Support Problem during upgrade
- Thread starter fjvcni
- Start date
Alright, let’s be precise and boring-in-a-good-way. This isn’t broken; XenForo is asking you to choose a timeline.
Case A: you want your old forum back (no data loss)
Do not run the installer.
1 - Delete or rename this folder:
/install
2 - Open:
src/config.php
and make sure the database credentials are correct:
database name
username
password
host
3 - Upload all XenForo files again (same or newer version) without touching the database.
4 - Go to:
If the database version is older, XenForo will automatically start the upgrade instead of a fresh install.
Result: forum restored, no wipe, no drama.
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Case B: you want a clean fresh install (everything reset)
1 - Make a backup of the database first (always).
2 - In the installer screen:
Check “Remove all XenForo-related data”
Click Begin installation
3 - Let XenForo recreate the tables from scratch.
Result: brand-new forum, empty database.
About the exec / popen warnings
These are not blocking errors.
Shared hosting → ignore them.
VPS / dedicated server → remove exec,popen from disable_functions in php.ini if you want full functionality.
XenForo will still run fine without them; some add-ons may complain later.
Golden rule (read twice)
If you are not 100% sure you want to delete the forum, do not check that box.
This isn’t a bug. It’s XenForo politely asking:
“Do you want amnesia, or memory?”
Choose wisely.
Good, this sentence tells us exactly where the wall is.
What XenForo is saying now is very literal:
I will not continue as an installer unless the database is completely empty of XenForo tables.
So the problem is not files, not config.php, not cache. It is 100% the database.
Let’s fix it cleanly, step by step, no guessing.
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Why this keeps happening
Even if you:
re-upload files
delete /install
fix config.php
as long as the database still contains XenForo tables, the installer will refuse to proceed unless it’s allowed to delete them.XenForo detects tables like:
xf_user
xf_post
xf_thread
xf_option
xf_addon
If any of these exist → installer blocks.
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Solution 1 (BEST & SAFEST): create a NEW empty database
This avoids mistakes and accidental data loss.
1 - Go to your hosting control panel (cPanel / DirectAdmin / etc.)
2 - Create:
a new database
a new database user
3 - Assign the user to the database with ALL privileges
4 - Edit: src/config.php
and change only:
dbname
username
password
5 - Run the installer again.
Result: installer proceeds instantly
Zero conflicts
Recommended by sane admins
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Solution 2: manually delete XenForo tables (advanced, destructive)
This permanently deletes forum data.
1 - Open phpMyAdmin
2 - Select your database (u584811126_xenforo)
3 - Check all tables that start with:
xf_
4 - Choose Drop
5 - Confirm deletion
6 - Refresh the database — it must be completely empty
7 - Run the installer again
If even one xf_ table remains, XenForo will still block.
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Very important gotcha (many people miss this)
If your config.php points to:
the wrong database
or a database with table prefix enabled
XenForo may still see old tables.
Make sure this matches reality:
$config['db']['dbname'] = 'EXACT_DATABASE_NAME';
$config['db']['prefix'] = '';
No prefix unless you intentionally used one.
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About the checkbox
“Remove all XenForo-related data”
If it’s forcing you to check it, that means:
XenForo still detects tables
You are not using a clean database
The checkbox is not the fix.
The database state is the fix.
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Final truth (no sugar-coating)
You cannot “convince” XenForo to continue.
You must give it either:
an empty database
or
permission to delete everything inside it.
Once the database is clean, XenForo becomes very cooperative.
This is not a bug — it’s a guardrail.
If you want, you can paste:
your config.php (with passwords hidden)
or say what hosting panel you use
and I’ll pinpoint the exact misalignment.