Hello all you amazing SMF Wizards! I need your help!!
GoDaddy just migrated from 2GH Linux hosting to 4GH Linux Hosting and my SMF forum went down.. 12+ years of content and conversation, gone in a poof I had no control over. Reeeeeeally hopeful someone knows how to get it back online. :'(
SimpleMachines 1.1.21 is known to have issues with php 5.6, so I downgraded to 5.4 (last time it worked was 5.2 under 2GH). PHP 5.4 supposedly works with SMF 1.1.21 - does it not?
Could a CHMOD perhaps be needed because 4GH defaults for files and folders may be different then they were under 2GH? Or would those not change as a result of the upgrade? I made amazing progress just by doing a Save As on a file in UTF-8 instead of ANSI as you'll see below, so I've learned not to overlook the simple stuff.
Oh, and I would prefer NOT to upgrade to SMF 2.0.x if at all poss and lose all custom mods - plus I keep reading about nothing but problems with this upgrade if not done from within SMF, which is unfortunately no longer an option.
Forum link: http://www.fx-knight.com/smForum/index.php
Error we are getting:Connection Problems
Sorry, SMF was unable to connect to the database. This may be caused by the server being busy. Please try again later.
Their tech suspected the issue might be the syntax of the
$db_server path in the
settings.php file..
Used to be:dbname.db.3857732.hostedresource.com
GoDaddy suggested new ones to try are:grid55mysql277.secureserver.net
shr.prod.phx3.secureserver.net
But.. perhaps unlike WordPress, Simple Machines likes db name to be part of the path as it was originally?
What would be the correct syntax starting with dbname.. and ending with ..secureserver.net?
(This is something that seems to be SMF-specific, what it likes to see here, so the GoDaddy tech didn't want to assume that what works for Word Press would also work for SMF.)
Next, we noticed the
settings.php file was being saved as ANSI
Changing to encoding to UTF-8 and doing a Save As generated the following:
Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/content/32/3857732/html/_fxK2/smForum/Settings.php:1) in /home/content/32/3857732/html/_fxK2/smForum/Sources/Subs-Auth.php on line 346
Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/content/32/3857732/html/_fxK2/smForum/Settings.php:1) in /home/content/32/3857732/html/_fxK2/smForum/Sources/Subs-Auth.php on line 347
Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/content/32/3857732/html/_fxK2/smForum/Settings.php:1) in /home/content/32/3857732/html/_fxK2/smForum/Sources/Subs-Auth.php on line 348
Connection Problems
Sorry, SMF was unable to connect to the database. This may be caused by the server being busy. Please try again later.
These are the lines of code in question from
/Sources/Subs-Auth.php:
// Don't cache this page!
header('Expires: Mon, 26 Jul 1997 05:00:00 GMT');
header('Last-Modified: ' . gmdate('D, d M Y H:i:s') . ' GMT');
header('Cache-Control: no-cache');
So... could it be that 4GH doesn't like the date format 2GH used to use on the headers?
Although.. the error above seems to suggest we already have headers coming from elsewhere?
Really hopeful this gives someone out there a lead on what is causing the database connection error..
Here are the contents of the
settings.php file:
########## Forum Info ##########
$mbname = 'fxKnight'; # The name of your forum.
$language = 'english'; # The default language file set for the forum.
$boardurl = 'http://fx-knight.com/smForum'; # URL to your forum's folder. (without the trailing /!)
$webmaster_email = '
[email protected]'; # Email address to send emails from. (like
[email protected].)
$cookiename = 'fxKnight923'; # Name of the cookie to set for authentication.
########## Database Info ##########
$db_server = 'dbname.db.3857732.hostedresource.com';
$db_name = 'dbname';
$db_user = 'user';
$db_passwd = 'password';
$db_prefix = 'smf_';
$db_persist = 0;
$db_error_send = 1;
########## Directories/Files ##########
# Note: These directories do not have to be changed unless you move things.
$boarddir = '/home/content/32/3857732/html/_fxK2/smForum'; # The absolute path to the forum's folder. (not just '.'!)
$sourcedir = '/home/content/32/3857732/html/_fxK2/smForum/Sources'; # Path to the Sources directory.
Any help would be GREATLY appreciated, and I cannot tell you in words how grateful I am for your knowledge & expertise!
-=Andrei
Don't post your settings file. Please remove your login information.
Your best best is contact their support. And or look at the phpmyadmin area in your godaddy hosting for the connection string you should be able to see the database.
User/pass was obviously not included :)
I have been back and forth with their support, and have gotten about as far as I believe I can with them. They are now saying it's a content issue, not hosting - even though content hasn't changed since everything worked prior to their migration.
