A cool portable web server...

[hamradio]

is at http://www.uniformserver.com.

"The Uniform Server is a WAMP package that allows you to run a server on any MS Windows OS based computer. It is small and mobile to download or move around and can also be used or setup as a production/live server. Developers also use The Uniform Server to test their applications made with either PHP, MySQL, Perl, or the Apache HTTPd Server."

[mouser]

this looks extremely useful for testing stuff.

[mouser]

another similar tool: http://www.easyphp.org/

EasyPHP is a complete software package allowing to use all the power and the flexibility that offers the dynamic language PHP and the effecient use of databases under Windows. Package includes an Apache server, a MySQL database, a fully PHP execution, as well as easy development tools for your web site or your applications

[allen]

That's pretty neat -- php bundled and all.

I use abyss web server for testing (apache is just more trouble than it's worth for non-deployment testing) -- and it works well.  I'd installed it with php and carried the setup on a flashdrive.  Worked without much trouble.