RECAPTCHA causing HTTP 500 error, why?

[Sono]

My site is returning HTTP 500 error. Starting from today. When I open the error log in Directadmin, I can see this:

Code Select Expand

2024-10-15 08:01:09.992329 [INFO] [3199642] [54.156.55.147:9991#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:10.516358 [INFO] [3199640] [54.87.95.7:23450#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: retryRecaptcha.
2024-10-15 08:01:11.147112 [INFO] [3199640] [54.83.23.103:12639#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:11.940777 [INFO] [3199642] [18.215.24.66:1120#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:12.139224 [INFO] [3199640] [54.91.122.193:15107#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:12.595024 [NOTICE] [3199642] [185.191.171.13:62676#APVH_www.congovibes.com:443] [RECAPTCHA] tries: 4, concurrent conns: 1
2024-10-15 08:01:13.318271 [INFO] [3199640] [44.206.93.215:47869#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:14.380252 [INFO] [3199642] [44.209.187.99:36795#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:15.572268 [INFO] [3199642] [3.210.29.96:40981#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:16.015394 [INFO] [3199642] [3.209.174.110:60251#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:17.932008 [INFO] [3199642] [100.28.44.58:39090#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:19.926369 [INFO] [3199640] [23.23.214.190:16849#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:19.198442 [INFO] [3199642] [52.22.64.232:53802#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:20.118787 [INFO] [3199640] [44.193.115.232:55367#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:21.253871 [INFO] [3199640] [52.54.249.218:43893#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:22.313614 [INFO] [3199642] [34.196.114.170:63095#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:23.417729 [INFO] [3199640] [54.156.55.147:9555#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:23.900831 [INFO] [3199640] [54.235.125.129:62137#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:25.264467 [INFO] [3199642] [54.163.136.244:63066#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:26.420309 [INFO] [3199642] [52.0.105.244:10331#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:27.599769 [INFO] [3199642] [18.215.24.66:40245#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:28.017420 [INFO] [3199642] [54.159.18.27:44017#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:29.468542 [INFO] [3199640] [52.202.233.37:30886#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:30.307285 [INFO] [3199640] [85.208.96.204:58448#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: retryRecaptcha.
2024-10-15 08:01:30.380923 [INFO] [3199640] [3.224.205.25:33010#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:31.440670 [INFO] [3199642] [52.7.33.248:57313#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:31.858213 [INFO] [3199640] [50.19.221.48:5405#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:32.048691 [INFO] [3199640] [85.208.96.204:62074#APVH_www.congovibes.com:443] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:33.308582 [INFO] [3199642] [3.89.170.186:30685#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:34.684565 [INFO] [3199640] [23.23.104.107:12998#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:34.903947 [INFO] [3199640] [85.208.96.212:41650#APVH_www.congovibes.com:443] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:35.830176 [INFO] [3199642] [54.87.62.248:44886#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:36.081619 [INFO] [3199642] [98.84.60.17:36870#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:37.311965 [INFO] [3199642] [34.205.163.103:41466#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:38.332490 [INFO] [3199640] [52.44.229.124:52479#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:39.205584 [INFO] [3199640] [185.191.171.16:32298#APVH_www.congovibes.com:443] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:39.520075 [INFO] [3199640] [50.16.248.61:27001#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:40.204755 [INFO] [3199642] [23.20.178.124:21644#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:41.281384 [INFO] [3199640] [52.200.54.136:27680#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:42.436418 [INFO] [3199642] [98.84.70.201:16014#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:43.486713 [INFO] [3199640] [3.213.85.234:4966#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:44.099020 [INFO] [3199642] [18.207.89.138:25731#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:45.202888 [INFO] [3199642] [3.210.114.189:8318#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:46.326678 [INFO] [3199642] [34.231.156.59:34720#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:47.961758 [INFO] [3199642] [3.229.164.203:64890#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:47.364927 [INFO] [3199640] [52.204.89.12:37124#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:47.426795 [NOTICE] [3199640] [185.191.171.13:64734#APVH_www.congovibes.com:443] [RECAPTCHA] tries: 4, concurrent conns: 1
2024-10-15 08:01:49.262128 [INFO] [3199640] [54.145.82.217:42747#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:50.395272 [INFO] [3199642] [3.212.86.97:42715#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:51.923413 [INFO] [3199642] [3.216.86.144:23471#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:51.456162 [INFO] [3199640] [107.20.25.33:39135#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:53.314144 [INFO] [3199642] [98.82.66.172:44003#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:54.477259 [INFO] [3199642] [3.213.85.234:17516#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:55.930163 [INFO] [3199642] [52.71.216.196:28936#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:57.263486 [INFO] [3199640] [54.80.185.200:36073#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:57.692315 [INFO] [3199642] [85.208.96.197:58068#APVH_www.congovibes.com:443] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:58.379262 [INFO] [3199642] [18.235.81.246:8974#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:01:59.458423 [INFO] [3199640] [54.84.102.81:11945#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:02:00.094783 [INFO] [3199642] [34.236.135.14:62029#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:02:00.410735 [INFO] [3199642] [3.212.86.97:32310#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: retryRecaptcha.
2024-10-15 08:02:01.220475 [INFO] [3199642] [54.145.82.217:39491#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:02:02.580986 [INFO] [3199640] [52.54.15.103:49406#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:02:03.485128 [INFO] [3199640] [44.221.105.234:46581#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:02:04.116233 [INFO] [3199640] [44.220.2.97:38709#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:02:05.166792 [INFO] [3199642] [54.147.182.90:22313#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:02:06.221621 [INFO] [3199640] [52.205.222.214:6126#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:02:07.355743 [INFO] [3199640] [44.210.204.255:30430#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
2024-10-15 08:02:08.228404 [INFO] [3199640] [18.213.70.100:2358#APVH_www.congovibes.com] [RECAPTCHA] Reason: over server conn limit.
My site had suspicious traffic and bandwidth use before, I guess that's why my provider activated this Recaptcha in the near past. I could see Cloudflare showing up doing checks time by time.

