Admin menu link not working

[awolexpat]

I don't know if this is a bug or something else, but the http://www.mysite.com/forum/index.php?action=admin link has stopped working on my site. I get a 500 server error in Chrome and blank screen in other browsers. What is even stranger is that I can still get into the Admin area though with the sub menu admin items, such as 'Features and Options'. However I can't get into the Administration Centre or Support and Credits pages at all. Everything else is accessible, so it is not a massive problem, but obviously one  that I need to address, and more importantly find out why.

I am using the most up to date version of SMF, and so far have tried this on Google Chrome, Safari and Firefox, and they are all the same. I am also using a Mac but i doubt that will have any impact. I have a few themes installed but my default theme is Blackhead; the behaviour is the same in all of them including the standard SMF default. I have got a lot of mods installed but no new ones installed in the last few months, and it was working perfectly before. The only recent thing I have done is to uninstall and delete SA Chat Bar and most recently (immediately prior to this happening) Simple Twitter. I also made some adjustments to the SA Facebook and SA Twitter mods at the same time (settings for them) and removed some code I had previously inserted in the display template to show a Twitter button for each thread (as this is now done by SA Twitter instead). The final change I have made is to add a RSS Feed block to Simple Portal which displays as the front page of my forum only. I can't see how these would have affected those links but it's all I have to go on at the moment. Nothing is appearing in the Error Log. Any help very appreciated.

[kat]

How's the ol' server error-log looking?

Anything pertinent, there?

[awolexpat]

Thanks for enquiring but nothing, not a sausage. All very strange.

[kat]

You say that you have a lot of mods. If you happen to have PrettyURLs, try disabling it.

If not, can you list the mods that you have?

Thing is, you say "the admin link has stopped working on my site", which intimates that it WAS working.

Soooooooooooooooooooo, what was done, from when it was working, to when it wasn't?

That might give us something to work with.

[awolexpat]

Hi K@,
Thanks again. I did actually write the most recent things that have changed as follows: "The only recent thing I have done is to uninstall and delete SA Chat Bar and most recently (immediately prior to this happening) Simple Twitter. I also made some adjustments to the SA Facebook and SA Twitter mods at the same time (settings for them) and removed some code I had previously inserted in the display template to show a Twitter button for each thread (as this is now done by SA Twitter instead). The final change I have made is to add a RSS Feed block to Simple Portal which displays as the front page of my forum only."

