WAMP: Fatal error: Call to undefined function mb_detect_encoding() .... When going to localhost/phpmyadmin

Question

I have enabled the mbstring extension by removing the ';': extension=php_mbstring.dll

I am using the correct php.ini file, checked by using phpinfo().

Extension dir specified in php.ini: extension_dir = "c:/wamp/bin/php/php5.5.12/ext/" Indeed, when I go there, I find 'php_mbstring.dll'

I've restarted wamp multiple times.

What else can be wrong here?

UPDATE:

seems, my whole wamp installation is fd up with respect to mysql:

Your PHP installation appears to be missing the MySQL extension which is required by WordPress.

I do have mysql installed and everything though...module is also enabled etc.

Answer 1

This sounds like you have a rouge php.ini file somewhere and it is loading the wrong one.

There are actually 2 php.ini files in WAMPServer as in most PHP/Apache installations.

One is called \wamp\bin\php\{phpversion}\php.ini and this is only used by the PHP CLI

The other is called \wamp\bin\php\{phpversion}\phpForApache.ini and is used when you are running PHP through Apache.

If you use the wampmanager menus you will edit the one used by Apache/PHP i.e.

wampmanager => PHP -> php.ini

However if you have actually edited the correct php.ini then it is likely you have a rouge version of php.ini somewhere on your system.

Run the phpinfo() link again from the wampmanager homepage and check this parameter which is shown on the first section of the output.

Loaded Configuration File 

It should be pointing to \wamp\bin\php\php5.5.12\phpForApache.ini in your case.

If its pointing somewhere else then you probably tried to install PHP and Apache manually before finding WAMPServer and that has left a php.ini file somewhere where Apache is finding it.

Here is the PHP Manual page that defines the search path order used by Apache when looking for a php.ini file. This may help you find and remove any rouge versions of php.ini

Answer 2

Install the gd library also.

check this link http://www.php.net/manual/en/mbstring.installation.php

or

There's a much easier way than recompiling PHP. Just yum install the required mbstring library:

Example: How to install PHP mbstring on CentOS 6.2

yum --enablerepo=remi install php-mbstring

Oh, and don't forget to restart apache afterward.