Upgrade to 4.1 results in blank login screens

Question

So I started with a fresh Windows 2008R2 server and installed 11g (11.2.0.2). Then I got the embedded PL/SQL gateway up and APEX functioning (pre-installed 3.2 version). I ported over an existing 3.2 application schema from a production box and that worked fine. Now I'm trying to upgrade to APEX 4.1 and I'm running into problems.
ran apexins.sql just fine - no problems. Check came up clean (no errors) and upgrade was complete, but when I went to run an application, I get blank pages. My application comes up with the home page, but login doesn't work. The Admin login shows a blank page (view source does indicate a page being generated), as does the Developer login.
I ran epgconfig and it showed the ANONYMOUS user as locked/expired, so I unlocked the account and changed the password, but this didn't do anything. I have tried to run apxldimg to load the images, but it fails each time with the same error:
SQL> @apxldimg.sql /Install/Oracle/apex_4_1_EN
PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.
old   1: create directory APEX_IMAGES as '&1/apex/images'
new   1: create directory APEX_IMAGES as '/Install/Oracle/apex_4_1_EN/apex/image
s'
Directory created.
declare
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-22288: file or LOB operation FILEOPEN failed
The system cannot find the path specified.
ORA-06512: at "SYS.XMLTYPE", line 296
ORA-06512: at line 15
PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.
PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.
Commit complete.
timing for: Load Images
Elapsed: 00:00:05.71
Directory dropped.
SQL>I unzipped the files into the G:\Install\Oracle directory and renamed the directory to apex_4_1_EN as it is the English-only download and I had the full version unzipped in the same location. I have tried different versions of the path and even ran the script from the ORACLE_HOME\apex directory in addition to the unzip location - no dice.
Please help.
PS to Oracle: Why are these upgrades/installations so temperamental? I've been working oracle from 9i up and every single upgrade is a major headache! (probably because the documentation is so cumbersome)

Answer 1

So it would really help in the Oracle documentation if they would provide a completely separate UPGRADE guide as opposed to an INSTALLATION guide, as the instructions are significantly different!
Here's what to do:
1. Shut down any APEX-related processes or services including the HTTP server (if you are using it).
2. Unzip the 4.1 download file to any location of your choosing.
3. Rename the ORACLE_HOME\apex directory to indicate the version you are currently on (apex -> apex_3_2, etc.)
4. Copy the entire unzipped folder called apex from the new download to ORACLE_HOME. You should now have TWO apex directories - one versioned for backup purposes.
5. Now you do the upgrade. Set your prompt to start from within your ORACLE_HOME/apex directory
a. First run @apexins.sql to install the new schema and all the necessary objects.
b. Next use the @epgstat tool to show you the status of your installation and users. Make sure the ANONYMOUS user is unlocked and OPEN. Also make sure that you have given permissions to the APEX_PUBLIC_USER and configured access to XMLDB. Change the password to the ADMIN account if necessary.
c. Now you should be able to run the apxldimg.sql script and have it complete without error. I used the full path of the ORACLE_HOME.
6. Restart any processes.
7. Bring up the administration login page at http://localhost:port/apex/apex_admin. (You need to substitute for whatever port value you are using and optionally substitute for localhost.)