As to the list of mods, well, you asked for it! (The date is when they were installed, and as this behaviour has only manifested itself in the last few days I don't think a mod is to blame).
1.   SA Facebook   2.0.2   Thursday, 14 February, 2013, 08:20 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
2.   SMF 2.0.4 Update   1.0   Wednesday, 06 February, 2013, 08:55 AM.   [ Uninstall ]
3.   Global Message Box By Smfsimple.com   V1 Lite Version   Tuesday, 15 January, 2013, 10:02 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
4.   Bad Behavior mod   1.5.15   Sunday, 13 January, 2013, 05:59 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
5.   SMF 2.0.3 Update   1.0   Friday, 21 December, 2012, 09:25 AM.   [ Uninstall ]
6.   Board Notices   1.0.2   Friday, 19 October, 2012, 01:11 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
7.   Word Count Limits   1.3b   Thursday, 18 October, 2012, 11:19 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
8.   Signature Option Post   1.1.1   Thursday, 28 June, 2012, 10:32 AM.   [ Uninstall ]
9.   FAQ Mod   1.2   Thursday, 28 June, 2012, 10:11 AM.   [ Uninstall ]
10.   SimplePortal   2.3.5   Thursday, 14 June, 2012, 03:32 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
11.   EU cookie law   0.1.2   Sunday, 10 June, 2012, 11:44 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
12.   Tapatalk SMF 2.0 RC4/RC5/Final Plugin   3.0.2   Sunday, 10 June, 2012, 10:03 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
13.   SA Twitter   0.6 REV 30   Monday, 28 May, 2012, 03:20 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
14.   Prevent Adding Signature Images And Links   2.0   Tuesday, 06 March, 2012, 04:10 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
15.   BlogBridger   1.1.4   Monday, 27 February, 2012, 03:22 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
16.   Email Template Editor   1.0   Friday, 20 January, 2012, 10:21 AM.   [ Uninstall ]
17.   SMF 2.0.2 Update   1.0   Tuesday, 27 December, 2011, 11:20 AM.   [ Uninstall ]
18.   Contact Page   3.0   Wednesday, 07 December, 2011, 01:05 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
19.   Custom_Top_menu   1.4   Monday, 05 December, 2011, 11:53 AM.   [ Uninstall ]
20.   Downloads System   1.4.1   Sunday, 04 December, 2011, 12:27 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
21.   RSS Feeder   1.1.5   Saturday, 03 December, 2011, 02:14 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
22.   Project Snow 1.1   1.1   Tuesday, 22 November, 2011, 10:03 AM.   [ Uninstall ]
23.   Sitemap   2.2.0   Sunday, 20 November, 2011, 10:05 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
24.   SubAccounts Mod   1.0.1   Thursday, 17 November, 2011, 03:20 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
25.   New Layout for Last Post Info   1.5   Thursday, 17 November, 2011, 03:03 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
26.   InLine Attachments   1.11   Thursday, 17 November, 2011, 02:31 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
27.   Google +1   1.0   Thursday, 17 November, 2011, 02:22 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
28.   Default Avatar   2.2   Thursday, 17 November, 2011, 02:15 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
29.   Align text with Smiley   1.2   Thursday, 17 November, 2011, 02:01 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
30.   Socialize   1.8   Thursday, 17 November, 2011, 01:38 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
31.   Smart Pagination   0.8   Wednesday, 16 November, 2011, 11:22 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
32.   Apache Error Handler   1.2   Wednesday, 16 November, 2011, 10:43 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
33.   Sortable Packages (and Installed Time)   1.3   Wednesday, 09 November, 2011, 09:51 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
34.   Custom Pages and Tabs (2) SMF 2 - RC3   1.1   Saturday, 29 October, 2011, 04:49 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
35.   Stop Spammer   2.3.9   Tuesday, 25 October, 2011, 09:42 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
36.   VigLink   1.3   Wednesday, 05 October, 2011, 09:40 AM.   [ Uninstall ]
37.   TopicStarter Mod   1.6   Wednesday, 05 October, 2011, 09:13 AM.   [ Uninstall ]
38.   Google Analytics Code   1.4   Monday, 03 October, 2011, 04:50 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
39.   Topics Filter   3.2   Wednesday, 28 September, 2011, 02:11 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
40.   Ignore Board In New Posts   1.0   Tuesday, 27 September, 2011, 08:54 AM.   [ Uninstall ]
41.   Footer Menu v.1   v.1   Monday, 26 September, 2011, 10:45 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
42.   User Control Panel By Alan S   2.2   Thursday, 22 September, 2011, 09:28 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
43.   Add And Remove Buttons   0.4   Thursday, 22 September, 2011, 03:12 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
44.   Button 1 Menu Extender for 6 custom buttons mod   1.0   Thursday, 22 September, 2011, 02:43 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
45.   SMF 2.0.1 Update   1.0   Thursday, 22 September, 2011, 08:44 AM.   [ Uninstall ]
46.   VB Style Board Index   1.8   Saturday, 17 September, 2011, 11:57 AM.   [ Uninstall ]
47.   Country Flags   1.1.2   Friday, 16 September, 2011, 10:25 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
48.   Custom Copyright   1.0.2   Friday, 16 September, 2011, 10:19 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
49.   Recent Topics On "Recent Posts" Page   1.2   Friday, 16 September, 2011, 10:17 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
50.   Users Online Today   2.0   Friday, 16 September, 2011, 10:11 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
51.   AJAX Recent Topics   1.1   Sunday, 11 September, 2011, 03:09 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
52.   Reply Button in All Posts   1.1   Sunday, 04 September, 2011, 11:09 AM.   [ Uninstall ]
53.   PM to New Members   1.2   Saturday, 03 September, 2011, 03:29 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
54.   JumpToSelectBoard By Smfsimple.com   V1   Friday, 02 September, 2011, 04:58 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
55.   Tabbed smileys   0.3.99b   Friday, 02 September, 2011, 03:37 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
56.   Profile Statuses   3.1   Friday, 02 September, 2011, 12:23 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
57.   Next Post Level   1.3.3   Wednesday, 31 August, 2011, 11:23 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
58.   Bookmarks   2.3   Wednesday, 31 August, 2011, 10:23 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
59.   SA Affiliates   3.3.5.6   Thursday, 07 July, 2011, 10:44 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
60.   Welcome Topic Mod   2.1   Thursday, 07 July, 2011, 09:11 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
61.   Separate Replies and Views Column   1.9   Thursday, 07 July, 2011, 09:07 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
62.   Ad Managment   3.0.1   Thursday, 07 July, 2011, 05:46 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
63.   Post_Board_Select   1.3   Thursday, 07 July, 2011, 05:05 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
64.   New Topic Button By Smfsimple.com   V1   Thursday, 07 July, 2011, 05:04 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
65.   Separated Birthdays from Events   1.1.7   Thursday, 07 July, 2011, 04:57 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
66.   Recent Topics On Board Index   1.03   Thursday, 07 July, 2011, 04:52 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
67.   Random News Fader   1.0   Thursday, 07 July, 2011, 04:51 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
68.   New Manual Look   1.1   Thursday, 07 July, 2011, 04:49 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
69.   6 Custom buttons / tabs with Sub Menus (4)   0.5   Thursday, 07 July, 2011, 04:42 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
70.   Aeva Media   1.4w   Thursday, 07 July, 2011, 03:13 PM.   [ Uninstall ]
71.   RSS Feed Icon   1.1   Thursday, 07 July, 2011, 03:09 PM.

