File Path issues

[margarett]

Maybe you can check your server logs the about that 404 error? (it should be logged)
If the file is there and it triggers a 404, chances are that something is really wrong on the server. Or a server-side cache in place (which should be updated by now anyway )

repair_settings is a security risk but phpinfo isn't. I suggest you leave it in place and ask your host why is the file triggering a 404 error.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

There's a second forum install in a different directory, it's doing the same thing.  Both forums load normally, but the server paths are different in Settings.php.  There's a .htaccess in /wwwroot that may be causing a problem, but don't understand it well enough to be sure.  If I take it out, nothing changes.  It's puzzling because I can run subscriptions.php with a direct link, but not phpinfo.php in same directory.  Best guess is your host has a server redirect in place related to the move and it's screwing things up.

[Saxon044]

Yes, I need the .htaccess for main website page redirects, very important. It has always been there. The smf folder is there for testing, I haven't touched it since the server change as not in use.

I have emailed my host support with margarett's comments, will keep updated, will be tomorrow now.

[JBlaze]

Check the headers being sent when navigating to either repair_settings.php or phpinfo.php. It should give you more of a clue as to what is wrong. If redirect headers are being sent, then it's a server issue, likely with the webserver itself.

[Saxon044]

UPDATE:

Well, the 404 wierdness has been resolved. Host had cocked up ftp DNS settings and I was still connecting to ftp on the old server, I queried this back on 25th but they ignored the issue, I have no words.

But, having uploaded repair_settings and checked all paths and settings are correct, I am left with users unable to post. I have copied up Subs-Post.php from a secondary install and the line number of the error has changed slightly but:

Field 'edit_reason' doesn't have a default value
File: E:\domains\saxon-web.co.uk\httpdocs\saxon-web.co.uk\4rum\Sources\Subs-Post.php
Line: 1817  (previously 1824)

'Reason for Edit' mod is not installed. The Subs-Post.php in use is attached. I will happily upload a fresh copy if anyone has one to hand?

PS I have just searched all tables for %edit_reason% in phpMyAdmin and only saxon_log_errors came up with 41 hits (users trying to post and getting the errror)

[Kindred]

Ok...   try uploading a full, clean set of files and using the default theme?

[margarett]

Phpmyadmin doesn't return anything because you are looking for values, not structure.

Go to the mentioned table (_messages) and drop the culprit column

[Saxon044]

margarett: Funny how things make complete sense when they are pointed out, but we don't have the brain to work it out for ourselves 

Culprit column found and duly dropped. Odd that it hasn't caused a problem until now though.

I tried overwriting \Sources\* with those in an unmodded parallel install but that killed it completely    Currently copying entire forum files from a backup, that should defo work as nothing has changed since the backup was taken.

If it does still glitch, I'm thinking of, maybe, a full update (or whatever it's called) install over the top of exisiting?

[Saxon044]

Hmm, that copy over hasn't worked. I've now got:

Fatal error: Call to undefined function chatOnlineUsers() in E:\domains\saxon-web.co.uk\httpdocs\saxon-web.co.uk\4rum\Sources\Load.php(2151) : eval()'d code on line 220

That was a full set of files, same mod level etc, so I'm surprised it hasn't worked. Any thoughts?

[Illori]

take a look at http://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/How_to_upload_a_fresh_set_of_files for the proper way to restore clean files.

[Kindred]

and it is sounding like your updates are not always writing to the same directories... or not overwiritng all files

[Saxon044]

Final update:

A copy of the entire forum structure from the old server finally put things right.

The repair_settigs.php 404 issue was caused by my ISP failing to provide accurate info for the new ftp address, plus a DNS entry that hadn't been updated properly (can't be more specific as they aren't giving much away).

Repair_settings.php *would* have put things right on the new server straight away if I could have run it, but instead manually editting the paths in MySQL tables did the job.

Further errors were caused by me over-writing files with wrong versions due to the issues above.

On the plus side, the unheralded server upgrade has resulted in a very responsive forum, it's just a shame my host guys didn't bother forewarming before they carried out the server move. 

Many thanks are due to everyone who has helped me through.