Title: first time uploading- Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_VARIABLE Last modified: August 20, 2016 --- # first time uploading- Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_VARIABLE * Resolved [MegWi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/megwi/) * (@megwi) * [13 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/first-time-uploading-parse-error-syntax-error-unexpected-t_variable/) * Hello, * I am trying to get wordpress up and running for the first time, and I’ve followed the instructions sent to me by 1and1, my hosting company, and when I get to the point that I should be able to “create a configuration file”, I get this error message: * Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_VARIABLE in /homepages/10/d333407482/ htdocs/blog Meg Wilson Photography/wp-includes/option.php on line 225 * Thanks for help! Viewing 7 replies - 1 through 7 (of 7 total) * [RichardWPG](https://wordpress.org/support/users/richardwpg/) * (@richardwpg) * [13 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/first-time-uploading-parse-error-syntax-error-unexpected-t_variable/#post-2896918) * [http://wordpress.org/support/topic/troubleshooting-wordpress-34-master-list](http://wordpress.org/support/topic/troubleshooting-wordpress-34-master-list) * [eschwartz93](https://wordpress.org/support/users/eschwartz93/) * (@eschwartz93) * [13 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/first-time-uploading-parse-error-syntax-error-unexpected-t_variable/#post-2897031) * Sama error: Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_VARIABLE in /home/content/ t/e/m/temima/html/wordpress/wp-includes/option.php on line 225 * I followed the directions exactly from WordPress’s Installation guide. I also tried the setup config option and got this one: Parse error: syntax error, unexpected‘&’, expecting T_VARIABLE or ‘$’ in /home/content/t/e/m/temima/html/wordpress/wp-admin/ setup-config.php on line 220 * [eschwartz93](https://wordpress.org/support/users/eschwartz93/) * (@eschwartz93) * [13 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/first-time-uploading-parse-error-syntax-error-unexpected-t_variable/#post-2897032) * I tried installing it through godaddy (that’s my host server) and it says I can’t because I’m currently using PHP 4.x and WordPress requires PHP 5.1 or 5.3 it takes a while to update it would seem, so I will get back to you if that helps me. You could try it in the meantime too. * Thread Starter [MegWi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/megwi/) * (@megwi) * [13 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/first-time-uploading-parse-error-syntax-error-unexpected-t_variable/#post-2897041) * Richard- thank you for the link. I don’t think that my issue was addressed, because I am not trying a new plugin, I am just trying to upload for the first time. * Any pointers? Or am I reading it wrong and assuming it means a new plugin? * Thread Starter [MegWi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/megwi/) * (@megwi) * [13 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/first-time-uploading-parse-error-syntax-error-unexpected-t_variable/#post-2897042) * Thank you eschwartz, I tried first installing it through my host. I am now going to try following WordPress’ installation guide. 😉 * _[ Please do not bump, it’s [not permitted here](http://codex.wordpress.org/Forum_Welcome#No_Bumping).]_ * Thread Starter [MegWi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/megwi/) * (@megwi) * [13 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/first-time-uploading-parse-error-syntax-error-unexpected-t_variable/#post-2897108) * Resolved thanks to esmi. Here is the answer from another thread, in case anyone runs across this: * “Haha! We have found a culprit thanks to some other gifted forum volunteers. There is indeed a bug in 3.4 that is only triggered on hosting that runs PHP 4 and PHP 5. That’s certainly the case with 1&1. The gory details are available at [http://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/21316](http://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/21316) if anyone is interested. * In shirt, we think that WP is trying to use PHP 4 and then erroring out when it should – instead – be generating a message along the lines of “You need PHP 5.2.4 to run WordPress”. Since you’re using 1&1, there may be a way around this. Try adding * AddType x-mapp-php5 .php AddHandler x-mapp-php5 .php * an .htaccess file on your domain’s root folder. That should force PHP5, if I remember correctly.” * [trevstar22](https://wordpress.org/support/users/trevstar22/) * (@trevstar22) * [13 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/first-time-uploading-parse-error-syntax-error-unexpected-t_variable/#post-2897116) * Just curious. I have never worked with the .htaccess file. Does it go in the root of the word press files? (i.e. for me www\blog\.htaccess or at www\.htaccess) * I have tried both locations but to no avail. I am still getting the error. I have a ticket in to my provider to confirm the PHP version, but I know they use 5.x. * Should I open a new thread? Viewing 7 replies - 1 through 7 (of 7 total) The topic ‘first time uploading- Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_VARIABLE’ is closed to new replies. ## Tags * [parse-error](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/parse-error/) * In: [Installing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/installation/) * 7 replies * 4 participants * Last reply from: [trevstar22](https://wordpress.org/support/users/trevstar22/) * Last activity: [13 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/first-time-uploading-parse-error-syntax-error-unexpected-t_variable/#post-2897116) * Status: resolved ## Topics ### Topics with no replies ### Non-support topics ### Resolved topics ### Unresolved topics ### All topics