diff --git a/phpBB/includes/db/dbal.php b/phpBB/includes/db/dbal.php
index 34a1261c2a..77d45ebd43 100644
--- a/phpBB/includes/db/dbal.php
+++ b/phpBB/includes/db/dbal.php
@@ -74,6 +74,11 @@ class dbal
 	var $any_char;
 	var $one_char;
 
+	/**
+	* Exact version of the DBAL, directly queried
+	*/
+	var $sql_server_version = false;
+
 	/**
 	* Constructor
 	*/
diff --git a/phpBB/includes/db/firebird.php b/phpBB/includes/db/firebird.php
index 429c0f2d4f..2f577244eb 100644
--- a/phpBB/includes/db/firebird.php
+++ b/phpBB/includes/db/firebird.php
@@ -41,26 +41,42 @@ class dbal_firebird extends dbal
 		$this->persistency = $persistency;
 		$this->user = $sqluser;
 		$this->server = $sqlserver . (($port) ? ':' . $port : '');
-		$this->dbname = $database;
+		$this->dbname = str_replace('\\', '/', $database);
 
-		$this->db_connect_id = ($this->persistency) ? @ibase_pconnect($this->server . ':' . $this->dbname, $this->user, $sqlpassword, false, false, 3) : @ibase_connect($this->server . ':' . $this->dbname, $this->user, $sqlpassword, false, false, 3);
+		// There are three possibilities to connect to an interbase db
+		if (!$this->server)
+		{
+			$use_database = $this->dbname;
+		}
+		else if (strpos($this->server, '//') === 0)
+		{
+			$use_database = $this->server . $this->dbname;
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			$use_database = $this->server . ':' . $this->dbname;
+		}
 
-		$this->service_handle = (strtolower($this->user) == 'sysdba') ? @ibase_service_attach($this->server, $this->user, $sqlpassword) : false;
+		$this->db_connect_id = ($this->persistency) ? @ibase_pconnect($use_database, $this->user, $sqlpassword, false, false, 3) : @ibase_connect($use_database, $this->user, $sqlpassword, false, false, 3);
+
+		$this->service_handle = (strtolower($this->user) == 'sysdba' && $this->server) ? @ibase_service_attach($this->server, $this->user, $sqlpassword) : false;
 
 		return ($this->db_connect_id) ? $this->db_connect_id : $this->sql_error('');
 	}
 
 	/**
 	* Version information about used database
+	* @param bool $raw if true, only return the fetched sql_server_version
+	* @return string sql server version
 	*/
-	function sql_server_info()
+	function sql_server_info($raw = false)
 	{
 		if ($this->service_handle !== false)
 		{
 			return @ibase_server_info($this->service_handle, IBASE_SVC_SERVER_VERSION);
 		}
 
-		return 'Firebird/Interbase';
+		return ($raw) ? '2.0' : 'Firebird/Interbase';
 	}
 
 	/**
diff --git a/phpBB/includes/db/mssql.php b/phpBB/includes/db/mssql.php
index a2081891e4..7864f7a3d7 100644
--- a/phpBB/includes/db/mssql.php
+++ b/phpBB/includes/db/mssql.php
@@ -57,24 +57,38 @@ class dbal_mssql extends dbal
 
 	/**
 	* Version information about used database
+	* @param bool $raw if true, only return the fetched sql_server_version
+	* @return string sql server version
 	*/
-	function sql_server_info()
+	function sql_server_info($raw = false)
 	{
-		$result_id = @mssql_query("SELECT SERVERPROPERTY('productversion'), SERVERPROPERTY('productlevel'), SERVERPROPERTY('edition')", $this->db_connect_id);
+		global $cache;
 
