Setup problem - time out

[tsandy]

I am installing zen cart for the first time on my 2003 iis, php server. I have copied the folder, changed the configure.php permissions and started setup. After the requirements page (which contains no errors and all green check marks) I click install. This takes me to a "Zen Cart Setup - Time Out" page which says "problem detected" and suggests a timeout occurred, "the server has no place to write its session files", or "PHP sessions might not be functional on your server". I think that php sessions work fine on my server. I have tried a fresh install but still get the same problem.

Thanks for any suggestions.

[DrByte]

Are your "cache" folder's permissions marked as writable.

Zen Cart tries to use your server's default temp-file folder and if it can't write its session files where PHP's defaults are supposed to go, then it tries to use the "cache" folder in your Zen Cart directory instead.

If your PHP sessions infrastructure isn't working, you won't be able to use Zen Cart ... or any other session-requiring PHP script for that matter.

[tsandy]

Thank you - that fixed it right away.

[gjh42]

Has something changed in the setup requirements for ZC v1.3.8a?

I have installed previous versions of ZC several times on my XAMPP local server, but a test install of 1.3.8a is not working. Everything is fine through PHPBB Setup, but continuing to Store Setup gives only a blank screen, and the back button goes to the Timeout page, suggesting that PHP sessions cannot be started.

The database is being populated with the full complement of 95 tables, which appear to have normal amounts of data.

I am running XAMPP 1.5.1 with PHP 5.1.1 and MySQL 5.0.18-nt, on Win2k Pro.
Phpinfo gives:

System Windows NT PRESARIO 5.0 build 2195
Build Date Nov 29 2005 01:14:17

session
Session Support enabled
Registered save handlers files user sqlite
Registered serializer handlers php php_binary wddx

Directive Local Value Master Value
session.auto_start Off Off

session.use_cookies On On

ZC system inspection said ZC cache was writeable.

My 8 yr old computer has no mechanism for making individual files writeable or not writeable (FAT32 file system); I can only set user privileges.

My v1.3.7 test site is still working fine.

Any suggestions?

[DrByte]

In your /cache folder, are there any zcInstallLog_xxxxx.log file? and/or zcInstallExceptionDetails_xxxxx.log files? If so, please zip and post them.

[gjh42]

Here it is... three attempts, both fresh install and upgrade of the fresh install.
There is a lot of repetition, but the logs have some differences.

Thanks!

[DrByte]

This may sound trite, but does it happen consistently in various browsers? And does clearing browser cache+cookies and restarting the browser help at all?

I've seen *occasional* intermittent problems *only* on xampp where the session won't carry forward across all pages. I've never been able to duplicate it on a live server though, and even on xampp it's been too intermittent to establish an exact pattern. And, since xampp should never be used for a live site, it's not been an urgent priority to fix.

[gjh42]

At this point, I have only tried it on Firefox, in one browser window session. I'll check it out on IE and see if clearing FF does anything.