Session verification failed

[Tiribulus]

I have decided to give it another shot. I installed smf again and again I have the same issue. I love smf guys. I don't who's still around here, but some of you may remember me. I was a huge fan, but it has to work for it to do me any good.

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

clicking logout bolds the text and nothing happens. This may not even have anything to do with SMF and as my posting history abundantly attests I understand that I am being provided this package for free and am making no demands. I just need it to work. I am at a season in my life where I understand more than ever how precious people's time is. Nobody owes me anything, but if nobody also knows what the problem is with this I will have to try something else. PHP info follows, brand new 90 second old install, no mods, default theme, version as of today of smf. Clearing cookies logs me out, but then can't log back in. I do thank whoever may have even so much as opened this topic to look. I can't find a solution in these forums.
http://gregnmary.gotdns.com/phpinfo.php

[kat]

Unfortunately, this seems to be a common problem and there seem to be as many solutions as there are grains of sand on the beach.

Fancy wading through this lot?

http://www.google.co.uk/search?as_q=&as_epq=Session+verification+failed+Please+try+logging+out+and+back+in+again+and+then+try+again&as_oq=&as_eq=&as_nlo=&as_nhi=&lr=&cr=&as_qdr=all&as_sitesearch=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.simplemachines.org%2Fcommunity&as_occt=&safe=images&as_filetype=&as_rights=not+filtered+by+licence

[Kindred]

K@, you have to trim down those google urls...

Tiribulus,
the usual issue with that is a bad cookie somewhere on your system.

A question first though...   is this happening during an install or an upgrade?
If not, (what version is this with) and I'll move this into the normal support area..

1- delete cookies in your browser
2- rename your SMF cookie either through the smf admin tool or directly in Settings.php
3- clear your browser cache and close your browser down completely.

4- restart your browser
5- You SHOULD be logged out of the site... try logging in and see if the issue is fixed.
If you are not logged out of your site, you may want to try clearing the log data from the database.

[kat]

I don't like doing that, Kindy-Windy. I prefer to let people see where the link's taking them. If you trim them, people could hide something.

For example, I could've put:

"Fancy wading through this lot?"

or worse.

[Kindred]

but THIS gives the same answer and has less crap in the url (and is easier to understand)
http://www.google.co.uk/search?as_epq=Session+verification+failed+Please+try+logging+out+and+back+in+again+and+then+try+again&as_sitesearch=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.simplemachines.org%2Fcommunity

you only need the
?as_epq=
and the
&as_sitesearch=
arguments... the rest is google crap.

[kat]

Oh, you can blame "Being a lazy bastard", for that, tonight.

I'm still trying to get over putting the clocks forward.

[Tiribulus]

Oh guys I'm so sorry. I've always tried to be a good citizen here and close my topics n stuff, but life has been insane. I just now got back to this and I need to get it installed again, but the installer wants ftp info again and this is my own server without ftp. It's on a lan with me here. I'm stuck on the"gimme ftp info" dialog on the 2nd screen again. I don't remember how I got past it last time. K@ I remember you, you called yourself something different a few years ago. if somebody can tell me how to get this installed maybe this time I can get this error cleared up. I have a need for a forum site now. I lost my old server. Long story, with 14 months of work on it with my other 2 smf sites.

[kat]

Sorry, mate. Dunno how I missed this.

Even on your own server, there'll be a way to configure FTP, I feel sure (Kinda).

Port 20? Or, is it 21? Can't remember, now.

[RemoteGreg]

but THIS gives the same answer and has less crap in the url (and is easier to understand)
hxxp:www.google.co.uk/search?as_epq=Session+verification+failed+Please+try+logging+out+and+back+in+again+and+then+try+again&as_sitesearch=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.simplemachines.org%2F [nonactive]

you only need the
?as_epq=
and the
&as_sitesearch=
arguments... the rest is google crap.

yea that's one hell of a url there.  most of the time it will retain your previous searches as well, so always use a shorter url or at least shortener service like hxxp:goo.gl [nonactive]

[Tiribulus]

Sorry, mate. Dunno how I missed this.

Even on your own server, there'll be a way to configure FTP, I feel sure (Kinda).

Port 20? Or, is it 21? Can't remember, now.

And I missed it again too. Sorry again

The point is I want to able to install without using ftp on a local server. Either over the LAN or on the machine itself.

