White screen with Error installing Joomla 3.10.12

[david0058]

As subject.

I have to install Joomla 3.10.12 on a virgin Ubuntu 22.04/Apache 2.4/PHP 8.0.3/MySQL 8.0.35 server, and while everything looks normal, when I extract the tarball into the document root and visit the server with a browser I get a white screen with the ubiquitous "Error" message ...

I can't see anything wrong, all permissions under docroot are www-data:www-data, all the usual modules are loaded in the web server, no errors in syslog, the MySQL error_log, the Apache error log or the PHP error log.

FPA output below - please remember that this is a virgin system, Joomla has never been installed on it, so most of the configuration will obviously be missing as it has never been set up

Any help appreciated,

David

Joomla! Instance :: Joomla! 3.10.12-Stable (Daraja) 8-July-2023
Joomla! Platform :: Joomla Platform 13.1.0-Stable (Curiosity) 24-Apr-2013
Joomla! Configured :: Not Found

Host Configuration :: OS: Linux | OS Version: 5.15.0-1030-aws | Technology: x86_64 | Web Server: Apache/2.4.52 (Ubuntu) | Encoding: gzip, deflate, br | System TMP Writable: Yes | Free Disk Space : 33.80 GiB |

PHP Configuration :: Version: 8.0.30 | PHP API: apache2handler | Session Path Writable: Yes | Display Errors: 0 | Error Reporting: 22527 | Log Errors To: | Last Known Error: | Register Globals: | Magic Quotes: | Safe Mode: | Allow url fopen: 1 | Open Base: | Uploads: 1 | Max. Upload Size: 2M | Max. POST Size: 8M | Max. Input Time: 60 | Max. Execution Time: 30 | Memory Limit: 128M

Database Configuration :: Database Credentials incomplete or not available Nothing to display.
Missing credentials detected: Connection Type missing | Database Name missing |MySQL Host missing | Table Prefix missing | Database Username missing | Database Password missing |User Privileges : Unknown

PHP Extensions :: Core (8.0.30) | date (8.0.30) | libxml (8.0.30) | openssl (8.0.30) | pcre (8.0.30) | zlib (8.0.30) | filter (8.0.30) | hash (8.0.30) | json (8.0.30) | Reflection (8.0.30) | SPL (8.0.30) | session (8.0.30) | standard (8.0.30) | sodium (8.0.30) | apache2handler (8.0.30) | mysqlnd (mysqlnd 8.0.30) | PDO (8.0.30) | xml (8.0.30) | bcmath (8.0.30) | calendar (8.0.30) | ctype (8.0.30) | curl (8.0.30) | dom (20031129) | mbstring (8.0.30) | FFI (8.0.30) | fileinfo (8.0.30) | ftp (8.0.30) | gd (8.0.30) | gettext (8.0.30) | gmp (8.0.30) | iconv (8.0.30) | imagick (3.7.0) | intl (8.0.30) | exif (8.0.30) | mcrypt (1.0.6) | mysqli (8.0.30) | pdo_mysql (8.0.30) | Phar (8.0.30) | posix (8.0.30) | readline (8.0.30) | shmop (8.0.30) | SimpleXML (8.0.30) | sockets (8.0.30) | sysvmsg (8.0.30) | sysvsem (8.0.30) | sysvshm (8.0.30) | tokenizer (8.0.30) | xmlreader (8.0.30) | xmlrpc (1.0.0RC3) | xmlwriter (8.0.30) | xsl (8.0.30) | zip (1.19.5) | Zend OPcache (8.0.30) | Zend Engine (4.0.30) |
Potential Missing Extensions ::
Disabled Functions :: pcntl_alarm | pcntl_fork | pcntl_waitpid | pcntl_wait | pcntl_wifexited | pcntl_wifstopped | pcntl_wifsignaled | pcntl_wifcontinued | pcntl_wexitstatus | pcntl_wtermsig | pcntl_wstopsig | pcntl_signal | pcntl_signal_get_handler | pcntl_signal_dispatch | pcntl_get_last_error | pcntl_strerror | pcntl_sigprocmask | pcntl_sigwaitinfo | pcntl_sigtimedwait | pcntl_exec | pcntl_getpriority | pcntl_setpriority | pcntl_async_signals | pcntl_unshare | |

Switch User Environment :: PHP CGI: No | Server SU: No | PHP SU: No | Potential Ownership Issues: Yes

Apache Modules :: core | mod_so | mod_watchdog | http_core | mod_log_config | mod_logio | mod_version | mod_unixd | mod_access_compat | mod_alias | mod_auth_basic | mod_authn_core | mod_authn_file | mod_authz_core | mod_authz_host | mod_authz_user | mod_autoindex | mod_deflate | mod_dir | mod_env | mod_filter | mod_headers | mod_mime | prefork | mod_negotiation | mod_php | mod_reqtimeout | mod_rewrite | mod_setenvif | mod_socache_shmcb | mod_ssl | mod_status | Apache/2.4.52 (Ubuntu) |
Potential Missing Modules :: mod_expires |