-		$row = false;
-		if ($result_id)
+		if (empty($cache) || ($this->sql_server_version = $cache->get('mssql_version')) === false)
 		{
-			$row = @mssql_fetch_assoc($result_id);
-			@mssql_free_result($result_id);
+			$result_id = @mssql_query("SELECT SERVERPROPERTY('productversion'), SERVERPROPERTY('productlevel'), SERVERPROPERTY('edition')", $this->db_connect_id);
+
+			$row = false;
+			if ($result_id)
+			{
+				$row = @mssql_fetch_assoc($result_id);
+				@mssql_free_result($result_id);
+			}
+
+			$this->sql_server_version = ($row) ? trim(implode(' ', $row)) : 0;
+
+			if (!empty($cache))
+			{
+				$cache->put('mssql_version', $this->sql_server_version);
+			}
 		}
 
-		if ($row)
+		if ($raw)
 		{
-			return 'MSSQL<br />' . implode(' ', $row);
+			return $this->sql_server_version;
 		}
 
-		return 'MSSQL';
+		return ($this->sql_server_version) ? 'MSSQL<br />' . $this->sql_server_version : 'MSSQL';
 	}
 
 	/**
diff --git a/phpBB/includes/db/mssql_odbc.php b/phpBB/includes/db/mssql_odbc.php
index b2e6c8d583..d26dafdb52 100644
--- a/phpBB/includes/db/mssql_odbc.php
+++ b/phpBB/includes/db/mssql_odbc.php
@@ -73,24 +73,38 @@ class dbal_mssql_odbc extends dbal
 
 	/**
 	* Version information about used database
+	* @param bool $raw if true, only return the fetched sql_server_version
+	* @return string sql server version
 	*/
-	function sql_server_info()
+	function sql_server_info($raw = false)
 	{
-		$result_id = @odbc_exec($this->db_connect_id, "SELECT SERVERPROPERTY('productversion'), SERVERPROPERTY('productlevel'), SERVERPROPERTY('edition')");
+		global $cache;
 
-		$row = false;
-		if ($result_id)
+		if (empty($cache) || ($this->sql_server_version = $cache->get('mssqlodbc_version')) === false)
 		{
-			$row = @odbc_fetch_array($result_id);
-			@odbc_free_result($result_id);
+			$result_id = @odbc_exec($this->db_connect_id, "SELECT SERVERPROPERTY('productversion'), SERVERPROPERTY('productlevel'), SERVERPROPERTY('edition')");
+
+			$row = false;
+			if ($result_id)
+			{
+				$row = @odbc_fetch_array($result_id);
+				@odbc_free_result($result_id);
+			}
+
+			$this->sql_server_version = ($row) ? trim(implode(' ', $row)) : 0;
+
+			if (!empty($cache))
+			{
+				$cache->put('mssqlodbc_version', $this->sql_server_version);
+			}
 		}
 
-		if ($row)
+		if ($raw)
 		{
-			return 'MSSQL (ODBC)<br />' . implode(' ', $row);
+			return $this->sql_server_version;
 		}
 
-		return 'MSSQL (ODBC)';
+		return ($this->sql_server_version) ? 'MSSQL (ODBC)<br />' . $this->sql_server_version : 'MSSQL (ODBC)';
 	}
 
 	/**
diff --git a/phpBB/includes/db/mysql.php b/phpBB/includes/db/mysql.php
index 540009cc6c..ff45a403e9 100644
--- a/phpBB/includes/db/mysql.php
+++ b/phpBB/includes/db/mysql.php
@@ -52,26 +52,18 @@ class dbal_mysql extends dbal
 			if (@mysql_select_db($this->dbname, $this->db_connect_id))
 			{
 				@mysql_query("SET NAMES 'utf8'", $this->db_connect_id);
+
 				// enforce strict mode on databases that support it
-				if (version_compare(mysql_get_server_info($this->db_connect_id), '5.0.2', '>='))
+				if (version_compare($this->sql_server_info(true), '5.0.2', '>='))
 				{
-					$result = @mysql_query('SELECT @@session.sql_mode AS sql_mode', $this->db_connect_id);
-					$row = @mysql_fetch_assoc($result);
-					@mysql_free_result($result);
-					$modes = array_map('trim', explode(',', $row['sql_mode']));
-
-					// TRADITIONAL includes STRICT_ALL_TABLES and STRICT_TRANS_TABLES
-					if (!in_array('TRADITIONAL', $modes))
+					if (!in_array('STRICT_ALL_TABLES', $modes))
 					{
-						if (!in_array('STRICT_ALL_TABLES', $modes))
-						{
-							$modes[] = 'STRICT_ALL_TABLES';
-						}
+						$modes[] = 'STRICT_ALL_TABLES';
+					}
 
