Uninstall Vanilla in order to Clean Install

JDW

After experiencing an utter dearth of replies to my original posting on this subject, I decided to follow the advice of another poster here an start a new discussion in hopes of getting a quick solution to this problem. For those of you wishing to read the entire saga, the relevant posts start here. Yes, I am also aware there is another discussion that is titled similar to this one, but for fear people would still not see my comments I felt compelled to start a totally new thread.


I started off by downloading Vanilla 1.1.2 using my Mac OS 10.4.8 machine. I then unzipped the archive to my computer's desktop. Next, I opened my FTP client Transmit 3.5.6 and created a new /forum2/ subdirectory (in my original install of Vanilla I had created a /forum/ directory on my server). I then copied all the files and folders from the "Vanilla-1.1.2" folder on my hard disk to the /forum2/ directory I just created with Transmit. I then pulled up the Installation & Setup Help web page in Safari. I then selected the "/forum2/conf" folder in Transmit and assigned 777 permissions to the folder and 777 to both files inside the conf folder -- all other files and folders have 755 permissions assigned by default, so I left those alone.

Up to this point, I did everything exactly as I had done in my original installation. But this time, I decided to use FireFox to run the installer script instead of Safari which I used last time (who knows if Safari was the cause of my trouble before). From Firefox 2.0.0.3, I typed my domain name followed by /forum2/. And just like the instructions say, it automatically pointed me to /forum2/setup/index.html -- the installation script. I then clicked the green text link "Click here to install..." which points to /forum2/setup/installer.php. It then shows me "Vanilla Installation Wizard (Step 1 of 3)," at which time I clicked the green "Click here to check your permissions..." link. Only a few seconds later I was presented with the "Vanilla Installation Wizard (Step 2 of 3)" page. Four mySQL fields were blank and waiting for my input.

According to the mySQL database setup page on my host Serverlogistics, my hostname is "localhost" and so I typed "localhost" inside the "MySQL Server" field in Firefox. My database name, as shown in this screen shot is "jdwages", so I typed "jdwages" in the "MySQL Database Name" field in Firefox. Content for the MySQL "User" and "Password" fields match my FTP login, so I typed that into those fields. Lastly, I clicked the green "Click here to create Vanilla's database..." text link.

In a few seconds, I was presented with the following error message overlaid on the "Vanilla Installation Wizard (Step 2 of 3)" page in Firefox:

"We came across some problems while setting up Vanilla...
It appears as though you've already got Vanilla installed. If you are attempting to upgrade your existing installation of Vanilla, you should be using the upgrade script."

Obviously, it didn't like the fact that I did not delete off my /forum/ folder with all my hard work in it. Sooooo, I proceeded to make an offserver backup of my /forum/ directory, after which I deleted that /forum/ directory in Transmit. I then went back to Firefox and clicked on the green "Click here to create Vanilla's database..." text link again. Same error again. I guess Vanilla was built to be installed ONLY ONCE! Ack!

Well, I then pulled up the Upgrader page. But it clearly says not to use it unless you are upgrading from 0.9.2.x, which I am not. And so, I am stuck.

Any help you Vanilla experts can offer would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

kimC

Is it possible to delete the database "jdwages"? If so, maybe it'll help if you delete it and make a brand new database before attempting a clean install?

Stash

Deleting /forum/ won't help you because the install script is looking in the database and noticing that Vanilla is already there. You will need to "drop" all the tables from your previous /forum/ installation of Vanilla before you can install it again. PHPMyAdmin will allow you to do this - check out http://pma.cihar.com/STABLE/ to have a muck around before using it on your server.

As I understand it, Vanilla is currently only designed to run once per database (I'm sure there are ways you can hack it differently of course).

JDW

Stash, thank you for the reply. But as I mentioned in the other thread and as is shown in my screen shot, there are no tables in my SQL database, nor have there ever! In other words, despite the successful completion of the Vanilla installation script (which I assigned to my "jdwages" mySQL database, which by the way has read/write access assigned to it), no tables were ever created. Hence, it is impossible for me to delete what does not exist. And this is why I am utterly confounded as to what is going on here. I am confounded at how to clear Vanilla off my server as nothing in my "jdwages" database exists. And yet, despite zero tables being in my database, and despite the fact I deleted off all those Vanilla forum files (and the forum directory itself), Vanilla still tells me an installation exists when I try to clean install it!

kimC, thanks for your suggestion. I wrote Serverlogistics this morning to ask for permissions to create a new database (I can do everything EXCEPT create new databases right now). But I still am waiting for a reply from them. Nevertheless, I still want to know how something can be stored in a database with zero tables!!! And clearly something is stored in it or else why would Vanilla tell me there is an existing Vanilla installation!

