If trying to understand Apache has you all tied up in knots, then I think that the article listed below might be able to help set things straight for you. The only thing to keep in mind is that the piece below is assuming that you are working off of Windows XP.

If you design websites you might want to install a web server on your computer to make life much easier. This article describes how to install and configure the Apache webserver and how to make it work with not one site but many, using a technique called name-based virtual hosting.

Plan before you start: folders

Planning a good folder structure is important. Assuming that you have your own company, I recommend to create a “My Company” folder in your “My Documents” directory. Instead of “My Company” you might want to use the real name of your company.

Create in the “My Company” folder the following sub-folders: Configuration, Customers, and “My Sites”. The Configuration folder is going to hold the configuration file for the virtual hosts. Source: John Bokma Windows tips and tricks

Tags: windows xp, apache, configuration, virtual hosting