Error log count over 5200000, what can cause it??

[Kawiherder398]

Hi,  I inherited a website that is in need of a big update and I new this but being a rookie at this I failed to get it done.  Yesterday I get an email from Godaddy saying they had to shut me down due to over 5200000 error log entries.  Is it possible that the site is so far behind on updates that this can happen?  I have gone thru them from time to time but that amount of error logs has me wondering if something else is happening???

Thanks

[@rjen]

Impossible to say without knowing what the errors are.

You also do not specify what SMF version you are running. Al least in 2.0 you have admin options to automatically purge log entries... that may help for starters

[vbgamer45]

Yes it could happen. Empty the error table. Then view a couple of the errors.
Make sure you are on 2.0.18 if not.

[Kawiherder398]

2.0.4 is what the status is.  I did get in and empty the log but figured I should get a better understanding before I did too much.  Godaddy gave me access to the cpanel so I did get in and try to see what was wrong.  I did a backup a couple weeks ago but felt lacking in knowledge to do the update correctly.

Thanks

[vbgamer45]

The update you can do via the package manager there is a link to upgrade each version.

[Steve]

1. Get rid of GoDaddy.

2. If you have few or no mods or themes then maybe a large upgrade is the way to go instead of the incremental steps:

https://download.simplemachines.org/

3. Doing the large upgrade will remove your mods and themes so you'll need to reinstall them. And if you install 2.0.18 or 2.1.RC4, then you need to make sure you have the updated versions of those.

[Kawiherder398]

It renews in about a week so that is not enough time for me to figure this out but I will keep that in mind.  Any suggestions on a new place??  Mods are very few, I have never installed one but it has a couple.  A short description for an old guy who knows very little about them might be helpful.

So far I'm guessing I should contact Godaddy and get the site back up and do the upgrade.  In some of my research they talked about setting up a practice site to see if the backup works before I do the upgrade but I do not know how to find that place???

Thanks!

[Kindred]

If your godaddy is expiring, kill it.
Switch hosts now!!

I use and recommend icdsoft.com for all my hosting (12 sites and counting)

[Illori]

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

https://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/Hosting_-_How_do_I_move_my_SMF_forum_to_a_different_host

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Crocweb (19 and counting).  Just signed up another one, 50gb package $100.08 for 3 years (that's right, $33.36/yr.).  Support is excellent.

[Antechinus]

It renews in about a week so that is not enough time for me to figure this out but I will keep that in mind.  Any suggestions on a new place??  Mods are very few, I have never installed one but it has a couple.  A short description for an old guy who knows very little about them might be helpful.

So far I'm guessing I should contact Godaddy and get the site back up and do the upgrade.  In some of my research they talked about setting up a practice site to see if the backup works before I do the upgrade but I do not know how to find that place???

Thanks!

TBH, if GoDaddy is expiring in a week I wouldn't even bother getting the site back up on GoDaddy. I'd just take a complete backup of all files and the database, use that to move to a decent host, then do the upgrade on the new host.

Test sites are easy. All you need to do is make a subdomain, and install SMF to that. If you want to use it to test backups, copy over all files and folders from the live site. Then you can restore a backup to the test site, and run repair_settings.php if necessary.

Alternatively, just restore the backup of the live site database to a second database, then point the live site at that. This is easy to reverse, and wil tell you instantly if the backup is good.

[Steve]

TBH, if GoDaddy is expiring in a week I wouldn't even bother getting the site back up on GoDaddy. I'd just take a complete backup of all files and the database, use that to move to a decent host, then do the upgrade on the new host.

Both hosts mentioned above will do the move for you. But do the backup Antechinus said to do first. If you're uncomfortable making the backups there are a couple of guys here that will do it for you for a nominal fee, if not for free.

[Kawiherder398]

Turns out it is a review and not a renew so I have a bit of time to make a move.  The forum is up again and the error code in question is

8192: preg_replace(): The /e modifier is deprecated, use preg_replace_callback instead

I went to the error log and the were piling up at an alarming rate so I searched the IP address and they were listed as spammers on clean talk so I started to ban those.  Not sure how this will play out??

Thanks for all the help!

[vbgamer45]

You need to upgrade your SMF version via package manager asap. there is link in there to do so...

[Kawiherder398]

This is what I get when trying to go to 2.0.5

An Error Has Occurred!
Although the package was downloaded to the server it appears to be empty. Please check the Packages directory, and the "temp" sub-directory are both writable. If you continue to experience this problem you should try extracting the package on your PC and uploading the extracted files into a subdirectory in your Packages directory and try again. For example, if the package was called shout.tar.gz you should:
1) Download the package to your local PC and extract it into files.
2) Using an FTP client create a new directory in your "Packages" folder, in this example you may call it "shout".
3) Upload all the files from the extracted package to this directory.
4) Go back to the package manager browse page and the package will be automatically found by SMF.

[vbgamer45]

I would download each update from https://custom.simplemachines.org/upgrades/ and try them in order.

[Kawiherder398]

Wow!!  I updated up to 2.0.16 and it said I had an error and best to not install.  I have not installed it for fear of screwing it up.  The picture is of the error it showed so I backed up of this install until I knew what was the right move.

[Steve]

If you click on the clipboard at the left on the line where the error is, what does it say?

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

[Kawiherder398]

I did not check, I just backed out.  If I attempt the update again will it come up the same way?

[Shambles]

If I attempt the update again will it come up the same way?

Yes it will.

