http 500 error after backup and import

[mudrunner]

Hi everyone, I did a backup of my forums using PhpMyAdmin and then imported it to a local server running Apache for testing purposes.

I have both sites running vB 3.8.1 and after I imported my SQL into the local server I get nothing but HTTP 500 errors. Mysteriously I get the login screen for admincp...however after logging in it goes to http 500 right away.

I will also point out that I had another forum backup running locally before so I know it's all set up OK...I deleted that SQL data and created a new database where I imported the stuff into and no matter what I can't get it to work.

It would be greatly appreciated if somebody could lead me in the right direction...I'm trying to eventually merge both databases with impex...But if one of them doesn't work than I don't want to try it yet!

Thanks in advance.

 

[mudrunner]

OK, I tried to turn off friendly errors inside I.E. and I get just a blank white page.

I changed my config.php to point to the other database from the 2nd site and that one works fine.

Re-attempted to d/l a fresh D.B. from my sites server and have the same issue...Even tried an upgrade installation of V.B. and it goes fine until it asks me to log in to the admincp...it takes my login credentials then barfs with a blank page

Still looking for some guidance so I can get to the point where I can merge

 

[mudrunner]

SOLVED

For documentation, and others having this issue: Read this link
http://www.vbteam.info/how/8318-problem-forum.html

Step 10 solved it for me:

10. Sometimes this can also be caused when PHP has the 'display_errors' function turned off. So instead of displaying the actual error so you can see what is wrong, you get a blank page. Look at your phpinfo page and if 'display_errors' is Off or '0', then add this line to your includes/config.php file right under <?php

ini_set("display_errors", true);

My problem was an error 500...then the white page symptoms...But when I turned on display errors in the config.php I got an exact path to some files that were missing to a plugin for mgc chatbox..I installed that on my site and never put it on my local apache server...so one plugin was killing me all day!!!

Lesson learned...I'm still new to the configuring side of all this...But I have been and admin on vB sites for years...just never ran my own.

Thanks for a great site and hope this helps somebody else!

On to learn Impex!