Cant Install Fatal error: session_start()

Involved Joined: Feb 03, 2006 Posts: 269

Hey would some one be as kind to advise me on this error i get please

Here goes im installing a fresh version and i get this error when running /INSTALLATION/installSQL.php

Code:

Fatal error: session_start() [<a href='function.session-start'>function.session-start</a>]: Failed to initialize storage module: user (path: /tmp) in /clientdata/www/com/p/mysite.com/INSTALLATION/installSQL.php on line 2

im installing it onto

running

PHP Version 4.4.6
mysql = 5.0.30

Thanks
Ped

Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 2:00 pm

Me being a lad that cant sit still i did a manual install of the tables

the site is up but i cant see no graphics checks for login in

its set to $gfx_chk = 7;

GD is loaded too

any one have any info or help ?

Thanks

Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 2:21 pm

I spoke to soon ! lol

i turned the graphics check of to login into admin.php and i got the white screen of death, so i turned on error reporting and got this error, similar to the first one

Code:

Fatal error: session_start() [<a href='function.session-start'>function.session-start</a>]: Failed to initialize storage module: user (path: /tmp) in /clientdata/www/com/p/mysite.com/includes/gfx_check.php on line 106

i looked on lines 106 and its if(!isset($_SESSION)) { session_start(); }

Thx

Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 2:30 pm

I do not know all the technical details. I do know that there are options that a host has with regard to how sessions work with their PHP. You might want to read up on this in the PHP manual and write a simple program (you could probably copy one from the user contributed samples in the manual) and just see if a session starts successfully outside of a strictly PHPnuke context. It should but maybe your host has done something funky. PHPinfo will also give you information about your PHP settings.

Sorry I can't be more specific but checking out whether sessions work at all on your sessions does seem like a logical first step. If they do maybe we can look further at what's going on in Nuke.

Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 2:36 pm

if its any consolation it did have nuke platinum installed prior to me changing to RN

i wouldn't know where to start in how to test the sessions are working or not lol

Thanks for the fast reply btw much appriciated as i bang my head of the table !! lmao

registered · Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 2:41 pm

This should give you an idea if sessions are working. Straight from the manual of course.

Code:

<?php





session_start();





if (empty($_SESSION['count'])) {


   $_SESSION['count'] = 1;


} else {


   $_SESSION['count']++;


}


?>





<p>


Hello visitor, you have seen this page <?php echo $_SESSION['count']; ?> times.


</p>





<p>


To continue, <a href="nextpage.php?<?php echo htmlspecialchars(SID); ?>">click


here</a>.


</p>

Save as test.php and put it in the root and go go. I could write up something to return errors and what not but this will give us an idea.

Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 2:51 pm

Hi Floopy, ahh i mean Floppy...

u smart arse !

anyways i run the test.php and it failed on line 3

Code:

Fatal error: session_start() [<a href='function.session-start'>function.session-start</a>]: Failed to initialize storage module: user (path: /tmp) in /clientdata/www/com/p/mysite.com/test.php on line 3

he he

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2007 8:22 am

Then the host should be notified that there is a problem with sessions and see what the work around is.

If you can't get that fixed nuke is a waste of time. Essentially sessions are where a lot of security is contained. Even if you ignored that sessions aren't working and the security issue. Your going to see many more problems down the road.

I swear we talk as if we don't have our own site to do this on! Anyway I guess this is for others who might run into this issue.

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2007 8:29 am

thanks m8

ill get him to call host and see what they say

registered · Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2007 9:17 am

Its a host problem, I have seen this error alot. They have incorrectly setup your tmp folder. If they can't fix it I can give you a work around.

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2007 9:19 am

Thanks technocrat ill let you know what they say

Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 4:50 am

Well we got it working

the host said that our path to the tmp folder where it stored the sessions was incorrect... hence we had to add a line of code

where the error showed (make sure your error reporting is set to TRUE in config.php) it showed the following error:

Code:

Fatal error: session_start() [<a href='function.session-start'>function.session-start</a>]: Failed to initialize storage module: user (path: /tmp) in /clientdata/www/com/p/mysite.com/includes/gfx_check.php on line 106

so just above line 106 in includes/gfx_check.php we had to add

Code:




ini_set("session.save_handler", "files");


session_save_path ("/clientdata/www/com/p/mysite.com/tmp");

it worked and i was able to log into the admin area...

What might do my head in is wherever it calls saves the sessions we will have to add that code

here is the hosts page to the solution http://www.netregistry.com.au/customer-service/support/scripting/PHP/php_sessions.php

so they obviously know about it

registered · Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 6:45 am

Too bad they couldn't have fixed the issue at the server level. Odd.

Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 6:55 am

Hey montego long time no speak !

yeah i thought that myself but it works so im not complaining

Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 9:33 am

*sigh* Your host should have fixed that on their end not in the code. Just remember to fix it if you ever reload or upgrade.

Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 11:48 am

This issue affected my graphics check too, fixed now though, thanks to another thread on Ravens !

Posted: Fri Apr 27, 2007 1:24 am

Well after a few days of installing modules and extras i hadn't even moved or tried the forums..

Now here is the problem .. as stated above if the issue isn't fixed we would continue to run into problems later down the line, so right they are !

The problems are in the forums you can post massages, however so far though i have found that you cant

1) send PM on the board
2) select an avatar

I get the following error

Code:

Invalid Session. Please resubmit the form.

No other errors as to where i can apply the hosts fix this time so im at a loose end Sad

Im just updating this thread so others may/could benefit from it thats all !

Posted: Fri Apr 27, 2007 6:04 am

Actually, just search in the forums here for that exact error string and you will find your answer my friend. Wink

Posted: Fri Apr 27, 2007 6:42 am

I found the thread

http://www.ravenphpscripts.com/postx12160-0-0.html

in short i changed the Cookie settings in phpbb settings to :

Cookie domain: mysite.com
Cookie name: mysite

And its still not playing Crying or Very sad

Posted: Fri Apr 27, 2007 6:45 am

Your "Cookie domain" should be the same as your "Domain name" (way up above in the configuration page) I think. Then, your cookie name needs to be something unique.

Of course, you must also clear your browser cookies, close the browser, and open up a new browser to ensure that this takes place.

Posted: Fri Apr 27, 2007 6:55 am

Thanks Montego,

The Cookie Domain was the same as the Domain name ive renamed the cookie name to something unique and ill clear everything see how she goes...

Thanks matey