Thanks everyone for your slightest concern.... people looked, but no reply. Upgrading should be a relatively easy process and it wasn't. :( Please see suggestion below.

There were problems with the installer hanging on my server with not working properly and on the host's server. Other issues came up too. Thankfully, the host jumped in to fix the problem. They shouldn't have to fix program bugs; it really isn't their job, but they did it. UnitedHosting is AMAZING and I would never change them for the world! They respond within 5-10 minutes to problems.

I do minimal database programming, and understand some coding functions. Unfortunately, the heavy-duty stuff I no longer remember because illness erased some memory, but it is coming back slowly. SOMEONE here should have helped, asked a specific question or pointed me to a post. There are a lot of complaints on this forum with upgrade issues and bugs; therefore, it isn't me being incompetent or just stupid.

It is a shame that this forum isn't the way it use to be. My disappointment is great. Since I've been gone I realize that there are some political issues that have been going on that affects everyone. I care, but this isn't my present issue and I don't have the time! The most important thing is to get the blog running properly, and I think, many people have lost their sight on what really matters.

The manual of instructions are poor. Perfect example is here:

Once you've uploaded all the files, you can set the permissions of certain key files using your ftp software. Assuming your b2evo is installed under /blogs, here's what you would need to change:

chmod 666 /blogs/conf/_basic_config.php (_config.php before version 1.8) - if you want the installer to be able to automatically update your config based on your input.
chmod 777 /blogs - to allow creation of blog stub files from the admin interface or to generate static pages for your blogs.
chmod 777 /blogs/media - in order to upload images and other media from b2evo's backoffice.
mkdir /blogs/media/blogs and then chmod 777 /blogs/media/blogs - to allow uploading files.
chmod 666 /blogs/skins/custom/*.* - if you want to use the template editor for the custom skin (you want to make sure the 'img' directory retains permissions of 755).

This one I was unable to find.... don't think it is a big deal.
mkdir /blogs/media/blogs

In the instructions, there are assumptions of location files... this is one example and I've encountered it before! I can't express how frustrating it is when things begin to go wrong and a person is frazzled with searching and searching through a sea of files. A note, the host had to change one CHMOD because it produced an error.

or what about these instructions....

Regular upgrade
Download the version you want to upgrade to (see above)
Unzip the distribution ZIP file
After unzipping, double click on the file b2evolution/index.html for quick upgrade instructions.

The regular upgrade procedure works for upgrading from any version of b2evolution to any more recent version. b2evolution's installer/upgrader will automatically detect which older version you are upgrading from.

Quick upgrade patches

No database upgrade is necessary if you only want to upgrade from a.b.x to a.b.y, for example, from 3.3.1 to 3.3.2. You can upgrade just by replacing a few files. Just make sure you properly update your /conf files.

Obviously, a patch wouldn't work and needed a fresh install. Well, the big joke was on me considering that I was upgrading from 2.4.2. I had planned on trying 3x to see how it goes for awhile then jump to the latest version with 4x. There was no installer in two 3x versions to upgrade me along with a lot of wasted time. Finally went with 4.0.5 and had problems with the installer and many other issues. I'm sorry but there is nothing 'quick' and easy about the install process.

There are programmers who are highly skilled; unfortunately, not everyone speaks your lingo and I feel it is taken for granted that the general populace should 'know' or remembers everything. May I suggest that a visual instruction manual on YouTube would be a good thing! Since there are fewer experts here a majority of "HELP" postings would be resolved. This person's instructions are flawless and concise. I used her to walk me through and it helped jar my memory on 'how to' before making my desperate posts that were [u]never answered[/u]. I had gotten a new computer so it was necessary to get new programs and start from scratch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hjooqdlkfA&feature=BFa&list=ULY4eURNBKvnM&lf=mfu_in_order

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IjEtqpD23I&feature=BFa&list=ULY4eURNBKvnM&lf=mfu_in_order

It would be really nice if b2evo provided a visual instruction manual, because there are gaps of info missing in the online manual.