-						if (!in_array('STRICT_TRANS_TABLES', $modes))
-						{
-							$modes[] = 'STRICT_TRANS_TABLES';
-						}
+					if (!in_array('STRICT_TRANS_TABLES', $modes))
+					{
+						$modes[] = 'STRICT_TRANS_TABLES';
 					}
 
 					$mode = implode(',', $modes);
@@ -87,10 +79,28 @@ class dbal_mysql extends dbal
 
 	/**
 	* Version information about used database
+	* @param bool $raw if true, only return the fetched sql_server_version
+	* @return string sql server version
 	*/
-	function sql_server_info()
+	function sql_server_info($raw = false)
 	{
-		return 'MySQL ' . mysql_get_server_info($this->db_connect_id);
+		global $cache;
+
+		if (empty($cache) || ($this->sql_server_version = $cache->get('mysql_version')) === false)
+		{
+			$result = @mysql_query('SELECT VERSION() AS version', $this->db_connect_id);
+			$row = @mysql_fetch_assoc($result);
+			@mysql_free_result($result);
+
+			$this->sql_server_version = $row['version'];
+
+			if (!empty($cache))
+			{
+				$cache->put('mysql_version', $this->sql_server_version);
+			}
+		}
+
+		return ($raw) ? $this->sql_server_version : 'MySQL ' . $this->sql_server_version;
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -366,13 +376,9 @@ class dbal_mysql extends dbal
 		if ($test_prof === null)
 		{
 			$test_prof = $test_extend = false;
-			if (strpos($this->mysql_version, 'community') !== false)
+			if (version_compare($this->sql_server_info(true), '5.0.37', '>=') && version_compare($this->sql_server_info(true), '5.1', '<'))
 			{
-				$ver = substr($this->mysql_version, 0, strpos($this->mysql_version, '-'));
-				if (version_compare($ver, '5.0.37', '>=') && version_compare($ver, '5.1', '<'))
-				{
-					$test_prof = true;
-				}
+				$test_prof = true;
 			}
 
 			if (version_compare($ver, '4.1.1', '>='))
diff --git a/phpBB/includes/db/mysqli.php b/phpBB/includes/db/mysqli.php
index ff77299b46..11030508bd 100644
--- a/phpBB/includes/db/mysqli.php
+++ b/phpBB/includes/db/mysqli.php
@@ -51,12 +51,14 @@ class dbal_mysqli extends dbal
 		if ($this->db_connect_id && $this->dbname != '')
 		{
 			@mysqli_query($this->db_connect_id, "SET NAMES 'utf8'");
+
 			// enforce strict mode on databases that support it
-			if (mysqli_get_server_version($this->db_connect_id) >= 50002)
+			if (version_compare($this->sql_server_info(true), '5.0.2', '>='))
 			{
 				$result = @mysqli_query($this->db_connect_id, 'SELECT @@session.sql_mode AS sql_mode');
 				$row = @mysqli_fetch_assoc($result);
 				@mysqli_free_result($result);
+
 				$modes = array_map('trim', explode(',', $row['sql_mode']));
 
 				// TRADITIONAL includes STRICT_ALL_TABLES and STRICT_TRANS_TABLES
@@ -84,10 +86,28 @@ class dbal_mysqli extends dbal
 
