How have you made the upgrade / fresh installation?

Have you made a "fresh installation" instead with creating a new database and admin user?

Or have you just replaced the Elgg core files and updated the .htaccess file (using htaccess_dist of Elgg 1.9 as template and merging any changes that might exist between your old .htaccess of Elgg 1.8 and the old htaccess_dist of Elgg 1.8). Are the database credentials in your engine/settings.php file still point to your old database? Otherwise you would have to correct the database connection details there.

Another possible reason why Elgg reports "Your installation is up to date" is that you have made the data directory migration upgrade before while the path to the data directory was wrong (or something else was not right...). Then Elgg did the upgrade - which might have been finished then without actually upgrading anything because there was nothing to be upgraded found at the location Elgg was looking for. But now there would be a database entry saying that the corresponding upgrade had been finished successfully - even if there would still be something to be ugraded.

I can only suggest to repeat the whole upgrade starting with a backup of your database taken before you tried to upgrade your site to Elgg 1.9 for the first time. If possible you might even restore the data directory from a backup taken before you started the upgrade, too. Though I think the data directory migration might work without restoring the old state if the former upgrade had not moved anything within the data directory yet.

I got the /autoload_data.php file where I can see it now.  There was a ownership and permission conflict. 

Here is the copy of it.  My paths are /home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/ & /home/domains/barespace.net/data/

