Software⏱️ 3 min read📅 2026-06-19

How to Fix: A database query error has occurred. This may indicate a bug in the software

Database query error on Mediawiki upload issue.

Quick Answer: Check php.ini settings and ensure file extensions are correctly configured for PDF uploads.

A database query error has occurred, indicating a potential bug in the software. This issue affects users attempting to upload large PDF files to Mediawiki.

The frustration of encountering this error is compounded by the fact that smaller PDF files can be uploaded successfully, making it difficult to identify the root cause and implement a solution.

⚠️ Common Causes

  • The primary reason for this issue lies in the configuration of Mediawiki's file upload settings. The `upload_max_filesize` and `post_max_size` directives are set to 32M, which may not be sufficient to handle larger PDF files. This could be a bug in the software or a misconfiguration by the administrator.
  • An alternative explanation is that the issue is related to the Ghostscript installation on the server, as indicated by the error message 'GPL Ghostscript 9.07: Unrecoverable error, exit code 1'. This could be due to a missing library or configuration issue.

🛠️ Step-by-Step Verified Fixes

Update Mediawiki's file upload settings

  1. Step 1: Increase the `upload_max_filesize` and `post_max_size` directives in the `php.ini` file to at least 64M. This will ensure that larger files can be uploaded without encountering errors.
  2. Step 2: Restart the Apache service or server after updating the `php.ini` file to apply the changes.

Upgrade Ghostscript installation

  1. Step 1: Update the Ghostscript package on the server to the latest version, which should include any necessary library updates.
  2. Step 2: Verify that the Ghostscript installation is correctly configured and that the `convert` command can be executed without errors.

💡 Conclusion

By following these steps, users should be able to resolve the database query error and successfully upload larger PDF files to Mediawiki. If the issue persists, it may be necessary to investigate further or seek assistance from a system administrator or software developer.

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