Simple Machines Community Forum

SMF Support => SMF 1.1.x Support => Topic started by: PD3 on May 27, 2022, 11:15:20 AM

Title: A few problems updating, help appreciated
Post by: PD3 on May 27, 2022, 11:15:20 AM
Hi, I'm having a bit of trouble. I tried to update to the latest software, but it failed the test on the settings.php file, so I left it, thinking it would be fine. Yeah, I know.

Anyway, it took itself to maintenance mode a couple of times and I got it out of that, then the next time I looked it was down with a http error 500. I went to my host and asked them to take a look and they came back with this:


QuoteI have checked your forum and found that the Settings.php file missing entries, I can see that the file last edited on Mar 11, 2022. And this is not a server side issue, its your php script issue. Also noticed that you are using outdated php version 5.6. I request you to please get in touch with your developer as he will be able to debug this and upgrade your scripts to latest php version PHP8. Thank you for your understanding.

They've also said the best way over it is to delete it, reinstall SMF and then reinstall the database. I worry about that, because it's a Tinyportal. Will that database be compatible with ordinary SMF? Any ideas anybody?

Thanks in advance.
Title: Re: A few problems, help appreciated
Post by: Aleksi "Lex" Kilpinen on May 27, 2022, 11:17:45 AM
What version were you on exactly before trying to update?
And how exactly did you try to update when it failed?
Title: Re: A few problems, help appreciated
Post by: vbgamer45 on May 27, 2022, 11:21:23 AM
Is your forum heavily customized? If not I would suggest to upgrade to SMF 2.1 right away since that supports PHP 8
Title: Re: A few problems, help appreciated
Post by: Arantor on May 27, 2022, 11:22:42 AM
TinyPortal is available for both 2.0 and 2.1 and should be able to use all your existing content, if that helps.
Title: Re: A few problems, help appreciated
Post by: Doug Heffernan on May 27, 2022, 11:53:12 AM
What entries were missing exactly?
Quote from: PD3 on May 27, 2022, 11:15:20 AMAnyway, it took itself to maintenance mode a couple of times and I got it out of that, then the next time I looked it was down with a http error 500.

The 500 http errors are almost always server related.

Quote from: PD3 on May 27, 2022, 11:15:20 AMI have checked your forum and found that the Settings.php file missing entries

Did they say what entries were missing?

Quote from: PD3 on May 27, 2022, 11:15:20 AMThey've also said the best way over it is to delete it, reinstall SMF and then reinstall the database. I worry about that, because it's a Tinyportal. Will that database be compatible with ordinary SMF? Any ideas anybody?

You do not need to re-install it. If the database is damaged, I doubt that that is the case from what you described, you can restore the database and as mentioned above, upgrade to 2.1.2. You must upgrade the php version too, otherwise it will not work. Please see this link on how to upgrade your forum.

Upgrading SMF (https://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/Upgrading)


Title: Re: A few problems, help appreciated
Post by: Sir Osis of Liver on May 27, 2022, 01:34:54 PM
It can't take itself to maint mode, someone/something would have to change the setting in Settings.php.  Did you upload the 2.1 upgrade or install package?  If you used the install package, it replaced your Settings.php with a scratch file that doesn't contain your database settings.  You can fix the settings manually or with repair_settings.php, or restore a backup from before upgrade.
Title: Re: A few problems, help appreciated
Post by: PD3 on June 04, 2022, 10:23:44 AM
Wow, thanks for all the replies, much appreciated.

Quote from: Aleksi "Lex" Kilpinen on May 27, 2022, 11:17:45 AMWhat version were you on exactly before trying to update?
And how exactly did you try to update when it failed?

Sorry, I've no idea what version it was. I've tried to update several times through the package manager and each time it hangs on the test of the Settings.php and I can't remember which one of the files it hung on. TBH, I thought it would be ok, being that it's a little known forum with few visitors, but recently, as described, it has been taking itself into maintenance mode without me touching anything. I decided it might have been a mischievous hacker, as it happened a few times. Each time I set maintenance mode from 0 to 1 or vice versa (can't remember) to bring it back out and the next time I visited it had changed back. I changed my password and hoped that would solve it, but the next time I looked it was in this current state.


Quote from: vbgamer45 on May 27, 2022, 11:21:23 AMIs your forum heavily customized? If not I would suggest to upgrade to SMF 2.1 right away since that supports PHP 8

Nope, it's running Tinyportal and that's about it. The theme is obsolete, a dark theme by Bloc, which might be causing issues of its own I guess, but I'm quite attached to it.

I think I might update to 2.1 as you suggest and then reinstall Tinyportal as Arantor suggests.

Quote from: Doug Heffernan on May 27, 2022, 11:53:12 AMYou do not need to re-install it. If the database is damaged, I doubt that that is the case from what you described, you can restore the database and as mentioned above, upgrade to 2.1.2. You must upgrade the php version too, otherwise it will not work. Please see this link on how to upgrade your forum.

Upgrading SMF (https://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/Upgrading)


Thanks Doug, that's helpful, I'll try it.

Quote from: Sir Osis of Liver on May 27, 2022, 01:34:54 PMIt can't take itself to maint mode, someone/something would have to change the setting in Settings.php.  Did you upload the 2.1 upgrade or install package?  If you used the install package, it replaced your Settings.php with a scratch file that doesn't contain your database settings.  You can fix the settings manually or with repair_settings.php, or restore a backup from before upgrade.

That's what I thought, hence changing passwords, but that hasn't helped. I'll have to sit down and dedicate a weekend of pain to trying to get this fixed. Luckily, I took a very recent backup of the whole lot when it was working.

Thanks again, guys.
Title: Re: A few problems, help appreciated
Post by: Doug Heffernan on June 04, 2022, 10:47:14 AM
Quote from: PD3 on June 04, 2022, 10:23:44 AMThanks Doug, that's helpful, I'll try it.

No problem. Good luck and let us know how it will go.