Title: Plugin install or upgrade failure
Last modified: August 20, 2016

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# Plugin install or upgrade failure

 *  [scobb77](https://wordpress.org/support/users/scobb77/)
 * (@scobb77)
 * [14 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-install-or-upgrade-failure/)
 * Whenever I try to do an automatic upgrade of a plugin or try to do an automatic
   install of a plugin within WordPress, I get the FTP credentials where I type 
   in my password. Then that central area where it would show the progress of the
   install or upgrade goes blank. I can let it sit but nothing will change. If I
   click on anything in the left sidebar, whatever I clicked on comes right up. 
   If I click on the plugins section, it will show my plugins but the upgrade will
   not be done or if I was trying to install a plugin, it will not be there.
    I 
   know that I’m inserting my correct password because I can go ahead and upgrade
   or install manually through my ftp program (using the same password) and the 
   plugin does as it’s suppose to do. Any ideas why the automatic way through wordpress
   is just doing nothing?

Viewing 5 replies - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)

 *  [luckdragon](https://wordpress.org/support/users/luckdragon/)
 * (@luckdragon)
 * [14 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-install-or-upgrade-failure/#post-2791338)
 * it sounds like a permission or ownership problem of the folder
 *  Thread Starter [scobb77](https://wordpress.org/support/users/scobb77/)
 * (@scobb77)
 * [14 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-install-or-upgrade-failure/#post-2791502)
 * Checked permissions on wp-content/plugins and they are set to 775. This is the
   proper folder to check and the correct settings, yes?
    Not sure on how you check
   ownership but wouldn’t the 775 setting remedy that problem also?
 *  [luckdragon](https://wordpress.org/support/users/luckdragon/)
 * (@luckdragon)
 * [14 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-install-or-upgrade-failure/#post-2791530)
 * it depends on how the server is setup, if it’s running suPHP, then 775 should
   be fine, otherwise, it might need to be 777, and you might need to check the 
   permissions on wp-content/ also, they also need to be corrected.
 * lastly, you can force it to not use FTP by adding to wp-config.php
 * define(‘FS_METHOD’,’direct’);
 * though if your permissions are wrong, it won’t be able to
 *  Thread Starter [scobb77](https://wordpress.org/support/users/scobb77/)
 * (@scobb77)
 * [14 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-install-or-upgrade-failure/#post-2791537)
 * ok, tried 777 to both files, nope. That didn’t work.
    I tried the define(‘FS_METHOD’,’
   direct’); in wp-config.php and I got the following error:
 * Warning: define() expects at least 2 parameters, 1 given in /virtual/users/e14991-
   15531/web/wp-config.php on line 19
 * Line 19 is where I placed the code.
 * and still not working.
 *  [luckdragon](https://wordpress.org/support/users/luckdragon/)
 * (@luckdragon)
 * [14 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-install-or-upgrade-failure/#post-2791545)
 *     ```
       define('FS_METHOD','direct');
       ```
   
 * that is 2 parameters, try typing it rather than pasting it, sometimes characters
   don’t translate properly.

Viewing 5 replies - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)

The topic ‘Plugin install or upgrade failure’ is closed to new replies.

## Tags

 * [plugin upgrade](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/plugin-upgrade/)

 * In: [Fixing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/how-to-and-troubleshooting/)
 * 5 replies
 * 2 participants
 * Last reply from: [luckdragon](https://wordpress.org/support/users/luckdragon/)
 * Last activity: [14 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-install-or-upgrade-failure/#post-2791545)
 * Status: not resolved

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