i want to install a opensourcecms ,most of which run on LAMP.But im on a windows 2000.

After a lot of time spent individually installing php,mysql and apache ...i decided to go for the php triad (with php3 ,apache2 ).But im not able to configure it properly,im new to php.

heres what all i did:
1.do i need to again copy dll's to windws system folder ?Wont triad do it for me ?

2.does triad only help to instal AMP,or does it also lead to less configuring(ive installed to default "c:\apache") ? bcoz all the online docs at php.net assume i only installed php seperatley.

3.im able to run a index php file with info() by placing it in c:/apache/ ,But where are the php files supposed to go? for eg; if i install the cms ,where shud i unzip it ?under htdocs or bin or php or apache ?

heres my dir structure 4.now the weird part is that i installed a virtual directory in iis,am able to localhost/php1/ to get the index.php with the info messages,how can i do this with apache ? and by the way ,from the index page,it doesnt go to any other link/page ,it only shows blank empty pages.
5.ive renamed the php dafault ini's to php.ini . could the prooblem be there.but then why would index.php alone work everywhere.

ive tried to give as much info as possible ,and i'd just luv to hear some1 say ive got the basics wrong ,blah blah ,and give me the solution :p or any1 with similiar exp's pls comment.
(does starting php on apache always take so much trouble,god knows how much i'll take to furhter add mysql connectiviyt :P ithought this triad is upposed to be helpful !!)

Keep CLickin,
Bosky