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Database Connection Errors

Database connection errors are among the most common issues in XOOPS installations. This guide provides systematic troubleshooting steps to identify and resolve connection problems.

Common Error Messages

"Can't connect to MySQL server"

Error: Can't connect to MySQL server on 'localhost' (111)

This error typically indicates the MySQL server is not running or not accessible.

"Access denied for user"

Error: Access denied for user 'xoops_user'@'localhost' (using password: YES)

This indicates incorrect database credentials in your configuration.

"Unknown database"

Error: Unknown database 'xoops_db'

The specified database doesn't exist on the MySQL server.

Configuration Files

XOOPS Configuration Location

The main configuration file is located at:

/mainfile.php

Key database settings:

// Database Configuration
define('XOOPS_DB_TYPE', 'mysqli');
define('XOOPS_DB_HOST', 'localhost');
define('XOOPS_DB_PORT', '3306');
define('XOOPS_DB_USER', 'xoops_user');
define('XOOPS_DB_PASS', 'your_password');
define('XOOPS_DB_NAME', 'xoops_db');
define('XOOPS_DB_PREFIX', 'xoops_');

Troubleshooting Steps

Step 1: Verify MySQL Service is Running

On Linux/Unix

# Check if MySQL is running
sudo systemctl status mysql

# Start MySQL if not running
sudo systemctl start mysql

# Restart MySQL
sudo systemctl restart mysql

Step 2: Test MySQL Connectivity

Using Command Line

# Test connection with credentials
mysql -h localhost -u xoops_user -p xoops_db

# If prompted for password, enter it
# Success shows: mysql>

# Exit MySQL
mysql> EXIT;

Step 3: Verify Database Credentials

Check XOOPS Configuration

// In mainfile.php, verify these constants:
echo "Host: " . XOOPS_DB_HOST . "\n";
echo "User: " . XOOPS_DB_USER . "\n";
echo "Port: " . XOOPS_DB_PORT . "\n";
echo "Database: " . XOOPS_DB_NAME . "\n";

Step 4: Verify Database Exists

# Connect to MySQL
mysql -u root -p

# List all databases
SHOW DATABASES;

# Check for your database
SHOW DATABASES LIKE 'xoops_db';

# If not found, create it
CREATE DATABASE xoops_db CHARACTER SET utf8mb4 COLLATE utf8mb4_unicode_ci;

# Exit
EXIT;

Step 5: Check User Permissions

# Connect as root
mysql -u root -p

# Check user privileges
SHOW GRANTS FOR 'xoops_user'@'localhost';

# Grant all privileges if needed
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON xoops_db.* TO 'xoops_user'@'localhost';

# Reload privileges
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

Common Issues and Solutions

Issue 1: MySQL Not Running

Symptoms: - Connection refused error - Can't connect to localhost

Solutions:

# Linux: Check and start MySQL
sudo systemctl status mysql
sudo systemctl start mysql

Issue 2: Incorrect Credentials

Symptoms: - "Access denied" error - "using password: YES" or "using password: NO"

Solutions:

# Reset password (as root)
mysql -u root -p

# Change user password
ALTER USER 'xoops_user'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'new_password';

# Update mainfile.php
define('XOOPS_DB_PASS', 'new_password');

Issue 3: Database Not Created

Symptoms: - "Unknown database" error - Installation failed at database creation

Solutions:

# Check if database exists
mysql -u root -p -e "SHOW DATABASES;"

# Create database if missing
mysql -u root -p -e "CREATE DATABASE xoops_db CHARACTER SET utf8mb4;"

Diagnostic Script

Create a comprehensive diagnostic script:

<?php
// diagnose-db.php

echo "=== XOOPS Database Diagnostic ===\n\n";

// Check constants defined
echo "1. Configuration Check:\n";
echo "   Host: " . (defined('XOOPS_DB_HOST') ? XOOPS_DB_HOST : "NOT DEFINED") . "\n";
echo "   User: " . (defined('XOOPS_DB_USER') ? XOOPS_DB_USER : "NOT DEFINED") . "\n";
echo "   Database: " . (defined('XOOPS_DB_NAME') ? XOOPS_DB_NAME : "NOT DEFINED") . "\n\n";

// Check PHP MySQL extension
echo "2. Extension Check:\n";
echo "   MySQLi: " . (extension_loaded('mysqli') ? "YES" : "NO") . "\n\n";

// Test connection
echo "3. Connection Test:\n";
try {
    $conn = new mysqli(
        XOOPS_DB_HOST,
        XOOPS_DB_USER,
        XOOPS_DB_PASS,
        XOOPS_DB_NAME,
        XOOPS_DB_PORT
    );

    if ($conn->connect_error) {
        echo "   FAILED: " . $conn->connect_error . "\n";
    } else {
        echo "   SUCCESS: Connected to MySQL\n";
        echo "   Server Info: " . $conn->get_server_info() . "\n";
        $conn->close();
    }
} catch (Exception $e) {
    echo "   EXCEPTION: " . $e->getMessage() . "\n";
}

echo "\n=== End Diagnostic ===\n";
?>

Last Updated: 2026-01-31 Applies To: XOOPS 2.5.7+ PHP Versions: 7.4+