Dinoboff

JDW, if the forum installation was successful the first time, that your admin account has been created and that you can post on it, there is a DB that hold the vanilla tables. Vanilla can't work without them. it doesn't have a plan B.

If phpmyadmin show the db empty, phpmyadmin doesn't look at the same db or at the same MySql Server than Vanilla.

Tell your provider what' happening.

JDW

Dinoboff, thank you for the reply.

Please know that I did tell my provider (Serverlogistics) what's happening. They don't know what to think about Vanilla not saving files where it should, which led me back here to ask you folks for help. But many of you don't know either, so I'm ready to throw in the towel -- and it's not like I've not made a concerted effort to solve these problems myself either!

I have uploaded exact screen shots that clearly show you all what I am seeing. I have two databases: jdwages (the one I used to setup Vanilla) and another. As I've shown, jdwages has 0 tables in it. And I also uploaded a screen shot showing the tables in my other database. As you can see, there is no "LUM user" or other tables that I have been told that Vanilla should be creating. And so, with only two databases and neither of which having any Vanilla files in them (that my eyes can see), I am at a totally loss as to what to do.

I also performed a Search in phpMyAdmin using my database with tables (the database which I did not used to setup Vanilla). I search for keyword content that should have been stored in the database somewhere. I was sure to select all tables. The search resulted in 0 matches. This proves no data is stored in that database. And as to my jdwages database, since this has 0 tables, phpMyAdmin won't let me search it at all (obviously, because it's empty).

The only thing I can think to do is just create a new database and try that. I am waiting for my web host to give me permissions to create a database (and yes, I have all other permissions I need now to create tables and manage existing databases -- so that's the source of my problems here). But my worry is, even if I create a new database, will Vanilla keep telling me there is an existing installation linked to my jdwages database? If so, I have no idea what to do because, like I've said a thousand times now, there are NO TABLES in that database!

I feel like shedding tears at this point.

Dinoboff

You provider is telling lot of crap. Vanilla is connecting to the MySql server on localhost (if you are installing from your provider server, it is on its server and nowhere else) and with the user account that you tell it to use (the user and password that your provider gave you). If it is working, the tables are are somewhere on its server. If you can't see them, there is a problem with its MySql or phpmyadmin settings.

Here is how the installer connect to MySql server:$Connection = @mysql_connect($DBHost, $DBUser, $DBPass) ... mysql_select_db($DBName, $Connection) ... mysql_query($CurrentQuery, $Connection)
Here are the query:
http://lussumo.com/svn/vanilla/trunk/setup/mysql.sql

There is nothing special with it, that should just works.

JDW

Dinoboff,

Thank you for the specific information. I told that to my service provider (excluding your first sentence of course), and here is how they replied to me a few moments ago:

"I have no idea where that application would be storing any data other then the mysql database. I did check your database and did find that it was empty. You should probably contact the software developers to find out where else the application stores data so that you can delete it."

So basically my service provider has confirmed what I confirmed -- that no data from Vanilla exists in either of my two databases. And I would also conclude from my service provider's remarks that there is no other database belonging to someone other than myself on that same web server that Vanilla likely hacked into and stored its data in.

So what do you suggest at this point?

Thank you!

Mr Do

get a new service provider :/

y2kbg

i agree there is absolutely no way that it could be running witho0ut tables, and the only time vanilla ever says it is already installed is when it sees the tables.

sorry to ask this, but where are you running the install script from, directly from YOUR_DOMAIN.com/forum2/ ?

do you have a server set up on your home computer that you may accidentally be installing to?

JDW

y2kbg, thanks for the questions.

Yes, I am running it from mydomain.com/forum/

There's no chance I made an goof about where I uploaded the Vanilla files. You see, I am responsible for designing our websites at work and uploading them to the server (hosted on ServerLogistics). I use an FTP client all the time to access our web domain. I can 100% guarantee THAT is not the problem.

I have also used Serverlogistics for more than 3 years now and I must say that they are outstanding. They offer excellent support with virtually no server down time. I've contact support many times through the years and I've never had an issue that was not resolved to my satisfaction (save this one). But I cannot say whose fault it is. Because like I said, I concur with my web host provider in that I myself see no tables created by Vanilla in either of my databases. But you don't have to bash me or my provider about this. Just click on the screen shots I provided in this thread and see for yourself. Your eyes don't lie. Now after you've done that, you will be sitting in your chair thinking the same thing I am: okay, now where in the world did Vanilla save its tables? THAT is the question folks! Because if I cannot answer that, I cannot do a clean install of Vanilla. And if I cannot do that, then there is no hope of me getting Vanilla to work properly.

