Moved forum to new hosting (same GoDaddy account), forum is now dead

[bseffer1]

Hey guys,

Intro-level web guy here, first post.

Could someone please point me to good help on the following?

The following website transfer happened within my single GoDaddy account:  I had my friend's website on Web Hosting Windows.  I just moved the site from that hosting account to a new Parellels hosting account.

I moved the files from the old FTP site to the new FTP site, and maintained the same directory structure.

I then struggled through getting the database imported into the new hosting account, and got that import to work through the phpMyAdmin.  Everything seems like it's in place.  My version of SMF is 1.1.12.

The rest of the website runs fine, but the SMF forum page gives a 500 error.

There's some disconnect and I can't find it.  I apologize if this is a redundant post; please link to clear info that an entry-level guy will understand.

I also tried downloading the "repair_settings.php" file, putting it in the forum directory where "settings.php" is, and accessing that "repair_settings.php" file, but even that gives a 500 error.  So I can't use the repair file to repair stuff, it seems.

Thank you in advance!

[margarett]

Check if you have any files or folder with permissions set to 777. That might cause error 500. If you do, change files to 644 and folders to 755.

edit: welcome

[bseffer1]

Thank you!  And sorry to sound dumb -- how do I do that?  Within the Plesk Hosting -> File Manager interface somewhere?  Or do I need to modify code somewhere? 

My Godaddy hosting is set up for Windows, as I may be using hxxp:vb.net [nonactive] code for certain sites.

[bseffer1]

I just made a change that is allowing the forum to show, though with some weird errors (but overall it's working!):

In Plesk Hosting Settings, there is the setting (with a checkbox that was already checked):

PHP support (Run PHP as ____, PHP version ____).

The underscores there are dropdown options.  The first dropdown was set to "FastCGI application."

I changed that to "CGI application" and the PHP version dropdown switched to 5.2.17.

Works now, though I'm getting weird errors at the top of the forum page: 

Warning: file_exists() [function.file-exists]: open_basedir restriction in effect. File(D:\Hosting\1111111\html\forum) is not within the allowed path(s): (G:/PleskVhostshxxp:mywebsite.com [nonactive]\;C:\Windows\Temp\) in G:\PleskVhosts\mywebsite.com\mywebsite\forum\Settings.php on line 59

(I replaced personal site info with 1111111 and mywebsite.)

[margarett]

Now you need to run repair_settings

[Kindred]

Wow... plesk is a pain in the petooty....

we'll get you running -- but php 5.2 is SERIOUSLY outdated and unsupported --  and your SMF installation is also outdated.

So, once you get running, you should plan to upgrade to 2.0.11 and then update your php to run AT LEAST 5.4

in the mean time, however...

you need to re-run repair_settings.php and correct the URLs and paths
that error suggests that the system is still trying to get to your OLD host to pull some files.
(also confirm that you did change the database connection information to connect to your NEW database location)

[bseffer1]

Thanks again margarett and Kindred!  I'll check further into this. 

[bseffer1]

Just to follow up, in case a novice has the same issues I had:

I was getting errors at the top and bottom of the forum pages as shown below:

Warning: file_exists() [function.file-exists]: open_basedir restriction in effect. File(D:\Hosting\1111111\html\forum) is not within the allowed path(s): (G:/PleskVhostshxxp:mywebsite.com [nonactive]\;C:\Windows\Temp\) in G:\PleskVhosts\mywebsite.com\mywebsite\forum\Settings.php on line 59

Obviously some directory settings were off.

I was now able to run repair_settings.php (Google "SMF repair_settings.php" to find the page to download the file).

However, when I loaded the page it said at the very bottom that I couldn't save changes due to permissions.  I tried using FileZilla to change the permissions of the Forum directory and files, but that didn't work.

So I had to go into Godaddy, Hosting, open the Plesk interface, go to File Manager, and have the listing in the main right pane showing the root directory that lists the folders, including the Forum folder.  Mouse over the Forum folder line, and toward the right, by the date, you'll see a small downward arrow appear.  Click the arrow, and two options appear, including Change Permissions.

I then was able to go in and allow writing permissions for the Forum directory.

Of course you should do this with caution, I would imagine, and don't forget to delete the "repair_settings.php" file from the directory as soon as you're done modifying your forum files with it!

(By the way, I fixed most all errors I was having by running repair_settings.php, then clicking on all the blue-link suggested changes to fill in those corresponding fields.  The only one that you'll need to do work for is the option that says "Server:" under MySQL Database Info.  If you click that blue link it says Recommended value: "localhost".  You don't want that to say localhost, though.  You have to go back to your Plesk interface, click Databases, and you'll see the name of your "Database server" there, like "111.111.11.111:1111" (I used all ones for example).  THAT is the name you put in that "Server:" field in repair_settings.php.

Hope that helps someone.  ...Now I have to figure how to update my version of SMF on the old hosting, then bring it over to the new hosting, and not break everything again, haha.  ...Though maybe there's an easier way to do it.

I just now that the SMF Forum app doesn't appear in the newer Plesk interface; only in the old hosting account.  Is GoDaddy moving away from SMF maybe?

[Kindred]

Why would you upgrade the old site and then move it again?
Why don't you upgrade your NEW site in place?



And we never encourage people to use the  host's autoinstaller...  instead, look at the SMF wiki/manual on how to upgrade correctly.
http://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/Upgrading