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Failed Modx Revo 2.2.4 install - need urgent advice ?

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    • 17 Posts
    SyrahViognier Reply #1, 11 years, 7 months ago
    Clean test install in separate folder on clients server.
    Files all uploaded using ftp.
    Navigate to 'setup' in Firefox and go through the new install process without error.
    At login page no errors. Setup folder deleted from server. But trapped at the manager login window. Enter the correct Username and Password and I'm continually returned to the manager login window. Have followed the instructions from the forum thread which suggested removing three lines from the database and deleting the config file from the cache. Plus editing the .htaccess file and adding a line at the beginning. None of these worked. Launch the site and I get a blank white screen with nothing in between the <body></body> tags. Navigate to manager and the manager login screen is perfect.
    I checked the errors in the Firebug and they were all css errors. Except the following two:

    134805535900 Sync.Engine.Forms WARN GUID query returned undefined; turn on Trace logging for details.

    1348505535900 Sync.Tracker.Forms WARN Attempted to add undefined ID to tracker.

    The install is on a DiscountAsp.net server : windows ISS.

    Please can someone give me some pointers - very urgently need a fix huh

    Thanks in advance.
    • Frogabog Reply #2, 11 years, 7 months ago
      Upload the MODX zip file to the server. Unpack it ON the server itself, then re-install. (or start over from scratch and install from this process again) FTP is known for missing or corrupting the files if it's unpacked on your machine first.

      It's possible the server is also having issues with the compress_css and compress_js being set to "on". You can turn both of these settings off in the system_settings table in the database if you can't access the manager.

      If you still have issues, check back here.
        Frogabog- MODX Websites in Portland Oregon
        "Do yourself a favor and get a copy of "MODX - The Official Guide" by Bob Ray. Read it.
        Having server issues? These guys have MODX Hosting perfected - SkyToaster
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        SyrahViognier Reply #3, 11 years, 7 months ago
        Hi Frogabog thanks for getting back.

        Firstly, the server hosts don't allow zip or unzip on the servers. So can't unpack on the server as you suggested. However, I have followed all the other tips I can find (Bob's guide) including checking that the compress_css and compress_js lines in the database are set to 0 (they already were). I even tried setting the password in the table to blank as suggested in Bob's guides. But it refused to give me acces this time saying that I was using the wrong password - wish I'd kept a record of the scrambled password so i could paste it back - will have to fresh install now. Oh well…

        One thing which is different to any other installs I've done. At the end of the install having selected 'login' I'm obliged to fill in an additional server login before I get to the manager login. It happens each time you go to manager. Could this be the culprit ?

        Otherwise I'm now lost.

        Anyone any further suggestions ?

        Cheers in advance !
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          BobRay Reply #4, 11 years, 7 months ago
          It's a bad host that doesn't include compress and decompress in the cPanel File Manager.

          The addition server login sugests that there is password protection in the .htaccess file in either the root or Manager folders. Friendly URLs are off by default in a new install, so you shouldn't need an .htaccess file at first (unless your host requires it for some reason). You could try renaming the .htaccess file.


          ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          PLEASE, PLEASE specify the version of MODX you are using.
          MODX info for everyone: http://bobsguides.com/modx.html
            Did I help you? Buy me a beer
            Get my Book: MODX:The Official Guide
            MODX info for everyone: http://bobsguides.com/modx.html
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            SyrahViognier Reply #5, 11 years, 7 months ago
            Hi BobRay (and thanks for the Modx book by the way - fantastic resource!)

            Yeah - not wild about the host but its not my choice sad

            Meanwhile, I have already renamed the .htaccess file in the install file to ht.access. No change (and thus changed it back). Also, I've searched (with 'show hidden files') for an .htaccess file in the main site folder but don't see one ?

            Meanwhile, I'm about to try yet another upload of Modx files and fresh install using a fresh db.

            Any further thoughts greatly appreciated !

            Cheers in advance.
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              SyrahViognier Reply #6, 11 years, 7 months ago
              With the client's permission I did a 5th clean install directly into the main site folder (not a sub folder) this time. Install went fine with no errors. This time I do get past the manager login but no resources are visible/available. Does this shed any further light for anyone as to what the problem may be ? I've opened the web.config file on the server and turned 'authetication' from 'windows' to 'none' and 'debug' to 'false'. But I did this before and it made no difference to the installation so I'm pretty sure that's not it.

              My next step has to be to advise the client to move hosts OR I have to rebuild the site in Wordpress (which is enables on this server as a prebuilt package by the look of it).

              Any further thoughts – going crazy sad

              Thanks in advance for any help.
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                SyrahViognier Reply #7, 11 years, 7 months ago
                One more thing : when I log into manager I get an error notice from the IIS server which says :
                The page cannot be found, etc, etc : HTTP Error 404 - File or directory not found.

                And yes, js-compress and css-compress are set to '0' and I cleared the cache folder, logged out of Firefox which has history and cache and history cleared on close and relaunched Firefox. back to same error. Did an upgrade without error and log in to manager : same issues.

                I really like Modx, really I do. But this is beginning to sour my experience.

                Thanks for any help in advance ?
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                  SyrahViognier Reply #8, 11 years, 7 months ago
                  Whilst none of the screens during the install process register any errors clearly there are some. So after all of the above I checked in the logs file in the core/cache/. See attached.

                  Does this shed any light on the problem - sorry but I'm now out of my depth.

                  Thanks for any help in advance.
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                    BobRay Reply #9, 11 years, 7 months ago
                    IIS sometimes requires special consideration. There's an IIS forum section here and you might have better success asking your question there. I know almost nothing about IIS, but it looks like you might be having a problem with the way sessions are set up -- possibly permissions on the session folder.

                    See if anything here helps: http://forums.modx.com/thread/17122/problem-with-modx-installation ( the links in that thread).


                    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    PLEASE, PLEASE specify the version of MODX you are using.
                    MODX info for everyone: http://bobsguides.com/modx.html
                      Did I help you? Buy me a beer
                      Get my Book: MODX:The Official Guide
                      MODX info for everyone: http://bobsguides.com/modx.html
                      My MODX Extras
                      Bob's Guides is now hosted at A2 MODX Hosting
                      • 29110
                      • 17 Posts
                      SyrahViognier Reply #10, 11 years, 7 months ago
                      Thanks for your help BobRay.

                      After discussing the issues with my client they have agreed to move to a different host.

                      The lesson I've learned from this is always to test install an application on a client's server before building for them in that application.