diff --git a/install2.php b/install2.php
index 65eef8dc..a4bb7f9f 100644
--- a/install2.php
+++ b/install2.php
@@ -56,28 +56,46 @@ mysql_select_db($DBNAME);
 		}
 		echo "<b>version $dbcodeversion</b><br />";
 
-
 		echo "Checking for existing SFIAB database... ";
 		if(file_exists("db/db.db.version.txt"))
 		{
 			$dbdbversion_file=file("db/db.db.version.txt");
 			$dbdbversion=trim($dbdbversion_file[0]);
-			echo "<b>ERROR: found version $dbdbversion</b><br />";
+			if($dbdbversion)
+			{
+				echo "<b>ERROR: found version $dbdbversion</b><br />";
 
-			//lets see if they match
-			if($dbcodeversion == $dbdbversion)
-				echo "Your SFIAB database is already setup with the required version\n";
-			else if($dbcodeversion<$dbdbversion)
-				echo "ERROR: dbcodeversion<dbdbversion ($dbcodeversion<$dbdbversion).  This should not happen!";
-			else if($dbcodeversion>$dbdbversion)
-				echo "Your SFIAB database needs to be updated.  You should run the update script instead of this installer!\n";
-			exit;
+				//lets see if they match
+				if($dbcodeversion == $dbdbversion)
+					echo "Your SFIAB database is already setup with the required version\n";
+				else if($dbcodeversion<$dbdbversion)
+					echo "ERROR: dbcodeversion<dbdbversion ($dbcodeversion<$dbdbversion).  This should not happen!";
+				else if($dbcodeversion>$dbdbversion)
+					echo "Your SFIAB database needs to be updated.  You should run the update script instead of this installer!\n";
+				exit;
+			}
+			else
+			{
+				echo "<b>Not found (good!)</b><br />";
+			}
 		}
 		else
 		{
 			echo "<b>Not found (good!)</b><br />";
 		}
 
+		echo "Checking if db/db.db.version.txt is writable... ";
+		if(is_writable("db/db.db.version.txt"))
+		{
+			echo "<b>Yes</b><br />";
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			echo "<b>ERROR: cannot install.  db/db.db.version.txt is not writeable</b><br />";
+			exit;
+		}
+
+
 		echo "Checking for database installer for version $dbcodeversion... ";
 		if(file_exists("db/db.full.$dbcodeversion.sql"))
 		{
@@ -85,12 +103,15 @@ mysql_select_db($DBNAME);
 
 			echo "Setting up database tables... ";
 
-			system("mysql -h$DBHOST -u$DBUSER -p$DBPASS $DBNAME <db.update.$ver.sql");
+			system("mysql -h$DBHOST -u$DBUSER -p$DBPASS $DBNAME <db/db.full.$ver.sql");
 
 			echo "<b>Done! installed database version $dbcodeversion</b><br />\n";
 			$fp=fopen("db/db.db.version.txt","w");
 			fputs($fp,$dbcodeversion."\n");
 			fclose($fp);
+			echo "<br />";
+			echo "<b>Done!</b><br />";
+			echo "<a href=\"install3.php\">Proceed to installation step 3</a><br />";
 		}
 		else
 		{