Core Folders :: images/ (755) | components/ (755) | modules/ (755) | plugins/ (755) | language/ (755) | templates/ (755) | cache/ (755) | logs/ (---) | tmp/ (755) | administrator/components/ (755) | administrator/modules/ (755) | administrator/language/ (755) | administrator/templates/ (755) | administrator/logs/ (755) |

Elevated Permissions (First 10) ::

Components :: Site ::
Core :: com_mailto (3.0.0) ? | com_wrapper (3.0.0) ? |
3rd Party::

Components :: Admin ::
Core :: com_config (3.0.0) ? | com_redirect (3.0.0) ? | com_users (3.0.0) ? | com_newsfeeds (3.0.0) ? | com_content (3.0.0) ? | com_fields (3.7.0) ? | com_actionlogs (3.9.0) ? | com_search (3.0.0) ? | com_ajax (3.2.0) ? | com_installer (3.0.0) ? | com_checkin (3.0.0) ? | com_admin (3.0.0) ? | com_menus (3.0.0) ? | com_media (3.0.0) ? | com_messages (3.0.0) ? | com_associations (3.7.0) ? | com_privacy (3.9.0) ? | com_plugins (3.0.0) ? | com_categories (3.0.0) ? | com_cpanel (3.0.0) ? | com_joomlaupdate (3.10.1) ? | com_login (3.0.0) ? | com_postinstall (3.2.0) ? | com_languages (3.0.0) ? | com_templates (3.0.0) ? | com_tags (3.1.0) ? | com_modules (3.0.0) ? | com_banners (3.0.0) ? | com_cache (3.0.0) ? | com_contenthistory (3.2.0) ? | com_finder (3.0.0) ? |
3rd Party::

Modules :: Site ::
Core :: mod_articles_category (3.0.0) ? | mod_login (3.0.0) ? | mod_banners (3.0.0) ? | mod_wrapper (3.0.0) ? | mod_languages (3.5.0) ? | mod_footer (3.0.0) ? | mod_search (3.0.0) ? | mod_random_image (3.0.0) ? | mod_articles_categories (3.0.0) ? | mod_articles_archive (3.0.0) ? | mod_related_items (3.0.0) ? | mod_whosonline (3.0.0) ? | mod_articles_popular (3.0.0) ? | mod_stats (3.0.0) ? | mod_custom (3.0.0) ? | mod_finder (3.0.0) ? | mod_tags_similar (3.1.0) ? | mod_breadcrumbs (3.0.0) ? | mod_syndicate (3.0.0) ? | mod_feed (3.0.0) ? | mod_users_latest (3.0.0) ? | mod_tags_popular (3.1.0) ? | mod_articles_news (3.0.0) ? | mod_articles_latest (3.0.0) ? | mod_menu (3.0.0) ? |
3rd Party::

Modules :: Admin ::
Core :: mod_privacy_dashboard (3.9.0) ? | mod_logged (3.0.0) ? | mod_login (3.0.0) ? | mod_version (3.0.0) ? | mod_popular (3.0.0) ? | mod_latest (3.0.0) ? | mod_quickicon (3.0.0) ? | mod_status (3.0.0) ? | mod_submenu (3.0.0) ? | mod_multilangstatus (3.0.0) ? | mod_stats_admin (3.0.0) ? | mod_custom (3.0.0) ? | mod_sampledata (3.8.0) ? | mod_toolbar (3.0.0) ? | mod_feed (3.0.0) ? | mod_latestactions (3.9.0) ? | mod_title (3.0.0) ? | mod_menu (3.0.0) ? |
3rd Party::

Libraries ::
Core ::
3rd Party::

