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No owner login

Started by Stella465, August 01, 2022, 10:03:35 AM

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Stella465

Hello. I've just signed up because I'm a member on a forum that has been quiet for a long time and the owner is indicating they would be happy to move it on to me.  However they have lost the username and password for logging into SMF and need to do about 10 upgrades, but can't because they don't have the username and password.

How would they go about resetting these if they can't login to the forum software!  Server side is running fine apparently.

Doug Heffernan

Quote from: Stella465 on August 01, 2022, 10:03:35 AMHello. I've just signed up because I'm a member on a forum that has been quiet for a long time and the owner is indicating they would be happy to move it on to me.  However they have lost the username and password for logging into SMF and need to do about 10 upgrades, but can't because they don't have the username and password.

How would they go about resetting these if they can't login to the forum software!  Server side is running fine apparently.

They can use the forgot password link. The new password will be emailed to them automatically.

Or they can make your account as an admin. Do they have access to phpmyadmin? If they do, they can run this query:

UPDATE smf_members SET id_group = '1' WHERE member_name = 'username';

And they must replace username with your actual username.

Steve

Quote from: Doug Heffernan on August 01, 2022, 10:26:08 AMThey can use the forgot password link.
This would be the most optimum imo (or the query). That way, once you sign in with those credentials you'll be in fact, the owner and not just an administrator.

That person will have to transfer it to you at whoever's hosting the forum.
My pet rock is not feeling well. I think it's stoned.

Stella465

Thank you.  Could you both clarify a bit more please?  :) So to use the forgotten password link they'd need to know their login name presumably?  And they have forgotten that too.

So they could make me an admin via the server without having to log in to SMF.  When you say replace username with actual name - do you mean my actual name I signed up with as opposed to registered username on the forum?  And if so would that be in the usual format - ie a space between first name and Surname and first name and surname in capitals.  Or just joebloggs with no spaces or capitals?

I am not sure the owner is techy enough to go into phpmyadmin.  I am - so maybe then they'd need to give me their server login.

Stella465

Quote from: Steve on August 01, 2022, 11:22:04 AM
Quote from: Doug Heffernan on August 01, 2022, 10:26:08 AMThey can use the forgot password link.
This would be the most optimum imo (or the query). That way, once you sign in with those credentials you'll be in fact, the owner and not just an administrator.

That person will have to transfer it to you at whoever's hosting the forum.

How would that make me the owner rather than an admin please?  They might not be ready for that step straight away.

Arantor

So, first up, forgot password can work with either username or email... one presumes they know and have access to the email?

If not things get a bit trickier because then you need to go into the database and start resetting things. I'd honestly not do the steps above but focus on getting the existing account admin back up and running - if they don't have the right email, the next step is to change it in the database for their account, then they can do forgot password. (Or, at that point, they'll see the username for their account)
Holder of controversial views, all of which my own.


Steve

Quote from: Stella465 on August 01, 2022, 12:17:13 PMHow would that make me the owner rather than an admin please?
There's almost no difference other than ownership. But check Arantor's advice above.
My pet rock is not feeling well. I think it's stoned.

Sir Osis of Liver

You are the owner if you have access to host account and billing has been transferred to you.  If you are able to access phpmyadmin and know how to use it, go into members table, search your username, and change id_group to '1', that will make you admin.  Would also be a good idea to demote all other admins to regular members, and change all passwords on host account.
Even if the whole world has forgotten,
The song remembers when.

                              - H. Prestwood

Stella465

Quote from: Arantor on August 01, 2022, 12:19:48 PMSo, first up, forgot password can work with either username or email... one presumes they know and have access to the email?

If not things get a bit trickier because then you need to go into the database and start resetting things. I'd honestly not do the steps above but focus on getting the existing account admin back up and running - if they don't have the right email, the next step is to change it in the database for their account, then they can do forgot password. (Or, at that point, they'll see the username for their account)

Thank you. I think what happened was - the current owner took over the site from someone else many years ago and although it has been up and running ever since, they were not given the login and password for SMF - and so presumably it's under someone else's email address!  Which is why the site hasn't been updated for about 8 years!  It needs some work on it.

So I suspect - no email address, no login name, no password.  It's just as it was when sold 8 to 10 years ago, with just server management.

In which case it does mean going into the database.  So either they'd have to be happy giving me their server login details or have a go at it themselves.

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