Installation Requirements

[Tranz]

This is in the documentation but since people don't alway see it...

* A web server that supports PHP

* A MySQL database
      You will need MySQL version 3.23.23 or better (4.x recommended). The MySQL user needs permissions to perform CREATE, ALTER, SELECT, UPDATE, DELETE, INSERT data from the database. Most users have these permissions when webhosted. If you don't have them, you will not be able to use this or any other pre-made scripts at all. If you are uncertain about your permissions, please check with your webhost. Most hosting services can probably tell you whether coppermine can or cannot be run off of their servers.
      A database needs to be set up that Coppermine can use - the install script will not create a database for you, but it will automatically create the tables and data structure in your database for you. In most webhosted environments, you will already have at least one database set up for you by your webhost. If not, you will need to create one. If you do need to create a database, check with your webhost on the proper procedures for doing so. Write down your database name, userID and password. You will require all three to successfully install Coppermine. Database names mustn't contain dots.

* PHP (version 4.2.0 or better), either compiled with the support for the GD library or permission to use the exec() function for the ImageMagick "convert" utility in order to make thumbnails and reduced size images. Note: If your server is using PHP 5+, "register_long_arrays" must be turned "on." Verify that this is the case with your webhost before attempting to install Coppermine.

* An image library: either GD version 1.x or 2.x (PHP has to be compiled to support it) or ImageMagick. (see What's ImageMagick and What is GD)

* It's always a good idea to contact your webhosting service first and ask them if they are aware of any known issues when installing Coppermine.

If you're looking for a webhost:

Web Hosting for Coppermine photo Album? 
Free web host supporting the Copermine requirements

You might also want to check out Tools recommended by the devs

[Joachim Müller]

We want to point out that the Coppermine does not recommend using pre-installed Coppermine galleries that come with your webhosting package, nor do we recommend auto-installers like Fantastico due to sad experiences in the past.

The only supported install method is the one we describe in our documentation.