vbulletin 5 fresh new install getting http 500 server error on running install script

[Maltair]

I used text editor to change the htaccess to .htaccess
I renamed config.php.bkp in the root to config.php
I renamed config.php.new to config.php
and I entered the dbname, technical email address , master db username and PW.

Uoploaded all files via Cyberduck to a folder called /forums , and I see them all there

But when I try to run the installer script
http://www.mywebsite.com/forums/core...ll/install.php

I get an http 500 server error, or just a blank page depending on the browser:

This page isn’t working

www.mywebsite.com is currently unable to handle this request.

HTTP ERROR 500


This is installed on a VPS where I have another vb5 forum running fine.

[Wayne Luke]

You would have to determine what the 500 server errors by reviewing your Apache Access and Error Logs along with the PHP Error Log.

[Maltair]

12-Aug-2017 03:29:26 UTC] PHP Fatal error: Allowed memory size of 268435456 bytes exhausted (tried to allocate 20480 bytes) in /home/__________/public_html/____________.com/forums/core/vb/database.phpon line 1263

So I went to
WHM > MutiPHP INI editor > Change the memory_limit
and increased it slightly
memory_limit
from 256M to 300M

but got the same http 500 on trying to run the installer script.

With mem increased to 300M still got:

[12-Aug-2017 03:45:38 UTC] PHP Notice: Undefined variable: mysqlversion in /home/______/public_html/_________.com/forums/core/vb/database.phpon line 1259
[12-Aug-2017 03:45:38 UTC] PHP Notice: Undefined variable: vboptions in /home/________/public_html/_________.com/forums/core/vb/database.phpon line 1262


Tried a few more times, each time more or less same thing:

[12-Aug-2017 03:44:18 UTC] PHP Notice: Undefined variable: mysqlversion in /home/________/public_html/_________.com/forums/core/vb/database.phpon line 1259
[12-Aug-2017 03:44:18 UTC] PHP Notice: Undefined variable: vboptions in /home/________/public_html/___________.com/forums/core/vb/database.phpon line 1262
[12-Aug-2017 03:45:38 UTC] PHP Fatal error: Allowed memory size of 524288000 bytes exhausted (tried to allocate 20480 bytes) in /home/________/public_html/___________.com/forums/core/vb/database.phpon line 1119

We saw no issues errors in Apache Access, only the above.

[Wayne Luke]

What version of PHP and MySQL?

[Maltair]

PHP 7.1.8 mySQL 5.6 That is as high on mySQL as I can go without getting the Maria DB.

I have a vb4 and a vb5 forum running just fine on this same VPS (within the same public_html).

And, the website that is inside the root directory where this /forums is located that will not install, is running fine too.

[Maltair]

I deleted the entire contents of the /forums directory, reuploaded everything and changed
---> htaccess.txt to .htaccess
---> changed config.php.bkp in the root to config.php
---> config.php.new in core/includes to config.php and entered the correct dbname, technical email address , master db username and PW

Same http 500 error upon trying to run the install script.

This is a very strange situation, and unresolved.

[Maltair]

I solved it - somehow the database password was entered wrong, not in the config.php file, but in the cpanel mySQL database! On a lark I copy pasted the exact PW into the cpanel MySQL Databases again, and now install is running.

Install worked!

[Wayne Luke]

This error should have been reflected in the PHP Error Log. If you don't have PHP logging errors, you should enable that.