They simply do not know enough about SMF.. which is why I came here hoping to find people who know more.
Quote from: andrei23 on January 02, 2018, 12:34:15 AM
Hello all you amazing SMF Wizards! I need your help!!
GoDaddy just migrated from 2GH Linux hosting to 4GH Linux Hosting and my SMF forum went down.. 12+ years of content and conversation, gone in a poof I had no control over. Reeeeeeally hopeful someone knows how to get it back online. :'(
See a similar case: Connection problems again! (GoDaddy Host) (https://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=558004.0)
Quote from: andrei23 on January 02, 2018, 12:34:15 AM
SimpleMachines 1.1.21 is known to have issues with php 5.6, so I downgraded to 5.4 (last time it worked was 5.2 under 2GH). PHP 5.4 supposedly works with SMF 1.1.21 - does it not?
SMF 1.1.x incompatibility with recent PHP versions (PHP5.5+) (https://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=534915.0)
Quote from: andrei23 on January 02, 2018, 12:34:15 AM
Could a CHMOD perhaps be needed because 4GH defaults for files and folders may be different then they were under 2GH? Or would those not change as a result of the upgrade? I made amazing progress just by doing a Save As on a file in UTF-8 instead of ANSI as you'll see below, so I've learned not to overlook the simple stuff.
The database or the database login should have no effect, specially on linux hosts the character set of the settings files, and the editor used to edit them, may have affect. File permissions should not easily become a problem, and I think problems like that would manifest themselves differently.
Quote from: andrei23 on January 02, 2018, 12:34:15 AM
Oh, and I would prefer NOT to upgrade to SMF 2.0.x if at all poss and lose all custom mods - plus I keep reading about nothing but problems with this upgrade if not done from within SMF, which is unfortunately no longer an option.
You cannot upgrade from 1.x to 2.x within SMF, so I don't know what you have been reading.
Upgrading SMF (https://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/Upgrading)
Quote from: andrei23 on January 02, 2018, 12:34:15 AM
Forum link: http://www.fx-knight.com/smForum/index.php
Error we are getting:
Connection Problems
Sorry, SMF was unable to connect to the database. This may be caused by the server being busy. Please try again later.
Their tech suspected the issue might be the syntax of the $db_server path in the settings.php file..
Used to be:
xx.hostedresource.com
GoDaddy suggested new ones to try are:
xx.secureserver.net
xxx.secureserver.net
But.. perhaps unlike WordPress, Simple Machines likes db name to be part of the path as it was originally?
What would be the correct syntax starting with fxb072.. and ending with ..secureserver.net?
That would be whatever is your hosts database address, not in anyway specific to SMF, and the DB name does not need to be there.
---
BACKUP your current settings.php and settings_bak.php, replace them with these ( these are empty from the installation package ) and correct the settings using repair_settings. (Do NOT manually edit them.) There may be something wrong with your settings.php judging from the non-db errors.
What is repair_settings.php? (https://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/Repair_settings.php)
You will need to do this "twice". First correct the database information and save, then all the rest of the settings and save again.
Really helpful info, Aleksi - THANK YOU!
I have read both of the threads you have referenced prior to posting. The first one seemed to have additional issues going on beyond what I am experiencing, due to moving his installation to a new folder, and upgrading from SMF 1.x to 2.x, and the second one I have verified I am compatible.. my host is running PHP 5.4 and MySQL 5.5 (SMF 1.1.21 should work with both according to the article).
I have followed your instructions carefully in regards to Settings.php and the repair tool and alas, same issue persists. Cannot connect to the database. So we can rule out paths, I guess.
Back to what other differences there might be between 2GH Linux hosting and 4GH that offend SMF or might prevent it form connecting to its database?
Or how about the headers error referenced in /Sources/Subs-Auth.php ? Perhaps 4GH uses a different date format that SMF doesn't like?
Quote from: andrei23 on January 02, 2018, 02:03:07 AM
Or how about the headers error referenced in /Sources/Subs-Auth.php ? Perhaps 4GH uses a different date format that SMF doesn't like?
That was actually what I was hoping to fix by having you replace the settings files. Now, I am surprised to see the errors there still.
Did you edit any other php files right before this started?
Could you attach your Subs-Auth.php here?
GoDaddy has trashed several forums as they're migrating to new servers. I was able to recover one, another had its database destroyed with no backups. Do you have a good recent db backup? If not, ask GD support for a dump while they still may be able to find the db. If you have the db, open an account with a different host, do a clean 1.1.21 install, upgrade to 2.0.15.
I wouldn't be ready to say anything about the DB just yet, I would like to see us get those errors cleared first and see if the DB actually functions.