How can you solve this? I guess some hackers are trying to flood my site with requests. I already excluded the most suspicious ip's in my htaccess, but new ones show up time by time, so it is an endless game.

I have checked some of the ip's with Recaptcha retries, and they seem to be legit, kind of covering my member's countries and cities.

[Aleksi "Lex" Kilpinen]

Reason: over server connection limit. Says that in the error log.
Since it says that in the error log, it is quite likely your server settings limiting connections.
Contact your host maybe? If you are under an attack, they are the best to help you with it.

[Sono]

I have just tried and uploaded an index.html file. The site opens with that file automatically. Does it make sense? I don't really have a clue about Cloudflare, but I guess in case it was completely a server limit issue, the index.html file should be blocked as well, shouldn't it? Or Cloudflare differentiates between the target files being opened?

[Aleksi "Lex" Kilpinen]

Well, without knowing your setup it's a bit difficult to try and guess what could cause it - but a 500 error should always be a server side issue, so it should also always be logged in your server error log, and should always include some sort of explanation. If you can't find a log that shows you the HTTP 500 errors, contact your host.

[Sono]

Still no reply from the support, but the index.php returns this in the browser at the moment:

'Parse error: syntax error, unexpected ''a:368:{s:10:"smfVersion";s:5:' (T_ENCAPSED_AND_WHITESPACE) in /home/congovib/domains/congovibes.com/public_html/cache/data_1d7abd38fe6251696c153503d1057dd3-SMF-modSettings.php on line 1'

I haven't installed any mod since february.

[Aleksi "Lex" Kilpinen]

That particular error should be easy to fix, empty the /cache folder - It looks like a broken cache file.

[Sono]

Sorry but how do you do that? I forgot. You just go to cache in Filezilla and Delete All? Or you need to do it in PHPMYAdmin?

