Question about PHP and upgrading vb
 

It has been a very long time since I have updated my forum and I'm always scared when I go to update it, I'm going to break it.

I am currently running vb 4.2.0 patch level 2 and want to upgrade to the most current version vb 4.2.3 patch level 2.

I have checked my host and it is currently running PHP 5.6.

When I go into my admin cp and go to maintenance > "View PHP info" it says it is on PHP version 5.2.17.

Am I safe to upgrade to vb 4.2.3?

According to the members area at vBcom:

What I'm confused about is how my host says it is running PHP 5.6 but when I check the PHP info in vbulletin admin cp it says it is on version 5.2.17.

Your server most likely has multiple versions of php running. You should be able to select the version you want to run in your server cpanel or you can run commands using root access if you have it.

Do you have root access?

Your host is wrong.

If you are using a control panel like cpanel, I believe its possible to set specific versions for a site.

I have bluehost. Under PHPconfig in the cpanel I am able to select which php version I want. It is currently set to PHP 5.6 (screen shot below). Please forgive me, I really don't know too much about the technical side of things. So I don't understand why my vbulletin is currently using PHP 5.2.17 (according to "View PHP info" in vb admincp) and not PHP 5.6. And I am concerned about upgrading vbulletin to 4.2.3, which requires PHP 5.4 or higher, and it being stuck at PHP 5.2.17 and the updated files not working because it isn't compatible.

If I went ahead and upgraded vbulletin to 4.2.3 would it use PHP 5.6? or would it stay at PHP 5.2.17?

https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/external/2017/01/11.png

Then you should email or call your host and ask why PHP 5.2 is used while you set it to PHP 5.6.
You can tell them that the phpinfo page is still showing that PHP 5.2 is used.