How do I "move" my forum?

[Ron.]

My host recently moved my forum to another server and since then my users (myself included) have been unable to log in. I managed to back up the files at the old location and upload them to the new, but I can't get anything to work. I just get a "file not found" message when I try to connect the the URL.

I am completely lost.

[Colin]

What is repair_settings.php?

[Kindred]

http://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/Hosting_-_How_do_I_move_my_SMF_forum_to_a_different_host

[Ron.]

Thank you, Kindred. That is the sort of information I need.

[kat]

Keep us updated, Ron, would you?

[Ron.]

I am struggling. I managed to run "repair_settings," but I am very confused by what it is telling me. It says, for example, that the forum directory is: "D:Hosting6121977html" but it should be "D:\Hosting\6121977\html". I have changed it in "settings" and have included the back slashes, but it keeps complaining of the same thing. I have tried single quotes around the names as well as double quotes.

[kat]

Shouldn't they be forward slashes?

////

[Illori]

Shouldn't they be forward slashes?

////

on windows they are back slashes, linux uses forward slashes. this seems to be an issue with the repair_settings.php script... which i thought was fixed already.

[margarett]

Where did you get repair_settings from?

I just downloaded the version on the site and I can't reproduce that issue... See attached

Can you please attach the file you're using?

[Ron.]

I am using the version of repair_settings that came with the original software installation. I will look for a new copy of this file.

[Ron.]

I just downloaded the latest version  of repair_settings, uploaded it to the site and ran it. Same problem. Attached a copy, as per Margarett's request.

[margarett]

How odd...

Can you get us a phpinfo?
What is a phpinfo() file?

[Ron.]

Here 'tis:

[margarett]

magic_quotes is off, so it's not that either

OK, another test... In Settings.php edit your $boarddir with double slashes. Like this:

Code Select Expand

$boarddir = 'D:\\Hosting\\6121977\\html';

Then load repair_settings again and check if the path shows up correct (just one slash). Then save and see if it disappears. If so, Settings.php should have again just one slash...

[Kindred]

While Margarett tries to fix your issue, I am confused about one thing...

The file that came with the original installation?    We don't distribute repair_settings.pho with either the install or the upgrade archives....   What installation is I clouding repair_settings?

[Arantor]

magic_quotes is off, so it's not that either

OK, another test... In Settings.php edit your $boarddir with double slashes. Like this:

Code Select Expand

$boarddir = 'D:\\Hosting\\6121977\\html';

Then load repair_settings again and check if the path shows up correct (just one slash). Then save and see if it disappears. If so, Settings.php should have again just one slash...

Use forward slashes. Works just fine in Windows. And you don't have to escape an escape character. Not sure if repair_settings.php renormalises it by way of realpath() though.

[margarett]

I just don't understand why it fails here and not in my localhost...

[Arantor]

Different version of repair_settings? It definitely was broken at one point.

[Night09]

I have a copy to hand from 2011. Its old so maybe a copy could help pin it down?  It appears to go with / .

If you want one ill attach it to next post, dont think its archived in any way here for back issues.

[margarett]

I have several copies from different versions.
Arantor, the version being used here it's the one from the download page (and that you helped me to fix, with an issue exactly related with backslashes disappearing

[Arantor]

It's been months since I looked at repair_settings Of course it might be helped if I had *ever* used it. I'm always doing this stuff by hand because it's just quicker for me that way...

[margarett]

Yeah but what bugs me is that the same file that works in my computer doesn't work on his...
And for that I have no explanation... I mean, with magic_quotes out of the equation, it's just plain php, isn't it?

[Arantor]

Magic quotes should be out of the equation regardless; it's supposed to not have to worry about that anyway since with 5.3 it's deprecated and with 5.4 it's removed.

Of course if you're still running stripslashes anyway...?

[Ron.]

Some progress. Repair_settings approved of double back slashes \\. It took the extra one out.

Still can't get to the site. (I get "service not available" message.)