 	/**
 	* Version information about used database
+	* @param bool $raw if true, only return the fetched sql_server_version
+	* @return string sql server version
 	*/
-	function sql_server_info()
+	function sql_server_info($raw = false)
 	{
-		return 'MySQL(i) ' . @mysqli_get_server_info($this->db_connect_id);
+		global $cache;
+
+		if (empty($cache) || ($this->sql_server_version = $cache->get('mysqli_version')) === false)
+		{
+			$result = @mysqli_query($this->db_connect_id, 'SELECT VERSION() AS version');
+			$row = @mysqli_fetch_assoc($result);
+			@mysqli_free_result($result);
+
+			$this->sql_server_version = $row['version'];
+
+			if (!empty($cache))
+			{
+				$cache->put('mysqli_version', $this->sql_server_version);
+			}
+		}
+
+		return ($raw) ? $this->sql_server_version : 'MySQL(i) ' . $this->sql_server_version;
 	}
 
 	/**
diff --git a/phpBB/includes/db/oracle.php b/phpBB/includes/db/oracle.php
index 411c2aa494..e0b04f4ce7 100644
--- a/phpBB/includes/db/oracle.php
+++ b/phpBB/includes/db/oracle.php
@@ -57,10 +57,31 @@ class dbal_oracle extends dbal
 
 	/**
 	* Version information about used database
+	* @param bool $raw if true, only return the fetched sql_server_version
+	* @return string sql server version
 	*/
-	function sql_server_info()
+	function sql_server_info($raw = false)
 	{
-		return @oci_server_version($this->db_connect_id);
+/*
+		global $cache;
+
+		if (empty($cache) || ($this->sql_server_version = $cache->get('oracle_version')) === false)
+		{
+			$result = @ociparse($this->db_connect_id, 'SELECT * FROM v$version WHERE banner LIKE \'Oracle%\'');
+			@ociexecute($result, OCI_DEFAULT);
+			@ocicommit($this->db_connect_id);
+
+			$row = array();
+			@ocifetchinto($result, $row, OCI_ASSOC + OCI_RETURN_NULLS);
+			@ocifreestatement($result);
+			$this->sql_server_version = trim($row['BANNER']);
+
+			$cache->put('oracle_version', $this->sql_server_version);
+		}
+*/
+		$this->sql_server_version = @ociserverversion($this->db_connect_id);
+
+		return $this->sql_server_version;
 	}
 
 	/**
diff --git a/phpBB/includes/db/postgres.php b/phpBB/includes/db/postgres.php
index 8ac0fa8300..2f6b5613c5 100644
--- a/phpBB/includes/db/postgres.php
+++ b/phpBB/includes/db/postgres.php
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ include_once(PHPBB_ROOT_PATH . 'includes/db/dbal.' . PHP_EXT);
 class dbal_postgres extends dbal
 {
 	var $last_query_text = '';
-	var $pgsql_version;
 
 	var $dbms_type = 'postgres';
 
@@ -83,26 +82,17 @@ class dbal_postgres extends dbal
 
 		if ($this->db_connect_id)
 		{
-			// determine what version of PostgreSQL is running, we can be more efficient if they are running 8.2+
-			$this->pgsql_version = @pg_parameter_status($this->db_connect_id, 'server_version');
-
-			if (!empty($this->pgsql_version) && $this->pgsql_version[0] >= '8')
+			if (version_compare($this->sql_server_info(true), '8.2', '>='))
 			{
-				if ($this->pgsql_version[2] >= '1')
-				{
-					$this->multi_table_deletion = true;
-				}
-
-				if ($this->pgsql_version[2] >= '2')
-				{
-					$this->multi_insert = true;
-				}
+				$this->multi_table_deletion = true;
+				$this->multi_insert = true;
 			}
 
 			if ($schema !== '')
 			{
 				@pg_query($this->db_connect_id, 'SET search_path TO ' . $schema);
 			}
+
 			return $this->db_connect_id;
 		}
 