Other than that, getting away from GoDaddy is a good advice.
GoDaddy's servers have the bad habit of deleting up to a dozen source files, one of them being Subs-Auth.php, when uploaded via ftp. Wouldn't surprise me if same thing happened when they migrated this forum. Source files must be uploaded with cpanel file manager.
I'm fairly sure the file is there, but that - or some other settings related file has some problems, most probably contents before the opening tag or after the closing tag, such as UTF8 Byte Order Mark in the beginning of the file...
This based on the Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by Settings.php, in Subs-Auth.php on line 346.
So the file is there, and it is tripping errors for some reason.
Quote from: andrei23 on January 02, 2018, 12:34:15 AM
Connection Problems
Sorry, SMF was unable to connect to the database. This may be caused by the server being busy. Please try again later.
Their tech suspected the issue might be the syntax of the $db_server path in the settings.php file..
Used to be:
dbname.db.3857732.hostedresource.com
GoDaddy suggested new ones to try are:
grid55mysql277.secureserver.net
shr.prod.phx3.secureserver.net
Ask them for an ip address. It's my understanding from the forum I recovered that it can take a while for new server address to propogate.
Subs-Auth.php is there, Sir Osis - I went to check it when the new error occurred. But I did notice the effect you are referring to when I tried making a duplicate copy of the forum for testing. That file wasn't in the 2nd version, and I tried repeatedly to move it using FileZilla with no avail. Using their cpanel was the only way. One would HOPE they used a more direct method for their migration. Though I suspect they did, because Subs-Auth.php was indeed there when I first went to look for it.
Aleksi - no files were modified on my end between the forum working and not. It went down with the migration, but that was also understandable as the 2GH server was on PHP 5.2, meanwhile the new 4GH server was running PHP 5.6, which we know to be incompatible with SMF 1.1.21
Could it be that temporarily existing within, and trying to execute within, a PHP 5.6 environment somehow damaged or corrupted any of the files? So by the time a rolled back to PHP 5.4 the damage was already done? Do we have any info on WHY the forum doesn't work with 5.6? That might help us figure out where to look. Just a thought.
The database itself seems to be sound and uncorrupted. The GoDaddy tech had a look at it. But if there is a tool for checking it I'm open to it.. I have extra copies of it, both online and locally. I can always put one up for you to play with and send you a URL, if that's helpful in diagnosis?
Where might I find the installation files for 1.1.21? Trying a fresh install might not be a bad idea.. we could determine IF that version can even run in the new 4GH environment. If not, no sense in looking for a corrupt file or line of code in my version, I suppose?
Any other ideas for a next step or things to try?
Not on my computer, can't post the link, but click 'Download' in top menu, then 'Archived Releases' to find 1.1.21 package.
If they moved your server, then all of the for7m paths have changed.
Also, given go daddy's general incompetence, I can pretty much guarantee that the address of your MySQL database has also changed... which would explain the connection problems
You need to run repair_settings.php and reset the database connection information. And then reset the paths for the forum
Quote from: andrei23 on January 02, 2018, 08:43:16 PM
Could it be that temporarily existing within, and trying to execute within, a PHP 5.6 environment somehow damaged or corrupted any of the files? So by the time a rolled back to PHP 5.4 the damage was already done? Do we have any info on WHY the forum doesn't work with 5.6? That might help us figure out where to look. Just a thought.
The different PHP version should not really cause any corruption in files, Settings.php is pretty much the only file that 1.1 edits on it's own without user interaction - and the Warning seen before your database error would suggest a file problem IMO.
That, and the warning referencing both settings.php and subs-auth.php were the reasons I started from them.
Quote from: andrei23 on January 02, 2018, 08:43:16 PM
The database itself seems to be sound and uncorrupted. The GoDaddy tech had a look at it. But if there is a tool for checking it I'm open to it.. I have extra copies of it, both online and locally. I can always put one up for you to play with and send you a URL, if that's helpful in diagnosis?
Where might I find the installation files for 1.1.21? Trying a fresh install might not be a bad idea.. we could determine IF that version can even run in the new 4GH environment. If not, no sense in looking for a corrupt file or line of code in my version, I suppose?
Trying a fresh install on the new setup might not be a bad idea, but I do think 1.1 should work there as long as the database works, and you keep the PHP version below 5.5.
Quote from: Kindred on January 03, 2018, 12:46:18 AM
If they moved your server, then all of the for7m paths have changed.
