I've found some similar topics to this problem, but nothing in them addresses or solves my problem.

I'm converting from a 6.7.3. classic system (I know ... it's about time). The install went fine. I'm running the classic importer. I keep getting the following error:
Checking... You entered the wrong path to the members directory
I copy/pasted the member directory exactly from my Classic control panel as /var/www/vhosts/dennyp.com/Members.
In some other topics I've seen references to a memberlist.cgi file in that directory. I have a memberslist.cgi file in that directory.
Safe_mode is off.

DOCUMENT_ROOT /var/www/vhosts/dennyp.com/httpdocs - but I have my Members directory above the httpdocs directory.

The Classic board is running fine.

Running PHP Version 5.1.6.

Suggestions? Thanks.

Hmm, it sounds like everything should be working properly. It might be just easiest if you can open up a basic support ticket with ftp info so I can take a closer look.

I commented out all the ckthis function calls in the classic_import.php file (I first tried commenting out only the Member check, but then I got errors on all the other file tests). I then ran the classic_import.php program. It ran through all the import functions. It did it pretty fast. I did see some errors, but they went by too fast. I have 20,000 members, about 25 forums, and over 100,000 total messages. There was no way it could have converted all of it. When I looked at the message board, nothing was converted.

Is there a log file kept of the importer messages that might contain some help?

I checked the SQL files and the banned_email and banned_hosts tables were properly populate, but the other tables have either none (like the Forum table) or just a few records.

Done as requested!

I think I found a clue by playing around with the import script.

It seems that the 'file_exists' function works ok if the file being checked is in a directory below my httpdocs directory like:
But it isn't working for files above the httpdocs directory for files in directories like

I wrote this test script

It returned

But both files are there.

Ok, well looks like you've debugged this quite a bit, so we'll just continue here for anyone else that might be following along.

Since it appears PHP can't read above your httpdocs directory and safe_mode is off then more than likely it's an open_basedir restriction.

If you want your classic board to remain operational, what I'd do is just copy your members directory to within your httpdocs directory.

What about the data in /var/www/vhosts/dennyp.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi which is also above the httpdocs directory?

Also the forums which are in /var/www/vhosts/dennyp.com/httpdocs/ubb below httpdocs didn't get copied.

My current setting for open_basedir is.

open_basedir /var/www/vhosts/dennyp.com/httpdocs:/tmp

Could I just add a vhost.comf file in the conf director for my domain that has the following and restart Apache?:

<Directory /var/www/vhosts/dennyp.com/httpdocs>
php_admin_value open_basedir /var/www/vhosts/dennyp.com
</Directory>

Also ... with the above issue, how come my Classic board is running ok on this same server with some directories above httpdocs?

My 2 cents you are over evaluating the issue.
Threads has a completely different structure than Classic.
PHP versus cgi.
MYSQL versus a flat file system.
Once you finish upgrading you will not deal with cgi anymore not above and or below the root locations.
You will have php scripts and all the data will be stored in MYSQL.
Probably the reason the import script did not work was because of your reported problem of the members folder above the root was not accessible so the script died trying to import posts because the poster list is in the Members directory.

Don't forget the importer is a php script not a cgi script.

I had a similar problem when I upgraded to threads. I had the member files above the root and I was on a windows host.
It sounds like you are on a dedicated or vps server and you have more control over your server than I had. But the most simplistic resolution for me was to move the members directory below the root set file/folder permissions update the control panel. Then run the importer for threads.

I don't understand what other directory's for Classic other than the Member files would have been above the root in your case. But I never had a need to do so either.

All you have for paths in the control panel is cgi files, Non cgi files,Variables files and Member files.
The directories can be named what ever you want but the setting paths remain as I stated above

So what other path setting are you talking about that is above the root other than member files?