Login/Install problems

[goodyis]

First attempt of installing - manually - was semi-successful, I was able to login and see the main dashboard but none of the menus worked nor the direct pages. I've since dumped everything and reinstalled multiple times.
Changed PHP versions, looked and 'rewrite' is enabled but the mod_rewrite seems to have an X by it. Now even after dumping database and files, and starting fresh. It setups 'fine' and lets me login; attempts to change password and then won't do anything. Now I get HTTP 500 Error from /UserPasswordChange.php?PersonID=1 after each install attempt.

Ideas?

[goodyis]

Got the errors to go away; but still won't 'load' the menus properly on setup.
I'm sure I could manually set them with the 'view;' just wondering what I'm doing wrong that they aren't being pulled in on setup

[goodyis]

Jokes on me... menus weren't working because ALL scripts weren't loading because the footer was not loaded in... because even though htaccess was set to accept short tags ; the server was set not to.