[kat]

Sorry, but the only word that fits, here, is "******!"

It's that first paragraph that's the key, don't you think? (Which I missed, for some reason. Blame senility)

Let's try and rule something out, here. If you switch to a different browser, is everything the same? (Just to check for cookie/cache hassles)

Do you have a backup that you could restore?

When you right-click on "Admin" and select "Copy link address", do you get http://www.mysite.com/forum/index.php?action=admin ? Or, do you get any weirdness?

[awolexpat]

Yes I already tried it on different browsers, logging out and logging in again, no different.

When I right click on Admin it is the same link as it should be, and to double check that, when I am in the Admin section, the 'breadcrumb' link where it says 'Administration Centre' is the same and also gets a 500 server error. Incidentally the link for the Administration Center in the drop down menu under Main, which also doesn't work does look a bit weird - http://www.mysite.com/forum/index.php?action=admin;area=index;efd1547fd=83aa54e2a2610a5928d09011b58dce89 and similar for Support and Credits. These are the only menu links that don't work though as far as i have been able to find out.

I do have a backup but it was done some time before the most recent removals and edits and I am a bit loathe to restore it as I would rather see if I can identify the problem some other way. I can't be 100% sure which change immediately preceded this behaviour but I think it was the Simple Twitter removal, so I guess I need to look at what files that mod altered and see if it was properly removed, although I got no errors on uninstalling, nor with any of the others, not even any custom theme edits that needed doing.

As you quite rightly say, "******!" 

[kat]

Now, that "efd1547fd" nonsense is a bit odd, for me. I might expect a session ID, or something. But, I don't remember seeing that, before.

From what I can see, the only file edits that the Twitter mod makes, is to add SimpleTwitter_who(), to Who.php. So, I somehow doubt that it's that.

The SA chat bar only modifies Profile.template.php.

So, again, I doubt that it's that, either.

From what you've said, therefor, one has to suspect some of the tweaking you've done.

Quite what, though, I can't even begin to figure-out.

Does that give you any clues?

