WARNING: An Error occurred, please refresh the page and try again.

Used Zen Cart since 2013, love it! Having some trouble upgrading from v 1.5.1 to 1.5.5.

Store page displays this text at the bottom
WARNING: An Error occurred, please refresh the page and try again.

Trying to access the admin area I don't even get an option to log in, I just get this
WARNING: An Error occurred, please refresh the page and try again.

The resulting debug file contents are
[25-Mar-2016 14:47:17 America/Chicago] PHP Fatal error: 1:Can't create/write to file '/backups/mysqltmp/#sql_23f5_0.MYI' (Errcode: 13) :: select banners_id, banners_title, banners_image, banners_html_text, banners_open_new_windows, banners_url
from banners
where status = 1 and ( banners_group = 'SideBox-Banners') order by rand() ==> (as called by) /home/fisherfo/public_html/communityofcelebration.com/store/includes/functions/banner.php on line 184 <== in /home/fisherfo/public_html/communityofcelebration.com/store/includes/classes/db/mysql/query_factory.php on line 167

PHP = 5.4.35
mysql = 5.5.46-cll

Have you checked the similar threads at the bottom of this posting??

@kobra, that wasn't very helpful :P

PHP Fatal error: 1:Can't create/write to file '/backups/mysqltmp/#sql_23f5_0.MYI' (Errcode: 13)

a) Error code 13 means 'permission denied'
b) I notice the path is /backups/mysqltmp...' ... which suggests MySQL is trying to use tables from a backup drive instead of a normal directory/folder ... or at least it's having trouble writing to the drive where it's been configured to store its backup data.
This is something your hosting company will have to resolve for you, as it suggests a server misconfiguration for how your particular selected MySQL Database is configured.

Thanks for your reply, Kobra. I have been searching around the forum today and yesterday, and didn't see anything that matched my entire situation. The closest post I saw to mine is yours from 3/14 and our error codes are different.
Oddly enough, I did not make any changes to the cart which was running 1.5.1, it simply started giving error messages of "WARNING: An Error occurred, please refresh the page and try again" whenever I tried to move around in my zen cart admin, and posting the same error at the bottom of my storefront page. This started on 3/23.
I've gone so far as to create a brand new database and a clean install of 1.5.5 to see if any of my customized files were causing the difficulty. No luck. I get to the end of the install, get the directions to delete the zc_install folder and the new name for my admin folder, but when I try to access the admin page I get the warning again. It's even a little bit worse as I was at least able to log in to the admin side of my shop before, where now I don't even get an option to log in.
I've got an email in to my webhoster (if that's the right word :) ) and hopefully they can clarify something for me. I've been quite happily using zen cart for quite a few years, and have never gotten so stuck. Usually the answers are very easily found in the forum - you are all so helpful!

Woops, took too long to type my response. I actually just found a post from you (Dr. B) back in 2009 under General Questions in regards to "Can't create/write to file '/tmp/#sql_2d9_0.MYI' (Errcode: 13)"

where you state:

Error Code 13 means that MySQL cannot create a temporary file for the result set in the temporary directory. So, that means your hosting company's server config is either out of space or they have altered security/permission with respect to how MySQL is allowed to store its data and do its regular operations.
In short, log an urgent ticket with your hosting company if the problem persists.

I'll take all this info to my web hosting company and search for some answers there. Thanks again!

Just heard back from the web hosting company. They saw the word "backup" in our error message, and sent the following:

I had some of my admins take a look at the error you are receiving and it looks like the software you are using is trying to do a database backup but fails before it can complete the process. This is likely the result of these errors you are receiving.

It tried to make this file: /backups/mysqltmp/#sql_23f5_0.MYI

If the software updated and is functioning, then I wouldn't be too concerned. The backup would have been one of the first steps long before the software started updating itself. Just in case, we have taken a backup of the account which includes sql databases for any future upgrades.

There should be a setting somewhere to change the location of the backups. Finding it and changing it to something in your home directory may prevent it from failing.

I emailed them back, very nicely thanking them for making a backup for us (although I made several before attempting the upgrade to version 1.5.5 but I didn't point that out) and reiterating that our site was NOT up and functioning. I also relayed what you all shared about the meaning of error code 13 and inquired about any possible changes to security/permissions or server miscommunication.

My thinking is that if we experienced the errors with a previously functioning database and version 1.5.1, and experienced the same errors with a brand new database and version 1.5.5, the issue has to lie with the web hosting company and hopefully the solution lies with them as well?

Oy ... They clearly need to escalate that ticket to someone higher up the chain.

DrByte,
Giggling at your response. I totally agree this needs to be escalated to a higher support tech. :D

DrByte:

Oy ... They clearly need to escalate that ticket to someone higher up the chain.