diff --git a/install/conf-sample.php b/install/conf-sample.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ab2c843
--- /dev/null
+++ b/install/conf-sample.php
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+<?php
+
+/*
+ * This is the full path to the project directory, as cloned from the repository.
+*/
+//$path_project = "/var/www/backup-commander";
+
+/*
+ * This is the full path to the web-server directory. This should be a symlink to
+ * $path_project/html
+ * Currently the install process will not copy over files since it assumes this link is in place.
+*/
+//$path_website = "/var/www/html";
+
+
+?>
diff --git a/install/db/data.db b/install/db/data.db
index 751f6e0..fb0bb0d 100644
--- a/install/db/data.db
+++ b/install/db/data.db
Binary files differ
diff --git a/install/install.php b/install/install.php
index e60611a..3db3490 100644
--- a/install/install.php
+++ b/install/install.php
@@ -2,13 +2,8 @@
 
 if(!file_exists("conf.php")) {
 	echo ">>> NOTE:\n>>> The file conf.php must be edited specifically for this system\n";
-	echo ">>> The default file has been created for you.\n>>> Please edit the file to match your system\n";
-	$data = "<?php\n";
-	
-	$data .= "\n".'//$path_website = "/var/www/html"'."\n\n";
-	
-	$data .= "?>";
-	file_put_contents( "conf.php", $data);
+	echo ">>> The default file has been created for you.\n>>> Please edit the file to match your system\n";	
+	copy( "conf-sample.php", "conf.php" );
 	exit;
 }
 
@@ -20,4 +15,21 @@
 	exit;
 }
 
+if(!isset($path_project)){
+	echo ">>> ERROR:\n";
+	echo "The path to the projectmust be set. Please edit/correct conf.php\n";
+	exit;
+}
+
+if(!file_exists( "$path_website/data" )) {
+	// create the data directory
+	mkdir( "$path_website/data" );
+}
+
+if(!file_exists( "$path_website/data/data.db" )) {
+	// copy over the empty database
+	copy( "$path_project/install/db/data.db", "$path_website/data/data.db" );
+}
+
+
 ?>