We launched new forums in March 2019—join us there. In a hurry for help with your website? Get Help Now!
MODX Community Forums Archive

Answered Migrating to new Server

    • 50045
    • 7 Posts
    LEXmono Reply #1, 9 years, 1 month ago
    I am currently trying to migrate ModX 2.1.3 From an Ubuntu 11.04 - CentOS 7 machine. I have the server up and running and database imported. If I place the existing files in the document root, I get the site to appear, but I am unable to get to the manager (500 errors). I tried removing the ModX files and reinstalling fresh and using the database but I am now getting PHP write permissions errors. 

    FATAL ERROR: MODX Setup cannot continue.

Make sure your /var/www/html/core/cache directory exists and is writable by the PHP process.


    Files have permissions as 664 and Directories as 775. I have even made everything 777. I have all files owned by apache:apache. Again the site worked when I just copied it over, but not on a fresh install.

    I have ensured the steps in the basic install were followed. 

    If you get a blank screen or cannot proceed after clicking 'Install', verify these steps:
Make sure the directories "/core/packages","/core/cache", "/core/import", and "/core/export" are writable.
Make sure your php.ini setting sets memory_limit to 128M, and max_execution_time to 120
Create a blank file "/core/config/config.inc.php" and make it writable. DO NOT COPY config.inc.tpl! Just make it a blank file!
Post a message in the Revolution forum regarding your issue. State your server setup and installation info, and we'll try and help you find a solution.


    Any insight? Nothing in my httpd error logs. Insight on the php permission error or the blank manager would be appreciated.

    This question has been answered by lexmono. See the first response.

    • Jason Sonderman Reply #2, 9 years, 1 month ago
      when you orginally copied the site, and the manager couldn't be found, did you check the config.core.php files in the manager, connectors and root level to make sure the core path was correct?

      Also, ensure the paths were updated in the config.inc.php?

      Finally, I always manually remove ALL the contents of the core/cache folder before I try to access anything on the new server via modx (running Clear Cache prior to migration doesn't always do the job).

      As for the new install, I am not sure on that one. Typically I run my PHP using FastCGI to account for the ownership issues that come up. Unless 2.1.3 still saves a hard-code Default MODX workspace in the modx_workspace table, not sure why the pathing issues are suspect, but it not finding the cache directory would indicate that the absolute path may be the issue.

      • Jason Sonderman Reply #3, 9 years, 1 month ago
        when you originally copied the site, and the manager couldn't be found, did you check the config.core.php files in the manager, connectors and root level to make sure the core path was correct?

        Also, ensure the paths were updated in the config.inc.php?

        Finally, I always manually remove ALL the contents of the core/cache folder before I try to access anything on the new server via modx (running Clear Cache prior to migration doesn't always do the job).

        As for the new install, I am not sure on that one. Typically I run my PHP using FastCGI to account for the ownership issues that come up. Unless 2.1.3 still saves a hard-code Default MODX workspace in the modx_workspace table, not sure why the pathing issues are suspect, but it not finding the cache directory would indicate that the absolute path may be the issue.

        • discuss.answer
          • 50045
          • 7 Posts
          LEXmono Reply #4, 9 years, 1 month ago
          Okay so I finally decided to stop looking at ModX itself and the server stack it was sitting on. Looks like CentOS comes with SELinux enabled and that was killing everything. Made the necessary adjustments and all is working!