1-click WP

Hi

I'm a newbie with Dreamhost and am trying to set-up WordPress via the 1-click method but keep getting the following error:

"We were unable to set up wordpress as requested at:
http://www.mydomain.com/
The problem was isn't a valid name for a directory!"

mydomain is registered with GoDaddy & I have changed the nameservers there.

What am I doing wrong?
Thanks for your help


Mark

Mark,

It sounds like even though you changed your name servers with GoDaddy you might not have "Added a domain" at the DreamHost panel.

Is your domain listed as "fully hosted" when you go to Control Panel -> Domains -> Manage Domains?

--rlparker

Hi rlp

Thanks for your reply. Yes, it is Fully Hosted. What should the web directory be on that Manage Domains page?
/home/username/mydomain.com/ ?

Thanks!

Mark

Mark,

Yes, that is the default manner in which DreamHost sets up the directory. If that is what is there, when you go to the "one-click" setup page for WordPress, you should enter only the "rest" of the path under the "install to" part of the form if you want to install WP into a sub-directory.

For instance, if you site is at "http://yourdomain.tld", then in the install form, you should use the "pull down" selection list to select your domain and just leave the following line blank if you want WordPress to be installed at "http://yourdomain.tld".

If you want it to be installed at "http://yourdomain.tld/blog/", the just enter "blog" on that second line, etc.

Note that you should not have to manually type, or enter, any "http://www..." at all; only select the pulldown for the domain and indicate (as described above) whether you want to install it in a subdirectory.

If you have done that, and are still getting an error message, I don't know what could be the problem. Are you able to FTP to your user area and see the "yourdomain.tld" directory? Is that directory *completely* empty of files?

IF that directory is not in your user area, but shows in the panel, you can either contact support or add it yourself (via FTP or ssh). This should not be the case if DreamHost has completed setting up your domain.

If it *does* exist, and there are any files in that directory, you will have to delete them to use the one-click installer in that directory (or install WordPress in a subdirectory that *is* empty!).

--rlparker

Hi rlp

Thanks so mcuh for your help, I really appreciate it.

I am not used to Dreamhost yet & it's not obvious where some of the info is. For example, I cannot see what my FTP username & password are!

I had an email from Dreamhost, which said:
"Username: xxxxx
Password: abcabcabc (changeable through the web panel)
FTP Server: charybdis.dreamhost.com"

But I cannot see where to change the password even. Also, then I look at the Manage Domains screen, it says:
"FTP user / CGI-runs-as-user yyyyyyy"

I've tried logging on (using Smart FTP) with both lots of info above but no luck.

So, I don't where to start at the moment. I'm going to take a look round wiki support to see if I can see something but if you have any more ideas they would be gratefully received!
Thanks


Mark

Edited by markmotts100 on 11/11/07 04:35 AM (server time).

Mark,

I'll write another post in response to your last here in a minute, but *first* please "edit" your last post and *remove that password* and the server information. Even though you masked your username, leaving the password and the server is two thirds of what one needs to hack your account before you even get set up, and there are some pretty bright folks lurking about that may very well make use of that information.

Please view your post again, and click the "Edit" tab in the upper right hand corner and remove/obfuscate the password and server information!

While you are doing that, I'll try to post some more help.

--rlparker

Hi rlp

Well, some progress. I managed to get logged on with FTP. I then added a directory as you suggested "mydomain.com" but when I tried the 1-click install - same error message again.

Maybe I should just raise a ticket with Support. Frustrating!!!


Mark

Mark,

Contacting support might be the best bet at this point; they can see the "state" of your account while I have to just guess.

The fact that the directory for your domain was not present even though it shows as fully hosted in the Control Panel Manage Domains Screen is further indication that something may not be completely setup or is in some other way amiss.

I understand that these things can be frustrating... but once you get it sorted and learn your way around, you will love the poser and flexibility of your new DreamHost account.

In the mean time, even if you have filed a support ticket, I'll still try to help (as I'm sure others here will also), so hang in there (we've all been there at one time or another).

--rlparker

Mark,

In reply to:

---

I had an email from Dreamhost, which said:
"Username: xxxxx
Password: abcabcabc (changeable through the web panel)
FTP Server: charybdis.dreamhost.com"

---

That, from your initial email, *is* your FTP username/password (which I guess you have now figured out). Once your domain name has DNS updated across the net, you can also log into "yourdomain.tld" as well as "charybdis.dreamhost.com" If you have no reason to want to keep your domain name private, posting it here would make it easier for some of us to help you, as we can check DNS status and possibly browse the site when DNS is updated to your DreamHost server (which is helpful for sorting out directory related issues sometimes), but that is up to you.

In reply to:

---

But I cannot see where to change the password even.

