okay.
Basically we had two folders that contained attachements, avatars, templates etc.
For some reason the forum was not reading those files properly.
So I moved things around so that the layout was back to the original forum layout before I updated it.
This worked partially as the forum started to admit that attachments fodler existed. But for some reason that still remains unknown, the forum templates folder turned invisible to html.
So why I could see the folder, edit it, change permissions etc. browsers refused to admit it existed.
I've fixed that by ignoring all the file permission settinsg you are supposed to apply.
This problem wasn't helped by someone over at yabbforums insisting the folder did not exist - even when I could access it, edit it and show him pictures of it's existence.
fingers crossed it'll stay fixed.
There may be minor template changes in the future as I try to get things back to how they were. But (pleasepleaseletitbeso) I'm hoping that the majority of problems we've been having since the upgrade should now be fixed.
All folder and file paths are now what they always used to be - and I think that was the root of most of the problems.
If you're still having problems - let me know and I'll headbutt the nearest masonry obstruction.
And then try and fix it
I know the navigation menu needs to go back - that should be doable without any major issues (lol).
Anything else just let me know.
CA