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Delete all /cache files except .htaccess and index.php

[Sono]

I have deleted the cache, the forum was back, by the evening the problem is back again, this is displayed:

'Parse error: syntax error, unexpected ''a:368:{s:10:"smfVersion";s:5:' (T_ENCAPSED_AND_WHITESPACE) in /home/congovib/domains/congovibes.com/public_html/cache/data_77f73ef883e78fe196c0ea5324de91a1-SMF-modSettings.php on line 1'

This is the content of that cache file:

Code Select Expand

<?php if (!defined('SMF')) die; if (1729087927 < time()) $expired = true; else{$expired = false; $value = 'a:368:{s:10:"smfVersion";s:5:"2.0.6";s:4:"news";s:21:"SMF - Just Installed!";s:27:"compactTopicPagesContiguous";s:1:"5";s:23:"compactTopicPagesEnable";s:1:"1";s:18:"enableStickyTopics";s:1:"1";s:8:"todayMod";s:1:"1";s:9:"karmaMode";s:1:"2";s:23:"karmaTimeRestrictAdmins";s:1:"1";s:18:"enablePreviousNext";s:1:"1";s:8:"pollMode";s:1:"1";s:18:"enableVBStyleLogin";s:1:"1";s:22:"enableCompressedOutput";s:1:"1";s:13:"karmaWaitTime";s:1:"1";s:13:"karmaMinPosts";s:1:"0";s:10:"karmaLabel";s:6:"Karma:";s:15:"karmaSmiteLabel";s:7:"[smite]";s:17:"karmaApplaudLabel";s:9:"[applaud]";s:19:"attachmentSizeLimit";s:3:"128";s:19:"attachmentPostLimit";s:3:"192";s:25:"attachmentNumPerPostLimit";s:1:"4";s:22:"attachmentDirSizeLimit";s:5:"20240";s:19:"attachmentUploadDir";s:61:"/home/congovib/domains/congovibes.com/public_html/attachments";s:20:"attachmentExtensions";s:31:"doc,gif,jpg,mpg,pdf,png,txt,zip";s:25:"attachmentCheckExtensions";s:1:"0";s:20:"attachmentShowImages";s:1:"1";s:16:"attachmentEnable";s:1:"2";s:26:"attachmentEncryptFilenames";s:1:"1";s:20:"attachmentThumbnails";s:1:"1";s:20:"attachmentThumbWidth";s:3:"150";s:21:"attachmentThumbHeight";s:3:"150";s:16:"censorIgnoreCase";s:1:"1";s:10:"mostOnline";s:4:"2146";s:15:"mostOnlineToday";s:3:"281";s:8:"mostDate";s:10:"1696805091";s:21:"allow_disableAnnounce";s:1:"1";s:10:"trackStats";s:1:"1";s:12:"userLanguage";s:1:"1";s:12:"titlesEnable";s:1:"1";s:17:"topicSummaryPosts";s:2:"15";s:18:"enableErrorLogging";s:1:"1";s:15:"max_image_width";s:1:"0";s:16:"max_image_height";s:1:"0";s:12:"onlineEnable";s:1:"0";s:11:"cal_enabled";s:0:"";s:11:"cal_maxyear";s:4:"2030";s:11:"cal_minyear";s:4:"2008";s:14:"cal_daysaslink";s:1:"0";s:16:"cal_defaultboard";s:0:"";s:16:"cal_showholidays";s:1:"1";s:13:"cal_showbdays";s:1:"1";s:14:"cal_showevents";s:1:"1";s:15:"cal_showweeknum";s:1:"0";s:11:"cal_maxspan";s:1:"7";s:9:"smtp_host";s:12:"send.one.com";s:9:"smtp_port";s:3:"465";s:13:"smtp_username";s:22:"[email