database help

[jcpahman77]

Hi all, I'm new to the forums but I've been helping my wife with her zencart for a little while now. Actually I'm the admin of the web server. I've been using xampp from apachefriends to run the apache and mysql servers. A new version came out but didn't have an "upgrade" feature. I installed the new version and it overwrote most of the directories. I saved the htdocs folder where the www root is but it seems to have damaged the connections to the databases. phpMYadmin shows that they are all there and OK but I get this error when trying to bring up zencart:

Sorry!
There seems to be a problem connecting to our database. Please give us a few minutes to remedy the problem. Thank you.

Any ideas? Also I tried to re-run the zencart installer but on step 2 or 3 (can't remember) it just gives me a page that says illegal access? I'm stuck and my wife is NOT HAPPY. Any help would be greatly apreciated, thank you.

[DrByte]

This error:

There seems to be a problem connecting to our database.......

indicates that the information for database-connectivity in the /includes/configure.php file is invalid, or the MySQL service is otherwise not allowing connectivity.

1. is MySQL running?

2. does the database (DB_DATABASE setting) exist?

3. are the name/password (DB_USERNAME, DB_PASSWORD) correct? In your MySQL security settings, does that user have access to specified database?

4. if you go to a command prompt and run "mysql.exe" (from the proper folder), you get a MySQL command prompt. From that prompt, you'll need to enter a username/password for MySQL access. Once "in", type USE MYDBNAME; (replacing MYDBNAME with the database name in your configure.php file DB_DATABASE). Does that give any error? Type SHOW DATABASES; Does that give you any error?

If you are unable to connect without errors in step 4 above, the problem is in your server configuration.
If you get no errors, then perhaps you have a configuration problem with the PHP connector to MySQL ... installed by XAMPP. You might try the XAMPP forums or webhostingtalk.com

5. You could try a fresh install of Zen Cart into a new database and new folder on the server.

6. What version of Zen Cart are you using?
What version of XAMPP ?

[jcpahman77]

This error:indicates that the information for database-connectivity in the /includes/configure.php file is invalid, or the MySQL service is otherwise not allowing connectivity.

1. is MySQL running?

yes

2. does the database (DB_DATABASE setting) exist?

not sure where to look for that

3. are the name/password (DB_USERNAME, DB_PASSWORD) correct? In your MySQL security settings, does that user have access to specified database?

Are you reffering to the config.inc.php file?

4. if you go to a command prompt and run "mysql.exe" (from the proper folder), you get a MySQL command prompt. From that prompt, you'll need to enter a username/password for MySQL access. Once "in", type USE MYDBNAME; (replacing MYDBNAME with the database name in your configure.php file DB_DATABASE). Does that give any error? Type SHOW DATABASES; Does that give you any error?

I get the error: Access denied for user 'ODBC'@'localhost' <using password: NO>

If you are unable to connect without errors in step 4 above, the problem is in your server configuration.
If you get no errors, then perhaps you have a configuration problem with the PHP connector to MySQL ... installed by XAMPP. You might try the XAMPP forums or webhostingtalk.com

The xampp forums haven't been much help, I can hardly find anything in english

5. You could try a fresh install of Zen Cart into a new database and new folder on the server.

I kinda tried this, I renamed the install folder back to the original name and changed the permissions for the includes and admin/includes folders and I only get a step or two before it gives me an error. I don't want to loose all her products again, when I perfomed the latest update to the zencart I mistakenly clicked install instead of upgrade and 600 products went bye bye. She's almost got them uploaded again, I'd hate to make her start over.

6. What version of Zen Cart are you using?
What version of XAMPP ?

Zen Cart is version 1.3.0.2. Xampp is version 1.5.3a

[DrByte]

For #2 and #3, I was referring to your /includes/configure.php file.

You need to find a way to do a backup of the database in order to prevent losing data ... mistakes happen!
You could try downloading and installing phpMyAdmin from http://phpmyadmin.net You can find installation instructions for it on their website.
You can find common backup instructions using phpMyAdmin here:
http://www.zen-cart.com/wiki/index.p...P_THE_DATABASE

[jcpahman77]

phpMYadmin comes with xampp, it won't let me in either, I must have a user/pass issue, I'll keep looking.

[Vger]

Take a backup of your xampp/htdocs folder
Take a backup of your xampp/mysql/data folder

Then uninstall XAMPP, shut down and restart the computer - then install the new version of XAMPP.

Drop the contents of your backed up htdocs folder into the new one, same with the mysql/data folder - but in both cases don't copy over system files, only folders.

Vger

[jcpahman77]

I've gotten the databases to work. I ment to post about this but I've been busy. I have to start the mysql server manually throught cmd prompt using the --skip-grant-tables option and everything works fine. I don't really know what that switch does or means but as long as it's not some kinda security breech I'd like to find a way to work that switch into the batch file that the control panel uses when I click start. That way when my computer restarts and xampp starts the services I won't have to be there to manually start the mysql server.