Also, given go daddy's general incompetence, I can pretty much guarantee that the address of your MySQL database has also changed... which would explain the connection problems
You need to run repair_settings.php and reset the database connection information. And then reset the paths for the forum
This was the first thing we tried, and either the settings.php did not get updated correctly, or the database information used is wrong, or something else is amiss, since this didn't seem to have any effect on the situation...
I am betting that the database information that they provided is incorrect.
that was the case when one of the sites I support moved hosting within GoDaddy... it took moving to level 3 support at GoDaddy to get the correct details
I tried both the database path listed in phpMyAdmin and the one used by my other WordPress sites that DO work in the new hosting environment, both generated the same error. (What I tried is documented in my 1st post above.) The absolute paths for both SMF install folder and /Sources came from cpanel - pretty confident in all 3 paths, but perhaps the SYNTAX is incorrect? Like should I preface with server IP or anything? Seems to be these "absolute" paths are still relative, as they start with / .. however, as I said, my other WordPress sites that went through this same migration all find their databases, just SMF seems lost..
(I will be traveling the next 4 days, so my ability to try things will be limited.. but I will very much be reading, so please keep the ideas coming on what it might be or what I should try. I am extremely grateful for your help!!)
Any tools out there to check database integrity? GoDaddy tech told me it "looked" ok, butboerhaps SMF needs it to be a certain way. Could anything have changed as part of 2GH to 4GH migration?
How about CHMOD settings for files and folders? When moved to a new server, to they normally keep their settings, or inherit them from the new server? Any way to check what they are? I only know CHMOD to change them, but not check what they are already..
Quote from: Kindred on January 03, 2018, 01:05:30 PM
I am betting that the database information that they provided is incorrect.
that was the case when one of the sites I support moved hosting within GoDaddy... it took moving to level 3 support at GoDaddy to get the correct details
I've seen this as well, GD support is bull******ting their customers. Best way to check database integrity is connect it to a clean install. If your account is too screwed up to do this, pm your db credentials and I'll connect to it with a test install on my server.
Quote from: andrei23 on January 03, 2018, 03:18:46 PM
Any tools out there to check database integrity? GoDaddy tech told me it "looked" ok, butboerhaps SMF needs it to be a certain way. Could anything have changed as part of 2GH to 4GH migration?
How about CHMOD settings for files and folders? When moved to a new server, to they normally keep their settings, or inherit them from the new server? Any way to check what they are? I only know CHMOD to change them, but not check what they are already..
In the off chance that the migration was done properly, nothing like that should become a problem - but when it's GoDaddy, your guess is as good as ours really. Sorry to say that.
What you could do to test this, is install a second forum from scratch (preferably using a different DB, or atleast a recognizable different prefix) and if everything works, then use repair_settings to switch that installation to use the old DB, to see if it still works or not.
Howdy,
I am helping out this user to get his board back up and running.
I have removed from GD. Grabbed a archive for his version 1.1.21 (smf_1-1-21_install) reloaded the Sources/themes/setting files.
However I am receiving the DB error below:
Database Error: Unknown column 'addDeny' in 'field list'
File: /home/hisdomain/public_html/forum/Sources/Load.php
Line: 739
How would I go about clearing that out?
Thanks
-Frank
Hmm, what column names are present in both the smf_board_permissions and smf_permissions tables?
can you check if load.php is from SMF 1.1 or SMF 2.0?
Load.php is definitely 1.1 as that's what Frank grabbed, but whether that's the right version for the DB is another question entirely.
Just had a look at forum link, Subs-Auth.php appears to be missing. Did you upload 1.1.21 package via ftp? You must upload source files with cpanel file manager. GoDaddy servers delete up to a dozen source files if uploaded by ftp.
Quote from: Arantor on January 16, 2018, 04:28:04 PM
Hmm, what column names are present in both the smf_board_permissions and smf_permissions tables?
Hi Arantor Both tables have the correct column add_deny
Quote from: Illori on January 16, 2018, 04:32:29 PM
can you check if load.php is from SMF 1.1 or SMF 2.0?
Load.php is confirmed as SMF 1.1
Quote from: Sir Osis of Liver on January 16, 2018, 04:38:24 PM
Just had a look at forum link, Subs-Auth.php appears to be missing. Did you upload 1.1.21 package via ftp? You must upload source files with cpanel file manager. GoDaddy servers delete up to a dozen source files if uploaded by ftp.
All files and DB were moved away from GD. And placed upon a more friendly set-up. I am force host the dns to my local. chances are you are using a cached dns. Which of course is a bummer :(
Hopefully the DNS resolves soon to new server.
QuoteHi Arantor Both tables have the correct column add_deny
That's the column name as it is in 2.0; it was addDeny in 1.1.x - you have a 2.0 database, so the 1.1 files won't work correctly on it.
