The 500 Server Error on trying to load install.php

[Mnementh]

Hi all,

after messing around for a couple of hours with this - very obviously now quite common - problem, I discovered that the solution is quite simple:

Apparently some hosts recently have enacted a new security policy and won't allow install-files to be chmodded to 777.  For me a CHMOD to 755 was all that was needed, and install.php could be executed as nice as please.

As I'd installed several SMF boards on same server/host prior to my today venture, it took me ages to check for the exact reason and try different CHMODS. As I read some couple dozen people here asking for help with the same problem, being frequently told to CHMOD to 777, which is what will certainly NOT work, I believe this ought to be pinned somewhere. It sure will spare them 2-3 hours of hunting for the error. 

[redone]

You make a very good point. Your observation is not true for every host however.

~redone

[kateydrop]

Hya,

Apparently some hosts recently have enacted a new security policy and won't allow install-files to be chmodded to 777.  For me a CHMOD to 755 was all that was needed, and install.php could be executed as nice as please.

I got told off for this in a mail from my support this morning. he redid the chmod. help is on its way as I still have no forum.

[redone]

If my host "told me off" I would move! There are many, many hosts out there that do not have an issue with chmodding this way. I am not saying in every case you need to do it because you don't.

I feel if the host really knows what they are doing you should not be presented with this problem in the first place. See the thread below:

http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=2987

I have personally ran into this issue once before and I have to be honest and say it generally seems to be with hosts who don't know what they are doing. For every host that presents this problem there is another five out there who would gladly host your account and let you chmod files the way you would like.

~redone

[Oldiesmann]

It sounds like your host has PHP running as CGI, which doesn't like 777. However, it's more annoying than anything and is also slower than if PHP were running as an Apache server module...