blank welcome page

Hi,
Just uploaded 1.3.8 to the server and created the database. Browsed to /zc_install/ and got a blank page (page title says Setup - Welcome, which is nice, but.)
Where to now?
Thanks, Jen

Check the similar threads at the bottom of this page

Thanks, checked all the threads below but all these people got through the first install page, but I can't even get that. I did check that file config_checkup/header_php.php, it's definitely there.
Any other ideas before I do a complete new upload? Should I go back to 1.3.7, which I've got to work with no problems on this server twice already? Jen

Is this a clue -
I browsed to the /store/ folder and got a page saying that I was seeing this page (maybe) because "Your /includes/configure.php and/or /admin/includes/configure.php file contains invalid path information and/or invalid database-connection information."

But when I had a look, neither of these files even exist, either on the server or in my complete fileset on my hard-drive. What could this mean?
Jen

OK, excuse a version 1.3.8 newbie, just found out I had to rename those configure files from dist_configure, they do exist. So I renamed them and changed permissions on them to 777 (and all the other files listed in the installation instructions) but it has not made any difference.
Any ideas most welcome, or I'll start over, but would prefer not to have to. Jen

The most common cause of problems when using the installer is failed FTP uploads, and the fix for that is to re-upload the files again using a reliable FTP program that tells you if something fails to upload properly and lets you try it again. A good free reliable FTP program is FileZilla at http://filezilla.sf.net

Additionally, you'll find installation instructions in the /docs/ folder of your Zen Cart files. Point your browser to the /docs/index.html file and read the install guide for further assistance.

Installation concepts have not changed since v1.1.0 ... it's pretty straightforward.

Thanks DrByte - I had pretty much got to the point where I was going to delete the lot and start over anyway. I use CuteFTP and it does tell me if there's a failure, and I thought I'd gone through and fixed the lot, but maybe not.
Here goes agin ... jenpen

Hi,

I'm experiencing the same problem. After running version 1.3.7 for a year now I thought I'd create another version using 1.3.8. I ran the installation on my home computer first, offline, and that went without a problem.

I then transfered the installation files to my server in a new directory and tried to run the installation but after the initial page it goes blank. No welcome screen. I uploaded my files half a dozen times using cuteftp, just in case it was some sort of transfer problem but I kept getting the same result.

I've just tried the same using filezilla with the same result.

However I did download the zc_install file and did a content comparison between the uploaded files and my initial files. The only diference reported on the files I checked is the following response.
"these files use different carriage return types"

or

"the EOL are of diferent types (DOS/UNIX/MAC) in the current file."

Would that be important?

Soon I'll try my old 1.3.7 version and I'll see if that makes any difference.

Not sure if I can help you because I took my last resort option and deleted the lot and re-uploaded, and this time it worked. But I have noticed quite a few set-up differences between 1.3.7 and 1.3.8 so make sure you read the reference docs. In particular , rename and CHMOD your configure.php files.
Best of luck, Jen

Hi Jen,

Thanks for the answer.

Its not the file transfer. I've just used filezilla to transfer all the files for zencart version 1.3.7 and the setup program runs ok.

I then did the exact same thing with 1.3.8 in another directory and all I get is a blank page.

Theres definitely something different with the installation files for zencart 1.3.8

Did you set the permissions on the /cache/ folder to 777 ?

Hi DrByte,

Thanks for the reply.

Yes, permissions are set to 777. I followed the installation instructions to the letter. I did indentical things to both my 1.3.7 directory, and my 1.3.8 directory folder. Zencart 1.3.7 starts up, 1.3.8 does not.

Is there a way I can turn on a debug listing to see whats going on?

Start with this: http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showpost.php?p=708920&postcount=25

Thanks drByte.

I get the following error. Does it mean anything to you?

Fatal error: session_start() [<a href='function.session-start'>function.session-start</a>]: Failed to initialize storage module: user (path: ../cache) in /mydomain/www/shop138/zc_install/includes/functions/sessions.php on line 92

That suggests that the /cache/ folder isn't set to 777 recursively.

Hi Again,

Actually I just noticed theres an extra www in the address the system is trying to access.

/www.mydomain/www/shop138/zc_install/includes/functions/sessions.php

Thats probably the reason its coming up with an error but I have no idea why the program is adding an extra www

Hi DrByte,

Sorry I didn't notice your comment about the 777 permissions on the cache till now. Yes, the permissions are set to 777 recursively. I just checked it. Theres only one file in the cache folder and thats index.php. That file has its permissions set to 777 as well.

p1drobert:

Hi Again,

Actually I just noticed theres an extra www in the address the system is trying to access.

/www.mydomain/www/shop138/zc_install/includes/functions/sessions.php

Thats probably the reason its coming up with an error but I have no idea why the program is adding an extra www

That's coming from the server's filesystem, and denotes the actual path where your site's files are located.

Usually web files are in a public_html or htdocs folder, but some hosts, such as yours use www instead.

p1drobert:

Fatal error: session_start(): Failed to initialize storage module: user (path: ../cache)
The system is trying to start a PHP session by using the path to the /cache/ folder as a temporary place to store session data during the install. It's not supposed to try using that unless the folder is writable. But one would not expect that error message if it was writable.

It's referring to it as "../cache" because that's the correct relative path to the zc_install folder where you're running the install from.

The "why" behind it not working is the puzzling part.

1. What operating system is your server running?

2. What version of PHP?

3. Who manages the server? (you or someone else?)

4. Who's the hosting company?

5. Try renaming your /cache/ folder to /cache_off/ and see what happens. (That should force it to use the server's system default ... which might work for some odd reason.)

Hi Drbyte,

Thanks for your time with this.

I tried renaming the cache to cache_off but the same error occurs. (theres only one cache folder right?)

Its a Zeus server, running Linux 2.6.18-23etch1
.
**PHP Version: **4.4.9 (Zend: 1.3.0)

My host company is hostess.com.au

I handle the web site and all its files. I'm an electronics engineer by profession and I've picked up the know how to do all this from collecting bits and pieces of information from the internet. God bless the internet.

Theres PHP5 available if I select it on my host control console. Although the last time I tried to deselect php4, and enable php5 I disabled the entire php system. The support people couldn't explain how.

Whats different between 1.3.8, and 1.3.7? 1.3.7 seems to start up every time, and I'm pretty sure I'm went through the same procedure with both. I notice that there's reference to PHP5.0 in the newer 1.3.8 setup files.