DB Problems upgrading to V157C

I am trying to upgrade ZC from V1.51.1 using PHP 5.6.30 and MySql 5.6.32
to ZC 1.5.7.C using PHP 7.4.33 and MySql 5.6.51 (and have also tried versions 8.04 and 8.3.

I created an empty MySql db, then imported a copy of the live db into it, all looked ok.

Next I installed a fresh copy of ZC and executed the zc_install.

Once finished the database tables are missing most of the customer data.
The new table definitions are inplace but no customer data has been carried forward.
The only data from the live db was a custom table.
Custom dates values that need to be updated are not present.

The zc_install logs do not show any errors except for a htaccess warning.
What am I doing wrong?
Any ideas?

Thank you
Mel Stanley

a) Did your database use a prefix? If so did you indicate that prefix in your new configure.php files (admin/includes/configure.php and includes/configure.php)

b) When you ran the ZC Install, did you click "Upgrade" (rather than "Install")?

After reading other posts i am wondering if i'm dealing with a mixed character set problem since all of the tables except one are UTF8, and the only table that has data in it after the initial install has a character set of Latin1.

When i said i ran the zc_install, I should have said that is the very first one that the system does when setting up just after its asks for the location of the files, the database name and users, etc. Once that is through it of course gives the admin p/w, the new admin folder name, and instructions to remove the zc_install folder. Once that finished I logged in as admin with my p/w, then i closed the admin window and used phpmyadmin to look at the database and discovered no user data except in one table with a charset of Latin1.
I tried to go on to upgrade the database however i only got the "new install" option. That screen suggested i look at the configure files and check prefixes which arent present.

Thank you

I tried to go on to upgrade the database however i only got the "new install" option.

Generally this means the prefix is wrong or the name of the database is wrong. It's saying it can't find the expected tables with the prefix specified in the database specified.

... and why, pray tell, are you upgrading to 1.5.7c (released on 2021-03-20) instead of 2.0.1?

My ISP currently only offers PHP 7.4 and Zen Cart v2.1.x is designed for PHP 8.0 through PHP 8.3.
If PHP 7.4 will support Zen Cart V2x I would prefer to upgrade to that instead.

Mel Stanley:

My ISP currently only offers PHP 7.4 and Zen Cart v2.1.x is designed for PHP 8.0 through PHP 8.3.
If PHP 7.4 will support Zen Cart V2x I would prefer to upgrade to that instead.
ISP or host?

I would think host and I would suggest leaving long ago.

To expand on the comment above: if your hoster is only offering PHP 7.4 (which is obsolete and no longer receiving security updates), you need to transfer your site to a newer hoster.

You can check out these hosters, for example:
https://www.zen-cart.com/content.php?16-Compatible-Hosting

Totally agree.
Still Stuck!

In the latest Wamp.
Again I unzipped ZC 1.5.7C, copied and modified both configure files (checking twice), made a fresh DB from a copy of the ZC V1.51 live store.
Launching /zc_install/Index One screen pops up to fill in details about the DB user and the DB. There is a "Continue" at the bottom. From there a message pops up showing the percentage of the DB it is building. it doesn't ask "Upgrade" or "Fresh" Install.
Next screen has the progress of installing Zencart across the top and it is blank below that. There is nothing to click on at that point.
Looking at the DB at that point:
Apparently zc_install found the DB that was configured since it installed all of the ZC 1.5.7C table definitions .
This store only has one product and that seems to have been reestablished ok.
All of the existing customer data that was in the copy of the store is deleted.
The only table that was brought forward is a custom table.

Could it be that a ZC V1.51 store cannot be upgraded using ZC 1.5.7C, do I have to upgrade through ZC 1.5.6 first which will be a major step?
Looking through the logs after dosen't reveal any serious/fatal errors?
Does zc_install generate logging that could be more helpful?

Could it be that a ZC V1.51 store cannot be upgraded using ZC 1.5.7C, do I have to upgrade through ZC 1.5.6 first which will be a major step?

No. You can go straight to 1.5.7C. But going to 2.0 would be a better idea, since there have been significant improvements since 1.5.7.

I am willing to try ZC 2.0 if it will run on PHP 7.4 which I am currently limited to.
Do you by chance know how ZC 2.0 runs under PHP 7.4?

Mel Stanley:

I am willing to try ZC 2.0 if it will run on PHP 7.4 which I am currently limited to.
Do you by chance know how ZC 2.0 runs under PHP 7.4?
According to the docs (https://docs.zen-cart.com/user/first_steps/server_requirements/), the highest Zen Cart version that will run on PHP 7.4 is 1.5.8a.

And I no longer am able to find 1.5.8a to download. It was available some time ago and now the download sites jump from 1.5.7.C to 2.01. At one time I downloaded a 1.5.7.D and now it's also missing.

Mel Stanley:

And I no longer am able to find 1.5.8a to download. It was available some time ago and now the download sites jump from 1.5.7.C to 2.01. At one time I downloaded a 1.5.7.D and now it's also missing.

you can download it at the bottom of this page:

https://github.com/zencart/zencart/releases/tag/v1.5.8a