Trying to upgrade from 2.0.19 to 2.1.3

[WhiteJC]

I've ftp'd the smf_2-1-3_upgrade directory to my packages directory

Permissions set to 755 for Packages, 775 for smf_2-1-3_upgrade

When I try to run upgrade.php all I get is a white page with "Forbidden" written on it

what do I need to do to allow me to run the upgrade?

[Arantor]

You don't run it from the packages directory, it's not a package.

You roll all the files over the top of your existing SMF files (backup first!) and then run upgrade.

[WhiteJC]

I've uploaded the upgrade files to my forum directory however when I try to run the upgrade I get this message...

The directory: /home1/frienfg5/public_html/forum/avatars has to be writable to continue the upgrade. Please make sure permissions are correctly set to allow this.

the avatar directory is set to 775

[Doug Heffernan]

Can you try to chmod it to 777 and see if it would help?

For more on chmod please see this link:

https://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/Chmod

[WhiteJC]

Can you try to chmod it to 777 and see if it would help?

For more on chmod please see this link:

https://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/Chmod

still the same

[WhiteJC]

now its back to the "Forbidden" screen

[WhiteJC]

changing the forum directory chmod back to 775 gives this error:
The directory: /home1/frienfg5/public_html/forum/avatars has to be writable to continue the upgrade. Please make sure permissions are correctly set to allow this.

the avatar directory chmod is 777

[Arantor]

Then avatars probably needs to be 775 as well.

[WhiteJC]

Ive set avatars to 775 and this is the screen I get...

[Steve]

Can you add that image as an attachment so we (I) can see it more clearly?

[WhiteJC]

open image for a larger view

[WhiteJC]

this is obviously(?) a permissions issue?
my hosting provider has a utility were I can install a "new" SMF forum, either 2.0.19 or 2.1.3.

as I've back-ups of the databases could I install 2.1.3 and then restore some of the database(s), I want to keep members, passwords, messages, different forums etc.

is this a good idea? and if so are these the database(s) I need to restore?
smf_admin_info_files
smf_ban_groups
smf_ban_items
smf_log_boards
smf_log_packages
smf_log_topics
smf_membergroups
smf_members
smf_messages
smf_moderators
smf_pm_rules
smf_topics

[Arantor]

Do everything or nothing, trying to do it piecemeal is usually a recipe for disaster.

I'm not sure why 775 isn't sufficient for writability - perhaps 755 instead? Alternatively ask your host what you need to do, the process that runs PHP needs to write to that folder.

That is also the right path, right? (It should match whatever is specified in Settings.php for $board did with /avatars on the end)

[WhiteJC]

thanks Arantor

changing to 755, both avatar and forum and avatar directories made no difference

I'll ask my hosting, perhaps they've set restrictions as its "shared hosting"? it could be why they give the ability to install from the cpanel?

I'll let you know what they say

[WhiteJC]

the host couldn't see why it didn't work

I've restored the forum from the backup

any ideas on how I can upgrade?

[Kindred]

1- restore your previous working forum
2- confirm that the forum is working
3- delete directories:  Sources and Themes
4- Delete all php files in the root forum directory EXCEPT Settings.php (keep that!!)
5- Upload the 2.1.3 archive
6- extract (with overwrite)
7- run upgrade.php

[Doug Heffernan]

3- delete directories:  Sources and Themes

I would storngly recomemend against doing that. If the OP has mods installed who have added their files inside those directories, it is going to throw errors when third party mods files are called, but not being found.

[WhiteJC]

3- delete directories:  Sources and Themes

I would storngly recomemend against doing that. If the OP has mods installed who have added their files inside those directories, it is going to throw errors when third party mods files are called, but not being found.

could I not just reinstall the mods? I'm guessing that some of them would need to be upgraded for the new version of the forum software anyway?

[Doug Heffernan]

could I not just reinstall the mods? I'm guessing that some of them would need to be upgraded for the new version of the forum software anyway?

You can uninstall all the mods before doing the upgrade. That wouldn't cause any issues if you delete the aforementioned directories.

[Kindred]

or use repair_settings to remove all hooks