Privoxy 3.0.15 User Manual
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2. Installation

Privoxy is available both in convenient pre-compiled - packages for a wide range of operating systems, and as raw source code. - For most users, we recommend using the packages, which can be downloaded from our - Privoxy Project - Page.

Note: - On some platforms, the installer may remove previously installed versions, if - found. (See below for your platform). In any case be sure to backup - your old configuration if it is valuable to you. See the note to upgraders section below.

2.1. Binary Packages

How to install the binary packages depends on your operating system:

2.1.1. Red Hat and Fedora RPMs

RPMs can be installed with rpm -Uvh privoxy-3.0.15-1.rpm, - and will use /etc/privoxy for the location - of configuration files.

Note that on Red Hat, Privoxy will - not be automatically started on system boot. You will - need to enable that using chkconfig, - ntsysv, or similar methods.

If you have problems with failed dependencies, try rebuilding the SRC RPM: - rpm --rebuild privoxy-3.0.15-1.src.rpm. This - will use your locally installed libraries and RPM version.

Also note that if you have a Junkbuster RPM installed - on your system, you need to remove it first, because the packages conflict. - Otherwise, RPM will try to remove Junkbuster - automatically if found, before installing Privoxy.

2.1.2. Debian and Ubuntu

DEBs can be installed with apt-get install privoxy, - and will use /etc/privoxy for the location of - configuration files.

2.1.3. Windows

Just double-click the installer, which will guide you through - the installation process. You will find the configuration files - in the same directory as you installed Privoxy in.

Version 3.0.5 beta introduced full Windows service - functionality. On Windows only, the Privoxy - program has two new command line arguments to install and uninstall - Privoxy as a service.

Arguments:

--install[:service_name] -

--uninstall[:service_name] -

After invoking Privoxy with - --install, you will need to bring up the - Windows service console to assign the user you - want Privoxy to run under, and whether or not you - want it to run whenever the system starts. You can start the - Windows services console with the following - command: services.msc. If you do not take the manual step - of modifying Privoxy's service settings, it will - not start. Note too that you will need to give Privoxy a user account that - actually exists, or it will not be permitted to - write to its log and configuration files.

2.1.4. Solaris

Create a new directory, cd to it, then unzip and - untar the archive. For the most part, you'll have to figure out where - things go.

2.1.5. OS/2

First, make sure that no previous installations of - Junkbuster and / or - Privoxy are left on your - system. Check that no Junkbuster - or Privoxy objects are in - your startup folder.

Then, just double-click the WarpIN self-installing archive, which will - guide you through the installation process. A shadow of the - Privoxy executable will be placed in your - startup folder so it will start automatically whenever OS/2 starts.

The directory you choose to install Privoxy - into will contain all of the configuration files.

2.1.6. Mac OS X

Unzip the downloaded file (you can either double-click on the zip file - icon from the Finder, or from the desktop if you downloaded it there). - Then, double-click on the package installer icon and follow the - installation process.

The privoxy service will automatically start after a successful - installation (in addition to every time your computer starts up). To - prevent the privoxy service from automatically starting when your - computer starts up, remove or rename the folder named - /Library/StartupItems/Privoxy.

To manually start or stop the privoxy service, use the Privoxy Utility - for Mac OS X. This application controls the privoxy service (e.g. - starting and stopping the service as well as uninstalling the software).

2.1.7. AmigaOS

Copy and then unpack the lha archive to a suitable location. - All necessary files will be installed into Privoxy - directory, including all configuration and log files. To uninstall, just - remove this directory.

2.1.8. FreeBSD

Privoxy is part of FreeBSD's Ports Collection, you can build and install - it with cd /usr/ports/www/privoxy; make install clean.

If you don't use the ports, you can fetch and install - the package with pkg_add -r privoxy.

The port skeleton and the package can also be downloaded from the - File Release - Page, but there's no reason to use them unless you're interested in the - beta releases which are only available there.

2.1.9. Gentoo

Gentoo source packages (Ebuilds) for Privoxy are - contained in the Gentoo Portage Tree (they are not on the download page, - but there is a Gentoo section, where you can see when a new - Privoxy Version is added to the Portage Tree).