Not clear (to me, anyway), that database has been upgraded to 2.0. OP originally didn't want to upgrade, and I'm not seeing that he did, but if it has been upgraded, should work with a 2.0.15 install.
QuoteNot clear (to me, anyway), that database has been upgraded to 2.0
You mean other than a column in the database that in 1.1 was called addDeny and gets renamed during the 2.0 install to add_deny - and the databaseu currently has add_deny in it...?
Quote from: Arantor on January 16, 2018, 05:45:33 PM
QuoteHi Arantor Both tables have the correct column add_deny
That's the column name as it is in 2.0; it was addDeny in 1.1.x - you have a 2.0 database, so the 1.1 files won't work correctly on it.
Thanks Bro, I have not the slightest idea how this is a 2.0 DB as the OP seemed pretty adamant about not upgrading to the most current version while I read this post. Perhaps I missed something during the discussion.
OP?
Try connecting it to a 2.0 install.
Well... the forum definitely was running 1.1.x earlier in the year and if I follow the link in the OP, that instance is definitely a 1.1 instance, though it says it can't connect to the DB at all...
I think database integrity is the big question here. At least part of it has been upgraded to 2.0, it's possible to get a partial upgrade if upgrade.php fails partway through. Will it work with 2.0 install? Does it contain a set of backup tables? Is there a good 1.1 backup prior to migration? Has GoDaddy changed database server address?
if you run ping to the site the ping should go to=> Pinging zuksoffroad.net [107.182.169.50] with 32 bytes of data:
Otherwise you are hitting the old server. GD is no longer a issue as the site and db do not run in that environment any more.
I just replaced all the files with 2.0.15 install connection to DB looks ok as no errors. and was able to run repair_settings with success
however we do receive the below error
PHP Fatal error: Function name must be a string in /home/zuksoffr/public_html/forum/Sources/Load.php on line 142
We run many SMF installs so the PHP version is not a issue.
I have no idea what occured to the database before I pulled it out of GD. It does indeed have backup tables.
The error you're getting is a 'needs PHP 5.4 installation' error.
server is running
PHP Version 5.4.45
I have tried up to PHP 5.6 with same error
Fixed the issue.
After uploading the 2.0 files. I had inadvertently missed the index.php. However the old index.php was still in root. So I just glanced over it.
Just as a side note the backups that were in the DB were also for SMF 2.0. Strange Days LOL.
Thanks for your help :)
Tell B I says Hi!
Quote from: tumbleweed on January 16, 2018, 07:29:03 PM
After uploading the 2.0 files. I had inadvertently missed the index.php. However the old index.php was still in root. So I just glanced over it.
Just as a side note the backups that were in the DB were also for SMF 2.0. Strange Days LOL.
In all of this, that is honestly the most confusing point of the topic. How did it become 2.0? :o
Quote from: Aleksi "Lex" Kilpinen on January 17, 2018, 11:33:46 AM
Quote from: tumbleweed on January 16, 2018, 07:29:03 PM
After uploading the 2.0 files. I had inadvertently missed the index.php. However the old index.php was still in root. So I just glanced over it.
Just as a side note the backups that were in the DB were also for SMF 2.0. Strange Days LOL.
In all of this, that is honestly the most confusing point of the topic. How did it become 2.0? :o
I have not the slightest idea. Its very confusing. We do know even if the upgrade was 100% successful. The forum is know active and view able to outside world.
However it appears that the attachments that were uploaded prior to this upgrade are not working correctly as in they just show the link in the thread not the image. When one clicks the link the file downloads onto local machine. Images appear to be corrupted. PDF seem to be OK. images uploaded after are working as prescribed.
http://www.zuksoffroad.net/forum/index.php?topic=2375.0
Any ideas on the attachment issue?
Thanks
-Frank
If images load but are corrupt, likely cause is they were downloaded or uploaded via ftp using FileZilla with transfer type set to Auto. It must be set to binary or files will be damaged.
Quote from: tumbleweed on January 17, 2018, 12:20:29 PM
Any ideas on the attachment issue?
How the attachment files were transferred?
This old issue is still an issue for some Important Notice: Do you use Filezilla? Avatars and Attachments lost? (https://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=374178.0)
Quote from: Aleksi "Lex" Kilpinen on January 17, 2018, 12:31:10 PM
Quote from: tumbleweed on January 17, 2018, 12:20:29 PM
Any ideas on the attachment issue?
How the attachment files were transferred?
This old issue is still an issue for some Important Notice: Do you use Filezilla? Avatars and Attachments lost? (https://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=374178.0)
Thanks for the guidance. :)
You're welcome :)