Error Unknown Error when Upgrading

[Griffin]

I am upgrading from SMF 2.0.15 to 2.0.18 but it gets as far as 14% and stops with an error. The error is "Unknown Error!" which is not very helpful.

I've tried altering file permissions but this has had no success.

How can I find out what is going wrong?

[shadav]

how are you upgrading? Large upgrade or patch?
there weren't any database changes so don't know why it would get stuck, or for that matter even run a db update....

[DeliberateMayhem]

I'm not sure if this will help in the slightest with troubleshooting, but I am having the same "unknown error!" when attempting to do a large update from 1.1.21 to 2.x (I know, should've been done a long time ago, but...yeah, paying for that now it seems...) 

After my practice run with a copy of a large DB, I tried a fresh install of 1.1.21 with no mods, etc. Made a few posts just to have something in my DB and then tried upgrading (to 2.0.1, 2.0.13 per another suggestion, and finally with 2.0.18). I've tried using php 5.4.45, 5.6.x, and 7.1.  MySQL is 5.7. I'm not finding anything in my server error logs, unfortunately.

Again, not sure that'll help at all with the troubleshooting, and I'll be following this post in addition to the one I posted in the 1.1 Support board.

Edited to update: I was able to get access to run the upgrade from the console, and was hoping to find out what the error was that was blocking. Good news is that it ran perfectly and updated the database (the pretty fresh low volume one...I'm going to do a test run with a copy of my large db next...). Bad news is that I have no idea why it kept getting the unknown error during any of my previous attempts.

So...if you have access to be able to update via the command console, I'd try running the update.php from there.

[shadav]

I'm not sure if this will help in the slightest with troubleshooting, but I am having the same "unknown error!" when attempting to do a large update from 1.1.21 to 2.x (I know, should've been done a long time ago, but...yeah, paying for that now it seems...) 

After my practice run with a copy of a large DB, I tried a fresh install of 1.1.21 with no mods, etc. Made a few posts just to have something in my DB and then tried upgrading (to 2.0.1, 2.0.13 per another suggestion, and finally with 2.0.18). I've tried using php 5.4.45, 5.6.x, and 7.1.  MySQL is 5.7. I'm not finding anything in my server error logs, unfortunately.

Again, not sure that'll help at all with the troubleshooting, and I'll be following this post in addition to the one I posted in the 1.1 Support board.

Edited to update: I was able to get access to run the upgrade from the console, and was hoping to find out what the error was that was blocking. Good news is that it ran perfectly and updated the database (the pretty fresh low volume one...I'm going to do a test run with a copy of my large db next...). Bad news is that I have no idea why it kept getting the unknown error during any of my previous attempts.

So...if you have access to be able to update via the command console, I'd try running the update.php from there.

thank you for your reply but yours is a different case as you are updating from smf 1.x which there are database updates and issues with php levels

whereas the op is updating from 2.0.15 to 2.0.18 and there aren't any database updates between those versions

[Sir Osis of Liver]

I've done dozens of upgrades and never seen that error, odd that it's been reported three times in one day.  Was something changed recently in upgrader?

[Illori]

I've done dozens of upgrades and never seen that error, odd that it's been reported three times in one day.  Was something changed recently in upgrader?

no, we dont change the package once it is released.

[Griffin]

the op is updating from 2.0.15 to 2.0.18 and there aren't any database updates between those versions

I've done some digging. The error is in upgrade.php and is given for several problems in the database checking "function" which it does even if no updates to be done.

However, the error turned out to be that the browser page running upgrade.php was showing only use secure items - when I changed this to allow insecure items the process worked and I now have an up to date forum.

[ElrilGalia]

I just tried that and still got the same error at 14% using Chrome

Now trying it in Microsoft Edge and it's running the script! wow!

[shadav]

how are you upgrading? Large upgrade or patch?
there weren't any database changes so don't know why it would get stuck, or for that matter even run a db update....

can you please answer this
and as well some other things that might help
what is your php levles
what is your database and version

I just tried that and still got the same error at 14% using Chrome

Now trying it in Microsoft Edge and it's running the script! wow!

hm so it's working now? strange I use chrome with no issues, is your chrome up to date?