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A few problems updating, help appreciated

Started by PD3, May 27, 2022, 11:15:20 AM

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PD3

Hi, I'm having a bit of trouble. I tried to update to the latest software, but it failed the test on the settings.php file, so I left it, thinking it would be fine. Yeah, I know.

Anyway, it took itself to maintenance mode a couple of times and I got it out of that, then the next time I looked it was down with a http error 500. I went to my host and asked them to take a look and they came back with this:


QuoteI have checked your forum and found that the Settings.php file missing entries, I can see that the file last edited on Mar 11, 2022. And this is not a server side issue, its your php script issue. Also noticed that you are using outdated php version 5.6. I request you to please get in touch with your developer as he will be able to debug this and upgrade your scripts to latest php version PHP8. Thank you for your understanding.

They've also said the best way over it is to delete it, reinstall SMF and then reinstall the database. I worry about that, because it's a Tinyportal. Will that database be compatible with ordinary SMF? Any ideas anybody?

Thanks in advance.

Aleksi "Lex" Kilpinen

What version were you on exactly before trying to update?
And how exactly did you try to update when it failed?
Slava
Ukraini!


"Before you allow people access to your forum, especially in an administrative position, you must be aware that that person can seriously damage your forum. Therefore, you should only allow people that you trust, implicitly, to have such access." -Douglas

How you can help SMF

vbgamer45

Is your forum heavily customized? If not I would suggest to upgrade to SMF 2.1 right away since that supports PHP 8
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Arantor

TinyPortal is available for both 2.0 and 2.1 and should be able to use all your existing content, if that helps.

Doug Heffernan

What entries were missing exactly?
Quote from: PD3 on May 27, 2022, 11:15:20 AMAnyway, it took itself to maintenance mode a couple of times and I got it out of that, then the next time I looked it was down with a http error 500.

The 500 http errors are almost always server related.

Quote from: PD3 on May 27, 2022, 11:15:20 AMI have checked your forum and found that the Settings.php file missing entries

Did they say what entries were missing?

Quote from: PD3 on May 27, 2022, 11:15:20 AMThey've also said the best way over it is to delete it, reinstall SMF and then reinstall the database. I worry about that, because it's a Tinyportal. Will that database be compatible with ordinary SMF? Any ideas anybody?

You do not need to re-install it. If the database is damaged, I doubt that that is the case from what you described, you can restore the database and as mentioned above, upgrade to 2.1.2. You must upgrade the php version too, otherwise it will not work. Please see this link on how to upgrade your forum.

Upgrading SMF



Sir Osis of Liver

It can't take itself to maint mode, someone/something would have to change the setting in Settings.php.  Did you upload the 2.1 upgrade or install package?  If you used the install package, it replaced your Settings.php with a scratch file that doesn't contain your database settings.  You can fix the settings manually or with repair_settings.php, or restore a backup from before upgrade.
Ashes and diamonds, foe and friend,
 we were all equal in the end.

                                     - R. Waters

PD3

Wow, thanks for all the replies, much appreciated.

Quote from: Aleksi "Lex" Kilpinen on May 27, 2022, 11:17:45 AMWhat version were you on exactly before trying to update?
And how exactly did you try to update when it failed?

Sorry, I've no idea what version it was. I've tried to update several times through the package manager and each time it hangs on the test of the Settings.php and I can't remember which one of the files it hung on. TBH, I thought it would be ok, being that it's a little known forum with few visitors, but recently, as described, it has been taking itself into maintenance mode without me touching anything. I decided it might have been a mischievous hacker, as it happened a few times. Each time I set maintenance mode from 0 to 1 or vice versa (can't remember) to bring it back out and the next time I visited it had changed back. I changed my password and hoped that would solve it, but the next time I looked it was in this current state.


Quote from: vbgamer45 on May 27, 2022, 11:21:23 AMIs your forum heavily customized? If not I would suggest to upgrade to SMF 2.1 right away since that supports PHP 8

Nope, it's running Tinyportal and that's about it. The theme is obsolete, a dark theme by Bloc, which might be causing issues of its own I guess, but I'm quite attached to it.

I think I might update to 2.1 as you suggest and then reinstall Tinyportal as Arantor suggests.

Quote from: Doug Heffernan on May 27, 2022, 11:53:12 AMYou do not need to re-install it. If the database is damaged, I doubt that that is the case from what you described, you can restore the database and as mentioned above, upgrade to 2.1.2. You must upgrade the php version too, otherwise it will not work. Please see this link on how to upgrade your forum.

Upgrading SMF


Thanks Doug, that's helpful, I'll try it.

Quote from: Sir Osis of Liver on May 27, 2022, 01:34:54 PMIt can't take itself to maint mode, someone/something would have to change the setting in Settings.php.  Did you upload the 2.1 upgrade or install package?  If you used the install package, it replaced your Settings.php with a scratch file that doesn't contain your database settings.  You can fix the settings manually or with repair_settings.php, or restore a backup from before upgrade.

That's what I thought, hence changing passwords, but that hasn't helped. I'll have to sit down and dedicate a weekend of pain to trying to get this fixed. Luckily, I took a very recent backup of the whole lot when it was working.

Thanks again, guys.

Doug Heffernan

Quote from: PD3 on June 04, 2022, 10:23:44 AMThanks Doug, that's helpful, I'll try it.

No problem. Good luck and let us know how it will go.

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