"Imageinfo Failed: The system cannot find the path specified." on profilepic upload

[VIP Hawaii]

Hello all ...

First of all, I want to say that I have searched vbulletin.com and vbulletin.org forums thoroughly, plus many Google searches and have not found a working answer to my problem.

I'm serving using Windows XP Professional SP3 (POSReady) with all updates up to two days ago ... YES, even though XP has reached its End-Of-Life (EOL), POSReady is still updatable until (at this point) 'September' of '2019'; everything seems to working fine in XP. I'm using Apache webserver for Windows version 2.2.4 and I'm hosting it locally right here at home, so there are no VPS issues I have to deal with.

More details here :

Here's my data from the AdminCP :

Server Type WINNT Data Usage 147.66 MB
Web Server Apache v2.2.4 Index Usage 8.37 MB
PHP 5.2.4 Attachment Usage 0
PHP Max Post Size 9.77 GB Avatar Usage 0
PHP Maximum Upload Size 8.79 GB
PHP Memory Limit 2.00 GB
MySQL Version 5.0.45-community-nt
MySQL Packet Size 1,024.00 MB

as WAMPServer version 1.7.3, with Safe Mode OFF in both Server and Optimization Settings in VBulletin AdminCP > VBulletin Options, Safe Mode=Off in php.ini, open_basedir is commented out, upload_tmp_dir set to upload_tmp_dir = /tmp , with Apache documentroot as F:/www/html which points to an external Western Digital My Book 1230 external USB 4 TB hard drive (which is serving the site just fine).

I have ImageMagick properly installed and the path is correct in Human Verification Settings; the test image shows properly when choosing either GD or ImageMagick, but set for either GD or ImageMagick, I get the same error when trying to upload a profile picture. Attachments settings allow for any size upload, any image dimensions (not set so as to limit these) and of course, set to Yes for uploads. Usergroup Permissions (I am logged in an trying to upload my profile pic as Administrator, UID 1) allow uploading of profile pics (default).

Checked in Diagnostics / Suspect File Versions and for some unknown reason, all files show as either "File not recognized as part of VBulletin" (probably due to the Patch Level 2 patch : I suppose that the VBulletin developers did not create a separate and updated diagnostic file for PL2, so all files show as "not recognized" ... I double-checked all this by re-downloading 3.8.4 PL2 from vbulletin.com and overwriting all files (except for install.php and the PayPal payment API, which was patched with the "October 7 [2013] Paypal Mod" (which should not affect this anyway).

I have tried many things, based on what I have read in forums, including :

1. Turning Safe Mode on and off, both in VBulletin and php.ini (and of course, restarting all web services and checking again)

2. Trying an upload of an image from the www which I have verified is a fully readable flat file

3. Putting the desired profile images into /html

4. Checking to be sure that the /tmp directory is CHMOD 0777 (equivalent in Windows is simply to uncheck "Read Only" in Properties for the directory)

5. Checking to be sure that the my customprofilepics, customavatarpics, etc. directories are also CHMOD 777

6. Changing from database mode for storing the images to flat-file storage and back again

7. Disabling all hooks in /includes/config.php

8. Downloading and installing freetype for Windows (GNUWin32 package) version 2.3.5

9. Checking my error logs at /www/html/errorlog/ (nothing found relating to this, only en email error log having to do with someone trying to register to my site, also no e-mails sent to me about this as it should have)

10. Checking to see if eaccellerator is installed as part of PHP (it isn't.)

11. Commenting out the extension=php_apc.dll line (even though an official VBulletin.Com post told all users of VBulletin version 3.8.4 to optimally use PHP version 5.2.9 with APC memcaching enabled (ref. : http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/forum...3-8-4-released )

12. Checking the WINDOWS/system32/Comctrl32.dll file version: mine is version 5.6 something: I read about "ImageInfo" and it seems it is a Windows function of the Common Control Library (Comctrl32.dll) and it says something on Microsoft's MSDN website about how a call for GetImageInfo, which is related to ImageInfo, is only available on Windows Vista, using Comctrl32.dll versions 6.0 and newer ... there was one Windows Hotfix dealing with issues with Comctrl32 version conflicts which is NOT installed on my computer but which seems to be no longer available for download, KB883884 ... who knows, if I could download this fix (and I have searched everywhere including the Wayback Machine), maybe this problem would be solved. Yeah, I know, XP is 'outdated' (although patches are still available for the POSReady version through ('9/2019') but I hate Windows 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 and will only 'upgrade' if absolutely necessary; my knowledge of (CentOS) Linux is pretty rudimentary so I moved from CentOS 6.7 32-bit to Windows XP Pro SP3 POSReady 32-bit, clean install)

13. Tried the File Upload test function in AdminCP > Maintenance >, and there were no errors reported (just like everyone else who has had this problem, read the forums, thanks).

14. Contemplating my navel (didn't do much but gave me a sense of well-being until my neck started hurting from looking down for so long)

15. Banging my head against the wall repeatedly, which only gave me a headache .

and so far nothing has worked (except for some cool water for my aching head, which of course didn't fix the profile pic upload problem ).

I realize I am using PHP 5.2.4 and not 5.2.9, which could be causing a problem! ... this is the next thing I will try to do but in the meantime I am posting this here and in the vbulletin.com Support Ticket area for some real help.


I am running PHP with the following dll files enabled in php.ini (and yes, the extension_dir is correct):

extension=php_ffmpeg.dll
extension=php_mbstring.dll
extension=php_curl.dll
extension=php_exif.dll
extension=php_gd2.dll
extension=php_gettext.dll
extension=php_mysql.dll
extension=php_mysqli.dll
extension=php_sockets.dll
extension=php_tidy.dll
extension=php_pdo.dll
extension=php_pdo_sqlite.dll
extension=php_sqlite.dll
extension=php_imagick.dll
extension=php_pspell.dll
extension=php_soap.dll

and no other extensions are enabled.

