Install suite CRM on a shared webcloud server

reivax · 22 February 2026 19:40

Hello everyone,
I am trying to install suiteCRM 8.9.2 all the pre-tests are ok but I am facing an issue as the installer tries to create the database which is not permitted on the environement I use.
I can only create database from the CPanel (OVH).
Is there any way to avoid database creation? (I have all permissions on tables but not on databases except through OVH CPanel)

thank you

tapio · 22 February 2026 20:00

Hello Reivax,

You can setup the database in CPanel, and set credidentials in installation.

SuiteCRM will then:

Create tables
Create indexes
Populate schema

It only needs permission to create tables inside the database — not to create the database itself.
If needed, the database settings can be set manually in public/legacy/config.php
Make sure the user and password are set correctly in installation

Tapio

reivax · 23 February 2026 09:03

Hi Tapio,
thanks for the answer, however I alreday tried it but no joy.
when I checked the install logs, installer tries to drop the DB and reate new one.
not sure what happen there.

Reivax

tapio · 23 February 2026 10:59

Are you sure the permissions are correct?

I always install the database, add permissions to specific user for that particular database only and then start the installer. I have done this for many instansses with similar workflow.

Your workflow should work just fine, the way you make the database does not matter, SuiteCRM needs exactly one database with all permissions for that database.

Tapio

BastianHammer · 23 February 2026 12:27

Hello Reivax,

Do you have some log details / screenshots to look at?
I do see some FATAL messages in my install.log of an successfully installed system like:

[2026-01-16 02:35:17] install.FATAL: testing with mysql:mysqli
[2026-01-16 02:35:17] install.FATAL: Basic form info is valid, continuing Process.

github.com/SuiteCRM/SuiteCRM-Core

public/legacy/install/checkDBSettings.php

f1ea69cf0


      
                  $errors['ERR_DBCONF_PASSWORD_MISMATCH'] = $mod_strings['ERR_DBCONF_PASSWORD_MISMATCH'];
                  installLog("ERROR::  {$errors['ERR_DBCONF_PASSWORD_MISMATCH']}");
              }
          }
          
          // bail if the basic info isn't valid
          if (count($errors) > 0) {
              installLog("Basic form info is INVALID, exit Process.");
              return printErrors($errors);
          } else {
              installLog("Basic form info is valid, continuing Process.");
          }
          
          $dbconfig = array(
                      "db_host_name" => $_SESSION['setup_db_host_name'],
                      "db_host_instance" => isset($_SESSION['setup_db_host_instance']) ? $_SESSION['setup_db_host_instance'] : null,
              );
          
          if (!empty($_SESSION['setup_db_port_num'])) {
              $dbconfig["db_port"] = $_SESSION['setup_db_port_num'];
          } else {

However, afterwards the installation creates all the tables required and everything is working smoothly.

reivax · 23 February 2026 12:36

Here is the message I am getting:

and the logs:
[2026-02-23 12:52:16] install.INFO: step: create-env | status: done
[2026-02-23 12:52:16] install.INFO: step: create-env | messages:
[2026-02-23 12:52:16] install.INFO: Created .env.local
[2026-02-23 12:52:16] install.INFO: Added randomly generated APP_SECRET
[2026-02-23 12:52:16] install.INFO: step: create-env | debug: no debug info
[2026-02-23 12:52:16] install.INFO: Running step: run-legacy-install
[2026-02-54 12:52:20] install.FATAL: Begin DB Check Process *************
[2026-02-54 12:52:20] install.FATAL: testing with mysql:mysqli
[2026-02-54 12:52:20] install.FATAL: Basic form info is valid, continuing Process.
[2026-02-54 12:52:20] install.FATAL: Testing user account…
[2026-02-54 12:52:20] install.FATAL: Connection made using host: xxx.ovh.net, usr: xxxxx
[2026-02-54 12:52:20] install.FATAL: ERROR: Cannot create writable dir cache/upload/import
[2026-02-54 12:52:20] install.FATAL: installerHook: Info: custom/install/install_hooks.php not present, no custom hooks to execute
[2026-02-54 12:52:20] install.FATAL: Mysqli_query failed.
[2026-02-54 12:52:20] install.FATAL: Query Failed: DROP DATABASE IF EXISTS amcrm: MySQL error 1010: Error dropping database (can’t rmdir ‘./amcrm/’, errno: 17 - File exists)
[2026-02-23 12:52:20] install.INFO: step: run-legacy-install | status: failed
[2026-02-23 12:52:20] install.INFO: step: run-legacy-install | messages:
[2026-02-23 12:52:20] install.INFO: An error occurred while installing SuiteCRM. Please check the ‘/logs/install.log’.
[2026-02-23 12:52:20] install.INFO: Error occurred while trying to create database
[2026-02-23 12:52:20] install.INFO: step: run-legacy-install | debug:
[2026-02-23 12:52:20] install.INFO: Not able to make writable: /public/legacy/config.php
[2026-02-23 12:52:20] install.INFO: install status: {“message”:“Starting “perform setup” install step”,“command”:null}
[2026-02-23 12:52:20] install.INFO: install status: {“message”:“Starting “perform setup” install stepConfigurating relationships…”,“command”:null}
[2026-02-23 12:52:20] install.INFO: calling handleSugarConfig()
[2026-02-23 12:52:20] install.INFO: (config.php)
[2026-02-23 12:52:20] install.INFO: Saved sugar_config to file
[2026-02-23 12:52:20] install.INFO: calling handleHtaccess()
[2026-02-23 12:52:20] install.INFO: Creating SuiteCRM application tables, audit tables and relationship metadata
[2026-02-23 12:52:20] install.INFO: calling handleDbCreateDatabase()
[2026-02-23 12:52:20] install.INFO: amcrm xxxx.ovh.net…
[2026-02-23 12:52:20] install.INFO: Error occurred while trying to create database
[2026-02-23 12:52:20] install.INFO: Database error. Please check suitecrm.log for details.

