Error message: Session verification failed

[orosado]

Hello everyone,

I searched the forum for related issues and found them, but none of the proposed solutions worked for me.

My configuration:
1. SMF 1.1.9, tried fresh install and Fantastico De Luxe install. Installed here:
http://arkresearch.org/forum/ [nofollow]
2. Drupal 6.12 with all the latest updates. Installed here:
http://arkresearch.org/ [nofollow]

Steps to reproduce issue:
1. Login as admin on this page:
http://arkresearch.org/forum/index.php?action=admin [nofollow]
2. Attempt to logout using the link provided by the page, which is: (For security purposes, session was replaced by: "xxxxxxxxx")
http://arkresearch.org/forum/index.php?action=logout;sesc=xxxxxxxxx [nofollow]
3. Received the following error message:

An Error Has Occurred!

Session verification failed. Please try logging out and back in again, and then try again.

4. Once more I attempt to logout, but the same error message persists.

Steps attempted to resolve issue:
1. Checked minimum requirements, by comparing the Webhost features with the Client and Server Requirements: (Everything checked out)
http://docs.simplemachines.org/index.php?topic=9
2. Checked the php.ini files for double quotes, as suggested in a topic in this forum. There were double quotes and I removed them all.
3. Cleared the browser cache and cookies. Restarted browser, still same issue.

Summary
It seems as if there are problems with the session. Probably related to a configuration with PHP.

I would appreciate any assistance. If more information is required to solve my issue, please do not hesitate to ask.

Sincerely,
Omar

[orosado]

Attached are some screenshots.

[Thenewguy2009]

did this start happening right after the install of 1.9?

[orosado]

did this start happening right after the install of 1.9?

Hello Thenewguy2009,

That is correct. In fact it's impossible for me to make any changes to the forum because it always gives me this error. So basically the forum is useless.

Sincerely,
Omar

[Aleksi "Lex" Kilpinen]

Hi,

Are you using database driven sessions?
If you are, try truncating smf_sessions table.
If you are not, you can use repair_settings.php to turn them on,
then empty your cache and temporary files, and login again.
and see if that helps. ( What is repair_settings.php? )

Also, if you do not need cookies to be shared with subdomains,
you could try enabling local storage of cookies, and disabling subdomain independent cookies.

As a last resort, you could also try to simply rename the cookie to something a little different.

[orosado]

Hi,

Are you using database driven sessions?
If you are, try truncating smf_sessions table.
If you are not, you can use repair_settings.php to turn them on,
then empty your cache and temporary files, and login again.
and see if that helps. ( What is repair_settings.php? )

Also, if you do not need cookies to be shared with subdomains,
you could try enabling local storage of cookies, and disabling subdomain independent cookies.

As a last resort, you could also try to simply rename the cookie to something a little different.

Hello LexArma,

Yes, I am using database driven sessions. Steps taken:

1. Emptied the "smf_sessions" table using phpMyAdmin. (TRUNCATE TABLE)
2. Cleared cache and cookies.
3. Login with admin account.
4. While attempting to loagout, the same problem persists.

How do I enable local storage of cookies? How do I disable subdomain independent cookies?

Maybe Drupal is causing a conflict with cookies.

I tried to rename the cookie but it didn't make a difference.

Attached is a partial screenshot of my repair_settings page output.

Sincerely,
Omar

[Aleksi "Lex" Kilpinen]

How do I enable local storage of cookies? How do I disable subdomain independent cookies?

If you do one, do both.

You can do this at Admin -> Server settings -> Feature configuration ->
Enable local storage of cookies (SSI won't work well with this on.)   
Use subdomain independent cookies (turn off local cookies first!)

So check the first, uncheck the second. ( If they aren't already like that. )

[orosado]

How do I enable local storage of cookies? How do I disable subdomain independent cookies?

If you do one, do both.

You can do this at Admin -> Server settings -> Feature configuration ->
Enable local storage of cookies (SSI won't work well with this on.)   
Use subdomain independent cookies (turn off local cookies first!)

So check the first, uncheck the second. ( If they aren't already like that. )

Hello LexArma,

The session problem does not let me visit the Server settings page.