Before installing Privoxy under Gentoo just do - first emerge --sync to get the latest changes from the - Portage tree. With emerge privoxy you install the latest - version.

Configuration files are in /etc/privoxy, the - documentation is in /usr/share/doc/privoxy-3.0.15 - and the Log directory is in /var/log/privoxy.

2.2. Building from Source

The most convenient way to obtain the Privoxy sources - is to download the source tarball from our - project download - page.

If you like to live on the bleeding edge and are not afraid of using - possibly unstable development versions, you can check out the up-to-the-minute - version directly from the - CVS repository.

To build Privoxy from source, - autoconf, - GNU make - (gmake), and, of course, a C compiler like gcc are required.

When building from a source tarball, - first unpack the source:

tar xzvf privoxy-3.0.15-beta-src.tar.gz - cd privoxy-3.0.15-beta

For retrieving the current CVS sources, you'll need a CVS client installed. - Note that sources from CVS are typically development quality, and may not be - stable, or well tested. To download CVS source, check the Sourceforge - documentation, which might give commands like:

+ +
cvs -d:pserver:anonymous@ijbswa.cvs.sourceforge.net:/cvsroot/ijbswa login + + + + + Installation + + + + + + + + + + +
+ + + + + + + + + + + + +
Privoxy 3.0.25 User Manual
Prev Next
+
+
+ +
+
2. + Installation
+ +
Privoxy is available both in + convenient pre-compiled packages for a wide range of operating systems, + and as raw source code. For most users, we recommend using the packages, + which can be downloaded from our Privoxy Project + Page.
+ +
Note: On some platforms, the installer may remove previously installed + versions, if found. (See below for your platform). In any case + be sure to backup your old + configuration if it is valuable to you. See the note to upgraders section below.
+ +
+
2.1. Binary Packages
+ +
How to install the binary packages depends on your operating + system:
+ +
+
2.1.1. Debian and Ubuntu
+ +
DEBs can be installed with apt-get install + privoxy, and will use /etc/privoxy for + the location of configuration files.
+
+ +
+
2.1.2. Windows
+ +
Just double-click the installer, which will guide you through the + installation process. You will find the configuration files in the + same directory as you installed Privoxy in.
+ +
Version 3.0.5 beta introduced full Windows service functionality. On Windows only, + the Privoxy program has two new + command line arguments to install and uninstall Privoxy as a service.
+ +
+
+
Arguments:
+ +
+
--install[:service_name]
+ +
--uninstall[:service_name]
+
+
+
+ +
After invoking Privoxy with + --install, you will need to bring up the + Windows service console to assign + the user you want Privoxy to run + under, and whether or not you want it to run whenever the system + starts. You can start the Windows + services console with the following command: services.msc. If you do not take the manual step of + modifying Privoxy's service + settings, it will not start. Note too that you will need to give + Privoxy a user account that actually exists, or it will not be + permitted to write to its log and configuration files.
+
+ +
+
2.1.3. OS/2
+ +
First, make sure that no previous installations of Junkbuster and / or Privoxy are left on your system. Check that no + Junkbuster or Privoxy objects are in your startup folder.
+ +
Then, just double-click the WarpIN self-installing archive, which + will guide you through the installation process. A shadow of the + Privoxy executable will be placed in + your startup folder so it will start automatically whenever OS/2 + starts.
+ +
The directory you choose to install Privoxy into will contain all of the + configuration files.
+
+ +
+
2.1.4. Mac OS X
+ +
Installation instructions for the OS X platform depend upon + whether you downloaded a ready-built installation package (.pkg or + .mpkg) or have downloaded the source code.
+
+ +
+
2.1.5. Installation from ready-built + package
+ +
The downloaded file will either be a .pkg (for OS X 10.5 upwards) + or a bzipped .mpkg file (for OS X 10.4). The former can be + double-clicked as is and the installation will start; double-clicking + the latter will unzip the .mpkg file which can then be double-clicked + to commence the installation.
+ +
