Installer not initializing 1.3.9 demo install

Currently have active 1.3.8 Zen cart store in the root and it's working just fine.

Now I'm attempting to add a demo of the 1.3.9 on the same host, named folder like "demo" and uploaded all the install files inside that folder. Made all permission changes and renamed/permission-changed the 2 configure files. The auto-installer doesn't work when I use the virtual path. I also tried directly typing in the virtual path and going directly to the "www.mysite/demo/zc_install/ and get "broken link" with both urls. Ideas? Wanted to see the demo store before attempting the upgrade.

Well, I DID have a working 1.3.8 store.:shocking: I created a "demo" folder and also created a new database for this new demo store. Now my main site isn't working. There seems to be a problem connecting to our database. "Please give us a few minutes to remedy the problem. Thank you." I've removed the "demo" folder and all the 1.3.9 files, but still can't see my original site. Ideas on how to get my site back?

Thought may be the user name for my original database and the user name for the demo database are the same? Removed the user name from the demo database, but still same issue. Can't get to my original, working 1.3.8 store.

StitchJunkie:

The auto-installer doesn't work when I use the virtual path.
What "auto-installer"?

If you used one provided within your Hosting account, rather than installing Zen Cart manually, then the "auto-installer" replaced your previous Zen Cart.

If you have a backup of your Zen Cart then upload it and you should be back in business. If you don't have a backup then contact your Hoster and ask they have one, from before you did the upgrade attempt.

Website Rob:

What "auto-installer"?

If you used one provided within your Hosting account, rather than installing Zen Cart manually, then the "auto-installer" replaced your previous Zen Cart. .....

These "auto-installers" are to be treated with EXTREME caution. My guess is that Website Rob is right on the money: your 1.3.8 install has been overwritten.

Once you got that up and running again follow the official instructions for installing ZC.

Strange, I'm still learning so I'm curious. What I'm referring to as an anto-installer function is when you type in the url for the folder you placed the version in so that it says it has been installed..... When I've put the 1.3.9 in a different folder altogether, then go the the url of that folder to start the install, why would that have happened? I hadn't gotten anywhere in the install to link it to a different database, it just seems to have grabbed the old one. Is there a way to upload the new version into a different folder to test it before upgrading from my 1.3.8?

Now my usual pages rediredts me to http://www.gingerbreadtearoom.com/nddbc.html

Currently I'm working with my host to restore. I did make a copy of the site and database, so hopefully will be able to reverse this, but is this always a potential or was I putting the 1.3.9 folder in an incorrect place?

Sounds like you used the live database-name when you installed the new version, instead of using the new database name, and thus when you ran the install you probably wiped the live database because that's what you told it to use.

I'm back in business!!

Fortunately, (even though I didn't know what to do with it if I needed it), I made a backup of my database prior to doing all this as instructed. I was able to find instructions in my host control pannel to upload my copy I'd made and this corrected the issue.

Could trying this again like this work?
Put the 1.3.9 in a separate folder (I did previously)
Make a new database (which I did last time but used same user name as the live store) this time with a different user name?

Then would I be safe to install this new version to see it? I never was prompted to put in a database name as the install screen never popped up. Where do you designate what database it should grab for the new install?

If I want to "force" this 1.3.9 demo to point to a demo database, do I just have to edit the information in the Admin/includes/configure file before I upload the demo store?

If I want to "force" this 1.3.9 demo to point to a demo database,
Any DB from an earlier version will need to be upgraded

I'm just wanting to install the default 1.3.9 so I can look at it. I don't want to import anything of my own at this point, so I believe I need a new database just created for this demo store and somehome linked to this store only. How do I link the demo store to the demo database so it won't latch onto my live store database?

StitchJunkie:

If I want to "force" this 1.3.9 demo to point to a demo database, do I just have to edit the information in the Admin/includes/configure file before I upload the demo store?

There's nothing "special" to do, whether with config files or whatever.

Just upload everything to a different folder, create a different database+user+password, run zc_install as you would with any installation, and be sure to put the proper database details into the database fields on the screen that asks for the database information you want to use for that site. It's that easy. Just like a regular installation.

Just had to reinstall the databases on my host as well as the above edits. Problem solved. Thanks All!