Troubleshooting Database Connection Issue

Several years ago, I had a fairly simple, small web-based program developed through Rent-a-Coder. Since then, the program was put on hold and with a transfer to a new host and then, a dedicated server, the program no longer works. The login page comes up, but cannot get any further. Seems to be hanging on the CREATE SESSION command...and just continues to return me to the [login to view URL] page. I have checked the [login to view URL] files and changed the necessary information...and have updated the user access files in MySQL. I have gone through the code of these programs line by line but cannot figure out why the [login to view URL] is not showing up. Even did a fresh install of the program and updated the connection information, but nothing. Some additional information, when trying to create a new user, the warning comes up that "A valid email is not being entered" when it is. Checking the code, this is the error message for any sessions that are not loaded during registration. Also, when entering a person's user name and password (that is definitely in the database), it just keeps going back to the login. This could be a fifteen minute job for someone who knows what they are doing with PhP and MySQL. The program itself is complete and was fully-functioning before the transfers. ## Deliverables 1) Existing program that connects to the database in all areas that it is supposed to connect. 2) Deliverables must be in ready-to-run condition, as follows (depending on the nature of the deliverables): a) For web sites or other server-side deliverables intended to only ever exist in one place in the Buyer's environment--Deliverables must be installed by the Seller in ready-to-run condition in the Buyer's environment. 3) All deliverables will be considered "work made for hire" under U.S. Copyright law. Buyer will receive exclusive and complete copyrights to all work purchased. (No GPL, GNU, 3rd party components, etc. unless all copyright ramifications are explained AND AGREED TO by the buyer on the site per the coder's Seller Legal Agreement). ## Platform Linux