Blank Page After Upgrade – wp.config.php is culprit

  • Resolved udippel

    (@udippel)


    19 years, 4 months ago

    Downloaded the ‘latest.tar.gz’ into my (empty; backup-ed) wordpress-diectory to upgrade.
    “There doesn’t seem to be a wp-config.php file. I need this before we can get started. Need more help? We got it. You can create a wp-config.php file through a web interface, but this doesn’t work for all server setups. The safest way is to manually create the file.” is what it says. Okay, very well.
    Now I copy back the wp-config.php of 1.5, and the page gets empty; blank.
    The ‘View Source’ of the browser doesn’t show anything.
    Assuming a change of the format of wp-config.php, I created a new wp-config.php from the sample coming with 1.5.2; with the same result.
    I rm -Rf * and copy all my backup-ed files back to the wordpress-directory: everything okay. I remove everything *except* wp-config.php and untar the latest.tar.gz: blank page.

    So I continued, and created a wp-config.php containing the string ‘bciabc’ only. Then the blog shows exactly these characters instead of the blank page with 1.5.2

    This makes me suppose that something is wrong with wp-config.php respectively the way it is treated.

    And, yes, I read a few threads, added a blank char as suggested by another poster; without change in this case.

    To me, it does seem to be a bug of 1.5.2; since exactly the same server and same settings produces a proper display just by swapping in the 1.5 files.
    Swapping in the properly working wp-config.php of 1.5 into 1.5.2 results in a blank page.
    This makes me think it is the culprit or at the source of the problem.

Viewing 11 replies - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)

  • It may sound a stupid question: did you run the upgrade.php?

    Thread Starter udippel

    (@udippel)

    No, I didn’t. But if you read my post again: my concern is *not* the upgrade !
    My concern is that I seem to be unable to run a *fresh install* of 1.5.2 on my box. Which is what I did: a fresh install. Neither editing a new wp-config.php nor copying the ‘old’ one (1.5 to 1.5.2) seem to get me more than a blank page.

    Should I not be able to install 1.5.2 from scratch ?? After I managed to get 1.5 up and running ?
    Serious question: Is a fresh install supposed to run properly with the wp-config.php of 1.5 ? Maybe not. But still: how do I get a clean install up and running then ?

    Well, in your OP (even in the title!) you were talking about upgrade. That’s why I asked.
    If the “fresh install” is using the old database then it isn’t really “fresh” – it’s an upgrade.

    Thread Starter udippel

    (@udippel)

    Sorry, I ought to be clear and clean:
    The existing blog is empty. It was a test. It ran. That’s all.
    Now I intend to roll out the thingy for some 150 users; and I don’t want to do so with 1.5 for security reasons as everyone will understand. So I made a fresh install; got that “There doesn’t seem to be a wp-config.php file. I need this before …”
    I created one – puff – blank page. I copyied the wp-config.php from the old test-1.5 into the directory: still blank. I ‘rm -Rf *’ and copied the whole wordpress-directory from the backup into there and got the setup-screen; meaning everything is okay.
    And so forth and back, three times.

    This is why I have zero interest in ‘upgrade’; but a huge one in ‘fresh install’. And now I wonder why the fresh install craps out.

    Thread Starter udippel

    (@udippel)

    Ah, thanks for the hint. So what you’re saying is, that the database schema has changed and I cannot simply connect my users to a database ‘touched’ by 1.5 once the version is at 1.5.2. Is that correct ?
    I need to know, because the database(s) have been created with a php-script several months ago; and *maybe* been touched with 1.5 for testing and experimental reasons.

    Thanks,

    Uwe

    When you run an initial (really “fresh”) install – WP creates its own tables in the database indicated in the wp-config. file. So, if those tables already exists (even empty!) when you upload the files for a newer version you should run the update.php!
    Yes, sometimes there are minor changes in the DB tables structure, so a newer version not necessarily is able to connect to an old DB.

    Thread Starter udippel

    (@udippel)

    No, alas.

    rm -Rf *
    tar xfvz ../latest.tar.gz
    [Point browser to it: “There doesn’t seem to be a wp-config.php file. I need this before …”]
    [create new database with mysql]
    cp wp-config-sample.php wp-config.php
    vi wp-config.php
    [edit new database particulars]
    [Point browser to it:]
    *Blank*
    ‘View Source’: nothing

    What now ? Still no bug of 1.5.2 ? What then ?? What am I doing wrong ??

    Thread Starter udippel

    (@udippel)

    My last comment here:
    I set the mysql log and found that no query has been sent to the database.
    I ought to have checked before ! So it is nothing to do with the database.
    The very moment a wp-config.php exists, the whole thing craps out and displays blank or – if wp-config.php is a text file – that text file.

    Still no bug of 1.5.2 ?

    Usually I am not a great defender of WP developers. I have criticized them for many things. But in this case I have to say it’s not a bug. Otherwise all these people would have been crying out loud, don’t you think?

    And as a last note: I don’t understand a word of all those code lines you put in your post… because you don’t need any of them to make WP install.

    Moderator James Huff

    (@macmanx)

    As a security precaution, the wp-config.php file should appear blank in a browser. Otherwise all these people would have been crying out loud about their WP installations being easily hacked into. Ultimately, it sounds like you are not correctly following the installation instructions. Please be sure that you are following the installation instructions exactly and to-the-letter.

    Thread Starter udippel

    (@udippel)

    Look, don’t scold me for *some* ability to use shell commands. Otherwise I couldn’t be admin.
    And don’t make me angry with “because you don’t need any of them”. I do need these for wordpress, because unfortunately it doesn’t support multi-blog.

    Now, here is the solution: The file that I downloaded yesterday:
    ls -l latest.tar.gz
    187996 Oct 21 19:54
    The one that I downloaded today:
    ls -l latest.tar.gz
    298514 Oct 22 16:59

    Believe me or not (I keep the one !) the file of yesterday un-tars without problems. So I didn’t expect anything wrong with the archive.

    Meaning, at one moment yesterday there was an incomplete archive in the download area.
    My only explanation. My fault: I ought to have thought of downloading another time.

    Thanks for all the pointers and help, nevertheless ! I appreciate your quick reactions and efforts to get things solved !

    Uwe

Viewing 11 replies - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)
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