Setup You'll need your database info (user, password, database name and etc) Please note : The --skip-database option is a bit misleading, it might give you the impression the database details should not be required, but they are as it must fill the config.php with all the database information to be used by install_database.php . This options is only to stop the script just before the database install. Test --skip-database option. Clone moodle repository but do not install . (mdk create -n yoursitename) Go to that moodle root folder. Run php admin/cli/install.php --skip-database Make sure you don't get prompted for input for the following fields: Site fullname Site shortname Admin username, email and password. Agree License Proceed with the install through CLI, if everything works fine you should see the following message in the end: Skipping database installation. Installation completed successfully. Now, let's proceed with the database install: php admin/cli/install_database.php --agree-license --adminpass=test --adminemail="youremail@moodle.com" --fulname=yoursitefullname --shortname=yoursiteshortname Make sure the install finishes without any errors Installation completed successfully. Test normal CLI install For this test you can either clone a new site or delete config.php and drop the related database. Go to that moodle root folder. Run php admin/cli/install.php The process is the same as above, the difference is that you SHOULD be prompted for the fields: Site fullname Site shortname Admin username, email and password. Agree License Make sure the full instalation (including db install) finishes as expected.