Site does not work after php update

My domain provider 1&1 told me that I need to update my php or I will have to pay more per month.

I update my php and my site stops working. Most buttons do nothing, and there is weird error text at the top of the page.
I backed up my site and decided to do a clean install.

On the control panel for 1&1, I get the information that my database is "MySQL5" and there is no way to change it.
The site is http://www.skin-for-laptop.com

I have the following error during install after typing in the configuration details:

Deprecated: mysql_connect(): The mysql extension is deprecated and will be removed in the future: use mysqli or PDO instead in /homepages/32/d350953638/htdocs/skinforlaptop/system/database/mysql.php on line 6

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /homepages/32/d350953638/htdocs/skinforlaptop/system/database/mysql.php:6) in /homepages/32/d350953638/htdocs/skinforlaptop/system/engine/controller.php on line 28

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /homepages/32/d350953638/htdocs/skinforlaptop/system/database/mysql.php:6) in /homepages/32/d350953638/htdocs/skinforlaptop/system/engine/controller.php on line 29

Once this is fixed, I will plan to put in a template that I bought.
What can I do to fix this?

which version of opencart do you have? If you're on 1.5.6.x, try changing the 'mysql' to 'mysqli' in both your config.php files.

Also, for 1and1 hosting, if you normally use for the DB Host: localhost:/tmp/mysql5.sock

You should change the DB Host to just: localhost in config.php and admin/config.php and also add the following to the top of both configs on a new line after the opening php <?php tag

MarketInSG wrote:which version of opencart do you have? If you're on 1.5.6.x, try changing the 'mysql' to 'mysqli' in both your config.php files.

I am indeed on 1.5.6.x.

By making this change, what is happening exactly? What is MySQLi? I fear that if I change it, there will be some conflict with my database provider, and it will break even more.

there wouldn't be more issues. Give a try and switch mysql to mysqli as mysql is being deprecated on newer versions of PHP

Wow! Just simply changing that did fix it. I have no idea what changing it does, but it definitely worked, for a clean install. It took me a lot of time to put in my items and such, so I am now going to try to restore my backup, and upgrade to 1.5.6 rather than a clean install.

:/
After redoing my backup onto the server, then putting 1.5.6 files on top of that, then going to <site.com>/install (I see the upgrade page), and running the script, I get the same error In my first post. So I went into config.php and admin/config.php and changed the define DB_DRIVER from mysql to mysqli. That error is gone, and now I have a different error:

Warning: require_once(/homepages/32/d350953638/htdocs/system/startup.php): failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /homepages/32/d350953638/htdocs/skinforlaptop/index.php on line 17

Fatal error: require_once(): Failed opening required '/homepages/32/d350953638/htdocs/system/startup.php' (include_path='.:/usr/lib/php5.5') in /homepages/32/d350953638/htdocs/skinforlaptop/index.php on line 17

hum.... I just noticed it is looking in the wrong place. Where do I define where the root folder is? I used to keep my shop on root, but I made a subdirectory "skinforlaptop" and put opencart files there.
As far as I can tell, in my config.php I have to put the folder between the openCart folder (admin, system, etc.) and my site, I think. That would be the define functions under "// DIR" and above "// DB", right?
Where else would I need to edit?

config.php and admin/config.php

Also clear your system/cache directory and if you had previously installed vqmod, clear the vqmod/vqcache folder and delete vqmod/mods.cache file

Everything seems to be working, so my issue resolved.

Thank you for everything!

hi guys

i have the same issue, 1&1 forced me to upgrade without any help on how things will be affected. Changing from mysql to mysqli worked for one of my sites, that was running the latest opencart version.

But my site www.alnaizak.net running opencart 1.5.6 does not work after i changed mysql to mysqli, the site don't even load at all i just get this error

Parse error: syntax error, unexpected 'else' (T_ELSE), expecting function (T_FUNCTION) in /homepages/7/d95492774/htdocs/alnaizak.net/system/database/mysqli.php on line 54

Please can someone give some help here now to fix it. I don't currently have a backup of this site, really don't wanna start from scratch.