Does installing PHP using the Microsoft IIS Web Platform Installer require a restart?

Question

Does installing PHP using the Microsoft IIS Web Platform Installer require a restart?

I don't want downtime. But I don't want to manually install it either.

Answer 1

It doesn't look like it is required but is recommended.

Best Practices for Using Web PI

Follow these best practices to prevent errors or installation issues when using the Web PI.

Close all programs and restart your computer.

The Web PI functions by running the setup for the selected applications one after the other, as in a chain. These setup programs are run “silently,” meaning they run without displaying a user interface. In some cases, setup programs will block an installation if certain applications are running. For this reason, all applications should be closed or stopped. A simple way to do this is to restart your computer. If an application is configured to start when Windows starts, you will need to close it manually.

Sometimes the Web PI encounters a problem due to a pending restart. Certain operations require a restart (for example, if system dynamic-link libraries (DLLs) are replaced by a system update or hotfix installation). Setup programs can, and do, block the installation when a restart is pending.

Answer 2

From the previous times I have used it, I don't recall being prompted for a restart (although I usually install manually). The best way to verify this would be to setup a dev server and test it. This should be standard procedure before doing anything in a production environment, especially if you are concerned with downtime.

Measure twice...cut once.