I just installed SMF, tried it out and this happens. There must be a problem with PHP causing this.

Sincerely,
Omar

[Aleksi "Lex" Kilpinen]

OK... I don't remember right now if those settings were available with repair_settings.php, have you checked?

[orosado]

OK... I don't remember right now if those settings were available with repair_settings.php, have you checked?

Hello LexArma,

Which settings the php.ini or cookies?

Sincerely,
Omar

[Aleksi "Lex" Kilpinen]

I meant these settings:

Enable local storage of cookies (SSI won't work well with this on.)   
Use subdomain independent cookies (turn off local cookies first!)

[orosado]

I meant these settings:

Enable local storage of cookies (SSI won't work well with this on.)   
Use subdomain independent cookies (turn off local cookies first!)

Hello LexArma,

No, those settings are not available on the repair_settings php file. And I can't go into the Server settings page on SMF.

Sincerely,
Omar

[Aleksi "Lex" Kilpinen]

OK, would you mind giving me a temporary admin account, just so that I can verify this problem is not on your side only.

Use PM please, instead of posting it public

[orosado]

OK, would you mind giving me a temporary admin account, just so that I can verify this problem is not on your side only.

Use PM please, instead of posting it public

PM sent

[Aleksi "Lex" Kilpinen]

OK, would you mind giving me a temporary admin account, just so that I can verify this problem is not on your side only.

Use PM please, instead of posting it public

PM sent

Thank's. I noticed you are not using database driven sessions. I believe this to be your problem, and I seem to remember you can change this either with repair_settings.php or editing the settings.php file, but unfortunately I can't test at the moment, and I'm not sure if I remember correctly.

Could you check if you can turn on database driven sessions. I believe that would probably fix this for you.

[orosado]

OK, would you mind giving me a temporary admin account, just so that I can verify this problem is not on your side only.

Use PM please, instead of posting it public

PM sent

Thank's. I noticed you are not using database driven sessions. I believe this to be your problem, and I seem to remember you can change this either with repair_settings.php or editing the settings.php file, but unfortunately I can't test at the moment, and I'm not sure if I remember correctly.

Could you check if you can turn on database driven sessions. I believe that would probably fix this for you.

Hello LexArma,

When I had the repair_settings file running, it did say that it had database driven session on. Watch the screenshot I posted before:

http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=321142.msg2135755#msg2135755

I checked in the Settings.php file and such setting does not exists there.

Sincerely,
Omar

[Aleksi "Lex" Kilpinen]

When I had the repair_settings file running, it did say that it had database driven session on. Watch the screenshot I posted before:

Sorry for the long wait - did you try to save the settings as well. To make sure it was using the settings it showed.

[orosado]

When I had the repair_settings file running, it did say that it had database driven session on. Watch the screenshot I posted before:

Sorry for the long wait - did you try to save the settings as well. To make sure it was using the settings it showed.

Hello LexArma,

Ironically while I tried to reply to this message the same error I have been having occurred! I am unable to logout it gives me the same error. I am using Internet Explorer 8 on Windows Vista 64-bit. What I did was use Mozilla Firefox instead of Internet Explorer, so now I am able to post this message.

With this new clue, I used Mozilla Firefox to login as admin into my forum. Now everything works correctly! I can login and logout. So apparently there is some sort of incompability between SMF and Internet Explorer 8. I have to test this theory with Internet Explorer 7.

And finally to answer your question, yes I did save.

Sincerely,
Omar

[orosado]

BTW, I am still having the same problem. The only difference is that I figured out that with Mozilla Firefox it doesn't happen. So it is for sure a cookie issue. And as I wrote in the previous reply, the problem also occurred on this forum (simplemachines.org), meaning that it is not necessarily related to having the cookie incorrectly configured in the forum. Which means that the forum has incompatibility problems with Internet Explorer 8. I search around for other problems with Internet Explorer and found a few, maybe this one has not been reported yet.

[Aleksi "Lex" Kilpinen]

Hi, I use IE8 as my primary browser, and have not had these issues. Perhaps your browser's cookie settings or security settings are causing this.