If you click on the clipboard at the left on the line where the error is, what does it say?

[Kawiherder398]

1st error

Code: (Find) [Select]
* @version 2.0.14
Code: (Replace) [Select]
* @version 2.0.16

2nd error

Code: (Find) [Select]
$sizes = @getimagesize($_FILES['attachment']['tmp_name']);

         // No size, then it's probably not a valid pic.
         // No size, then it's probably not a valid pic.
Code: (Replace) [Select]
$mime_valid = check_mime_type($_FILES['attachment']['tmp_name'], 'image/', true);
         $sizes = empty($mime_valid) ? false : @getimagesize($_FILES['attachment']['tmp_name']);

         // No size, then it's probably not a valid pic.

[Steve]

The first error can be ignored and then fixed after doing the update.

Is the second error the one in the image above? If it is, just download a copy of the Profile-Modify.php file and open it in a notepad editor such as EditPadLite or Notepad++ and search for just this line:

$sizes = @getimagesize($_FILES['attachment']['tmp_name']);

[Kawiherder398]

It is the one in the picture.  That line is in the list under error 2  above.

[Steve]

... download a copy of the Profile-Modify.php file and open it in a notepad editor such as EditPadLite or Notepad++ and search for just this line:

$sizes = @getimagesize($_FILES['attachment']['tmp_name']);

If you find it, the fix is easy. Make sure there is no more than one line that matches, though.

[Kawiherder398]

Error 2 shows this

  // No size, then it's probably not a valid pic.
         // No size, then it's probably not a valid pic.

2 of the same??

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Which version are you currently at?

[Kawiherder398]

What is says at the bottom of the forum front page

SMF 2.0.15 | SMF © 2017, Simple Machines
ClickSafe Pro-ButtonBar Version: 1.0.5
SMF Themes © 2021 smf.klikveilig.be [nofollow]
XHTML RSS WAP2

[shawnb61]

Yes, we had problems with some sites having two lines there. 

Delete one of the two lines - the entire line - and try again.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

That's a duplicate line in 2.0.15 Profile-Modify.php.  If you're seeing this -

Code Select Expand



  // No size, then it's probably not a valid pic.
         // No size, then it's probably not a valid pic.



It should be this -

Code Select Expand



$sizes = @getimagesize($_FILES['attachment']['tmp_name']);

// No size, then it's probably not a valid pic.
// No size, then it's probably not a valid pic.




Delete the extra tab in second line, that should fix the error.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

If this is what package manager is looking for -

Code: (Find) [Select]
$sizes = @getimagesize($_FILES['attachment']['tmp_name']);

         // No size, then it's probably not a valid pic.
         // No size, then it's probably not a valid pic.

Deleting second line will not fix it.  The extra tab is causing the glitch.

[shawnb61]

Yep, I think you are correct.....

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Saw this on couple of upgrades, not on others.  Were there different files in 2.0.15 package?

[shawnb61]

I chased it down at one point (it impacted my forum, too).  IIRC, it was far older than that.  Just never bit anyone until those specific lines were used in a s/r. 

[Kawiherder398]

Is there a consensus on my next move?

[vbgamer45]

If it was me I would proceed with the the upgrade with the error.
Then go back and fix that line Profile-Modify.php manually.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

If you make the fix in Profile-Modify.php and that's the only error, you should be able to upgrade to 2.0.16.

[Kawiherder398]

It will be a couple days before I can attempt this.  This is something I have never done before so any advice and directions would be much appreciated.  I would not have made it this far on my own so many, many, many thanks for your advice and help!!

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Make a complete backup of forum files and database before you tinker with things.

[Steve]

Are you familiar with using FTP?

[Kawiherder398]

Are you familiar with using FTP?

Nope,  this stuff is all new to me.

[Antechinus]

You probably won't need to know FTP at the moment. Your hosting control panel should allow you to make database and file backups, and download them to your desktop. Have a look around. If it's not clear, ask again.

[Steve]

You probably won't need to know FTP at the moment.

True but I only asked because if he did know how to use it, telling him how to fix this would have been quick and easy.

[Steve]

What's your status K?

[Kawiherder398]

Might get a chance to attempt it tonight. First I need to re read the instructions.

[Kawiherder398]

Played a bit last night by opening 2.0.16 with microsoft "notepad".  I don't think that is the one to use!

[Steve]

Why would you open the patch itself? Or am I misunderstanding what you said?

You need to modify your current Profile-Modify.php file (after making a backup).

[Kawiherder398]

Just exploring.  This is all new to me and I had no plans to change anything.

[Steve]

Ah, I see. Doesn't hurt to learn something new.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

You can use Notepad to edit code, but it only allows one undo.  I use Wordpad, just have to be sure to save file as Text Document.  Many here use Notepad++, but I find the interface too busy.

[Kawiherder398]

The learning curve is a bit steep!  Today I learned that part of the high error count is due to "bingbots".

[Antechinus]

Today I learned that part of the high error count is due to "bingbots".

Those are just spiders (bots) sent out by Bing (the search engine) to index content of web sites. The reason they are generating so many errors is not because they are "bingbots", but simply because search engine bots tend to go through everything on a site, and your underlying problem means that every time a page is accessed there will be errors generated.

IOW, don't worry about bots. Fix the underlying problem. Once it is fixed, errors will go away and bots will be fine.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Clear the error log before you run upgrade.php.  If you're on a crappy server upgrader may choke on 5m+ _log_errors table.  If forum is offline you can empty table with phpmyadmin.