FATAL ERROR: register_globals is disabled in php.ini, please enable it!

[kennethchow]

Hello,

I am running the 2003 osCommerce in php 5.2.17, but now I would like to migrate the site to php 7.2. Unfortunately, the site cannot be working fine.  The page shows the FATAL ERROR: register_globals is disabled in php.ini, please enable it!  I have following the steps to enable in php.ini but cannot fix it.

Anyone can help me.

Thanks

[Jack_mcs]

The later versions of php don't allow register globals to be used. You need to remove any command for it in the roots .htaccess file.  If there is a php.ini file in the shops root, and maybe in your admin directory,  they need to be edited to remove commands for register globals. The php.ini files can just be deleted unless they have commands to change server settings, like max upload size. For a quick try, it is safe to delete them (don't rename them).

[ArtcoInc]

@kennethchow While @Jack_mcs answered you question, I might suggest that the effort to upgrade your old site to PHP 7.x is not the best use of your time. When/if you manage to get your site running under PHP 7.x, you will basically have created your own fork of osCommerce, and no one will be able to support it but you. In addition, there are many security holes in the older versions of osC that will still remain in your site. Lastly, unless you have done some other extensive modifications to your old shop, it will not be responsive (ie: adjusting the screen display for smaller devices such as phones and tablets). Google will penalize your site for this.

I strongly suggest you upgrade your shop to the newest Community Edition of osC., called Phoenix. It is not an in-place upgrade ... you will have to install it in it's own directory, and migrate your data (customers, products, sales history) over to it. If this is something you do not think you can handle, there are developers here that can do it for you.

Stay Safe!

Malcolm

[ArtcoInc]

@kennethchow One last thing ... Why the need to upgrade from PHP v5? Is your host saying that they will no longer support PHP v5 (as many/most are)? How much time do you have?

Malcolm

[kennethchow]

@Jack_mcs

Thank you your comment, it is because I need to modify some code in the page so I have downloaded all php files in my development server.  But found that the page cannot be displayed.

And the code was developed since 2005.

[kennethchow]

@ArtcoInc

Thank you your reply, May be I will develop new php web to replace the existing one without oscommerce.

If I can handle it, I will using new PHP 7 rather than the php 5 and I think I will using 6 months to develop the new one.