Download failed Could not open handle for fopen() to /tmp/wordpress-3.tmp

[Young Master]

Hello AITPro Admin,

Am having problems trying to update wordpress to the latest version, whenever i try to update wordpress on the wordpress update page I get this error Download failed.: Could not open handle for fopen() to /tmp/wordpress-3.tmp. This error also appears when I try to update BPS Pro to the latest version on the plugins page which means that I cannot update both wordpress and BPS Pro. Pls help!

The following are the PHP errors am getting after failing to update wordpress:

[28-Mar-2014 23:53:57 UTC] PHP Warning: touch() [function.touch]: Unable to create file /tmp/wordpress-3.tmp because No such file or directory in /home/xxxx/public_html/wp-admin/includes/file.php on line 155
[28-Mar-2014 23:53:57 UTC] PHP Warning: unlink(/tmp/wordpress-3.tmp) [function.unlink]: Operation not permitted in /home/xxxx/public_html/wp-admin/includes/file.php on line 479

[AITpro Admin]

See this Forum post for possible causes of the problem:  http://forum.ait-pro.com/forums/topic/bps-50-1-wp-dashboard-update-failure/#post-14185

[Young Master]

I have changed the upload directory path in my custom php.ini file by adding the following code:

upload_tmp_dir = "/tmp"

But unfortunately the code didnt work either. Is there any other way to fix this?

[AITpro Admin]

Ok now you need to kill/restart any web service System processes that are running (in your Host Control Panel) or reboot your Server if you have a VPS or Dedicated Server.  Or wait 15 minutes for your Host to automatically do that so that your new custom php.ini settings will be seen/implemented by your Host Server.

[Young Master]

How do I kill or restart web service system precesses running? Am not using VPS or Dedicated Server. I have also checked whether open_basedir is being used and I found out that its not used.

[AITpro Admin]

Never mind killing System processes.  Just do the other “fix” that is listed in the link above.

An alternative is to override the default Server tmp folder path/location is to add this code in your wp-config.php file.  Then physically create that /tmp folder under your wp-content folder and set the /tmp folder permissions to 755.

define( 'WP_TEMP_DIR', ABSPATH . 'wp-content/tmp/') ;

[AITpro Admin]

Out of curiosity what other security plugins do you have installed?  I have seen this same error in the past couple of days and have not seen this error in the last 4 years before that so something is definitely up recently.  Or I guess it could be a freaky coincidence.

[Young Master]

Am using only BPS Pro as my security plugin.

[AITpro Admin]

Ok good one less thing that could be a factor in the problem.  Go to P-Security >>> PHP Info Viewer >>> click the View PHPINFO button.  Use your Browser’s search/find window and search for upload_tmp_dir (it will be under Core Directives) and then post the path that you see displayed.

[Young Master]

I have followed your instructions on how to view PHP INFO and this is what I have found:
upload_tmp_dir           /tmp               /tmp

[AITpro Admin]

Ok your tmp directory directive appears to be correct, but maybe your Host has changed the permissions on that system folder and it is no longer writable – you would have to have your Host fix that – it cannot be done via FTP.  Check to make sure your folder permissions for wp-content, wp-includes or wp-admin are correct.  If your folder permissions are all correct then contact your Host and ask them to assist you with this Server problem.

[Young Master]

I have checked the permissions for wp-admin, wp-content and wp-includes and all of them are correct.

[AITpro Admin]

Ok then that leaves the most obvious thing:  Your Host changed something on the Server.  Contact your Host and ask them to correct the problem on the Server with the /tmp directory.

[Young Master]

Ok. I will contact my web host and I will give you feedback. Thank you very much for your help.

[Young Master]

I have contact my webhost regarding this issue and they gave me the same suggestions you gave me. The day this problem started I updated all the wordpress plugins without any problem but I started to see this problem when I tried to update BPS Pro and wordpress…so in that case I think this problem is caused by one or more wordpress plugins that I have updated recently.

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