Local copy. Problems copy subdirs over.

So, I have set up a Zen shop locally using xampp, php, mySQL. No problems there. I had a front page and was finding my way through things.

The big problem is that when I copy the shop directory from my site to my local copy it never seems to work. I just get the re-install option when I reuse the test store's bookmark. The admin link does not work either. Even when I change the url to local: localhost/store/index.php it does not work. The files are there but nothing!

I have re-edited configure.php file to point at all the local data but sytill nothing. I was told that just copying down subdirs etc. would just work but I am no wiser. What am I doing wrong as I don't want to go through everything I have done on my live server just to have it locally.

the url is: http://localhost/testStore/index.php
url: http://localhost/testStore/ does not work either
with testStore being the Zen directory

Any ideas?

First - you copied the files - but did you also create and restore the database?

If you did then follow this:

First rename the teststore dir to something else. Then make another empty dir named teststore.

Copy the distribution ZenCart files to that dir, create a fresh DB and and install.
Grab the 2 configure.php files(copy) and place them in the original testore where they belong.

Now remname the dir tht you just installed to to something else and the original back to teststore. Restore your DB from your server to this DB with phpmyadmin and you should be good to go.

Review the configure.php file entries to see what is different from the latest install.

Err... here comes the dumb question but did I need to do something with the mySQL database? I did nothing.

I made a copy of the testStore folder (the just installed one) on my local pc, then I copied the testStore folder from my live site over it. Copied the configure.php in the includes folders so it pointed to local dirs.

(Sorry, repeating myself) But before I go through the rest of your post I noted the reference to the database, hence my question.

BTW, before I got your reply I kinda got it working on my local pc BUT the admin link still returns an error page:

Warning: require(/home/<my live account name>/public_html/shop/includes/autoload_func.php) [function.require]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory in C:\xampp\htdocs\testStore\admin\includes\application_top.php on line 147

Fatal error: require() [function.require]: Failed opening required '/home/<my live account name>/public_html/shop/includes/autoload_func.php' (include_path='.;C:\xampp\php\pear') in C:\xampp\htdocs\testStore\admin\includes\application_top.php on line 147

Thanks in advance for your patience. Getting there.

These FAQs talk about the issues involved:
https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/index.php?article=99
https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/index.php?article=103