PHP Manager
• Click “Enable or Disable an Extension” at the bottom of the screen under PHP Extensions
• Right-click and enable the following
  • php_imap.dll (Might be already enabled)
  • php_intl.dll
  • php_opcache.dll

Step 7: Refresh the osTicket Site in Your Browser

• Refresh the osTicket site adn observe the change
  • Intl Extension should now have a green checkmark next to it

Step 8: Rename

• Open Windows Explorer and select C: > inetpub > wwwroot > osTicket > include
  • Rename the following file:
    • From: ost-SAMPLEconfig.php
    • To: ost-config.php

Step 9: Assign Permissions to ost-config.php

• Right-click ost-config.php
• Open Properties > Security > Advanced > Permissions
• Select Disable Inheritance > Remove all inherited permissions from this object

• Afterwards, select Add > select Principal > type in "everyone" > select Check Names > select OK
  • Allow everyone full control (check all boxes) > Select apply > OK

Step 10: Continue Setting Up osTicket in Browser

• Go back to the browser and click Continue
  • Name: Helpdesk
  • Email: whichever email you want
  • First Name: your first name
  • Last Name: your last name
  • Email Address: whichever email you want (needs to be different from the Helpdesk's default email)
  • Username: user_admin
  • Password: Password1

Step 11: Download and Install HeidiSQL

• Head to osTicket Installation Files link
  • Download and install HeidiSQL
• Open HeidiSQL > Select "New" at the bottom-left corner of the screen
  • User: root
  • Password: Password
• Select Open
• On the left side, right-click Unnamed > select Create New > Database
• Name it “osTicket” and select OK

Step 12: Continue Setting Up osTicket by Filling Out the Fields

• Go back to the browser
  • MySQL Database: osTicket (the one you just created in HeidiSQL)
  • MySQL Username: root
  • MySQL Password: Password1
  • Finally, click Install Now

🎉Congratulations! You have sucessfully installed osTicket adn all of its pre-requisite files!🎉

Tips!

• To create tickets as a user: http://localhost/osTicket/
• To log in as an Admin or helpdesk professional: http://localhost/osTicket/scp

Step 13: Post-Intallation Cleanup

• Go to C: > inetpub > wwwroot > osTicket > Setup
  • Delete the contents in the Setup folder
  • Afterwards, delete the Setup folder
• Go to C: > Inetpub > wwwroot > osTicket > Include
  • Right-click on ost-config.php
  • Select Securities > Advanced > Click on "everyone" > edit to change permissions
  • Allow everyone to only have "Read and execute" permission, then select OK > Apply > OK

Click here to move on to part 2 of this tutorial!