MyBB Community Forums

I just downloaded v1.1.7 and read the install docs...

These instructions can't be right...

Chmod the following files to 666 (ie, make sure that PHP can write to them).

./inc/settings.php
./inc/config.php
./uploads
./uploads/avatars

Note: for extra security you can chmod config.php back to 755, but make sure you leave settings.php writable.

Should be:

Chmod 755

./uploads
./uploads/avatars

Note: for extra security you can chmod config.php back to 755,

Should be:

Note: for extra security you "must" chmod config.php back to 644,

Or am I missing something... ??

It depends entirely on your server configuration.

Sometimes Apache isn't configured to run (suexec) as the user who owns the site, but runs as a generic user of the system (in most circumstances - and by default). If Apache doesn't run as the same user who uploaded the files, 755 won't allow the file to be written to.

For this reason we specify the most universal and "working" chmod setting instead of letting users try to guess.

Thanks...

Technically the folders (upload and upload/avatars) need to usually be CHMOD 777 to work right, not 666

Most servers that today see CHMOD 777 during install as a security risk. Hence the 404 - 500 errors, and a log file report something like this:

error: file is writable by others: (/home/etc/etc....................)

error: directory is writable by others: (/home/etc/etc...................)

Sure the folders can be changed to 777 after install... but not prior to. And in my experience don't need to be changed from 755 to function correctly for upload/download etc.

Config.php anly needs to be readable after install - and should be chmodded back to 644.

I think there's a mix-up here with linux su, chmod, chown and who has permissions to do what.... root / user etc.

That is, or should be controlled by the forum software and the Chmod settings fixed at at the server... 755 for folders, 666 rw files and 644 ro files.

Some folders on some servers may need to be chmod 777, but that's becoming pretty rare. As is my experience with perl/cgi and php.