Troubleshooting

Start with Admin → System → Site Doctor: it checks the server and explains each fix.

Problem Fix
"500 Server Error" right after upload Select PHP 8.3+ for the domain (cPanel → MultiPHP Manager), make sure every file was uploaded (including the hidden .htaccess files), and that storage/ and bootstrap/cache/ are writable (755 folders / 644 files; never 777).
The installer shows red items Each item says what to change. Missing extensions are enabled in cPanel → Select PHP Version → Extensions.
"Could not connect to the database" Host is usually localhost. In cPanel the database and user names include your account prefix (you_pagemint). Make sure the user was added to the database with All Privileges.
Every signed-in page takes about 2 seconds (VPS or Windows) The database host localhost is trying IPv6 first while MySQL listens only on IPv4. Put DB_HOST=127.0.0.1 in .env (shared cPanel hosting is not affected: there localhost uses a fast local socket).
The installer stopped half-way Open /install again and submit the form again. Every step is safe to repeat.
E-mails are not sent Use SMTP in Settings → E-mail, with a mailbox on your own domain, and press Send test e-mail. Check that the cron job runs.
Plans don't end / scheduled posts don't appear / server conversions stay "queued" The cron job is missing or uses the wrong PHP. System → System tools shows when it last ran, its work and the background jobs waiting or failed; Site Doctor gives the line to add.
Something fails and you want to know why System → System tools → Recent errors lists the latest errors from the log; you can download the log for support.
Payments stay "pending" Stripe: check the webhook URL and secret. Others: the cron job re-checks pending payments every few minutes.
A server tool is missing Tools without an available engine are hidden on purpose. Configure Engines → Processing engines and use its test buttons.
A page still shows old content after a change Pages are cached as static HTML for speed. Saving in the admin clears the cache; System → System tools → Clear caches empties every cache at once.
/.env downloads in the browser Your domain points to the project root without the protective .htaccess. Upload the .htaccess file from the package or point the document root to /public, then change your database password.
Large files fail to upload Raise upload_max_filesize and post_max_size in Select PHP Version → Options. Browser tools are not affected: they never upload.

Updating to a new version

New versions are published on Codester: open your Codester account, find Pagemint in your purchases and download the new ZIP. Its documentation/changelog.html lists what changed. Updates are installed by hand from that ZIP; nothing is downloaded or installed by the site itself.

  1. Back up your files and database (cPanel → Backup), or at least the database (phpMyAdmin → Export), the .env file, storage/ and public/media/.
  2. Upload the new files. In the new ZIP, open the pagemint folder and upload its contents over your site's folder (cPanel → File Manager: upload a ZIP of them, then Extract and allow it to replace the old files). The package contains no .env, no database and nothing in storage/ or public/media/, so your settings and data are never overwritten.
  3. If the changelog lists files that were removed, delete them from your site.
  4. Open Admin → System → Site Doctor and press Apply database updates (shown only when the new version changes the database). No terminal is needed. Pages keep working while you do this.
  5. Open System → System tools and press Clear caches, then check that Site Doctor is all green.

Your settings, translations, plans, members and blog are stored in the database and are never overwritten.