locate the file php.ini and it's snippets in the php conf directory and change the extensions location to where the php extension so files are.
In a normal SME 8, the template fragments are in:
/etc/e-smith/templates/etc/php.ini/
After editing them, expand the php.ini from the templates.
Sample contents of a php.ini fragment in SME 8
# cat /etc/e-smith/templates/etc/php.ini/50PathsDirectories
mysql.allow_persistent = On
include_path = ".:/usr/share/pear-addons:/usr/share/pear"
doc_root =
user_dir =
extension_dir = { return "/usr/lib64/php/modules" if -d "/usr/lib64/php/modules";
return "/usr/lib/php/modules" if -d "/usr/lib/php/modules";
return "/usr/lib64/php4" if -d "/usr/lib64/php4";
return "/usr/lib/php4"; }
enable_dl = On
All the PHP5 extension libraries *.so are in /usr/lib/php/modules/ folder
Symlink them to be /usr/lib/php4 if needed.
Make sure that your working expanded /etc/php.ini has the following fragment:
mysql.allow_persistent = On
include_path = ".:/usr/share/pear-addons:/usr/share/pear"
doc_root =
user_dir =
extension_dir = /usr/lib/php/modules