If I have extensive modifications to a website or want to test a new website I use the XAMPP bundle by apachefriends. They provide a very easy setup of the apache server, MySQL, PHP, Perl, and a slew of other software. Either set it up on a server or your computer; either will do. Bundles for Windows, Linux, Mac, and Solaris are available.
If the Windows installer is not used, all you have to do is download and extract to a directory of your choice. The registry (in Windows version) is not used. To uninstall, delete the xampp folder; that’s it! Note the warning on the XAMPP homepage: xampp bundle is not ready for production use - the security is not set up.
Doug