I must also state for the record that all my attempts to contact Mark have been in vain. He refused to reply to me in another thread, and he appears to be avoiding this topic altogether for some strange reason. To me, this is worrying. For indeed, even if I get past this problem, what if I have another that requires feedback from the developer? If there is developer apathy towards problems like mine (and certainly, I am not the lone Vanilla user with problems), then what future is there for Vanilla? Seriously, folks, these thoughts are weighing heavily on my mind now. I honestly do not know what to do, other than just go to another forum solution -- but given how easy it was for me (a novice to php) to install Vanilla, I would much rather find a solution to make it work rather than to have to pay somebody to setup another forum package for me (like phpBB).

Thanks

Dinoboff

Mark, is not avoiding the discussion. It just hasn't been much active the last few days.

Create a script with the following code:<?php $Connection = mysql_connect('localhost', 'yourDBuser', 'yourDBpassword'); mysql_select_db('jdwages', $Connection); $query = 'CREATE TABLE `test` ( `id` INT NOT NULL , `test` VARCHAR( 200 ) NOT NULL , PRIMARY KEY ( `id` ) );'; mysql_query($query, $Connection); ?>

Call it mysqltest.php.
Upload it to the vanilla folder.
Go to http://yourdomain.com/vanillafolder/mysqltest.php
then check in phpmyadmin that the table test as been created

dhdesign

JDW -

I just went and took a look at the plans that your webhost offers, and I have to say that, for what they charge, the limitations that they impose (i.e., only allow 1 MySQL database/charge $2 per month for an additional database, extra charges for additional domains/subdomains, limit number of mailing lists, limit mailbox sizes, etc.) are, for lack of a better term, unreasonable by today's webhosting standards. I have to agree with Mr. Do - you need to find another webhost that will allow you to do the things you are needing to do to install Vanilla and any other program that you want without having to submit support tickets for such simple things as creating a new database, etc.

I use A Small Orange as my webhost, and have successfully installed Vanilla there without having to submit the first support ticket to ask them to change anything on their server configuration or on my account. I get almost the same amount of space that SL's personal plan offers for half the price, great support, and no unreasonable limitations on the simple tools that I need to manage my websites.

NOTE: This is not a "plug" or advertising for my webhost - just an example of what else is available in the hosting industry that does work.

Stash

I would much rather find a solution to make it work rather than to have to pay somebody to setup another forum package for me (like phpBB).

Last time I looked Vanilla was provided free of charge by Mark, so he is probably away earning some money to live on right now - just a thought. Instead of paying someone to install phpBB, perhaps you could offer to pay Mark to install Vanilla? A lot of people are trying to help you with this, but unfortunately it just sounds like one of those completely "out-there" cases. Can you trust anyone enough to let them have access to your site, FTP and phpmyadmin? Perhaps someone sufficiently skilled enough would be willing to take a look and see if they can see anything amiss?

JDW

dhdesign, thank you for your input. I will give it some thought. But I must be honest that I am not in any position to make a move to a new host right now only because I cannot get a forum to work. Our company has lived without a forum until now, so we won't die tomorrow with a forum. But I am trying to make Vanilla work because a forum would be nice to have, lessening some of the email-only support load we have now.

Dinoboff! A thousand thanks for taking the time to code a php test file for me. I copied the text you provided and pasted in a new TextWrangler document. I then saved the file as "mysqltest.php" and then uploaded it to my /forum directory (where all my Vanilla files are stored). But the problem is that my original install of Vanilla is no longer on my server and is saved as a backup on the local hard disk of my computer at work (I am typing this from home). The Vanilla files on my server right now were clean-installed yesterday. But like I said, I cannot get past that Vanilla installer script error which says it cannot proceed due to an existing installation of Vanilla. Nevertheless, I typed mydomain.com/forum/mysqltest.php in my web browser and it coughed up the following error lines:

Warning: mysql_connect(): Access denied for user 'yourDBuser'@'localhost' (using password: YES) in /home/xxx/yyy.com/forum/mysqltest.php on line 3
Warning: mysql_select_db(): supplied argument is not a valid MySQL-Link resource in /home/xxx/yyy.com/forum/mysqltest.php on line 4
Warning: mysql_query(): supplied argument is not a valid MySQL-Link resource in /home/xxx/yyy.com/forum/mysqltest.php on line 12

I assume this is due to my not having been able to run the Vanilla installer script a second time. But to be sure, I will need to delete off these Vanilla files and restore my original Vanilla install from my backup, then put your test php file in that directory and try again tomorrow (about 12 hours from now). I will let you know at that time what happens. Many thanks!


Stash, I will give some serious thought to your suggestions. But obviously, giving away access to my server is a big risk, even if I paid someone to do the job.

