Resolving a Down for Maintenance Error
After performing an update, a Down for Maintenance (Err 2) or (Err3) error may occur when visiting WHMCS pages:
Causes
This message is displayed whilst the update process is in progress. If an update is not currently being applied, it indicates a version mismatch between the PHP files and the MySQL database.
Some possible causes for this error include:
- The auto-updater was terminated before it could complete.
- A new version of PHP files have been uploaded but the update process has not yet been performed.
- A patch set was manually applied to an incompatible version of the software.
Resolution
Follow these steps to complete the update process:
1. Go to the install subdirectory within your WHMCS directory. For example: www.yoursite.com/whmcs/install
A screen like this will display:
If a 404 Page Not Found error appears instead, refer to the Update in the Browser documentation and follow all steps for a full release version.
2. Agree to the End User License Agreement.
3. Click Continue at the bottom of the next screen:
4. Make a backup of the WHMCS MySQL database.
5. Click Start the Upgrade:
6. The database update process will now commence:
7. Within a few minutes, a success message will display:
If an Upgrade Failed message is displayed instead, refer to the Troubleshooting Updates section for assistance
8. Delete the install sub-directory from your server.
9. Click the link to return to the admin area.
10. Ensure that the version number on the Admin Dashboard sidebar or in Configuration > System Health is the version you were updating to:
The update process is now complete and you can continue using WHMCS, enjoying the new features and stability improvements of the latest update!
We recommend reviewing the Release Notes.