a:2:{s:7:"classes";a:103:{s:23:"Elgg_Di_ServiceProvider";s:79:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/Elgg/Di/ServiceProvider.php";s:19:"Elgg_Di_DiContainer";s:75:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/Elgg/Di/DiContainer.php";s:23:"Elgg_PluginHooksService";s:79:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/Elgg/PluginHooksService.php";s:29:"Elgg_HooksRegistrationService";s:85:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/Elgg/HooksRegistrationService.php";s:11:"Elgg_Logger";s:67:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/Elgg/Logger.php";s:18:"Elgg_EventsService";s:74:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/Elgg/EventsService.php";s:13:"Elgg_Database";s:69:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/Elgg/Database.php";s:20:"Elgg_Database_Config";s:76:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/Elgg/Database/Config.php";s:19:"Elgg_Cache_LRUCache";s:75:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/Elgg/Cache/LRUCache.php";s:13:"ElggFileCache";s:69:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ElggFileCache.php";s:9:"ElggCache";s:65:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ElggCache.php";s:9:"ElggGroup";s:65:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ElggGroup.php";s:25:"IncompleteEntityException";s:81:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/IncompleteEntityException.php";s:21:"InvalidClassException";s:77:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/InvalidClassException.php";s:15:"ExportException";s:71:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ExportException.php";s:11:"ElggComment";s:67:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ElggComment.php";s:11:"IOException";s:67:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/IOException.php";s:10:"ElggCrypto";s:66:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ElggCrypto.php";s:10:"XmlElement";s:66:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/XmlElement.php";s:15:"PluginException";s:71:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/PluginException.php";s:17:"DatabaseException";s:73:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/DatabaseException.php";s:16:"ElggRelationship";s:72:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ElggRelationship.php";s:15:"ImportException";s:71:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ImportException.php";s:13:"ElggFilestore";s:69:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ElggFilestore.php";s:22:"ConfigurationException";s:78:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ConfigurationException.php";s:11:"ODDDocument";s:67:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ODDDocument.php";s:11:"ODDMetaData";s:67:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ODDMetaData.php";s:7:"ElggPAM";s:63:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ElggPAM.php";s:3:"ODD";s:59:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ODD.php";s:17:"SecurityException";s:73:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/SecurityException.php";s:16:"ElggPriorityList";s:72:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ElggPriorityList.php";s:19:"DataFormatException";s:75:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/DataFormatException.php";s:10:"ElggWidget";s:66:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ElggWidget.php";s:10:"ElggObject";s:66:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ElggObject.php";s:10:"ElggPlugin";s:66:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ElggPlugin.php";s:8:"ElggFile";s:64:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ElggFile.php";s:11:"ElggUpgrade";s:67:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ElggUpgrade.php";s:21:"RegistrationException";s:77:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/RegistrationException.php";s:10:"Exportable";s:66:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/Exportable.php";s:23:"ElggStaticVariableCache";s:79:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ElggStaticVariableCache.php";s:21:"ElggSharedMemoryCache";s:77:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ElggSharedMemoryCache.php";s:21:"NotificationException";s:77:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/NotificationException.php";s:12:"ElggMetadata";s:68:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ElggMetadata.php";s:10:"Importable";s:66:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/Importable.php";s:14:"LoginException";s:70:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/LoginException.php";s:8:"ElggData";s:64:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ElggData.php";s:10:"ElggCookie";s:66:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ElggCookie.php";s:15:"ODDRelationship";s:71:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ODDRelationship.php";s:10:"ElggEntity";s:66:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ElggEntity.php";s:8:"Loggable";s:64:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/Loggable.php";s:14:"ElggXMLElement";s:70:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ElggXMLElement.php";s:22:"ClassNotFoundException";s:78:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ClassNotFoundException.php";s:21:"InstallationException";s:77:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/InstallationException.php";s:15:"ElggMenuBuilder";s:71:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ElggMenuBuilder.php";s:25:"ElggVolatileMetadataCache";s:81:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ElggVolatileMetadataCache.php";s:9:"ODDEntity";s:65:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ODDEntity.php";s:26:"ElggPluginManifestParser17";s:82:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ElggPluginManifestParser17.php";s:25:"InvalidParameterException";s:81:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/InvalidParameterException.php";s:13:"CronException";s:69:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/CronException.php";s:17:"ElggPluginPackage";s:73:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ElggPluginPackage.php";s:14:"ClassException";s:70:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ClassException.php";s:12:"ElggExtender";s:68:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ElggExtender.php";s:18:"ElggPluginManifest";s:74:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ElggPluginManifest.php";s:12:"ElggMenuItem";s:68:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ElggMenuItem.php";s:9:"ElggBatch";s:65:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ElggBatch.php";s:7:"Notable";s:63:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/Notable.php";s:17:"ElggDiskFilestore";s:73:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ElggDiskFilestore.php";s:14:"ElggAnnotation";s:70:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ElggAnnotation.php";s:9:"Locatable";s:65:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/Locatable.php";s:13:"ElggRiverItem";s:69:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ElggRiverItem.php";s:9:"ElggAutoP";s:65:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ElggAutoP.php";s:8:"ElggUser";s:64:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ElggUser.php";s:11:"ElggSession";s:67:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ElggSession.php";s:24:"ElggPluginManifestParser";s:80:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ElggPluginManifestParser.php";s:10:"Friendable";s:66:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/Friendable.php";s:12:"ElggMemcache";s:68:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ElggMemcache.php";s:13:"CallException";s:69:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/CallException.php";s:8:"ElggSite";s:64:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ElggSite.php";s:26:"ElggPluginManifestParser18";s:82:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/ElggPluginManifestParser18.php";s:32:"Elgg_Http_DatabaseSessionHandler";s:88:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/Elgg/Http/DatabaseSessionHandler.php";s:24:"Elgg_Http_SessionHandler";s:80:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/Elgg/Http/SessionHandler.php";s:30:"Elgg_Http_NativeSessionStorage";s:86:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/Elgg/Http/NativeSessionStorage.php";s:24:"Elgg_Http_SessionStorage";s:80:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/Elgg/Http/SessionStorage.php";s:11:"Elgg_Access";s:67:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/Elgg/Access.php";s:20:"Elgg_AttributeLoader";s:76:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/Elgg/AttributeLoader.php";s:19:"Elgg_ActionsService";s:75:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/Elgg/ActionsService.php";s:17:"Elgg_Http_Request";s:73:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/Elgg/Http/Request.php";s:22:"Elgg_Http_ParameterBag";s:78:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/Elgg/Http/ParameterBag.php";s:27:"Elgg_PersistentLoginService";s:83:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/Elgg/PersistentLoginService.php";s:23:"Elgg_DeprecationWrapper";s:79:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/Elgg/DeprecationWrapper.php";s:17:"Elgg_ViewsService";s:73:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/Elgg/ViewsService.php";s:15:"Elgg_Amd_Config";s:71:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/Elgg/Amd/Config.php";s:8:"ElggBlog";s:66:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/mod/blog/classes/ElggBlog.php";s:14:"FilePluginFile";s:72:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/mod/file/classes/FilePluginFile.php";s:19:"ElggDiscussionReply";s:79:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/mod/groups/classes/ElggDiscussionReply.php";s:8:"ElggWire";s:69:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/mod/thewire/classes/ElggWire.php";s:11:"Elgg_Router";s:67:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/Elgg/Router.php";s:19:"Elgg_WidgetsService";s:75:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/Elgg/WidgetsService.php";s:24:"Elgg_Queue_DatabaseQueue";s:80:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/Elgg/Queue/DatabaseQueue.php";s:16:"Elgg_Queue_Queue";s:72:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/Elgg/Queue/Queue.php";s:39:"Elgg_Notifications_NotificationsService";s:95:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/Elgg/Notifications/NotificationsService.php";s:39:"Elgg_Notifications_SubscriptionsService";s:95:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/Elgg/Notifications/SubscriptionsService.php";s:19:"Elgg_UpgradeService";s:75:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes/Elgg/UpgradeService.php";}s:11:"scannedDirs";a:6:{i:0;s:51:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/engine/classes";i:1;s:53:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/mod/blog/classes";i:2;s:53:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/mod/file/classes";i:3;s:55:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/mod/groups/classes";i:4;s:56:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/mod/thewire/classes";i:5;s:54:"/home/domains/barespace.net/www_root/mod/likes/classes";}}

Which paths have you changed and where have you made the changes? Have you changed them also in the database as described at http://learn.elgg.org/en/1.10/admin/duplicate-installation.html#database-entries?

Changing the paths shouldn't be necessary when upgrading in the first place. But if you make changes in the paths it might result in problems if you don't do it correctly. Though I wonder why this should result in the members not showing up anymore. The more likely issues are errors on page load / some pages not working anymore at all (if site url or Elgg install path are wrong) or problems with file uploads/downloads (if the path to data directory is wrong).

Finally got most of it working.   I deleted all of 1.9 and reloaded the backup like Iionly suggested along with a backup of my database.  In doing so I noticed that the prefix to the tables in my database was wrong.  Somehow I had a typo in setting up 1.9.  Guess I need to learn to type better.  I have now reloaded 1.9.8 but don't have all the images showing yet. 

Thanks for all the help.