Dinoboff

Sorry, but you have tor replace myBDuser and myBDpassword with the one you use for the vanilla installation:<?php $Connection = mysql_connect('localhost', 'yourDBuser', 'yourDBpassword'); mysql_select_db('jdwages', $Connection); $query = 'CREATE TABLE `test` ( `id` INT NOT NULL , `test` VARCHAR( 200 ) NOT NULL , PRIMARY KEY ( `id` ) );'; mysql_query($query, $Connection); ?>

dhdesign

The reason that Dinoboff's file failed is that you didn't replace yourDBuser and yourDBpassword with the correct values.

Warning: mysql_connect(): Access denied for user 'yourDBuser'@'localhost' (using password: YES) in /home/xxx/yyy.com/forum/mysqltest.php on line 3
Warning: mysql_select_db(): supplied argument is not a valid MySQL-Link resource in /home/xxx/yyy.com/forum/mysqltest.php on line 4
Warning: mysql_query(): supplied argument is not a valid MySQL-Link resource in /home/xxx/yyy.com/forum/mysqltest.php on line 12

Change those, reupload the file and run it again. See if that makes a difference.

JDW

Dinoboff & dhdesign, thank you for pointing out my oversight. Per your advice, I just put my user name in place of "yourDBuser" and password in place of "yourDBpassword" in the php file and saved the copy on my server. I then pulled up that php page in my browser. This time, no errors -- just a blank page in my browser. I then pulled up my server control panel (phpMyAdmin) and had a look at my two MySQL databases. No changes from what I reported before: the "jdwages" database (which is linked to Vanilla) still has 0 tables in it, and my other database still has the same 16 tables in it.

Thoughts?

BTW, are those funny looking single-quotes in the php file correct? I am referring to the single quotes surrounding "id" and "test". They look like tiny backslash-quotes to me. Is that the way it should be, instead of normal vertical quote marks?

UPDATE: I have written to my web host (Serverlogistics) to hear what they have to say about this test file. Clearly, the file should be creating tables in my database but it isn't. And I would assume those odball single quotes are not the problem here. So I will report back tomorrow (in about 12 hours) after hearing from Serverlogistics. I'm signing off for tonight (evening here in Japan). Thanks again to all who have contributed thus far!

Stash

OT: JDW, that /home/xxx/yyy.com/forum/ is what should be in your attachments settings only with uploads on the end, like this:/home/xxx/yyy.com/forum/uploads/

Dinoboff

Yep, that's a correct mysql syntax.

You can show the script to your provider and tell them that the database that it created doesn't show up in phpmyadmin. They can't blame the script this time.

JDW

Vanilla friends! I am pleased to report that one huge obstacle is now out of the way. I spoke with my web host, Serverlogistics, on the phone about an hour ago. In our discussion it came out that my account had been moved from one server to another in the past and I was still using the old server data to login and access phpMyAdmin. The mySQL database names and login information was exactly the same for the new server as the old. And since the data on the old server had not been deleted, I was logging in only to see my jdwages database still blank after installing Vanilla! But now after logging into the new server, I am seeing all the tables that Vanilla has created in my jdwages database. I cannot tell you how relieved I was to see that! I'm still dancing for joy right now!

I would like to extend my sincere thanks to everyone who has contributed to helping solve this problem, and special thanks to Dinoboff for coding that php test file! (Yes, the "test" table was properly created!)

So after solving the database tables problem, I proceeded to drop (delete) all the Vanilla tables from my jdwages database. I then wiped my /forum/ directory and uploaded all the Vanilla files again. I then used Firefox 2 to run the Vanilla installation script. This time it worked perfectly (of course, because I finally was able to access the right server and delete off the tables first). I then logged in as an admin to my new Vanilla forum.

Sadly, the original problem I reported before still plagues me. Indeed, it was this problem that led me on my quest to perform a clean install of Vanilla. Namely, despite the fact I am logging in as an administrator, I cannot change the administrator role. For example, if I go to Settings > Roles & Permissions > Administrator (Edit) and then untick "Can view debug info" and click "Save," I then get the following error:

403
Forbidden
You don't have permission to access /forum/settings.php on this server.
Apache/1.3.33 Server at xxx.com Port 80

I then went to my FTP client and set 777 permissions on /forum/settings.php and tried to change the Admin settings again, but I get the same 403 error. And again, I did a completely clean install of Vanilla, with no extensions or other add-ons and no new discussion posts and no new members. This install was as clean as it gets, and I used Firefox (on a Mac) to run the installer script this time.

So would anyone have any suggestions on how to fix this?

UPDATE: I fixed the 403 error with a .htaccess hack. But I get an Internal Server Error when I try to restrict the security filter removal to only settings.php. Read more about that problem here.