As for where "repair_settings.php" came from, I have no idea. I used this software years ago when I first set up the forum and have not had to look at the code or files since then. I just assumed that because there was a copy of "repair_settings.php"  sitting in the folder that it was part of the original install.

I have no idea what to do next to get things functioning.

[margarett]

Arantor, I'm running stripslashes IF magic_quotes exists AND is enabled
Which, from his phpinfo, isn't. Although next step is to remove that part exactly...

[Ron.]

I am still trying to rebuild the site. I exported and re-imported the DB, but I still get "service not available" messages.

These messages appear in repair_settings:

Warning: chmod() [function.chmod]: Permission denied in D:\Hosting\6121977\html\repair_settings.php on line 700

Warning: fclose(): supplied argument is not a valid stream resource in D:\Hosting\6121977\html\repair_settings.php on line 708

Settings.php cannot be written to by your webserver. Please modify the permissions on this file to allow write access.

Any ideas?

[margarett]

Are you still having the issues with the missing backslashes?

As for that error, you need to enable Settings.php to be written.

[Ron.]

No, the backslashes are fine. I doubled them and repair_settings seems happy with that. But what about the other errors it's reporting--and where is "service not available" coming from?

[Ron.]

Update: The forum is up, but everything is messed up. For example, pathways to themes are wrong, but when I correct them, everything crashes and I have to spend another hour with the host support people to get the site accessible again.

I am beginning to think that my only solution is to start a new forum from scratch, but I have 5-6 years of discussions and attachments that would be lost.

I'll start a new thread if I go that route and run into problems.

Right now, I want to thank everyone for their efforts to help me out.

[Kindred]

you do not need to start from scratch...

When you work with your host support, what do they correct your theme directories to be in order to get things working? Why do you need to change them again, after that?

[Arantor]

I'd also be inclined to just use / instead of \ or \\ in paths, that works just as well even on Windows.

[margarett]

I just don't get what's wrong with repair_settings

The problem is that you fix the issues in Settings.php but the themes's paths are still wrong and those are still in the database. If you fix them from your ACP it should be ok. Unless whatever is messing with repair_settings also messes with SMF's own code for fixing those paths...

I would suggest you to follow Arantor's suggestion. Use repair_settings again and manually write FRONT slashes in all place it suggests a backslash...

[Arantor]

And also do that in the theme configuration area.

[Ron.]

The trouble is, when I corrected the paths in the theme config area, the forum could no longer be reached. So, I am extremely reluctant to touch anything right now.

BTW, the forum heading says it is SMF version 1.1.13. I know that has to be wrong because I always kept up to date.

If you want to see for yourself, the site is www.composeforums.com. It looks a mess right now with icons and themes all missing.

Another possibility: upgrade, even though I have done that in the past?

[Arantor]

This is a very strange thing going on here.

I see what looks suspiciously like a 1.1.x theme applied to a 2.0 code base (and the footer says 2.0.7 so that's what it is), but I'm seeing the images and whatnot show up...

[Illori]

Code Select Expand

<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://www.composeforums.com/Themes/default/script.js?fin11"></script>
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="http://www.composeforums.com/Themes/classic/style.css?fin11" />

looks like the classic theme is being used instead of a 2.0 theme. maybe changing the default theme to "default" curve would help? maybe some of the files that are part of curve are missing and causing further issues?

[Arantor]

Classic YaBBSE was once ported to 2.0 but in this case it looks like the 1.1 version was used instead, as per missing language strings and some other stuff.

[Ron.]

Any advice on how to correct this? I am really perplexed because the forum was stable for years, then suddenly everything went weird last Wednesday morning when users could no longer log in--including me. There is only one person other than myself with admin privileges and he never touched anything either. I am starting to think that GoDaddy's attempts to help have messed things up even more. There does seem to be wrong versions of files appearing, etc.

[Illori]

do you know what godaddy did to try to help?

