You are seeing this page for one or more reasons

[antioch]

* What version of Zen Cart are you using?
1.3.8a
* Has your site been upgraded? When? From what version(s)?
new install
* What addons have you installed? When?
na
* In what ways is your site customized or different from a brand new uncustomized install?
vanilla, baby!
* If you're encountering display/layout problems, post your site URL* so it can be seen in action.
na
* If you're encountering problems that could be related to your server or hosting company, include the name of your hosting company (not their URL).
dedicated box
* HAVE YOU LOOKED IN THE FAQ AREA for answers to your question? (ie: a search for your error message or what you want to edit/change, etc)
until my eyes bled.
* Have you searched the FORUM for your error message or for answers to the question you're asking?
ditto
* WHEN did the problem "start"? How does that compare with other events of your hosting company, changes you've made to your site files/addons, or your admin settings, etc?
issue began upon first load, post "successful" install.
* If this is your first store, have you tested all aspects of transactions before going live?
na

win2k3/iis 6
php 4.4.8
mysql 4.1.22

encountered messages about missing cURL functionality early in the setup. warning ignored due to suspicion of it not being needed for paypal webiste payments std.

after completing install w/o further issue, i changed dir_fs_admin, dir_fs_catalog, dir_fs_sql_cache in the 2 configure.php files to use a mapped drive rather than unc.

however, the site is stuck at the You are seeing this page for one or more reasons screen for both the catalog and admin sides just after the zc_install/index.php?main_page=finished page.

in anticipation, includes/configure.php:

<?php
/**
 * @package Configuration Settings circa 1.3.8
 * @copyright Copyright 2003-2007 Zen Cart Development Team
 * @copyright Portions Copyright 2003 osCommerce
 * @license http://www.zen-cart.com/license/2_0.txt GNU Public License V2.0
 */


/*************** NOTE: This file is similar, but DIFFERENT from the "admin" version of configure.php. ***********/
/***************       The 2 files should be kept separate and not used to overwrite each other.      ***********/

// Define the webserver and path parameters
  // HTTP_SERVER is your Main webserver: eg-http://www.your_domain.com
  // HTTPS_SERVER is your Secure webserver: eg-https://www.your_domain.com
  define('HTTP_SERVER', 'http://domain.tld');
  define('HTTPS_SERVER', 'https:/');

  // Use secure webserver for checkout procedure?
  define('ENABLE_SSL', 'false');

// NOTE: be sure to leave the trailing '/' at the end of these lines if you make changes!
// * DIR_WS_* = Webserver directories (virtual/URL)
  // these paths are relative to top of your webspace ... (ie: under the public_html or httpdocs folder)
  define('DIR_WS_CATALOG', '/');
  define('DIR_WS_HTTPS_CATALOG', '/domain.tld/');

  define('DIR_WS_IMAGES', 'images/');
  define('DIR_WS_INCLUDES', 'includes/');
  define('DIR_WS_FUNCTIONS', DIR_WS_INCLUDES . 'functions/');
  define('DIR_WS_CLASSES', DIR_WS_INCLUDES . 'classes/');
  define('DIR_WS_MODULES', DIR_WS_INCLUDES . 'modules/');
  define('DIR_WS_LANGUAGES', DIR_WS_INCLUDES . 'languages/');
  define('DIR_WS_DOWNLOAD_PUBLIC', DIR_WS_CATALOG . 'pub/');
  define('DIR_WS_TEMPLATES', DIR_WS_INCLUDES . 'templates/');

  define('DIR_WS_PHPBB', '/');

// * DIR_FS_* = Filesystem directories (local/physical)
  //the following path is a COMPLETE path to your Zen Cart files. eg: /var/www/vhost/accountname/public_html/store/
  define('DIR_FS_CATALOG', 'R:/dir1/dir2/domain.tld/');

  define('DIR_FS_DOWNLOAD', DIR_FS_CATALOG . 'download/');
  define('DIR_FS_DOWNLOAD_PUBLIC', DIR_FS_CATALOG . 'pub/');
  define('DIR_WS_UPLOADS', DIR_WS_IMAGES . 'uploads/');
  define('DIR_FS_UPLOADS', DIR_FS_CATALOG . DIR_WS_UPLOADS);
  define('DIR_FS_EMAIL_TEMPLATES', DIR_FS_CATALOG . 'email/');

