Hello,

I am trying to set up a BuddyPress website with my WordPress 3.0.1 installation. The problem is my host has restrictions that won’t allow the plugin downloader/installer to work. I’d like to do a complete manual install of BP with my FTP client, since uploading the BP folder and activating it doesn’t work. Can anyone point me in the right direction on what files should go where and what I have to edit?

I’ve already read this post:
http://buddypress.org/community/groups/installing-buddypress/forum/topic/where-are-specific-instructions-on-installing-via-ftp/

and this page no longer exists:
http://codex.buddypress.org/getting-started/installing-buddypress/

I’d love to hear a response on this. I’ve got two other people wanting to know how to do it as well.

[@djpaul Keymaster 14 years, 2 months ago]

Uploading the BP folder and activating it should work. Do you remember what the error(s) was?

[@semperfortis Participant 14 years, 2 months ago]

I got a white screen on every web page (including the dashboard) and had to delete the BP folder through the FTP just to get my website back. Is there some sort of error-checking method I should use to pinpoint the problem? I know that my host has some sort of PHP safety on, but I’m not sure about other restrictions. My WP install works fine, so I thought BP would be compatible as well.

Now I’ve already installed and used BP on a XAMPP test server and saw that it goes through an install process, even after uploading the folder. What I’m forced to do on my host is upload the folder, with no install available, and activate it through the plugins page. I thought that the missing step was what was causing the problem, but are you saying it should work automatically?

I read this before trying it out too, and my host enables everything (to my knowledge) but the Apache Module mod_rewrite.
https://codex.buddypress.org/getting-started/before-installing/

Regardless, thank you for the quick reply.

[@mercime Participant 14 years, 2 months ago]

https://codex.buddypress.org/getting-started/setting-up-a-new-installation/
Pretty permalinks is required for BP, therefore Apache Module mod_rewrite MUST be enabled.

[@semperfortis Participant 14 years, 2 months ago]

Actually, I just found out that I do have it and I was mistaken. Sorry about that.

So now I’m back to my original problem.

I understand that this is an issue known as “The White Screen of Death” rather than FTP install problems. I’ll just search around the other posts for an answer now that I know what I’m dealing with.

Thank you for all of your input and advice.