Title: Plugin update almost always freezes Last modified: August 22, 2016 --- # Plugin update almost always freezes * [nbostic](https://wordpress.org/support/users/nbostic/) * (@nbostic) * [11 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-update-almost-always-freezes/) * Almost every time I try to upgrade plugins from within the admin area, it freezes like in this screenshot: * [http://cl.ly/image/0O0Q0T332d3f/Voila_Capture%202014-08-19_05-11-04_PM.png](http://cl.ly/image/0O0Q0T332d3f/Voila_Capture%202014-08-19_05-11-04_PM.png) * I get the “Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. Check back in a minute.” on all of my sites until I go in and delete .maintenance. * Some times it freezes like that, but the upgrades actually do complete, it’s just that the screen never refreshes. * Some times the plugins don’t update. * Some times they update, but get deactivated on any sites using them. * Knownhost VPS + Varnish is my server setup. * Any ideas/suggestions? Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 15 total) * Thread Starter [nbostic](https://wordpress.org/support/users/nbostic/) * (@nbostic) * [11 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-update-almost-always-freezes/#post-5207642) * Oh, this is new, on the update-core.php page, I’m getting this 3-4 times: * Warning: array_pop() expects parameter 1 to be array, null given in /home/***/ public_html/wp-content/plugins/installer/classes/api/wprc-plugins-api.php on line 94 * Thread Starter [nbostic](https://wordpress.org/support/users/nbostic/) * (@nbostic) * [11 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-update-almost-always-freezes/#post-5207643) * But the original problem was happening before the error started showing up. * Moderator [Ipstenu (Mika Epstein)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ipstenu/) * (@ipstenu) * 🏳️‍🌈 Advisor and Activist * [11 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-update-almost-always-freezes/#post-5207773) * Turn off that plugin for one. * Actually, turn off ALL plugins. * Thread Starter [nbostic](https://wordpress.org/support/users/nbostic/) * (@nbostic) * [11 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-update-almost-always-freezes/#post-5207774) * “That plugin”? Which plugin? * Anyway, I’ve deactivated all plugins already, that has no impact on the ability to update. * Moderator [Ipstenu (Mika Epstein)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ipstenu/) * (@ipstenu) * 🏳️‍🌈 Advisor and Activist * [11 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-update-almost-always-freezes/#post-5207778) * > Warning: array_pop() expects parameter 1 to be array, null given in /home/***/ > public_html/wp-content/plugins/**installer**/classes/api/wprc-plugins-api.php > on line 94 * Bolded for your edification 🙂 * INSTALLER is a plugin. I know because it’s the name of the folder and that’s weird. If the plugin is off and you’re still getting that error, rename the plugins folder to plugins-off. * Also check your error logs on your server to see if anything pops up. * Thread Starter [nbostic](https://wordpress.org/support/users/nbostic/) * (@nbostic) * [11 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-update-almost-always-freezes/#post-5207780) * That big white column on the right shows which sites on the network have the plugin active (none). * [http://cl.ly/image/0t0e3l0s2Z3t/Voila_Capture%202014-08-20_11-05-52_AM.png](http://cl.ly/image/0t0e3l0s2Z3t/Voila_Capture%202014-08-20_11-05-52_AM.png) * So I went ahead and deleted it, the error message is gone, but it still stalls when I try to upgrade plugins. * So let’s ignore the installer error since that’s not the real issue here, the real issue is that I can’t update plugins from within wp-admin. * According to cPanel, here is my error log: [http://cl.ly/image/1Z3o223e3D2L/Voila_Capture%202014-08-20_11-16-07_AM.png](http://cl.ly/image/1Z3o223e3D2L/Voila_Capture%202014-08-20_11-16-07_AM.png) * I’m trying to look at my public_html/error_log, but it’s 2.5g (last updated March of this year) so it’s still downloading. I renamed it before trying to unsuccessfully update another plugin, expecting a new error_log to appear, but it didn’t, and the plugin timed out like before. * Moderator [Ipstenu (Mika Epstein)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ipstenu/) * (@ipstenu) * 🏳️‍🌈 Advisor and Activist * [11 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-update-almost-always-freezes/#post-5207781) * Turn on debugging in wp-config.php. * Then rename the plugins folder to plugins-old * Make a new one. Try downloading a plugin via the plugin installer page. See if THAT works. * There’s a reason for this 🙂 * Thread Starter [nbostic](https://wordpress.org/support/users/nbostic/) * (@nbostic) * [11 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-update-almost-always-freezes/#post-5207782) * Downloading/installing a plugin has never been a problem, just updating them. Since your troubleshooting incorrectly targets installing, is this the same procedure to follow to test updating a plugin? I’d rather not do another full backup on a production site only to troubleshoot a problem that doesn’t exist. * Moderator [Ipstenu (Mika