Installation failed: Could not create directory – Cause/Solution Process?

  • Resolved PianoWorld

    (@pianoworld)


    7 years, 10 months ago

    Like many others I am experiencing the “Installation failed: Could not create directory.” issue. Happens when I try to install a new plugin, or when I try to update an existing plugin (also happened when upgrading to 4.7).

    My host IT guy has been trying to figure out the problem/solution based on permissions, ownership etc.

    3 Related questions if I may…

    1.) Is there such thing as a recommended set of procedures to try to determine the cause, and a suggested order?

    2.) Are there any lists of the required settings for WP file permissions ?

    3.) Has anyone ever created a plugin that could help determine what is causing the issues (realizing you’d have to install it manually).

    Currently using ResponsivePro theme (although planning to create child theme once I get this problem resolved).

    WP is a great CMS, but these issues are very frustrating and time consuming.
    Any help is much appreciated.

Viewing 2 replies - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)

  • This looks more like a permission issue on the server.

    Check which user is running the Apache instance and if the permissions are correct on the wp-content folder.

    Thread Starter PianoWorld

    (@pianoworld)

    Turns out it was a permissions issue, but not with directories/folders/files, and there were no conflicts with plugins or themes.

    The problem was with the FTP!.

    Our host IT guy chased it down. I asked him to let me know what it was he found, so in his own words…
    “It was merely the vsftp.conf allowing ‘writes’. Yeah, if the ftp
    has ever worked before (and it has for various other upgrades of course)
    then writes were on obviously.

    I don’t know why they use that FTP thing specifically, perhaps to have a bit
    of privilege separation for security (but then all the rest of the structure
    works against that and just calls for wide open everything).

    Note that the directories that needed to be written we all allowed to be
    written by the webserver (and the ftp user too of course, which fewer people
    mention). Also needed to ensure that write-access was turned on in the ftp
    config. (As I say I’m confused by that though because we’ve upgraded before!)

    There was one small comment on stack exchange that made me think of it, here:

    https://wordpress.stackexchange.com/questions/7859/wp-upgrade-cant-create-directory-even-though-perms-are-777?newreg=024bf03d926b45969e4a70aa1ee9d8a6

    note that this topic is very popular in the wordpress world, you can find dozens
    of pages on ‘cannot create directory’ and only this one mentioned the ftp issue.

    /kc”

    Now I’m not implying this would be the case with every Could Not Create Directory issue. But it is one to keep in mind and a relatively easy one to check out and implement.

    At least this is one solution to the dreaded Could Not Create Directory problem.

    Best,
    Frank B.
    Piano World

Viewing 2 replies - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)
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