Since my server upgraded my SMF forum becomes a blank screen

[numapepi]

Okay... it's happening again.

http://incapp.org/smf/index.php?board=1.0

The permissions for the Cache folder is 755.

The permissions for the files withing the folder are 644.

It seems to happen on Wednesdays for whatever reason as well.

[numapepi]

Here is the code in the last two cache files just before the page went blank...

"<?php if (!defined('SMF')) die; if (1438815058 < time()) $expired = true; else{$expired = false; $value = 'a:20:{s:2:"id";i:1;s:10:"moderators";a:0:{}s:3:"cat";a:2:{s:2:"id";s:1:"1";s:4:"name";s:16:"General Category";}s:4:"name";s:18:"General Discussion";s:11:"description";s:62:"Feel free to talk about anything and everything in this board.";s:10:"num_topics";s:3:"630";s:17:"unapproved_topics";s:1:"0";s:16:"unapproved_posts";s:1:"0";s:22:"unapproved_user_topics";i:0;s:13:"parent_boards";a:0:{}s:6:"parent";s:1:"0";s:11:"child_level";s:1:"0";s:5:"theme";s:1:"0";s:14:"override_theme";b:0;s:7:"profile";s:1:"1";s:8:"redirect";s:0:"";s:11:"posts_count";b:1;s:18:"cur_topic_approved";b:1;s:17:"cur_topic_starter";i:0;s:6:"groups";a:2:{i:0;s:2:"-1";i:1;s:1:"0";}}';}?>"

"<?php if (!defined('SMF')) die; if (1438815526 < time()) $expired = true; else{$expired = false; $value = 'a:0:{}';}?>"

[Kindred]

go ahead and DELETE all of the files in the cache directory, other than index.php and the htaccess file


Since it seems to happen regularly, I wonder if it might be some automated script on the host side which is doing something on Wednesdays....

[numapepi]

I went to go delete them and discovered there is no index or htaacces files? Could that cause the problem?

I deleted them all, (trying just the newest two first, but that didn't fix the problem) and it cleared up the problem. The forum is working now.

[Kindred]

well, the directory SHOULD have at least an index file, protecting it fro direct access.   grab the file from the upgrade or install archive.

[numapepi]

Okay... I moved the index and htaccess fro the cache.b file the tech support made.

[numapepi]

It's back. I could just delete the cache and get it working but I would REALLY like to solve it. Besides, someone else might have this problem down the road...

[margarett]

Could you ask your host how did they trace the problem to the cache folder before?

[LiroyvH]

Please ask your host what kind of limits they place on anything I/O related. From file limits/file per folder to simultaneous writes: whatever.
Something is corrupting over and over again, or so it would seem. (Or something odd happens with access to it. The problem is: you can't really see any error, you can only properly see it in the full server error log; which only the host can access... I'd love to see what entries your site produces in that error log )

On the cache settings page in SMF, what does it say the server has installed?

I'd also like to know:
- What are the permissions/ownership of the files in the cache folder, and what are they for your other files (just pick a few random ones, like index.php)?
- Which mods are you using, if any?

It smells like a server issue, but can't shoot it down just like that.

[numapepi]

Here is the response...


Hello John,

Thank you for contacting our Help Desk.

I have reviewed your previous tickets and I noticed that my colleague used strace to troubleshoot the issue.

Then he have set the cache folder permissions to 755 which are the default permissions for the folders.

I have checked the Apache and I am not able to find any error on your account except the ones below.

Code:
[Tue Aug 18 07:15:15 2015] [error] [client 93.172.8.247] script not found or unable to stat: /home/incappor/public_html/yabb/yabb.pl, referer: http://incapp.org/yabb/yabb.pl
[Tue Aug 18 07:15:17 2015] [error] [client 93.172.8.247] script not found or unable to stat: /home/incappor/public_html/yabb/yabb.pl, referer: http://incapp.org/yabb/yabb.pl
[Tue Aug 18 07:15:17 2015] [error] [client 93.172.8.247] script not found or unable to stat: /home/incappor/public_html/yabb.pl, referer: http://incapp.org/yabb.pl
[Tue Aug 18 07:15:17 2015] [error] [client 93.172.8.247] script not found or unable to stat: /home/incappor/public_html/yabb/yabb.pl, referer: http://incapp.org/yabb/yabb.pl
[Tue Aug 18 07:15:18 2015] [error] [client 93.172.8.247] script not found or unable to stat: /home/incappor/public_html/yabb.pl, referer: http://incapp.org/yabb.pl
[Tue Aug 18 07:15:18 2015] [error] [client 93.172.8.247] script not found or unable to stat: /home/incappor/public_html/yabb/yabb.pl, referer: http://incapp.org/yabb/yabb.pl
[Tue Aug 18 07:15:19 2015] [error] [client 93.172.8.247] script not found or unable to stat: /home/incappor/public_html/yabb.pl, referer: http://incapp.org/yabb.pl
[Tue Aug 18 08:06:10 2015] [error] [client 93.172.8.247] client denied by server configuration: /home/ajile/public_html/forum2/index.php, referer: http://www.ajile.com/forum2/index.php
[Tue Aug 18 08:06:13 2015] [error] [client 93.172.8.247] client denied by server configuration: /home/ajile/public_html/forum2/, referer: http://www.ajile.com/forum2/


The permissions are 755 and the owner of the folder is *******, which is your cPanel user name, so currently there is no issue with it.

As for the mods, I am not able to provide you with this information since I am not the website administrator and I cannot see this information.

I hope that you will find this information useful and if you need any other assistance, please contact us again.

Best Regards,

Nikolay Hadzhiyski
Customer Service Department

[LiroyvH]

By mods I meant the modifications you installed on SMF. Like with the package manager.
How about their resource limits on I/O? Also, is the folder in the group of your user as well; or is it in the group nobody?

You should actually be able see the details of ownership/permissions in your FTP client, no need to ask support.
I'm guessing the logs rotated btw.

[numapepi]

The only mod I have installed is "Stop Spammer." But I removed it because it made it cumbersome to upgrade to the latest version.

Everything is in the folder SMF within the public folder.

I don't know how to look at the IO resource limits...

[Kindred]

Why would having a mod make it cumbersome to upgrade?  I have 20 mods and can upgrade between minor versions in seconds.

[numapepi]

Stop spammer had to be disabled before I could auto upgrade. Else I had to download it and manually install it.

[Kindred]

Untrue....  Unless you are using one of those silly host-side autoinstallers/upgraders.

We recommend never using those and handling yourninstallao and upgrades clearly through the admin interface.

Again... I have 20 mods, including stop spammer and I never had to uninstall it or even disable it.

[LiroyvH]

I don't know how to look at the IO resource limits...

That was something you *do* have to ask support

[numapepi]

Here is the response...


Hello John,

Thank you for contacting our Help Desk.

Since your account is hosted in a shared hosting environment, there are limits applied in order to provide fair share of the server's resources. The exact quotas on your account are as follows:

Code:
CPU executions per month: 300 000
Disk Usage: 20GB
Inode Usage: 300 000
Simultaneous Processes: 20
Database Size: 750MB
Email Quota: 1000MB

[numapepi]

I am not at those limits yet. Moreover, why would they effect a cache issue?

[margarett]

I would suggest you ask them for the logs as soon as the problem occurs. We need to know what causes the error and only the server logs can tell us that...

[Kindred]

the issue would seem to be with this one...


client denied by server configuration



why would your host/server be denying the client connection?

Hopefully a more detailed log of the actual even will show us something... but this really does sound like a host configuration issue