---

You can change the password for a given user from the Control Panel -> Users -> Manage Users screen - just click the "Edit" link under the "Actions column of the row for your username. Complete the form that appears entering your old and new password, submit the form, wait for it to "take", and you will have changed you

In reply to:

---

Also, then I look at the Manage Domains screen, it says: "FTP user / CGI-runs-as-user yyyyyyy"

---

Ah! *that* may be a clue to your WordPress "one-click" problem. is the "yyyyyyy" on that screen the same as the "xxxxx" in your "Welcome" email?

If you have more than one user involved here, you are likely having a "one-click" problem trying to add a WordPress site as a different user than the one that "owns" the 'yourdomain.tld" directory (which would also explain why you didn't see that directory when you logged in via FTP). Each directory on DreamHost is "owned" by one, and only one, "machine user"; if you are trying to install WP into the user space of a user other than the one that owns your domain's directory, you *will* have problems (likely including the ones you're describing).

--rlparker

OK, when I tried to log a support ticket, the diagnostics check came back with "Non-DreamHost MX record". Any help?


Mark

EDITED: Sorry for the first answer; I mis-read your last post. In your case that is as it should be (your DNS records have not yet been updated to DreamHost (mx is still handled by GoDaddy).

--rlparker

Edited by rlparker on 11/11/07 05:11 AM (server time).

I do have 2 domains on DH and I have now set up different users for them as I think this is what you were indicating by

"Each directory on DreamHost is "owned" by one, and only one, "machine user""

Have also now accessed the domain, which is

http://www.carolynresnickblog.com

using FTP and stuck a small index file up there just to see but still got:

"Site Temporarily Unavailable
We apologize for the inconvenience. Please contact the webmaster/ tech support immediately to have them rectify this.
error id: "bad_httpd_conf""

when I tried to view it in a browser.

Something strange going on....


Mark

In reply to:

---

I do have 2 domains on DH and I have now set up different users for them as I think this is what you were indicating by

"Each directory on DreamHost is "owned" by one, and only one, "machine user""

---

Well, that is *almost* what I meant, though you might have made one extra assumption.

WHile each directory (domain) is owned by one and only one user, it doesn't necessarily follow that the inverse is true: one machine user can own *many* (unlimited actually) domains.

Some choose to setup a user for each domain, and others manage several domains as the same user ... you just can't have more than one user "own" any given domain. It may seem like a subtle difference, but it actually is pretty significant.

In reply to:

---

"Site Temporarily Unavailable
We apologize for the inconvenience. Please contact the webmaster/ tech support immediately to have them rectify this.
error id: "bad_httpd_conf""

---

Yep, that indicates something is not setup correctly (it is a "DreamHost invented" error message that yhou won't see anywhere else but on DreamHost). There *is* a way that you can *often* fix it yourself, as described in this DH Wiki artile on Bad_httpd_conf.

I suggest giving that a good read, and trying the things they suggest there, as it might allow you to fix it yourself without waiting for support. As the article says, if those things don't work, you will need to contact support.

--rlparker

Just want to see if I can help by getting some basic information about the OPs problem:
1. What did you set the nameservers for the two domains to at g*d*ddy?
2. In your dreamhost panel under "Domains>Manage Domains", what domains does it list and what does it say under the column "Web Hosting" for each of those domains?

The other thing to watch out for is that your admin/panel email user doesn't get mixed in with any DNS issues. I recommend using a totally independent external email address for your panel login user. You can change this via the "Edit Profile" link in the upper-right hand corner of the panel.

Hi Lensman

Thanks for your help. Been away for a few hours, so here are the answers to your questions:

1) The domain I'm trying to install WP on (carolynresnickblog.com) has:
Name Servers: (Last Update 11/9/2007)
NS1.DREAMHOST.COM
NS2.DREAMHOST.COM
NS3.DREAMHOST.COM
Total DNS: (Not hosted here)

The other which I'm not interested in at the moment (herdmanship.com) has:
Name Servers: (Last Update 8/5/2007)
NS35.DOMAINCONTROL.COM
NS36.DOMAINCONTROL.COM
Total DNS: (Available)
Total DNS Control and MX Records

2) carolynresnickblog.com and herdmanship.com both listed as Fully Hosted.

Yes, I do have an external email address set up in my profile.
Thanks again

Mark

Hi Guys

Support came back to me. There was a problem...
"it looks like your domain had a slight misconfiguration and our system didn't think that it was hosted anywhere. I've corrected that for you and you should be able to run the WordPress install in about 20 minutes."

which I did and success!

Now all I have to do is to finish of the set-up and install the various plug-ins I want - aagh!!
Thanks again for your kindness to a newbie


Mark

You can ignore my PM, Mark!

(for others, it was about the fact that his site works now, not anything mean!)

I'm glad everything worked out. Sorry for the basic questions earlier, but I like eliminating any obvious miscommunication.

Welcome to DreamHost. Do feel welcome to come here with any questions you might have. Obviously, you can send in support tickets, too. Those folks are pretty helpful at times.