Can't Reach Forum

[jgret]

Hello! I'm unable to reach my forum--I get HTTP ERROR 500.

Unfortunately, I have no idea what version of Simple Machines it uses, other than I know it's very old. (Forum was started about 13 years ago.)  I had an admin who made modifications to the SM software for me, and coded my website, but staunchly refused to install the recommended updates over the years for fear the modifications would be lost. She passed away last year, now the forum is unreachable, and I'm stuck.

Can anyone help? Thank you!

http://www.thegoldpost.net/forum/

[Kindred]

a 500 error is a server side issue.

You would need to check with your host.

[jgret]

The rest of the website is accessible, though. Only the forum can't be reached. Would that still be a hosting problem?

[Illori]

it could be, we cant really tell you until we know what it says in the server error log.

[Kindred]

actually, given that you are running  some version of 1.1.x the problem is likely that your host forced an update of your server's php version. SMF 1.1.x will not run on php 7.0 and above.

[jgret]

Yikes, what do I do then? (I'm not familiar with any of this.)

[jgret]

it could be, we cant really tell you until we know what it says in the server error log.

Where would I find this?

[Illori]

in the folder where your forum is there should be an error_log or similar file, open it and reply back with the last few lines.

you will need to upgrade to 2.0.17

https://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/Upgrading

[jgret]

in the folder where your forum is

I'm stuck at this part. What folder? (Apologies, but I had someone doing these things for me, so I'm clueless.)

[Illori]

what is the URL to your forum?
do your host use cpanel for the hosting control panel?

[jgret]

http://www.thegoldpost.net/forum/

Yes, cpanel. So I look there?

[Illori]

yes you will look in your cpanel, look for the file manager, look for public_html folder, double click the icon on the left , look for forum folder from there, double click on the forum folder icon, then look for the error_log file, click on it one time, toward the top of the page click on edit, on the popup click on edit, scroll down to the bottom and paste back here the last few lines of the file.

[jgret]

Stack trace:
#0 {main}
  thrown in /home/dqlgfgdt/public_html/forum/index.php on line 41
[09-Mar-2020 21:36:25 UTC] PHP Fatal error:  Uncaught Error: Call to undefined function set_magic_quotes_runtime() in /home/dqlgfgdt/public_html/forum/index.php:41
Stack trace:
#0 {main}
  thrown in /home/dqlgfgdt/public_html/forum/index.php on line 41
[09-Mar-2020 21:36:57 UTC] PHP Fatal error:  Uncaught Error: Call to undefined function set_magic_quotes_runtime() in /home/dqlgfgdt/public_html/forum/index.php:41
Stack trace:
#0 {main}
  thrown in /home/dqlgfgdt/public_html/forum/index.php on line 41
[09-Mar-2020 21:41:02 UTC] PHP Fatal error:  Uncaught Error: Call to undefined function set_magic_quotes_runtime() in /home/dqlgfgdt/public_html/forum/index.php:41
Stack trace:
#0 {main}
  thrown in /home/dqlgfgdt/public_html/forum/index.php on line 41

[Sir Osis of Liver]

If you can pm cpanel access (url/user/pw) I'll have a look.

[SpacePhoenix]

Stack trace:
#0 {main}
  thrown in /home/dqlgfgdt/public_html/forum/index.php on line 41
[09-Mar-2020 21:36:25 UTC] PHP Fatal error:  Uncaught Error: Call to undefined function set_magic_quotes_runtime() in /home/dqlgfgdt/public_html/forum/index.php:41
Stack trace:
#0 {main}
  thrown in /home/dqlgfgdt/public_html/forum/index.php on line 41
[09-Mar-2020 21:36:57 UTC] PHP Fatal error:  Uncaught Error: Call to undefined function set_magic_quotes_runtime() in /home/dqlgfgdt/public_html/forum/index.php:41
Stack trace:
#0 {main}
  thrown in /home/dqlgfgdt/public_html/forum/index.php on line 41
[09-Mar-2020 21:41:02 UTC] PHP Fatal error:  Uncaught Error: Call to undefined function set_magic_quotes_runtime() in /home/dqlgfgdt/public_html/forum/index.php:41
Stack trace:
#0 {main}
  thrown in /home/dqlgfgdt/public_html/forum/index.php on line 41

Just quickly googled "set_magic_quotes_runtime", it was removed from PHP in version 7.0 so the server the OP's site is on is running 7.0 or newer.

[Kindred]

which is what I figured.

The resolution is to update to 2.0.17

[jgret]

I really appreciate everyone's help, thanks so much!  I will check out the upgrade link that was posted earlier. I'm sure I'll be back here crying for more help though 

[jgret]

Well this didn't take long... ha ha

There's no way for me to make a backup first, right?

[Illori]

not from within your forum. you need to do it manually. both for files and the database.

[Kindred]

https://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/Backup