No input file specified error.

[Adcer]

Hello there,2 days ago my forum started getting this "No input file specified" error when some1 tries to post on the forum...



Does anyone know how to fix this? thanks in advice!!

[kat]

Two main suspects. (I know there're three, but the third's more of a suggestion)

1) Do you have a URL rewrite mod, such as PrettyURLs, or Simple SEO installed?

If so, remove them. They're as much use as a pork pie in a synagogue.

2) Have you messed around with your .htaccess file(s)?

3) Have you thought of patching to SMF v2.0.5? Updates are made for GOOD reasons (Security and bug-fixes)

[Arantor]

I'd actually be more inclined to think that it's not something to do with SEO but actually having been hacked.

[kat]

I did a bit of research, before I posted.

That, of course, is a possibility. There's also the possibility, if he's hosted by slowdaddy, that he'll need to create a php5.ini file in his weboot with the following rule:

cgi.fix_pathinfo = 1

Been causing a lot of problems, that, apparently.

But, knowing slowdaddy, there'll be no way he can do that.

[Arantor]

Here's the thing... there's no reason it would suddenly change like that. It works as expected outside the posting area, it's only when someone goes to post that it breaks - which tends to suggest that the CGI stuff is fine. (Especially as SMF tries to fix that, and usually doesn't have a problem with it)

The fact it only happens on posting is very suggestive of something deeper.

[kat]

Depends if he did something, before this started happening, I guess. Plus, of course, it may be that his host changed something, like updated php, or summat.

Apparenly, slowdaddy get this hassle, when fastcgi is enabled (Or, was it disabled?)

We'll have to investigate, either way.

[Adcer]

no,i did not change anything in last few days...i have no idea what happened there but everything else is aight...only the post thing is broken...

[kat]

OK. First off, what did you change a few days back?

Let's check for a hack, first, to get that out of the way, shall we?

Have a look at the datestamps on your files. since you did whatever you did, a few days back, there shouldn't be any files with datestamps after that date.

Are there any?

[Arantor]

(Other than Load.php whose datestamp will change very, very frequently.)

[kat]

Good finkin'!

[Arantor]

Sadly it's more a little known fact that SMF updates the timestamp on Load.php itself frequently to aid in cache flushing. But it does legitimately upset some of the hosts out there.

[kat]

It doesn't seem to with v1.x, though.

[Arantor]

That would be because 1.1.x doesn't have a file cache to flush the content of periodically.

[kat]

Ahhhh...

**Slaps head for stupidity**

I hadn't realised that file was involved, in that.

Still, a day where you learn nothing, is a day wasted.

Today has not been wasted.