Troubleshooting: Joomla 3.

x installation
hangs during the Creating database
tables step


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This has become a very common issue for those who try to install Joomla! locally
using XAMPP and WAMP. The installation process (as seen from the pulsating
status bar) just keeps on running and running forever without any result. When
you take a look at the tables in the database
Using phpMyAdmin (localhost:phpmyadmin -> then click on the correct database from
the tree menu on the left), you will probably see that roughly 21 or so tables (of a total of
about 68) have been created, the last one likely being ...finder_links_terms4.
Remember that if you changed the port settings (from the default 80 to another port),
you will have to add that value along with a : after 'localhost' (for instance
localhost:1180). You can refer to my article from February 12, 2014 if you have done or
need to do this. In order for all tables to be imported, you must do a manual installation
which involves changing the table prefixes first (which have #__ by default) and then
importing the tables. Luckally it isnt nearly as complicated a procedure as it sounds.
Heres how its done:
1. Open the file joomla.sql located in: ../mysite/installation/sql/mysql/joomla.sql with your
Windows text editor or another text editor such as Notepad++.
2. Search for the following characters (tables prefix) in all of the file:
#__

3. Replace all these automatically, with something you like, for example:
hi_
Make sure that the prefix you choose is not already in use, i.e. shared by other tables.

Example:

replace with

There should be around 260 occurrences of replacement. Save the file.
4. Open the phpMyAdmin interface, click on the Import tab. Browse your local files for the
joomla.sql file ( ../mysite/installation/sql/mysql/joomla.sql) and select it for import. Click
Go at the bottom of the page. A message should appear indicating the successful
import of your tables. The database should now contain all 68 tables (click on the
database to see the list of tables or go to the Structure tab).
5. Open the configuration.php-dist file of Joomla! located in
../mysite/installation/configuration.php-dist
6. Edit the file with the correct values to fit your database and tables, for example:


/* Database Settings */
public $dbtype = 'mysql'; // Normally mysql
public $host = 'localhost'; // This is normally set to localhost
public $user = 'root'; // DB username
public $password = ''; // DB password
public $db = 'mysite'; // DB database name
public $dbprefix = 'j_'; // Do not change unless you need to! (Actually, you need to,
e.g. 'j_' or 'hi_' etc.)

You should also fill in the user and (if assigned) the password for the datebase
connection, and save the file as configuration.php' file in the Joomla! root folder (i.e.
one level higher).
7. Go to localhost/mysite and test your Joomla! installation. If all went well, you should see
a message telling you that the installation was a success, underneath which there are
two buttons for visiting the site and the administrator/backend. Click on Administrator to
arrive at the backend login page.

Since you did not install Joomla! by using the web installer, you did not create any
(super) users. You will have to add yourself as an administrator manually using
phpMyAdmin. Go back to localhost/phpmyadmin (include a colon followed directly by
the port number only if you changed this manually in the Apache httpd.config file) or
click the Admin button for MySQL in the XAMPP control panel and follow the
instructions in my article "Troubleshooting: Cannot log into the backend after manual
installation -> Create new user using phpMyAdmin".
For further support and questions please use the comment form below.
on Wednesday, 13 February 2013. Category Joomla