@@ -111,10 +101,28 @@ class dbal_postgres extends dbal
 
 	/**
 	* Version information about used database
+	* @param bool $raw if true, only return the fetched sql_server_version
+	* @return string sql server version
 	*/
-	function sql_server_info()
+	function sql_server_info($raw = false)
 	{
-		return 'PostgreSQL ' . $this->pgsql_version;
+		global $cache;
+
+		if (empty($cache) || ($this->sql_server_version = $cache->get('pgsql_version')) === false)
+		{
+			$query_id = @pg_query($this->db_connect_id, 'SELECT VERSION() AS version');
+			$row = @pg_fetch_assoc($query_id, null);
+			@pg_free_result($query_id);
+
+			$this->sql_server_version = (!empty($row['version'])) ? trim(substr($row['version'], 10)) : 0;
+
+			if (!empty($cache))
+			{
+				$cache->put('pgsql_version', $this->sql_server_version);
+			}
+		}
+
+		return ($raw) ? $this->sql_server_version : 'PostgreSQL ' . $this->sql_server_version;
 	}
 
 	/**
diff --git a/phpBB/includes/db/sqlite.php b/phpBB/includes/db/sqlite.php
index df1180db8f..dc2701c1ce 100644
--- a/phpBB/includes/db/sqlite.php
+++ b/phpBB/includes/db/sqlite.php
@@ -49,18 +49,31 @@ class dbal_sqlite extends dbal
 		if ($this->db_connect_id)
 		{
 			@sqlite_query('PRAGMA short_column_names = 1', $this->db_connect_id);
+//			@sqlite_query('PRAGMA encoding = "UTF-8"', $this->db_connect_id);
 		}
 
-		
 		return ($this->db_connect_id) ? true : array('message' => $error);
 	}
 
 	/**
 	* Version information about used database
+	* @param bool $raw if true, only return the fetched sql_server_version
+	* @return string sql server version
 	*/
-	function sql_server_info()
+	function sql_server_info($raw = false)
 	{
-		return 'SQLite ' . @sqlite_libversion();
+		global $cache;
+
+		if (empty($cache) || ($this->sql_server_version = $cache->get('sqlite_version')) === false)
+		{
+			$result = @sqlite_query('SELECT sqlite_version() AS version', $this->db_connect_id);
+			$row = @sqlite_fetch_array($result, SQLITE_ASSOC);
+
+			$this->sql_server_version = (!empty($row['version'])) ? $row['version'] : 0;
+			$cache->put('sqlite_version', $this->sql_server_version);
+		}
+
+		return ($raw) ? $this->sql_server_version : 'SQLite ' . $this->sql_server_version;
 	}
 
 	/**
diff --git a/phpBB/install/install_convert.php b/phpBB/install/install_convert.php
index fe44433f33..319505d57a 100644
--- a/phpBB/install/install_convert.php
+++ b/phpBB/install/install_convert.php
@@ -681,7 +681,7 @@ class install_convert extends module
 
 			// Thanks MySQL, for silently converting...
 			case 'mysql':
-				if (version_compare($src_db->mysql_version, '4.1.3', '>='))
+				if (version_compare($src_db->sql_server_info(true), '4.1.3', '>='))
 				{
 					$convert->mysql_convert = true;
 				}
diff --git a/phpBB/install/install_install.php b/phpBB/install/install_install.php
index b2bf0fb37f..1c3f490ccb 100644
--- a/phpBB/install/install_install.php
+++ b/phpBB/install/install_install.php
@@ -1378,6 +1378,10 @@ class install_install extends module
 
 			'UPDATE ' . $data['table_prefix'] . "forums
 				SET forum_last_post_time = $current_time",
+
+			'UPDATE ' . $data['table_prefix'] . "config
+				SET config_value = '" . $db->sql_escape($db->sql_server_info(true)) . "'
+				WHERE config_name = 'dbms_version'",
 		);
 
 		if (@extension_loaded('gd') || can_load_dll('gd'))