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    • 19872
    • 1,078 Posts
    Attempting to install on Apache Server running PHP 5.3 with mySQL server version 5.0.96 (client version 5.0.77) and am getting stuck at the Create or test selection of your database.

    I get this error: "Checking database: MODX could not create your database. Please manually create your database and then try again."

    I did get to: "Connecting to database Server: Success! "

    -checking MySQL server version: OK! Running: 5.0.96-log
    -checking MySQL client version: OK! Running: 5.0.77

    utf8
    utf8_unicode_ci

    But then I get stuck on the next step: Create or test selection of your database.

    Has anyone else had this issue?
      • 19872
      • 1,078 Posts
      I think I figured it out by performing 2 steps.

      1. Changed the name of the ht.access file to .htaccess
      2. I was using my goDaddy "friendly" database name in the database name field. At go daddy, the user name and the database name are identical

      I have a feeling that it was the database name that was the culprit.

      .htaccess I know is not really needed until I'm ready for the friendly URLs. Which leads to another question/concern: Is converting that ht.access file that was initially loaded by MODx putting my system at risk if I've changed the filename to .htaccess?
        • 3749
        • 24,544 Posts
        I think you're right about it being the database name.

        The ht.access file is ignored by both the server and MODX, so what you did shouldn't cause any problems, though you might want to back up that file if you're going to change it, since you only have one copy. If you upgrade, you'll get a new ht.access file, but otherwise nothing should change.

        I think you'll have to turn on the Friendly URL system setting in order to see pages in the front end with the .htaccess file there.
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          • 28042 ☆ A M B ☆
          • 24,524 Posts
          MODx still works without friendly URLs enabled even with the .htaccess rename. All that does is rewrite the page URLs if the server doesn't find them; it finds the request for index.php?... just fine.
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            • 19872
            • 1,078 Posts
            Hi Bob:

            Three things:

            1. Is it a problem for now if the ht.access file put on the server with the MODx install now has the name of .htaccess? I mean, is there code in there that could allow anyone to wreak havoc on my site? I only understand a fraction of what I'm looking at in that file. When I did the friendly URL for the first time about a week ago, I actually created a .htaccess file and entered info that I had found here on the forum.

            2. Thank you very much for responding. There's only one thing I like more than MODx—and it's this forum. It's the best!

            3. I owe you a bread recipe! Honestly aside from being overwhelmingly busy, I am also highly highly self critical—and thus reluctant to turn loose of something that seems to be a continual work in progress. But, I do have a technique that I have settled into that works really well. I promise, to finish typing up my notes tomorrow and send it over to you once and for all.
              • 19872
              • 1,078 Posts
              Thanks for jumping in here Susan. Guess I'm not the only one working into the wee hours. I'll go through the steps of enabling the friendly URLs once I get further along. Tonight's goal was to get MODx install—little hiccup with the database name—and get my clients Flash site back online. Now, I can begin the new CMS Responsive site.

              Quote from: sottwell at Jun 18, 2013, 02:09 AM
              MODx still works without friendly URLs enabled even with the .htaccess rename. All that does is rewrite the page URLs if the server doesn't find them; it finds the request for index.php?... just fine.
                • 3749
                • 24,544 Posts
                Quote from: mmcgee at Jun 18, 2013, 02:16 AM
                Hi Bob:

                @Susan: Thanks. I've never tried that and I always assumed that it wouldn't work. Now that I think about it, it makes sense that it would.


                @mmcgee

                1. Is it a problem for now if the ht.access file put on the server with the MODx install now has the name of .htaccess? I mean, is there code in there that could allow anyone to wreak havoc on my site? I only understand a fraction of what I'm looking at in that file. When I did the friendly URL for the first time about a week ago, I actually created a .htaccess file and entered info that I had found here on the forum.

                Absolutely not. Many of us just rename the ht.access file to .htaccess to turn on Friendly URLs, so there's no vulnerability there at all.
                  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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                  Bob's Guides is now hosted at A2 MODX Hosting
                  • 44805
                  • 1 Posts
                  I am having this exact same problem except that it defaults to latin-1 character set although the database is utf8. Yet no matter whether or not I change it the error still comes up " "Checking database: MODX could not create your database. Please manually create your database and then try again."

                  AFAIK there is no way to manually create the database. I've checked it in the php admin and the database is empty so that's not the problem. I have also deleted the core/cache/setup directory and cleared my browser cookies and cache as the troubleshooter directed.

                  I've installed earlier versions of Revo with no problem and also have one Evolution site.
                    • 16899
                    • 284 Posts
                    Quote from: lindaj at Aug 16, 2013, 03:31 AM
                    I am having this exact same problem except that it defaults to latin-1 character set although the database is utf8. Yet no matter whether or not I change it the error still comes up " "Checking database: MODX could not create your database. Please manually create your database and then try again."

                    AFAIK there is no way to manually create the database. I've checked it in the php admin and the database is empty so that's not the problem. I have also deleted the core/cache/setup directory and cleared my browser cookies and cache as the troubleshooter directed.

                    I've installed earlier versions of Revo with no problem and also have one Evolution site.

                    I guess it should be something related to database user permissions!! Please check if the database user has all the permissions!!!
                      • 28042 ☆ A M B ☆
                      • 24,524 Posts
                      With CPanel and most other hosting control panels, you need to create a new database, and create a user for the database. You need to give that user appropriate permissions, including create permissions so it can create the tables.

                      Usually you then need to go into the supplied phpMyAdmin, use the Operations tool and change the default charset and collation to utf8.

                      The database name and the username quite often have default prefixes prepended to the names you specify; for example I might end up with something like sottwell_database. This isn't always obvious at first glance.
                        Studying MODX in the desert - http://sottwell.com
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                        Join the Slack Community - http://modx.org