The privoxy service will automatically start after a successful + installation (and thereafter every time your computer starts up) + however you will need to configure your web browser(s) to use it. To + do so, configure them to use a proxy for HTTP and HTTPS at the + address 127.0.0.1:8118.
+ +
To prevent the privoxy service from automatically starting when + your computer starts up, remove or rename the file /Library/LaunchDaemons/org.ijbswa.privoxy.plist (on OS + X 10.5 and higher) or the folder named /Library/StartupItems/Privoxy (on OS X 10.4 + 'Tiger').
+ +
To manually start or stop the privoxy service, use the scripts + startPrivoxy.sh and stopPrivoxy.sh supplied in /Applications/Privoxy. + They must be run from an administrator account, using sudo.
+ +
To uninstall, run /Applications/Privoxy/uninstall.command as sudo + from an administrator account.
+
+ +
+
2.1.6. Installation from source
+ +
To build and install the Privoxy source code on OS X you will need + to obtain the macsetup module from the Privoxy Sourceforge CVS + repository (refer to Sourceforge help for details of how to set up a + CVS client to have read-only access to the repository). This module + contains scripts that leverage the usual open-source tools (available + as part of Apple's free of charge Xcode distribution or via the usual + open-source software package managers for OS X (MacPorts, Homebrew, + Fink etc.) to build and then install the privoxy binary and + associated files. The macsetup module's README file contains complete + instructions for its use.
+ +
The privoxy service will automatically start after a successful + installation (and thereafter every time your computer starts up) + however you will need to configure your web browser(s) to use it. To + do so, configure them to use a proxy for HTTP and HTTPS at the + address 127.0.0.1:8118.
+ +
To prevent the privoxy service from automatically starting when + your computer starts up, remove or rename the file /Library/LaunchDaemons/org.ijbswa.privoxy.plist (on OS + X 10.5 and higher) or the folder named /Library/StartupItems/Privoxy (on OS X 10.4 + 'Tiger').
+ +
To manually start or stop the privoxy service, use the Privoxy + Utility for Mac OS X (also part of the macsetup module). This + application can start and stop the privoxy service and display its + log and configuration files.
+ +
To uninstall, run the macsetup module's uninstall.sh as sudo from + an administrator account.
+
+ +
+
2.1.7. FreeBSD
+ +
Privoxy is part of FreeBSD's Ports Collection, you can build and + install it with cd /usr/ports/www/privoxy; make + install clean.
+
+
+ +
+
2.2. Building from Source
+ +
The most convenient way to obtain the Privoxy sources is to download the source tarball + from our project download page.
+ +
If you like to live on the bleeding edge and are not afraid of using + possibly unstable development versions, you can check out the + up-to-the-minute version directly from the CVS + repository.
+ +
To build Privoxy from source, + autoconf, GNU make + (gmake), and, of course, a C compiler like gcc are + required.
+ +
When building from a source tarball, first unpack the source:
+ + + + + +
+
+ tar xzvf privoxy-3.0.25-beta-src.tar.gz + cd privoxy-3.0.25-beta +
+
+ +
For retrieving the current CVS sources, you'll need a CVS client + installed. Note that sources from CVS are typically development + quality, and may not be stable, or well tested. To download CVS source, + check the Sourceforge documentation, which might give commands + like:
+ + + +
+
+ cvs -d:pserver:anonymous@ijbswa.cvs.sourceforge.net:/cvsroot/ijbswa login cvs -z3 -d:pserver:anonymous@ijbswa.cvs.sourceforge.net:/cvsroot/ijbswa co current - cd current
This will create a directory named current/, which will - contain the source tree.
You can also check out any Privoxy - "branch", just exchange the current - name with the wanted branch name (Example: v_3_0_branch for the 3.0 cvs - tree).
It is also strongly recommended to not run Privoxy - as root. You should configure/install/run Privoxy as - an unprivileged user, preferably by creating a "privoxy" user - and group just for this purpose. See your local documentation for the correct - command line to do add new users and groups (something like - adduser, but the command syntax may vary from platform - to platform).
/etc/passwd might then look like:

privoxy:*:7777:7777:privoxy proxy:/no/home:/no/shell
And then /etc/group, like:

privoxy:*:7777:
Some binary packages may do this for you.
Then, to build from either unpacked tarball or CVS source:
+ +
autoheader + cd current +
+
+ +
This will create a directory named current/, which will contain the source tree.
+ +
You can also check out any Privoxy + "branch", just exchange the current name with the wanted branch name (Example: + v_3_0_branch for the 3.0 cvs tree).
+ +
It is also strongly recommended to not run Privoxy as root. You should configure/install/run + Privoxy as an unprivileged user, + preferably by creating a "privoxy" user and + group just for this purpose. See your local documentation for the + correct command line to do add new users and groups (something like + adduser, but the command syntax may vary from + platform to platform).
+ +
/etc/passwd might then look like:
+ + + + + +
+
+ privoxy:*:7777:7777:privoxy proxy:/no/home:/no/shell +
+
+ +
And then /etc/group, like:
+ + + + + +
+
+ privoxy:*:7777: +
+
+ +
Some binary packages may do this for you.
+ +
Then, to build from either unpacked tarball or CVS source:
+ + + +
+
+ autoheader autoconf ./configure # (--help to see options) - make # (the make from GNU, sometimes called gmake) + make # (the make from GNU, sometimes called gmake) su # Possibly required make -n install # (to see where all the files will go) - make -s install # (to really install, -s to silence output)
Using GNU make, you can have the first four steps - automatically done for you by just typing:

make
in the freshly downloaded or unpacked source directory.
To build an executable with security enhanced features so that - users cannot easily bypass the proxy (e.g. "Go There Anyway"), or - alter their own configurations, configure like this:

./configure --disable-toggle --disable-editor --disable-force
Then build as above. In Privoxy 3.0.7 and later, all of these options -can also be disabled through the configuration file.
WARNING: If installing as root, the install will fail - unless a non-root user or group is specified, or a privoxy - user and group already exist on the system. If a non-root user is specified, - and no group, then the installation will try to also use a group of the same name - as "user". If a group is specified (and no user), then the - support files will be installed as writable by that group, and owned by the - user running the installation.
configure accepts --with-user and - --with-group options for setting user and group ownership - of the configuration files (which need to be writable by the daemon). The - specified user must already exist. When starting - Privoxy, it must be run as this same user to - insure write access to configuration and log files!
Alternately, you can specify user and group - on the make command line, but be sure both already exist:

make -s install USER=privoxy GROUP=privoxy
The default installation path for make install is - /usr/local. This may of course be customized with - the various ./configure path options. If you are doing - an install to anywhere besides /usr/local, be - sure to set the appropriate paths with the correct configure options - (./configure --help). Non-privileged users must of course - have write access permissions to wherever the target installation is going.
If you do install to /usr/local, the install will use - sysconfdir=$prefix/etc/privoxy by default. All other - destinations, and the direct usage of --sysconfdir flag - behave like normal, i.e. will not add the extra privoxy - directory. This is for a safer install, as there may already exist another - program that uses a file with the "config" name, and thus makes - /usr/local/etc cleaner.
If installing to /usr/local, the documentation will go - by default to $prefix/share/doc. But if this directory - doesn't exist, it will then try $prefix/doc and install - there before creating a new $prefix/share/doc just for - Privoxy.
Again, if the installs goes to /usr/local, the - localstatedir (ie: var/) will default - to /var instead of $prefix/var so - the logs will go to /var/log/privoxy/, and the pid file - will be created in /var/run/privoxy.pid.
make install will attempt to set the correct values - in config (main configuration file). You should - check this to make sure all values are correct. If appropriate, - an init script will be installed, but it is up to the user to determine - how and where to start Privoxy. The init - script should be checked for correct paths and values, if anything other than - a default install is done.
If install finds previous versions of local configuration files, most of - these will not be overwritten, and the new ones will be installed with a - "new" extension. default.action and default.filter - will be overwritten. You will then need - to manually update the other installed configuration files as needed. The - default template files will be overwritten. If you have - customized, local templates, these should be stored safely in a separate - directory and defined in config by the - "templdir" directive. It is of course wise to always back-up any - important configuration files "just in case". If a previous - version of Privoxy is already running, you will - have to restart it manually.
For more detailed instructions on how to build Redhat RPMs, - Windows self-extracting installers, building on platforms with - special requirements etc, please consult the developer manual.
2.3. Keeping your Installation Up-to-Date
As user feedback comes in and development continues, we will make updated versions - of both the main actions file (as a separate - package) and the software itself (including the actions file) available for - download.
If you wish to receive an email notification whenever we release updates of - Privoxy or the actions file, subscribe - to our announce mailing list, ijbswa-announce@lists.sourceforge.net.
In order not to lose your personal changes and adjustments when updating - to the latest default.action file we strongly - recommend that you use user.action and - user.filter for your local - customizations of Privoxy. See the Chapter on actions files for details.
Prev Home Next
Introduction What's New in this Release
+ make -s install # (to really install, -s to silence output) +
+
+ +

