diff --git a/includes/install.inc b/includes/install.inc
index 42cdf73f2efc60f5279681e173c9e58e383d4d8d..b30d02a28cf45eb76f02e1229f5ab8626080005c 100644
--- a/includes/install.inc
+++ b/includes/install.inc
@@ -234,11 +234,11 @@ function drupal_rewrite_settings($settings = array(), $prefix = '') {
 
     $fp = fopen($settings_file, 'w');
     if ($fp && fwrite($fp, $buffer) === FALSE) {
-        drupal_set_message(st('Failed to modify %settings, please verify the file permissions.', array('%settings' => $settings_file)), 'error');
+      drupal_set_message(st('Failed to modify %settings, please verify the file permissions.', array('%settings' => $settings_file)), 'error');
     }
   }
   else {
-    drupal_set_message(st('Failed to open %settings, please verify the file permissions.', array('%settings' => $settings_file)), 'error');
+    drupal_set_message(st('Failed to open %settings, please verify the file permissions.', array('%settings' => $default_settings)), 'error');
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/install.php b/install.php
index 2e7fea6deb9b81a1226579fde6d043b714a1ec2e..a9ce9fcf842ed9c919239275a05ac30700157eb8 100644
--- a/install.php
+++ b/install.php
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ function install_verify_settings() {
     $db_host = urldecode($url['host']);
     $db_port = isset($url['port']) ? urldecode($url['port']) : '';
     $db_path = ltrim(urldecode($url['path']), '/');
-    $settings_file = './'. conf_path() .'/settings.php';
+    $settings_file = './'. conf_path(FALSE, TRUE) .'/settings.php';
 
     $form_state = array();
     _install_settings_form_validate($db_prefix, $db_type, $db_user, $db_pass, $db_host, $db_port, $db_path, $settings_file, $form_state);
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ function install_change_settings($profile = 'default', $install_locale = '') {
   $db_host = isset($url['host']) ? urldecode($url['host']) : '';
   $db_port = isset($url['port']) ? urldecode($url['port']) : '';
   $db_path = ltrim(urldecode($url['path']), '/');
-  $conf_path = './'. conf_path();
+  $conf_path = './'. conf_path(FALSE, TRUE);
   $settings_file = $conf_path .'/settings.php';
 
   // We always need this because we want to run form_get_errors.
@@ -866,7 +866,7 @@ function install_check_requirements($profile, $verify) {
   // If Drupal is not set up already, we need to create a settings file.
   if (!$verify) {
     $writable = FALSE;
-    $conf_path = './'. conf_path();
+    $conf_path = './'. conf_path(FALSE, TRUE);
     $settings_file = $conf_path .'/settings.php';
     $file = $conf_path;
     // Verify that the directory exists.