Suddenly getting: "Hello. Thank you for loading ..."

I have a client whos site has been up and running for 2 years. Recently the site came up with the message:
**
Hello. Thank you for loading Zen Cart™.
You are seeing this page for one or more reasons:**

1. This is your first time using Zen Cart™ and you haven't yet completed the normal Installation procedure.
   If this is the case for you, you will need to upload the "zc_install" folder using your FTP program, and then run zc_install/index.php via your browser (or reload this page to see a link to it).
   
2. Your /includes/configure.php and/or /admin/includes/configure.php file contains invalid path information and/or invalid database-connection information.
   If you recently edited your configure.php files for any reason, or maybe moved your site to a different folder or different server, then you'll need to review and update all your settings to the correct values for your server.
   See the Online FAQ and Tutorials area on the Zen Cart™ website for assistance
   
   I have gone thru both config.php files and the path information (home directory) is correct according to the server information and the database connection information is correct.

PLEASE, any insights and/or suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated.

RoseBud

That error message will appear for the reasons stated, or if the configure.php files are unreadable (permissions set too low) or missing.

But usually it's a result of the path being incorrect.

And if you think everything looks right, then the problem is often caused by the hosting company changing something that you've not been informed of. Thus you should be contacting them for assistance.

More reading, from the list of "Similar Threads" shown below: http://www.zen-cart.com/showthread.php?188782-Suddenly-my-site-is-saying-Hello-thank-you-for-installing-Zen-Cart

It might be a worthwhile exercise to do an inspection to prove to yourself that you haven't been hacked: http://www.zen-cart.com/wiki/index.php/Recovering_From_Hacks

I don't really understand what the path being wrong means or how to change the path

tahiti amin:

I don't really understand what the path being wrong means or how to change the path

There are two critical files in zencart that inform the rest of the system where the sites "assets" are located. These files state the locations of such assets, which will include files, images and database elements.

A "path" in this sense is the place in the directory structure (and the database) where things are stored.

For example: The site's BASE ADDRESS is the http URL (http://www.yourwebsite.com)... This is also part of the PATH

Then you have folders - and inside those folders are other folders...

So the programming needs to know the names and location of those folders.

The two files are called configure.php

One is used in the SHOPFRONT area of the site. /includes/configure.php

The other is used in the ADMIN area of the site: /admin/includes/configure.php (remember that your "admin" folder will have a unique name).

If these files are corrupted/deleted/deliberately altered, then the rest of the system will have no idea where the "assets" are located, and the program will assume that the system has not been set up completely. and will default to the screen you are now seeing.

So... with the above in mind, read Dr Byte's post again and it should make more sense.

tahiti amin, your issue is already being discussed in the previous discussion thread you opened: http://www.zen-cart.com/showthread.php?198296-Changed-host-now-zencart-is-not-working
Please keep your discussion there, since the context of your problem is different than the one being discussed in this thread. (yours is an intentional server change; this thread is about a mysterious appearance of the error message for an unknown reason)

This is not the only Zen Cart site I have on this server; all others are fine. I have gone thru the other threads and the FAQ with a fine tooth comb and done what was suggested. I even reinserted the the path (just in case). The srever was upgraded to PHP 5.3, but that was 2 months ago.

I finally got the site back up but, but the data base contained no customer or catalog information. The problem is I still don't know why it went down in the first place.

I appreciate all of the insight, but I have gone over the obvious many times. I am currently working on getting an older backup from the hosting company as the scheduled backup I setup 2 years ago only keeps the last 3. My client has begun to put her catalog back together; but I don't have a maintainance contract with her I don't always know what she is doing or has done.

Thank you all for responding. I have solved many problems on customers sites by using this forum. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Dr Byte; I took your suggestion and had the site scanned, nothing was found; they are very good at notifing me when a site is compromised (had to deal with that on another site). I have since changed the passwords anyway.