Wikimedia: Search returns database error

[BlazeMiskulin]

“A database query error has occurred. This may indicate a bug in the software.”

I have a clean, up-to-date install of Wikimedia with zero plug-ins and zero modifications. It has a grand total of 2 pages (not including categories).

ANY search results in the above error message. This means that I can’t find existing pages (either of them) or (more importantly) create any new ones[1]. I have spent a few hours googling answers, but they all involve plug-ins (of which I have zero) or send me to a page that has nothing to do with the situation.

Does anyone have a link to a solution? Or… y’know… just know the answer? (hey, a man can dream… can’t he?)

MediaWiki :: 1.27.0
PHP :: 5.5.38 (cgi-fcgi)
MySQL :: 5.6.23-cll-lve
ICU :: 50.1.2

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[1] Okay… I can create a link in one of the existing pages, which shows as a red-link, which I can then click on an create the page. It’s still broken.

[SpacePhoenix]

According to the installation instructions it needs PHP version 5.5.9 or newer. As PHP version 5.5.x isn’t supported any longer you should be considering migrating over to version 7 of PHP

[BlazeMiskulin]

The PHP version I have access to is not up to me. It’s up to my webhost.

How does a less-than-current PHP version cause the specified database error?

[Mittineague]

You should probably get a new host that does offer newer versions of PHP.

Otherwise, you may be able to install an older version of Wikimedia that does work with your version of PHP.

Not the best idea since there will likely be missing features, bugs, and maybe even security risks.

But short of making the current version of Mediawiki backwards compatible those are your two options.

IMHO if the developers of Mediawiki themselves have not pursued backwards compatibility there is good reason they haven’t.

[BlazeMiskulin]

I did some experimenting, and it appears to have been something wrong with that specific install. I nuked it and reinstalled, and now it works.

{shrug}