[Kindred]

When you work with your host support, what do they correct your theme directories to be in order to get things working? Why do you need to change them again, after that?

[Ron.]

I don't know what they were doing. One techie said the database was empty and she repopulated it (??!!). Another said that there were version mixups. At one point I saw that there were two different IP addresses in the GoDaddy customer interface. One techie said to change one to something else, another said I should put it back. This went on for almost a week, for three or four hours a day on the phone. At this point I am totally exhausted and bewildered.

My question: if I download the latest version as an upgrade and run it as such, do you think it will sort all of this out?

[margarett]

Most likely not, I'm affraid. Did they populate the DB? With what?
Do you have your own backup before of all this? Or, can you check if your content is all in place? (topics, posts, members...)

Time to find a better host, methinks.

[Ron.]

The DB backup I have is a month or so old. Users, topics, etc. all seem okay. But, you cannot link to any of the attachments (and, as a music site, this is rather important)...and all icons and themes are missing.

Again, I don't know what the support people were doing.

[margarett]

Care to PM me your cPanel login details? And a forum admin account?
The database its the only thing you really need to keep really safe (that, and your attachments, so it seems )
Everything else can be rebuilt: themes, MODs, etc

[Ron.]

It occurred to me while I was playing Bridge tonight that I do have a copy of the DB as it existed last week when everything went south. I am now convinced that the GoDaddy techie restored an old backup that was laying around. That would explain why so much went wonky.

I gave the users warning that I will restore the DB tomorrow, because I am not sure if this will lock us out again and make the site unreachable. Besides it is 11:00 pm and I'm tired--and I don't want to make a stupid mistake.

If this does not work and I am still able to access the forum I will set up an administrator account for you and take you up on your generous offer.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Just having a look round, and your forum seems to be mostly working.  You're running the YaBB theme, possibly the 1.1.1x version, and it's having problems, but default Curve works fine, and you're at 2.0.7.  Missing some avatars, and haven't found any attachments, but otherwise there are posts through Sept.  Have you restored the recent db backup?

[Ron.]

Yes, I just restored the DB backup I took when things started going wrong last week--and it seems to be working okay. At least I can log in and read posts.

BUT, the appearance is all wrong; it still says version 1.1.13 in the header. Attachments and avatars can't be found.

I just changed the theme and the forum did not crash like last time, so that is a good sign.

I'm going to attempt to change the attachments path. Fingers crossed that I don't crash everything.

[kat]

If you switch the the SMF default theme, everything looks hoopy, for me.

http://www.composeforums.com/index.php?theme=1

[Sir Osis of Liver]

The bit that shows 1.1.13 up top is a news item, not the current version.  You're running 2.0.7 as shown in the footer.  For reasons unknown, you appear to be using 1.1.1x version of YaBB, which will not work properly in 2.0.x.  Switch to default Curve until you sort out your other problems, then reinstall the 2.0 version of whichever theme you want to use.

[Ron.]

Thank you, everyone, for all the helpful advice. The forum is now up and functioning. It took some off-line help from "margarett." As I said to Bruno, this software has proved to be enormously stable. If it weren't for the intervention of GoDaddy and their botched attempt to "improve" performance (which was never an issue to begin with), I am certain we would never have run into any issues.

The thing about its stability though is that I have never had to look at the scripts in the 5-6 years the forum has been up with SMF, so when things did go wrong, I was at a complete loss.

A bit of history: this forum has existed for almost 12 years and has proven very effective at encouraging and teaching young composers of "art" music (which many mistakenly call "classical"). I moved it to SMF because it offered more flexibility and stability than the previous software package.

Again, thank to everyone. I think we can now close this thread.

[kat]

Phew...

Brilliant work, Bruno, as always!

[margarett]

* margarett blushes

[kat]

[Arantor]

True though. You do indeed rock.

[margarett]

Ahhhh you're all too kind

[Arantor]

It's no more and no less than the truth.

[kat]

Arrr! Men!