[awolexpat]

The only tweaking I have done actually in the code was to remove the Twitter button from the display template and I am certain that this was done correctly. It is also nowhere near the code relating to the menu or the page the Admin functions are supposed to link to. It really is a bit of a mystery, especially as the errors are not appearing in any logs either. I will keep digging, and maybe there is something else I did either without remembering or realising. However I don't understand how only those three links don't work and all the others do, and wondering if I might have been hacked in some way?

[kat]

I doubt it. Best was to check, for most of those kinda things, is to look at the first line of a file. If it's not:

<?php

and just that, nothing else, you may have problems. I somehow doubt that, though.

This is a total long-shot in the dark, this... But, has your host upgraded anything, of late?

[awolexpat]

Sorry for the tardy reply; no, as far as I am aware nothing has been changed by my host. The behaviour is still the same incidentally, easy enough to get around but puzzling. Three things I have uncovered during my digging are; 1. Somehow my server location had been reset to the first in the list; 2. On doing a version check I discovered my language files were out of date; and 3. From the same version check I have two template files with ?? next to them, which are Settings.template.php and index.template.php. I have looked at those files and they appear to be correct and have the correct version number in the file but is there a possible connection? Why would the system not be able to identify them?

[kat]

The reason for me asking about your host is explained here:

http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=499374.0

Your comment "1. Somehow my server location had been reset to the first in the list" makes me wonder, more, if that could be where the problem lies.

[awolexpat]

Hi and thanks again for your reply.
Some time back (a few months) my host did change their server location and I now realise that i didn't check or change any of my settings in my SMF installation then (i didn't realise/think i needed to); however if that is when the server location setting in my SMF reset itself, I did not encounter the problem with the admin link then. My host has not notified me of any other changes since then. My server location is now set correctly in SMF  but the admin link still does not work and gives me a 500 error. It actually goes to the admin password screen and then the 500 error if I have only just logged in, otherwise straight to the 500 error. I still think it must be related to a mod as it immediately followed the actions I outlined initially.However i am at a loss as to how to discover what needs to be edited to correct this behaviour.

[kat]

That link I gave you...

http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=499374.msg3504878#msg3504878

Send it to your host and see what they say.

[awolexpat]

Hi and thanks again,
I already have the mod_security filtering disabled in my .htaccess file, and am able to change the permissions of my files, so I don't think that is the issue here;  I guessed that it is the Admin.php in Sources file that might be the relevant one but it has 644 permissions which as far as I am aware are the correct ones.

Having said that, I have just had a look at the parse on the Simple Twitter mod and checked the corresponding file that should have had code removed (and I was told by the system that it had been successfully uninstalled) and it hadn't been. The file in question was the ./Sources/Who.php and the following code was present -
'<a href="http://missallsunday.com" target="_blank" title="Free SMF mods">FAQ mod &copy; Suki</a>',
         SimpleTwitter_who(),
      
I removed that and voila! I can click successfully on my Admin button once again. I am at a loss to understand why that bit of code would have such a devastating effect but hopefully anyone else who has the same problem can have a look in that area. Incidentally the parse did not have all that code either for removal, only the last line. I am going to post this information on the relevant thread on this mod because if it does not uninstall correctly others will have the same issue. I gather the mods author, Suki/Miss All Sunday is one of the SMF team so could it also be mentioned to her by someone?

Thank you for all your help and my issue is now resolved.

[Kindred]

Do note... The code that you showed is for two different mods, the FAQ and simple twitter...

[kat]

I already have the mod_security filtering disabled in my .htaccess file, and am able to change the permissions of my files, so I don't think that is the issue here;

Don't you believe it.

Your .htaccess file won't override your host's settings, at all. Your files may look like they're set the way you've set them. But, again, they don't override your host's settings.

Gotta be worth checking those out, with your host.

[awolexpat]

Do note... The code that you showed is for two different mods, the FAQ and simple twitter...

Thanks Kindred, I hadn't noticed that! Same author of the mod which is why I guess. I will put the first line back in then.

And to K@, I had contact with my host a long time ago on the issue you raised so i'm almost 100% certain it is not a problem, obviously combined with the fact that I isolated what the problem is.

Thanks to both of you.