// define our database connection
  define('DB_TYPE', 'mysql');
  define('DB_PREFIX', 'dbPrefix_');
  define('DB_SERVER', 'localhost');
  define('DB_SERVER_USERNAME', 'username');
  define('DB_SERVER_PASSWORD', 'password');
  define('DB_DATABASE', 'username');
  define('USE_PCONNECT', 'false');
  define('STORE_SESSIONS', 'db');
  // for STORE_SESSIONS, use 'db' for best support, or '' for file-based storage

  // The next 2 "defines" are for SQL cache support.
  // For SQL_CACHE_METHOD, you can select from:  none, database, or file
  // If you choose "file", then you need to set the DIR_FS_SQL_CACHE to a directory where your apache
  // or webserver user has write privileges (chmod 666 or 777). We recommend using the "cache" folder inside the Zen Cart folder
  // ie: /path/to/your/webspace/public_html/zen/cache   -- leave no trailing slash
  define('SQL_CACHE_METHOD', 'none');
  define('DIR_FS_SQL_CACHE', 'R:/dir1/dir2/domain.tld/cache/');

// EOF

and admin/includes/configure.php:

<?php
/**
 * @package Configuration Settings circa 1.3.8
 * @copyright Copyright 2003-2007 Zen Cart Development Team
 * @copyright Portions Copyright 2003 osCommerce
 * @license http://www.zen-cart.com/license/2_0.txt GNU Public License V2.0
 */


/*************** NOTE: This file is similar, but DIFFERENT from the "store" version of configure.php. ***********/
/***************       The 2 files should be kept separate and not used to overwrite each other.      ***********/

// Define the webserver and path parameters
  // Main webserver: eg-http://www.your_domain.com -
  // HTTP_SERVER is your Main webserver: eg-http://www.your_domain.com
  // HTTPS_SERVER is your Secure webserver: eg-https://www.your_domain.com
  // HTTP_CATALOG_SERVER is your Main webserver: eg-http://www.your_domain.com
  // HTTPS_CATALOG_SERVER is your Secure webserver: eg-https://www.your_domain.com
  /*
   * URLs for your site will be built via:
   *     HTTP_SERVER plus DIR_WS_ADMIN or
   *     HTTPS_SERVER plus DIR_WS_HTTPS_ADMIN or
   *     HTTP_SERVER plus DIR_WS_CATALOG or
   *     HTTPS_SERVER plus DIR_WS_HTTPS_CATALOG
   * ...depending on your system configuration settings
   *
   * If you desire your *entire* admin to be SSL-protected, make sure you use a "https:" URL for all 4 of the following:
   */
  define('HTTP_SERVER', 'http://domain.tld');
  define('HTTPS_SERVER', 'https:/');
  define('HTTP_CATALOG_SERVER', 'http://domain.tld');
  define('HTTPS_CATALOG_SERVER', 'https:/');

  // Use secure webserver for catalog module and/or admin areas?
  define('ENABLE_SSL_CATALOG', 'false');
  define('ENABLE_SSL_ADMIN', 'false');

// NOTE: be sure to leave the trailing '/' at the end of these lines if you make changes!
// * DIR_WS_* = Webserver directories (virtual/URL)
  // these paths are relative to top of your webspace ... (ie: under the public_html or httpdocs folder)
  define('DIR_WS_ADMIN', '/admin/');
  define('DIR_WS_CATALOG', '/');
  define('DIR_WS_HTTPS_ADMIN', '/domain.tld/admin/');
  define('DIR_WS_HTTPS_CATALOG', '/domain.tld/');