NOTE : ffmpeg-php is correctly installed and tested, is working fine.
I am starting to think that I need to either disable or enable some more dlls in php.ini, change the PHP version, or ????

What the heck should I do now? UPDATE : I found out that ImageInfo: is a function only available (in Windows that is) to OSes newer that Windows XP (even with all / POSReady updates); the Comctrl32.dll file version is the cause of the problem. I am glad I do not have to spend another $209. (currently) in order to even upgrade their 3.8.x versions to the latest 3.8 version even (which I believe is 3.8.10 Beta 1, same version used by VBulletin.Org website here [or even all the way to 4.x]). VBulletin Dot Com support ticket has now been closed as SOLVED.

I have worked with Windows since early '1996', have worked on many websites, and have successfully set up (mostly CentOS or Red Hat Enterprise Linux - based) VBulletin websites starting with version 3.7.0, since about '2003' using Linux, so please don't dumb it down for me when you give a reply but do give details if you know what to do to help.

I have enabled public phpinfo for the developers who will hopefully help me troubleshoot this, and will PM AdminCP login info and FTP login info as well, if necessary. I would rather not post the website URL to this site right now but will send all details by PM or email to anyone sincerely interested in helping me ... help me out and I'll help you with your project, how about that?

Thanks in Advance (I hope!),


VIP Hawaii

[Dave]

You state that your upload_tmp_dir is set to "/tmp", shouldn't that be "‪C:\Windows\Temp" on Windows?

[VIP Hawaii]

Well Dave, I just tested by replacing what I had with what you told me to put, including quotation marks (is that correct?) and still have the same error, so I suppose that cannot possibly be the problem. Yes, I restarted all services etc. and re-logged in and tried uploading the profile pic again. Also, I checked and C\WINDOWS\Temp has a read-only flat that I cannot seem to remove ... in fact, I tried creating subfolders under C:\ root directory and in My Documents folder but the read-only flag persists ... this could explain some things, I admit. What do I need now? Unlocker or some other Windows file and folder tweaker that can ACTUALLY set non-read-only permissions? (ref. example : http://windowsitpro.com/systems-mana...ws-2000-folder ) Man, I miss the good ol' days of Windows 2000 and earlier when you could change those flags and not see the read-only checkbox still checked when you were done. Right now I am trying something else, which is a long, drawn-out procedure of clicking on the main drive icon (C: or whatever), Security, Owner tab, Advanced button, then selecting the current user and checking "replace owner on subcontainers and and objects" ... then closing the Properties dialogue and re-opening it, then changing Owner permissions again, giving updated permissions to the desired user. Unlocker did not work, nor did Microsoft's fixes or regedits for anyone who tried to fix this problem. I have read that Windows 2000 did not have this problem and that is also what I remember ... if I could just figure out how to get SATA drivers to load on installation of Windows 2000, I would slipstream it into a copy of 2000 Pro, and hopefully there is a version of WAMPserver that works on Windows 2000 ... yeah, I'd be back in the stone age but if I can get this working it will all be worth the effort; I started out doing my first web serving using Windows 2000 Server years ago so it would be almost like a homecoming.

I swear, Windows just (in some ways) gets stupider and stupider .... So I still have the same problem.

Thanks for the reply though. If you can think of anything else, please feel free to follow up with me some more.


VIP Hawaii

Originally Posted by Dave

You state that your upload_tmp_dir is set to "/tmp", shouldn't that be "‪C:\Windows\Temp" on Windows?

[Dave]

Rather tricky situation, but it's definitely a file permission problem somewhere.
Have you tried the file upload test function in the AdminCP of vBulletin? What does that return?

[VIP Hawaii]

UPDATE : I tried installing Windows 2000 "Gold", but it kept going blue-screen, and for some reason, after a few logins, every time I would try to get to "localhost" (or my fully qualified domain name) I would get redirects to "http.com" for no reason I was able to search and find. I was able to confirm that Windows 2000 AND XP both have the same ImageInfo: problem mentioned here as well; I wound up upgrading to Windows 7 Ultimate (all other things being the same) and the ImageInfo: problem is GONE! Hallelujah! ... also the problem I was having with my chat bar seems to have been fixed at the same time. Thanks again for all your help!

Yeah Dave, I just edited the original post to make item 13. about the File Upload test ... I knew I forgot to note down something important (but actually irrelevant) that I had tried ... File Upload test shows no errors, just like everyone else with this same problem.

I have pretty much narrowed it down to an XP problem ... ImageInfo is a function only available in Comctrl32.dll versions 6.0 and newer and XP uses versions prior to 6.0 so the function is not supported ... AND XP has never fixed this read-only problem ... I have been all over many forums and apparently Bill G(H)ates' company doesn't care about fixing XP errors, despite the fact that XP POSReady is still being "supported" for "upgrades" ... POSReady is really for cash registers, not for file serving, so I suppose I have no other option but to use Win 2000 for now ... XP is sort of a stop-gap measure between Windows Milennium and .. Windows Seve(eri)n and newer, which I hate ... sort of a way to try to make up for the stupidity of Windows ME.

I will probably have to 'downgrade' to Windows 2000 Server (Gold Edition) (which I love); items 14 and 15 on my list are getting pretty tiresome. Thanks again for your help, and again, feel free to reply again if you have any other ideas (although if I don't get a solution using XP in the next couple of days I will Go Gold) !


VIP

Originally Posted by Dave

Rather tricky situation, but it's definitely a file permission problem somewhere.
Have you tried the file upload test function in the AdminCP of vBulletin? What does that return?