[Illori]

if the upgrade or install script is asking for ftp that means most likely one or more files/folders are not writable, try changing them to be writable and see if that helps any.

http://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/Installing#Set_File_and_Folder_Permissions

[Kindred]

right....   so the point is that SMF uses "ftp commands" through php to set file permissions.
The reason it is asking for the ftp connectio info is - as Illori points out - that one (or more) of your files or folders is not writable by the install script.
(look at the summary at the top of the screen...   it should tell you which directories or files it can't write to)

Unless all of your permissions are correctly set, you will encounter the same issue if/when you try to install mods or themes as well.

[Tiribulus]

Alright gyus ou have been so patient with me and my appearing and disappearing. This time I have to follow through . I am back at square one.

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

RIGHT after install. FIRST attempt to login to admin area. Change cookie and it now doesn't take the password at all. NO password. I now have a 5 minute old forum that I cannot do anything with. Can't log out, in nothing. For like a year I've never been able to get it to work. Kat, and Kindred I remember you guys. You've been around forever. I WILL check back as I don't get notifications for somee reason. Thank you again guys. You were always great to me. I'll give you whatever access (team-viewer maybe?)

[kat]

Do you know how to create a php.info file?

http://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/What_is_a_phpinfo()_file

Try that and put the results in your next post. It may give someone a clue.

[Tiribulus]

Thanks man:

PHPINFO

[kat]

Sadly, 99% of that is gibberish, to me.

Looking at the "session" section, a couple of things that I'd've expected to say "On" are saying "Off". Bit, I don't know enough, about that, to be certain.

So, I'm afraid we'll have to wait for someone who knows what they're talking about, with this one.

[Tiribulus]

That's fair enough bro. With 42, 000 posts nobody's gonna accuse you of not being helpful

[kat]

...or spamming.

I've put a little flag in a helpers board, in the hope that someone can help us out, wit this.

[ziycon]

Hi Tiribulus,

How did you install PHP, was it on the server already, did you install it using yum or did you compile it yourself?

Are you in a position to upgrade to the latest version of PHP?

[emanuele]

Did you try with a different browser? (Just to eliminate a known bug.)
It would also be useful to have a link to the forum itself (just to try to register and see what happens to someone else).
Are you using the db to store the sessions?

[Tiribulus]

Here is the link and yes I can upgrade PHP. It's my server. Suse and I am not the greatest Linux guy, but I can usually fumble along. I've been using Firefox btw.

http://www.tiribulus.net/smf/

It's all messed up. The password doesn't work at all now and the captcha image doesn't show up for registration either. I should probably reinstall it. I have a wordpress blog installed ni that server that works fine btw. If that means anything. They both use LAMP?

According to Suse's online update I already have the latest version of PHP.

[Tiribulus]

...or spamming.

I've put a little flag in a helpers board, in the hope that someone can help us out, wit this.

Just saw this. Thank you sir.

[kat]

Seems we're all a bit stumped, with this.

[Illori]

are you running smf 1.1.* by chance? if so take a look at http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=512437.0

[Oldiesmann]

After a bit of research, I figured out what your problem is.

Your PHP configuration uses sha256 for creating session IDs. This will result in session IDs being 64 characters long. The problem is, SMF currently doesn't support session IDs longer than 32 characters (2.1 will support 64-character session IDs). This results in the session ID getting cut off in the database, so when SMF goes to check the one from PHP with what's in the database, they won't match.

There are two options for fixing this, depending on your preferences.

Option 1: Edit your php.ini file to have "session.hash_function = 0" instead of "session.hash_function = sha256". This will cause PHP to use md5 for session IDs, which will result in a standard 32-character session ID.

Option 2: Run these queries in phpMyAdmin to allow SMF to support longer session IDs.

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ALTER TABLE smf_log_errors CHANGE session session char(64) NOT NULL;
ALTER TABLE smf_log_online CHANGE session session char(64) NOT NULL;
ALTER TABLE smf_sessions CHANGE session_id session_id char(64) NOT NULL;

Note that the 2nd option will only fix it for that specific install. If you plan on installing additional instances of SMF elsewhere on the server, you will have to run those queries each time you install SMF.

[Colin]

Thanks Oldies

[kat]

Nice one, Oldies!

Ta!

[Tiribulus]

Just saw this again will try what oldiesman suggested which I wouldn't have figured out if I lived to be 10,000 years old.

EDIT:... OH the man's a genius!!!! The first option fixed it!!!!!
Thank YOOOOOO and God bless you sir!
You rock.

[kat]

I think Tiribulus is happy.

YAY!

[Tiribulus]

I think Tiribulus is happy.

YAY!

It's been a year since I first posted about this. I was about to give up. Thanks everybody else too.