  define('DIR_WS_IMAGES', 'images/');
  define('DIR_WS_ICONS', DIR_WS_IMAGES . 'icons/');
  define('DIR_WS_CATALOG_IMAGES', HTTP_CATALOG_SERVER . DIR_WS_CATALOG . 'images/');
  define('DIR_WS_CATALOG_TEMPLATE', HTTP_CATALOG_SERVER . DIR_WS_CATALOG . 'includes/templates/');
  define('DIR_WS_INCLUDES', 'includes/');
  define('DIR_WS_BOXES', DIR_WS_INCLUDES . 'boxes/');
  define('DIR_WS_FUNCTIONS', DIR_WS_INCLUDES . 'functions/');
  define('DIR_WS_CLASSES', DIR_WS_INCLUDES . 'classes/');
  define('DIR_WS_MODULES', DIR_WS_INCLUDES . 'modules/');
  define('DIR_WS_LANGUAGES', DIR_WS_INCLUDES . 'languages/');
  define('DIR_WS_CATALOG_LANGUAGES', HTTP_CATALOG_SERVER . DIR_WS_CATALOG . 'includes/languages/');

// * DIR_FS_* = Filesystem directories (local/physical)
  //the following path is a COMPLETE path to your Zen Cart files. eg: /var/www/vhost/accountname/public_html/store/
  define('DIR_FS_ADMIN', 'R:/dir1/dir2/domain.tld/admin/');
  define('DIR_FS_CATALOG', 'R:/dir1/dir2/domain.tld/');

  define('DIR_FS_CATALOG_LANGUAGES', DIR_FS_CATALOG . 'includes/languages/');
  define('DIR_FS_CATALOG_IMAGES', DIR_FS_CATALOG . 'images/');
  define('DIR_FS_CATALOG_MODULES', DIR_FS_CATALOG . 'includes/modules/');
  define('DIR_FS_CATALOG_TEMPLATES', DIR_FS_CATALOG . 'includes/templates/');
  define('DIR_FS_BACKUP', DIR_FS_ADMIN . 'backups/');
  define('DIR_FS_EMAIL_TEMPLATES', DIR_FS_CATALOG . 'email/');
  define('DIR_FS_DOWNLOAD', DIR_FS_CATALOG . 'download/');

// define our database connection
  define('DB_TYPE', 'mysql');
  define('DB_PREFIX', 'dbPrefix_');
  define('DB_SERVER', 'localhost');
  define('DB_SERVER_USERNAME', 'username');
  define('DB_SERVER_PASSWORD', 'password');
  define('DB_DATABASE', 'username');
  define('USE_PCONNECT', 'false');
  define('STORE_SESSIONS', 'db');
  // for STORE_SESSIONS, use 'db' for best support, or '' for file-based storage

  // The next 2 "defines" are for SQL cache support.
  // For SQL_CACHE_METHOD, you can select from:  none, database, or file
  // If you choose "file", then you need to set the DIR_FS_SQL_CACHE to a directory where your apache
  // or webserver user has write privileges (chmod 666 or 777). We recommend using the "cache" folder inside the Zen Cart folder
  // ie: /path/to/your/webspace/public_html/zen/cache   -- leave no trailing slash
  define('SQL_CACHE_METHOD', 'none');
  define('DIR_FS_SQL_CACHE', 'R:/dir1/dir2/domain.tld/cache/');

// EOF

• cart installed to root of site.
• not using ssl (yet).
• double-dog checked the mysql credentials vis a vis copy&paste.
• names changed to protect the details of the ultra-paranoid (me).

[DrByte]

It must be a problem with your paths when you edited the files to change UNC stuff to something else, and now it can't find the files it needs, so it thinks it needs to do a new install.

[antioch]

i just did another copy&paste for the previously unc paths, followed (of course) by changing the \'s to /'s and adding the trailing /. however, the issue persists.

curious, are there any prohibited characters for these paths?

[DrByte]

curious, are there any prohibited characters for these paths?

I suppose that would be up to however the server has configured its filesystem and PHP.

Whatever you enter has to "work" when being called by PHP functions such as include() and require() and file_exists() and other filesystem-related functions.

I've seen the system have trouble using externally mapped servers. Normally I would have expected the drive-letter-mapping approach (which you mentioned above) to work better than UNC. But using drives on other servers is something you'll probably have to work out with your server administrator.