Can't migrate website becuase shell_exec is disabled

[sinergyinaction]

Hi,
I'm trying to recover a wordpress website thanks to a backup I have from a previous version of XAMPP to the latest 8.2.0
I am using the DUPLICATOR plugin.
When I run the installer.php script the resulting install window says that an error

Code: Select all

An error has occurred. In order to load the full installer please resolve the issue below.
NOTICE: ZipArchive and Shell Exec are not enabled on this server please talk to your host or server admin about enabling ZipArchive or Shell Exec on this server or manually extract archive then choose Advanced > Manual Extract in installer

Indicating SHELL EXEC is not enabled in the PHP running with this version of XAMPP.

However, when I inspect the php.ini file the variable disabled_functions is empty, meaning that shell_exec is not disabled. Still the installer can't find it.
is there any other place on XAMMP where shell_exec can be enabled?

[Sanchez C-131]

Hello mate,

Did you find the solution for this? I'm experiencing the same problem.

[Altrea]

Hi,

I have checked shell_exec on my Windows 11 XAMPP 8.2.0 test environment.
It is working flawlessly.

Code

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<?php

$var = shell_exec("cd");
var_dump($var);

Execution result

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string(16) "C:\xampp\htdocs "

Maybe it is a problem with your third party script not checking correctly.

[sinergyinaction]

Hi, thanks for your reply. Eventually it worked but can't remember exactly how, or if I did anything special to make it work.

[Sanchez C-131]

Hello,

Thanks for the help.

I eventually found the solution to this issue.

Enable ZIP in XAMPP

XAMPP v8.2.00
Source: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/30558950/ziparchive-not-installed-in-xampp

Stop the xampp and then remove the starting semicolon ( ; ) before ;extension=zip from your xampp/php/php.ini the following code, and start xammp again.

Detailed:

Find (line 952, v8.2.00):
;extension=zip

replace with:
extension=zip

And now it works.