There are other threads about how to install Imagick on Windows 7 but no help for me so far. (Maybe problems have came up with more recent versions)

I have followed these steps to install:

1. Download and install ImageMagick

> 
> http://www.imagemagick.org/download/binaries/ImageMagick-6.8.8-1-Q16-x86-dll.exe
> 
> 
> 

2. Download php\_imagick.dll and copy to extension dir (c:\xampp\php\ext)

> 
> http://www.peewit.fr/imagick/php55/vc11/x86/ts/php\_imagick.dll
> 
> 
> 

3. Edit php.ini file and add new extension (c:\xampp\php\php.ini)

> 
> extension=php\_imagick.dll
> 
> 
> 

4. Save ini file and restart Apache (if necessary, restart Windows)
5. Start Apache and run test

When I start Apache i get a pop up box that displays:

> 
> The program can't start because php5.dll is missing from your computer. Try reinstalling the program to fix this problem.
> 
> 
> 

Then directly after this comes another:

> 
> PHP Startup: Unable to load dynamic library 'C:\xampp\php\ext\php\_imagick.dll' - The specified module could not be found.
> 
> 
> 

[According to funtioneer](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/3036847/how-to-install-imagemagick-on-windows-7) I suspect some kind of compilation error.

Now I have PHP Version 5.5.6 (xampp 1.8.3) with compiler MSVC11 which is the same as for the php\_imagick.dll file.

Is download ImageMagick from source and compile it on my own the right way to go? (have never compiled in Windows before)