for cpanel users, if apache is running, and the default web user is nobody, this is how I fix it. read thru the instructions first please.
from the root WP web dir, shell in to your box or have support do it for you.
1. issue the nix command chown -Rf nobody:nobody * . this gives the webserver permission for nobody to rape it err update. ??
don’t do this step until you note what the ownership currently is. remember to change it back as in step 5.
2. make sure your update directory has been deleted.
3. deactivate all plugins
4. run the bloody update(yes i agonized over this) . should work. either way, you need to change ownership back or you won’t be able to ftp from your workstation .
5. chown -Rf *whateveritwasb4*:nobody *
6. reactivate plugins
