How to solve: Drupal 6 installation stuck at database configuration

tags:

People reported me this particular problem, and recently I experienced it myself: during the Drupal 6 installation process in the 'Database configuration' step, you might get stuck. Upon entering the right database credentials, the page reloads and shows the Database configuration form again, without any error.

After some searching around, I found what was causing this behaviour: During the installation I renamed the file /sites/default/default.settings.php to /sites/default/settings.php.

However, Drupal expects you to make a copy if this file, not rename it! So just make a copy of the default.settings.php file, and name it settings.php. When these 2 files are available, your installation should run without any problems.

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Submitted by Sven on Sat, 29/11/2008 - 11:29 24 comments

Thx!

Submitted by Bart on Wed, 10/12/2008 - 16:15.

I ran into exactly the same problem and your solution did work. Thanks a lot!

exactly what i was looking ...great answer

Submitted by Gautam on Tue, 16/12/2008 - 13:24.

thanks for this...i was tired to googling for this...but i found answer here....thanks

Thank you! this is noted in

Submitted by Tongboy on Fri, 19/12/2008 - 19:21.

Thank you! this is noted in the drupal install as the correct process but isn't described as necessary - you saved my day!

Thanks! Have been searching

Submitted by Kristof on Fri, 09/01/2009 - 23:36.

Thanks! Have been searching for this one.

That Helped a Lot!

Submitted by Trevor R on Wed, 14/01/2009 - 05:32.

Thanks. I had some trouble setting Drupal 6.x on my localhost. Again, thank you.

thanks for this...i was tired

Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 17/02/2009 - 16:58.

thanks for this...i was tired to googling for this...but i found answer here....thanks

Argh

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 25/02/2009 - 21:44.

Thanks for the reminder! This happened to me last time I installed Drupal too...

Thanks! Have been searching

Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 17/03/2009 - 17:27.

Thanks! Have been searching for this one.

An Additional Important Note

Submitted by aliasghar on Tue, 17/03/2009 - 19:33.

First thanks for the solution. almost everybody installs drupal in "default" directory. as you know you can run multiple domains by just a drupal instalation, using directories named to that domains in the directory "sites".
if you want to run "somesite.com" and you rename "default" directory instead of copying it, you will face the same problem as renaming "default.settings.php" instead of copying it.

in brief:
do NOT rename "default" directory and "default.settings.php" file.

Thank you very much, this

Submitted by theamoeba on Sun, 22/03/2009 - 18:14.

Thank you very much, this fixed my issue. it seems to affect drupal 7 as well.

Thanks! Have been searching

Submitted by Frenzy on Fri, 27/03/2009 - 14:55.

Thanks! Have been searching for this one.

god bless you!

Submitted by animacion de fiestas on Sat, 28/03/2009 - 23:40.

You provided the solution i was looking for!

Thanks.

thx

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 16/04/2009 - 08:34.

thx

This is gold. tHANKS

Submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 16/05/2009 - 18:31.

This is gold. tHANKS

Very interesting, i like this

Submitted by odżywki on Fri, 22/01/2010 - 10:52.

Very interesting, i like this website.

That simple

Submitted by Joe on Mon, 25/05/2009 - 07:10.

Thank you! Been looking at my server configuration as I thought that there was an error there, but it is a simple mistake which in my opinion should give users a warning such as "default.settings.php required to continue install" as well as keeping the information entered in the form.

Thanks again.

great tip....

Submitted by Andres on Mon, 08/06/2009 - 23:18.

It got me through the installation since i'm new to this CMS I appreciate people that share experiences for everyone, teach a man to fish right :)

happy coding!!

Guy