[NOT a CMS issue - Solved] Installing on Windows IIS server; permissions problem

[heatherfeuer]

I am going to do my best to make my problem clear and I hope it will not be considered off-topic or not a CMSms issue.

I have developed a website for a client.  He didn't make clear (and I doubt he even understands the differences and implications) that his hosting server is IIS.  I know very little about IIS, but I was able to add the database and get it populated through the install process.  I can also access the admin area but the public page (index.php) is blank.

In the admin area, all the modules are labeled like this:

Code: Select all

--Add Me - module:[ModuleName] string:friendlyname--

--Add Me - module:[ModuleName] string:friendlyname--
--Add Me - module:[ModuleName] string:moddescription--

When I go to the modules menu I get the following error message:

--Add Me - error -- The modules folder is not writable, if you would like to install modules by uploading an XML file you need to make the modules folder have full read/write/execute permissions (chmod 777). Safe mode may also be in effect. (Troubleshooting)

In actual fact I have been able to change the permissions on the modules folder and all subfolders to the IIS equivalent of 777.  When installing, I got a yellow light for session-save path not being writable and I did find a possible fix on the forum that sets the session_save path at the top of the include.php file but that just "broke" the site when I tried it.  I do not have access to the actual php sessions_save path on the web server.

This is a shared hosting account and I do not know which version of IIS at this time.  I have had difficulty with the customer support system for this web host (perhaps because I am not the site owner).

Any help would be greatly appreciated even if it's only to direct me to a better website to get the help I need.

Thanks!

[LeaUK]

Hi

Well, I happen to be a web host and have CMSms running without problem on IIS 6 (Windows Server 2003), so maybe I can help.  Having said that I'm no expert so you may have to bear with me.

OK, first thing's first, does your web host offer a Control Panel?  If so which; Plesk/C-Panel/Helm?  I ask as this is the only way web hosts will allow you to control file permissions on Windows servers - otherwise they will do it on your behalf (read delay and error prone).

Ref: http://wiki.cmsmadesimple.org/index.php ... ck_Install

Secondly, using the Control Panel we must ensure the file/folder permissions for the user account ISR_ for the following folders and all sub folders has been carried out:

tmp
uploads 
modules

you need "read, write + modify" permissions, leave 'full' unchecked.  These are Windows equivalent to chmod 777.

In fact I have another post here asking how to transpose this to chmod 755 but have yet to receive a reply

Then your CMSms install will pass with flying colours.

OK, onto session.save_path

My PHP test file (running on IIS) indicates: session.save_path C:\WINDOWS\Temp C:\WINDOWS\Temp
but I've checked the permissions on this folder and ISR_doesn't have any access permissions and my CMSms is fine.

So I suspect it's simply your 'modules' folder/sub folders missing the correct permissions.

Let me know how you get on.

Lea

[heatherfeuer]

Lea,

Thank you so much for the reply.  The hosting service is not mine but a client's.  I'm not sure which control panel it is, but the title bar shows "PEM."  I am a web host too, but I have a Linux server.  My development server is on my local Windows XP Pro box, but I have the Apache, Perl, PHP, MySql combo.

The permissions are defined as:
Anonymous Web user     
Application pool identity account     
Authenticated FTP user

with Read Write Execute allow/deny.  I filled in all the boxes for "allow" in all user types, however, CMSms kept saying that the modules folder was NOT writable!  No matter how many times I tried.  And I keep getting those "Add me--" instead of the correct language as if it couldn't find the language files or something.

At any rate, I gave up since I was spending way more time than the client was paying me for.  His site is up, but it's a basic html site.  I spoke with him today and he said the hosting company pressured him to "upgrade" to the Windows server telling him that the Linux server was "outdated."  For anyone who is interested, the hosting company's name starts with 000.  He is going to call them and asked to have his site migrated to the less expensive Linux server.  And he's already told me that when his time is up with them he's going to switch to me -- better customer service and all that...    IF and when that happens he'll get his cms.

Whenever I run into any problems working with Windows (or just Internet Explorer), I will tell my husband "Do you have any idea how MUCH I despise ???"  His response is always "and this surprises you?"  I'm going to wait until my client talks to his host before I do anything further.

Thanks!

[LeaUK]

Hi Heather

Sorry for the time to reply, I got caught up in another forum!

When you set the permissions make sure to propagate these downwards, I suspect the PEM control panel does this automatically when you select the top-level folder and change the permissions; but to check select a file below and view it's permissions - they should match!

I generally tackle permission problem issues by similarly setting everything except 'full' then begin removing them slowly and checking when/if things begin to break.

Anyway, I guess you have given up and I too appreciate that time is money and it's these 'little' annoyances that can consume. 

BTW - if you ever need bulk UK Windows hosting then just shout

Lea

[heatherfeuer]

Lea,

I did give up but then the client emailed me asking if I could describe the problem for him.  Apparently, he was unable to contact 000 support by phone so he was going to email them.  In order to clearly remember the problems, I reinstalled CMSms... and it worked!  At least I didn't get those funny "add me" labels for all the modules.  But I did have partly the same problem.

When I was exploring reasons for these problems during the first install, I discovered that while php was installed and available, the .php extension was not being recognized.  I actually had to add the mime type (fortunately that was easy to do) and then add index.php to the default documents list and make sure it was the first one in the list.  I think it's possible that this time the install went more smoothly because I had left that in place.

With this install, I think I had fewer problems because the mime type was already there.  However, when I try to access any of the installed modules (like file manager), I can't access the actual contents of the modules.  For instance, with the File Manager, I can click on the three tabs, but the only tab of the three that shows all the options is the file upload tab, but I can only upload to the root directory since I can't see any of the file structure in the first tab.  (I know that sounds confusing...)

I am certain now that the problem is NOT CMSms, but the OS of the web server and possibly the permissions for the module directory.  I sent an email to the client describing what to say to the host.  We shall see what happens.

[LeaUK]

good work detective...