Plugins ::
Core :: PLG_INSTALLER_URLINSTALLER (3.6.0) ? | plg_installer_packageinstaller (3.6.0) ? | PLG_INSTALLER_FOLDERINSTALLER (3.6.0) ? | plg_editors-xtd_article (3.0.0) ? | plg_editors-xtd_image (3.0.0) ? | plg_editors-xtd_menu (3.7.0) ? | plg_editors-xtd_module (3.5.0) ? | plg_editors-xtd_readmore (3.0.0) ? | plg_editors-xtd_fields (3.7.0) ? | plg_editors-xtd_pagebreak (3.0.0) ? | PLG_ACTIONLOG_JOOMLA (3.9.0) ? | plg_twofactorauth_yubikey (3.2.0) ? | plg_twofactorauth_totp (3.2.0) ? | plg_captcha_recaptcha_invisible (3. ? | plg_captcha_recaptcha (3.4.0) ? | plg_search_contacts (3.0.0) ? | plg_search_newsfeeds (3.0.0) ? | plg_search_tags (3.0.0) ? | plg_search_content (3.0.0) ? | plg_search_categories (3.0.0) ? | plg_privacy_consents (3.9.0) ? | plg_privacy_content (3.9.0) ? | plg_privacy_actionlogs (3.9.0) ? | plg_privacy_message (3.9.0) ? | plg_privacy_user (3.9.0) ? | plg_quickicon_eos310 (3.10.0) ? | plg_quickicon_privacycheck (3.9.0) ? | plg_quickicon_phpversioncheck (3.7.0) ? | plg_quickicon_joomlaupdate (3.0.0) ? | plg_quickicon_extensionupdate (3.0.0) ? | plg_fields_repeatable (3.9.0) ? | plg_fields_calendar (3.7.0) ? | plg_fields_sql (3.7.0) ? | plg_fields_usergrouplist (3.7.0) ? | plg_fields_media (3.7.0) ? | plg_fields_checkboxes (3.7.0) ? | plg_fields_textarea (3.7.0) ? | plg_fields_integer (3.7.0) ? | plg_fields_editor (3.7.0) ? | plg_fields_color (3.7.0) ? | plg_fields_list (3.7.0) ? | plg_fields_user (3.7.0) ? | plg_fields_imagelist (3.7.0) ? | plg_fields_url (3.7.0) ? | plg_fields_text (3.7.0) ? | plg_fields_radio (3.7.0) ? | plg_finder_contacts (3.0.0) ? | plg_finder_newsfeeds (3.0.0) ? | plg_finder_tags (3.0.0) ? | plg_finder_content (3.0.0) ? | plg_finder_categories (3.0.0) ? | plg_content_vote (3.0.0) ? | plg_content_fields (3.7.0) ? | plg_content_finder (3.0.0) ? | plg_content_loadmodule (3.0.0) ? | plg_content_joomla (3.0.0) ? | plg_content_emailcloak (3.0.0) ? | plg_content_pagenavigation (3.0.0) ? | plg_content_pagebreak (3.0.0) ? | plg_content_confirmconsent (3.9.0) ? | plg_extension_joomla (3.0.0) ? | plg_user_contactcreator (3.0.0) ? | plg_user_terms (3.9.0) ? | plg_user_profile (3.0.0) ? | plg_user_joomla (3.0.0) ? | plg_authentication_ldap (3.0.0) ? | plg_authentication_cookie (3.0.0) ? | plg_authentication_joomla (3.0.0) ? | plg_authentication_gmail (3.0.0) ? | plg_system_cache (3.0.0) ? | plg_system_log (3.0.0) ? | plg_system_languagecode (3.0.0) ? | plg_system_highlight (3.0.0) ? | plg_system_redirect (3.0.0) ? | plg_system_debug (3.0.0) ? | plg_system_fields (3.7.0) ? | plg_system_logout (3.0.0) ? | plg_system_stats (3.5.0) ? | plg_system_sef (3.0.0) ? | PLG_SYSTEM_ACTIONLOGS (3.9.0) ? | plg_system_remember (3.0.0) ? | plg_system_logrotation (3.9.0) ? | plg_system_languagefilter (3.0.0) ? | plg_system_sessiongc (3.8.6) ? | plg_system_p3p (3.0.0) ? | plg_system_privacyconsent (3.9.0) ? | plg_system_updatenotification (3.5.0) ? |
3rd Party:: plg_editors_codemirror (5.60.0) ? | plg_editors_tinymce (4.5.12) ? |

Templates :: Site :: beez3 (3.1.0) ? | protostar (1.0) ? |
Templates :: Admin :: hathor (3.0.0) ? | isis (1.0) ? |

[Nidzo2203]

You probably have your reasons for installing outdated Joomla version. Your server setup could be problem. Try with PHP 7.4 and MySQL 5

[david0058]

I do You're right that I need to be on J4, and I'm working on that but still have about a year's testing left to do before I can release my components on J4. Sadly I can't afford not to support current customers ... that's life unfortunately. My config until then will be J3.10.12, Apache 2.4, PHP 8.0.3, MySQL 8.0.35 which I've had live for most of the last year so it's a known good config in my particular context, albeit with the usual risks.

I found the problem - I needed to install PHP supprt for XML, so "apt-get install php8.0-xml" followed by an apache restart saved the day. Thought I'd report it here in case it helps anyone else.

Thanks for your help though,

David

[AMurray]

Enabling debug will more specifically identify the problem.

Is the FPA running in the correct folder, as the FPA says "Database details missing". fpa-en.php has to run from the same folder as Joomla is located.

Database Configuration :: Database Credentials incomplete or not available Nothing to display.
Missing credentials detected: Connection Type missing | Database Name missing |MySQL Host missing | Table Prefix missing | Database Username missing | Database Password missing |User Privileges : Unknown

Maybe the above is only due to the installation failing, therefore not creating the config file, I'm not sure.

I think a few PHP settings could cause issues, and should be amended:

Max. Upload Size: 2M | Max. POST Size: 8M | Max. Input Time: 60 | Max. Execution Time: 30 | Memory Limit: 128M

Max Post size increase to 32M
Max. Upload size increase to 32M
Memory Limit increase to 256M
Potential file ownership issue needs to be sorted.

[david0058]

No, none of this is relevant in this case.

To clarify for anyone with the problem: as I stated (a couple of times), this happened before Joomla had ever been installed on the server, literally after unzipping the Joomla package and hitting the site to install i.

1. Debug can't be enabled: there is no configuration.php at this point as it hasn't been created yet;
2. There are no database details in the FPA because these would have to be read from configuration.php (see previous);

The solution in my case was to install PHP XML support (php8.0-xml).

Cheers,

David