There is currently only one option for installing the Drupal content management system on your DreamHost webhosting account. Their ‘One-Click Install’ tool currently does not support the installation of Drupal. So here are the step-by-step instructions for installing Drupal on DreamHost the advanced way. Which is still really easy to do, just not as easy as the ‘One-Click Install’ tool would make it.

Advanced Install Instructions

The following are instructions for installing the Drupal CMS on a DreamHost shared hosting account. Needed materials include the Drupal files, an FTP client, a web browser, and access to your DreamHost account control panel.

1. Download the latest Drupal Package from Drupal.org

2. Unzip and upload the contents of the Drupal package to your directory of choice. I like to use Filezilla as my FTP client to help me connect to my DreamHost server and upload all the files to it.

3. In your control panel under the Goodies menu in the left hand navigation, you will find the link to the MySQL Databases page. Go to it, scroll to the bottom and create a MySQL database, hostname, username, and password for your new Drupal installation.

4. Run the Drupal installation script by pointing your web browser to the base URL of your website. (e.g. http://example.com)

5. Duplicate the file ‘default.settings.php’ and create ‘settings.php’ inside /sites/default directory as explained by Drupal when you begin the wizard.

6. Follow the Drupal installation wizard. Be sure to enter the correct database name, user, and password that you just setup in your control panel.

7. Select the ‘Advanced Options’ link and change the Database Host from localhost to the hostname you setup in your control panel.

8. You are now taken to another page on the Drupal installation wizard. Fill out all the information it asks for according to your preferences. These include the site name, site email address, the admin’s username, the admin’s email, and the admin’s password. Then click the save and continue button.

That’s it. You now have successfully installed the Drupal CMS on your DreamHost webhosting server. If you would like to learn more about how Dreamhost Pricing works you can read the article here.