I don't know if I'll continue with b2evo or wait several years to upgrade. My experience was horrible. I receive millions of hits on the blog without advertising and no income, and there are only volunteer bloggers. (Handling a biz with being ill wasn't possible.) There is power in freedom and I may seriously consider going to WP, LifeType or some other system. Since I'm feeling better, I may start generating advertising income with another blogger plus send in healthy donations for their support. Of course, there isn't a perfect platform to meet everyone's needs but the level of errors and problems that I encountered became a nightmare along with a lot of wasted time that could have been avoided! As I mentioned, I'm not stupid; I've had experience working with a lot of software programs (this is heavy database) and on occasion I'll design a website from scratch... Need I say more? Not only me, but UnitedHosting should have never gone through the problems that they did -- these guys are programmers and spent HOURS working on this! Let me put it another way..... if professionals are spending hours on something that is suppose to be 'quick and easy' what in the world makes you think that the average person who has no skills is suppose to do?

I hate to say, but in my opinion b2evo has truly lost its original focus with 'Create a need and serve the people'. I don't want to believe that the new motto is 'Create a need but beware disaster follows'....

Tosca
:-/

Docs and manual is worse than "poor".It has been, and it will be -it seems- sorry bout that.

Do not take anything in doc/manual too seriously, since it's probably outdated.

Regular upgrade procedure consists of nothing but uploading, and following the installer steps.You dont have to worry about the mumbo-jumbo it says.

Yes, I'm in agreement the manual is 'worse than poor'. It should be removed because all it did was cause more problems than necessary. As I had mentioned, I have not been well and had not been here in awhile. I was under the assumption that if blogs are being updated so is the manual. LOL - wrong! I was taken down a bad road.

Believe me, I know how to use the installer but there was a problem with it that I couldn't fix. Blogs and forums use the same type of installer and this process is easy. My experience was terrible.

well instead of a long post try explaining it in short maybe we could help : D (if not me, sam2kb probably)
Personally long posts scare me and i tend not to read them : P

Tilqicom:

Sorry to point this out, but, the original post which is at the beginning is a very small paragraph -- no one responded, nor to the other posts. I just don't see how your comment fits. The 'long' post above is clearly after the fact and expressing my thoughts on the matter.

Tosca wrote:

Tilqicom:

Sorry to point this out, but, the original post which is at the beginning is a very small paragraph -- no one responded, nor to the other posts. I just don't see how your comment fits. The 'long' post above is clearly after the fact and expressing my thoughts on the matter.

what does the mysql error say

Hi Tilqicom:

Thanks for your interests. Below, is the initial problem that I had and I spent several hours with the UnitedHosting to get the blog operational.

On the site home page this shows:
An unexpected error has occurred!
If this error persists, please report it to the administrator.
Go back to home page

Additional information about this error:
MySQL error!
Error establishing a database connection!
(mysql_connect(): Access denied for user 'dxxx'@'localhost' (using password: YES))
1. Are you sure you have typed the correct user/password?
2. Are you sure that you have typed the correct hostname?
3. Are you sure that the database server is running?

***
INSTALLER PAGE SHOWS EVERYTHING, AND THE PERMISSION FOR _basic_config.php is correct.
Installer doesn't want to work [index.php was online].

Claims that _basic_config.php doesn't have configuration for DB. All data is correct, but the process refuses to continue with installing. This should be very simple.... but a problem.

$allow_evodb_reset = 1;

As indicated, this is now resolved, but.... I have come across something new in the error log that I don't know what to do or what the error means. Unfortunately, the log is growing and eating up disk space. :-/ I would like to upgrade to 4.1.2 but I'm afraid after the disaster that I encountered. I would hate to have the host company jump through hoops again. Surely, they would despise me. I haven't made a post about it because I don't want to be disappointed with no one answering.