XF 1.4 Cannot Install (data + internal_data cannot write)

[Deleted member 80444]

I've installed Xenforo a few times in the past, I'm stuck though, I can't figure this dumb problem out.

Trying to install, get the "data and internal_data must be writable."
http://take.ms/SjHcb
They are...
http://take.ms/ecqbu

I've deleted the files and re-uploaded about 6 times now, and I've even tried to install version 3.1 just to test it. Same issue.

I'm changing the permissions recursively, I've tried remaking the data and internal_data folder, I've restarted the server and associated services, over and over, 50 different ways to test everything.
This should be such a simple fix, by just changing the permissions, and it's not working.

Now what?
Any help please is appreciated!

I am trying to install on Centos 7 x64

 

[Deleted member 80444]

I've even tried making the entire xenforo directory 777, makes no difference.

 

[Martok]

So your installing the site into a folder called X in your root?

Are you sure you have set the correct path(s) in the install steps?

 

[Deleted member 80444]

So your installing the site into a folder called X in your root?

Are you sure you have set the correct path(s) in the install steps?

I can leave it named 'upload' if that is really crucial to it.

I don't want it as my main page, so I put it in a sub-directory to my html directory.

http://take.ms/iGglH
http://take.ms/SYlcz

Are you sure you have set the correct path(s) in the install steps?

Yes.

 

[Deleted member 80444]

In the mean time I'm checking every possible source for info on this issue. I have a feeling it's a simple goofy mistake I'm making, but it's not obvious to me.

 

[Paul B]

It's unlikely but it could be an ownership issue, so you can try chown'ing too.

Typically though, it's just a case of uploading the files and chmod'ing the two directories.

 

[Deleted member 80444]

It's unlikely but it could be an ownership issue, so you can try chown'ing too.

Typically though, it's just a case of uploading the files and chmod'ing the two directories.

Thanks for replying Brogan,

I've tried chown'ing them to myself (non-root user with root access), and I've tried setting them to root as well to see if that would help.
Neither made a difference.

 

[Deleted member 80444]

Could it be like a permission issue with another part of the server? Like Apache?
Might be non-xenforo related, but just trying to brainstorm other possible hangups.

 

[Paul B]

It has to be something to do with the server set up, but I'm not entirely sure what.

 

[Deleted member 80444]

It has to be something to do with the server set up, but I'm not entirely sure what.

I will say that in the past, I've always used Centos 6, and this is the first time I'm using Centos 7 for a web server.
I'm hosting my website in /var/www/html
I'm trying to host Xenforo in /var/www/html/Xenforo

So currently I'm uploading directly to /var/www/html and seeing if that makes a difference being in a directory back.
I expect this to make no difference, but worth a shot.

Edit: Same error

 

[Mike]

It's probably SELinux related. Totally baffled as to why you'd be installing XF 1.3.1 though...

 

[Robust]

There's literally a 99% chance of it being the following, already mentioned by @Brogan and @Mike respectively:

• chown the files to the web user, not your user, not root, to the web process user
• Disable or correctly configure (just disable tbh) SELinux

 

[Deleted member 80444]

It's probably SELinux related. Totally baffled as to why you'd be installing XF 1.3.1 though...

Well I was going to do 1.4, was having issues, thought I'd test with 1.3 to see if different. Just trying to narrow down the problem.
I even tried installing myBB and it gave me similar errors, it was unable to write on specific folders.

There's literally a 99% chance of it being the following, already mentioned by @Brogan and @Mike respectively:

• chown the files to the web user, not your user, not root, to the web process user
• Disable or correctly configure (just disable tbh) SELinux

Ok this is where I'm a tad bit less knowledgable, I've tried setting it to the web user, and it says user doesn't exist. So do I need to make a web user? Then give it some permissions or just leave it at that? This is most likely my hang-up.

 

[Robust]

Well I was going to do 1.4, was having issues, thought I'd test with 1.3 to see if different. Just trying to narrow down the problem.
I even tried installing myBB and it gave me similar errors, it was unable to write on specific folders.


Ok this is where I'm a tad bit less knowledgable, I've tried setting it to the web user, and it says user doesn't exist. So do I need to make a web user? Then give it some permissions or just leave it at that? This is most likely my hang-up.

Then you don't know your web user. Some common names to try:

• www-data
• nginx
• http
• apache/apache2

If none, what's your web server? Refer to your configs for the right username.

chown -R user:group(user) path
e.g. chown -R nginx:nginx /var/www/html

 

[Chris D]

Well before diving into all that, is SELinux enabled?

 

[Deleted member 80444]

Then you don't know your web user. Some common names to try:

• www-data
• nginx
• http
• apache/apache2

If none, what's your web server? Refer to your configs for the right username.

chown -R user:group(user) path
e.g. chown -R nginx:nginx /var/www/html

So I have since...
- Wiped the server and started over
- Discovered 'apache' is my user thanks to your comment
- Set apache as the owner and group of my /var/www/html directory
- Ensured data & internal_data have full permissions (777)

Status - Same exact state. Website loads fine, Xenforo claims it cannot access data and internal_data.

Well before diving into all that, is SELinux enabled?

I've never setup or needed to setup SELinux during my previous Xenforo installations.
I can look into it if needed, sounds like it may be.

 

[Deleted member 80444]

Well before diving into all that, is SELinux enabled?

I was able to figure it out with this, you give me insight to where I needed to look!

So SELinux was enabled, and was actually getting in the way of what was going on.
Here's what I did to fix it...

I already had set apache as the owner and the group of the directories.
Then I allowed SELinux to serve files off Apache

sudo chcon -t httpd_sys_content_t /var/www/html/Forums/ -R

Then I allowed writing to specific directories that it needed to.

sudo chcon -t httpd_sys_rw_content_t /var/www/html/Forums/data -R
sudo chcon -t httpd_sys_rw_content_t /var/www/html/Forums/internal_data -R

Thanks for your help on this guys, wouldn't have found a fix as quickly without ya!
Currently installing Xenforo, no issues

 

[Paul B]

I was able to figure it out with this, you give me insight to where I needed to look!

Mike actually mentioned that here: https://xenforo.com/community/threa...ternal_data-cannot-write.109507/#post-1015398

 

[Deleted member 80444]

You were all kinda hinting at that and I wasn't paying the best attention, was trying to stick to troubleshooting stuff I knew I guess
Glad I took the time to come to you guys though, worth every penny!