Using GNU make, you can have the first four + steps automatically done for you by just typing:

+ + + + + +

+  make
+

+ +

in the freshly downloaded or unpacked source directory.

+ +

To build an executable with security enhanced features so that users + cannot easily bypass the proxy (e.g. "Go There + Anyway"), or alter their own configurations, configure like this:

+ + + + + +

+ ./configure  --disable-toggle  --disable-editor  --disable-force
+

+ +

Note that all of these options can also be disabled through the + configuration file.

+ +

WARNING: If + installing as root, the install will fail unless a non-root user or + group is specified, or a privoxy user and + group already exist on the system. If a non-root user is specified, and + no group, then the installation will try to also use a group of the + same name as "user". If a group is specified + (and no user), then the support files will be installed as writable by + that group, and owned by the user running the installation.

+ +

configure accepts --with-user and --with-group + options for setting user and group ownership of the configuration files + (which need to be writable by the daemon). The specified user must already exist. When + starting Privoxy, it must be run as + this same user to insure write access to configuration and log + files!

+ +

Alternately, you can specify user and + group on the make + command line, but be sure both already exist:

+ + + + + +

+ make -s install  USER=privoxy GROUP=privoxy
+

+ +

The default installation path for make + install is /usr/local. This may of course + be customized with the various ./configure path + options. If you are doing an install to anywhere besides /usr/local, be sure to set the appropriate paths with + the correct configure options (./configure + --help). Non-privileged users must of course have write access + permissions to wherever the target installation is going.

+ +

If you do install to /usr/local, the + install will use sysconfdir=$prefix/etc/privoxy by default. All other + destinations, and the direct usage of --sysconfdir flag behave like normal, i.e. will not add + the extra privoxy directory. This is for a + safer install, as there may already exist another program that uses a + file with the "config" name, and thus makes + /usr/local/etc cleaner.

+ +

If installing to /usr/local, the + documentation will go by default to $prefix/share/doc. But if this directory doesn't exist, + it will then try $prefix/doc and install + there before creating a new $prefix/share/doc + just for Privoxy.

+ +

Again, if the installs goes to /usr/local, + the localstatedir (ie: var/) will default to /var + instead of $prefix/var so the logs will go to + /var/log/privoxy/, and the pid file will be + created in /var/run/privoxy.pid.

+ +

make install will attempt to set the correct + values in config (main configuration file). + You should check this to make sure all values are correct. If + appropriate, an init script will be installed, but it is up to the user + to determine how and where to start Privoxy. The init script should be checked for + correct paths and values, if anything other than a default install is + done.

+ +

If install finds previous versions of local configuration files, + most of these will not be overwritten, and the new ones will be + installed with a "new" extension. + default.action and default.filter will be overwritten. You will then need to + manually update the other installed configuration files as needed. The + default template files will be overwritten. If you have customized, + local templates, these should be stored safely in a separate directory + and defined in config by the "templdir" directive. It is of course wise to always + back-up any important configuration files "just in + case". If a previous version of Privoxy is already running, you will have to + restart it manually.

+ +

For more detailed instructions on how to build Redhat RPMs, Windows + self-extracting installers, building on platforms with special + requirements etc, please consult the developer manual.

+ +

2.3. Keeping your Installation + Up-to-Date

+ +

If you wish to receive an email notification whenever we release + updates of Privoxy or the actions + file, subscribe to our announce mailing list, + ijbswa-announce@lists.sourceforge.net.

+ +

In order not to lose your personal changes and adjustments when + updating to the latest default.action file we + strongly + recommend that you use user.action + and user.filter for your local customizations + of Privoxy. See the Chapter on actions files for details.