Performance Warning and Avatar Issue

[fishey]

Hi, I'm new to using smf.

I created my own forums yesterday, and have had a few issues which I haven't been able to find any support for in other posts/topics on here.

The first issue, is I have this pink bar running along the top of every page with the message:

!! Performance Warning
The cache directory is not writable - this will adversely affect the performance of your forum.

I've noticed this is only seen whilst on my Administrator account.

The second issue, I feel may be connected to this, is that members (and myself) are unable to upload an Avatar of their own. It says:

  An error has occurred!
The attachments upload directory is not writable. Your attachment or avatar cannot be saved.

Also, In Admin -> Forum -> Attachments and Avatars -> File Maintenance another message:

  An error has occurred!
Cannot access attachments upload path!

Is shown.

Please help me,

Thankyou

[semimedia]

Make your directories writable by changing chmod to 777

[fishey]

Where do I do that?

[semimedia]

At your file manager or with a ftp program

[Aleksi "Lex" Kilpinen]

How do I chmod? / what is chmod?
How do I use FTP? / What is FTP?

You need to make the /cache/ folder as well as /attachments/ and if you use a custom avatar folder, then that as well, all writable.
Most of the time making them 777 will work, but if it doesn't help, then 755 or 644 may work as well.