Epstein)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ipstenu/) * (@ipstenu) * 🏳️‍🌈 Advisor and Activist * [11 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-update-almost-always-freezes/#post-5207785) * > Downloading/installing a plugin has never been a problem, just updating them. * Thank you for the new information! * We still want to test with a NEW plugins folder to make something there isn’t derpy. * Clean out anything store in the wp-content/upgrade/ folder. * Then, once you have A plugin installed, edit the plugin file to show an older version (so change the version from 1.4 to 1.2 or such). That should prompt WP to want to update it. See if that works. * Thread Starter [nbostic](https://wordpress.org/support/users/nbostic/) * (@nbostic) * [11 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-update-almost-always-freezes/#post-5207786) * > Thank you for the new information! * Not sure how that’s new, since I’ve been talking about upgrading/updating since the get go, but you’re welcome! * > We still want to test with a NEW plugins folder to make something there isn’t > derpy. > Clean out anything store in the wp-content/upgrade/ folder. > Then, once you have A plugin installed, edit the plugin file to show an older > version (so change the version from 1.4 to 1.2 or such). That should prompt > WP to want to update it. See if that works. * My host is trying a couple of things on the VPS side, so we’ll see if that makes a change, but if not, I’ll try your steps. I’ll report back either way. * Thank you. * Moderator [Ipstenu (Mika Epstein)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ipstenu/) * (@ipstenu) * 🏳️‍🌈 Advisor and Activist * [11 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-update-almost-always-freezes/#post-5207813) * It’s new because you didn’t specifically say that installing worked. The two systems are related quite a bit (upgrading is a subset of installing). If BOTH failed, I’d want to start looking around your /tmp folder, you see. Trial and error 🙂 * Thread Starter [nbostic](https://wordpress.org/support/users/nbostic/) * (@nbostic) * [11 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-update-almost-always-freezes/#post-5207859) * Just to update: * I’m still working with my VPS on this issue. They’re trying to claim it’s a WP issue, I’m thinking it’s a server issue (started when we put Varnish on, although it didn’t go away when we took Varnish off). * I’d love feedback on an idea I had to try to prove them wrong is sound: * I installed a completely fresh WPMS install on the same server, but a completely different fresh cPanel install. No themes, no plugins aside from Akismet and Hello Dolly. Akismet needs an update. Tried the update, exact same issue. That suggests to me it’s a server thing. Am I wrong in thinking this since I’ve effectively ruled out any WP software issues by doing a completely fresh install? * Moderator [Ipstenu (Mika Epstein)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ipstenu/) * (@ipstenu) * 🏳️‍🌈 Advisor and Activist * [11 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-update-almost-always-freezes/#post-5207876) * Do an install of SINGLE WordPress. If you can dupe it there, then yeah, I’m with you that something’s broken with FTP possibly on your server. * Speaking of that, I’m assuming you’ve checked teh error logs and nothing weird popped up like Mod_security stopping an update? * Thread Starter [nbostic](https://wordpress.org/support/users/nbostic/) * (@nbostic) * [11 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-update-almost-always-freezes/#post-5207882) * Okay, tried the single install then update Akismet, it doesn’t even get the spinny icon, it just stops at * > Downloading update from [https://downloads.wordpress.org/plugin/akismet.3.0.2.zip…](https://downloads.wordpress.org/plugin/akismet.3.0.2.zip…) * It actually does update, it’s just that the screen never refreshes. This is similar to how it _usually_ works on my multisite too, the big issue being when I try to update multiple plugins, it doesn’t usually move beyond the first in the list. * The only repeated error on my single site install is: * > [22-Aug-2014 20:07:02 America/New_York] PHP Warning: Module ‘zip’ already loaded > in Unknown on line 0 * Moderator [Ipstenu (Mika Epstein)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ipstenu/) * (@ipstenu) * 🏳️‍🌈 Advisor and Activist * [11 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-update-almost-always-freezes/#post-5207916) * THAT looks like a server error indeed. It sounds like your php.ini file (or phprc whatever…) is calling the zip module twice. Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 15 total) The topic ‘Plugin update almost always freezes’ is closed to new replies. * In: [Networking WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/multisite/) * 15 replies * 2 participants * Last reply from: [Ipstenu (Mika Epstein)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ipstenu/) * Last activity: [11 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/plugin-update-almost-always-freezes/#post-5207916) * Status: not resolved ## Topics ### Topics with no replies ### Non-support topics ### Resolved topics ### Unresolved topics ### All topics