Tori.lol

avajohnson4 wrote: So I just did a clean install of Joomla 5 on a new server (PHP 8.2, MySQL 8), and I’m already running into a bunch of weird issues right out of the gate.

A few things I’ve noticed:

Installer said everything was fine, but after login, I got a blank admin dashboard until I cleared cache manually

Language override screen just loads forever

Media manager randomly breaks when uploading PNGs

Some extensions throw errors even though they claim to be J5-ready

I mean, maybe I missed something basic during setup, but this feels kinda rough for a fresh install.

Anyone else dealing with these kinds of things on new Joomla 5 sites? Could it be hosting config stuff, or just bugs that still need ironing out?

What to look for or what you usually fix right after installing?

Sounds like a bit of a rough start. Installing a new version can be tricky sometimes. Blank admin screens often scream caching issues or maybe even some PHP settings on the server that need tweaking. Clearing cache manually seemed to help, so maybe check if OPcache is doing anything weird?

For the language override screen and media manager issues, I've seen those happen if there's stuff going on with permissions or if something's wonky with browser cache—sometimes just trying another browser does the trick.

Extensions being a pain even when they say they're ready... yeah, happen to me before too. Always best to double-check their docs or forums for any sneaky issues others have found. Also, make sure all your PHP extensions are correct; hosts sometimes miss something small.

Could definitely be hosting-related too. Maybe worth asking them about the environment or double-checking the PHP error logs. Bugs are always possible with new releases, but usually, someone else has tripped over them in forums by now.

I'd poke around there, and keep an eye on Joomla’s official update notes—they sometimes slip fixes in there. Hope you get it sorted out soon!

Hey there, just wanted to jump in because I’ve actually seen a lot of what you're describing, and I totally get how annoying it feels. Fresh install, everything looks good, then... weird stuff starts popping up. You're definitely not the only one running into this.

That blank dashboard after login? Yep, been there. I had to manually clear both Joomla’s cache and my browser’s before things would show up properly. Kinda silly for a clean setup, honestly.

With the language override page loading forever, I’d check the browser console just to see if any JavaScript errors are showing up. Sometimes it’s something small like a blocked script or a missing file, especially if the server config is a bit tight. Also, if there’s a security module like mod_security running, that might be silently blocking things in the background.

Media manager failing with PNGs... that sounds familiar too. I remember someone else had that happen when their server didn’t have full image support configured. Like, GD or ImageMagick was there but missing PNG support, or there was a memory limit issue. Worth checking with your host or your own PHP info if you manage the server yourself.

And yeah, extensions claiming they’re Joomla 5 ready... some of them are kind of jumping the gun. I’ve found a few that technically install but then break certain views or throw errors in the backend. I usually install things one by one, test after each one, just to keep things clean. It’s a bit slower, but it saves a lot of headaches.

Good call on trying a different PHP version too. Joomla 5 works with PHP 8.2, but some extensions clearly don’t yet, even if they say they do. If stuff feels too unstable, testing on 8.1 might give you better results for now.

Honestly, it could be a mix of Joomla still ironing things out and little server config quirks. If you’re on a VPS, that’s a plus since you’ve got some control, but it also means more stuff to double-check early on.

Happy to help if you get stuck with anything specific. I know it can feel rough in the beginning, but once it’s settled, Joomla 5 can be really solid.