tapio · 23 February 2026 12:45

Please check permissions in cache/upload

[2026-02-54 12:52:20] install.FATAL: ERROR: Cannot create writable dir cache/upload/import

reivax · 23 February 2026 13:12

cache/upload doesn’t seem to exist
I found only 2 cache directories both are writable

tapio · 23 February 2026 13:54

It is possible that some of the directories need to be created manually, and correct permissions set for the web server user.

Try creating the directories, ensure that web server user (e.g. www-data) has rights to write in it.

pgr · 23 February 2026 14:14

Look for public/legacy/cache/upload that’s probably what that message is referring to

BastianHammer · 23 February 2026 16:09

Don’t worry about the cache etc.
I do have those log entries as well on my installations which are working.

The real issue is likely coming from:

[2026-02-54 12:52:20] install.FATAL: Query Failed: DROP DATABASE IF EXISTS amcrm: MySQL error 1010: Error dropping database (can’t rmdir ‘./amcrm/’, errno: 17 - File exists)

Can you delete all tables from your DB via the CPanel (in case there are any)?
What permissions does your DB user have?
Pre-Checks are all fine? (I’m ignoring only LDAP here):

Here, you’re entering the correct data?

If you create a PHP script (place it into the public folder and call it index_tmp.php or similar) that creates a table in the DB via that user (use AI), that’s working from the browser?

How are you installing the CRM? Via the UI?
The drop db is only called one time in the code:

github.com/SuiteCRM/SuiteCRM-Core

public/legacy/install/install_utils.php

hotfix


      
          global $setup_db_admin_password;
          global $sugar_config;
          
          $debug = [];
          $messages = [];
          $debug[] = "{$mod_strings['LBL_PERFORM_CREATE_DB_1']} {$setup_db_database_name} {$mod_strings['LBL_PERFORM_CREATE_DB_2']} {$setup_db_host_name}...";
          $success = true;
          try {
              $db = getDbConnection();
              if ($db->dbExists($setup_db_database_name)) {
                  $db->dropDatabase($setup_db_database_name);
              }
              $db->createDatabase($setup_db_database_name);
              $debug[] = $mod_strings['LBL_PERFORM_DONE'];
          } catch (Exception $e) {
              $messages[] = 'Error occurred while trying to create database';
              $debug[] = 'Error occurred while trying to create database';
              $debug[] = $e->getMessage();
              $success = false;
          }

There was once a similar issue, but it didn’t see any replies:

rsp · 23 February 2026 16:57

Different question than topic:

Could we delete the below folder without any issues?

/upload/upgrades/

reivax · 23 February 2026 17:01

Hello Bastian,

Can you delete all tables from your DB via the CPanel (in case there are any)? => yes DB is empty
What permissions does your DB user have? => ALL PRIVILEGES
Pre-Checks are all fine? (I’m ignoring only LDAP here): => all are ok

Here, you’re entering the correct data? => yes checked twice

If you create a PHP script (place it into the public folder and call it index_tmp.php or similar) that creates a table in the DB via that user (use AI), that’s working from the browser? => yes working fine from browser

How are you installing the CRM? Via the UI? => I am using the UI (not loading demo data)

rsp · 23 February 2026 17:03

You can check out the below video related to installation using cPanel: @pstevens

pgr · 23 February 2026 17:15

Yes, you can delete that. You will lose the ability to uninstall or revert the upgrades you made.

I normally leave that intact for some time after each upgrade, then I clean-up older stuff when I am sure I don’t need it.

BastianHammer · 24 February 2026 03:44

It’s a complete fresh installation?
Under a subdomain?
Did you use SSH to download and extract the installation package from the website?
It sounds really odd, but I’d continue looking into the webspace, CPanel etc.
This is where most of the installation issues with SuiteCRM are coming from.
Shared Hosting isn’t a great environment for Suite as well. Usually, if you want to have a simple and smooth installation experience, you’d go for a VPS with a vanilla LAMP system.
I’ve tried it on several different hosters and mostly it’s more difficult / time consuming all the way to impossible.

Another idea:
Install it locally on a VM. If it’s running smoothly there, try to migrate it to OVH.

reivax · 24 February 2026 09:06

I restarted a fresh install, commented the lines in install_utils.php
$db->dropDatabase($setup_db_database_name); and

$db->createDatabase($setup_db_database_name);

ran the install from UI and finally got suiteCRM installed.

however I am now facing a new issue as pages takes several minutes to load

BastianHammer · 24 February 2026 12:11

It might just be an OVH issue.
Try to dig deeper with their tech support.
And I’d still try installing in another environment and then migrate and see whether things are working then.

If the start is so rocky, it’s bad sign.
Eventually, you’re building up your companies brain for the next 5 - 10 years. Make sure that works properly without workarounds.