protected]";s:13:"smtp_password";s:12:"Y2hvbmdvMQ==";s:9:"mail_type";s:1:"0";s:18:"timeLoadPageEnable";s:1:"0";s:12:"totalMembers";s:3:"405";s:11:"totalTopics";s:5:"20989";s:13:"totalMessages";s:6:"121743";s:12:"simpleSearch";s:1:"0";s:13:"censor_vulgar";s:0:"";s:13:"censor_proper";s:0:"";s:14:"enablePostHTML";s:1:"0";s:11:"theme_allow";s:1:"0";s:13:"theme_default";s:1:"1";s:12:"theme_guests";s:1:"5";s:19:"enableEmbeddedFlash";s:1:"0";s:14:"xmlnews_enable";s:1:"1";s:14:"xmlnews_maxlen";s:3:"255";s:13:"hotTopicPosts";s:2:"15";s:17:"hotTopicVeryPosts";s:2:"25";s:19:"registration_method";s:1:"2";s:24:"send_validation_onChange";s:1:"1";s:17:"send_welcomeEmail";s:1:"1";s:21:"allow_editDisplayName";s:1:"1";s:16:"allow_hideOnline";s:1:"1";s:18:"guest_hideContacts";s:1:"1";s:12:"spamWaitTime";s:1:"5";s:16:"pm_spam_settings";s:5:"1,5,5";s:11:"reserveWord";s:1:"0";s:11:"reserveCase";s:1:"1";s:11:"reserveUser";s:1:"1";s:11:"reserveName";s:1:"1";s:12:"reserveNames";s:26:"Admin
Webmaster
Guest
root";s:12:"autoLinkUrls";s:1:"1";s:14:"banLastUpdated";s:10:"1640331239";s:11:"smileys_dir";s:57:"/home/congovib/domains/congovibes.com/public_html/Smileys";s:11:"smileys_url";s:30:"https://congovibes.com/Smileys";s:16:"avatar_directory";s:57:"/home/congovib/domains/congovibes.com/public_html/avatars";s:10:"avatar_url";s:30:"https://congovibes.com/avatars";s:26:"avatar_max_height_external";s:2:"65";s:25:"avatar_max_width_external";s:2:"65";s:23:"avatar_action_too_large";s:18:"option_html_resize";s:24:"avatar_max_height_upload";s:2:"65";s:23:"avatar_max_width_upload";s:2:"65";s:20:"avatar_resize_upload";s:1:"1";s:19:"avatar_download_png";s:1:"1";s:22:"failed_login_threshold";s:1:"5";s:12:"oldTopicDays";s:3:"120";s:14:"edit_wait_time";s:2:"90";s:17:"edit_disable_time";s:1:"0";s:15:"autoFixDatabase";s:1:"1";s:17:"allow_guestAccess";s:1:"1";s:11:"time_format";s:16:"%B %d, %Y, %H:%M";s:13:"number_format";s:7:"1234.00";s:9:"enableBBC";s:1:"1";s:17:"max_messageLength";s:5:"20000";s:18:"signature_settings";s:22:"1,300,0,0,0,200,200,0:";s:16:"autoOptMaxOnline";s:1:"0";s:18:"defaultMaxMessages";s:2:"15";s:16:"defaultMaxTopics";s:2:"30";s:17:"defaultMaxMembers";s:2:"30";s:19:"enableParticipation";s:1:"1";s:14:"recycle_enable";s:1:"0";s:13:"recycle_board";s:1:"0";s:8:"maxMsgID";s:6:"122782";s:17:"enableAllMessages";s:1:"0";s:12:"fixLongWords";s:1:"0";s:11:"knownThemes";s:11:"1,2,3,4,5,6";s:11:"who_enabled";s:1:"1";s:11:"time_offset";s:1:"0";s:10:"cookieTime";s:2:"60";s:10:"lastActive";s:2:"15";s:17:"smiley_sets_known";s:20:"default,aaron,akyhne";s:17:"smiley_sets_names";s:39:"Alienine\'s Set
Aaron\'s Set
Akyhne\'s Set";s:19:"smiley_sets_default";s:7:"default";s:18:"cal_days_for_index";s:1:"7";s:16:"requireAgreement";s:1:"1";s:17:"unapprovedMembers";s:1:"0";s:21:"default_personal_text";s:0:"";s:20:"package_make_backups";s:1:"1";s:22:"databaseSession_enable";s:1:"1";s:21:"databaseSession_loose";s:1:"1";s:24:"databaseSession_lifetime";s:4:"2880";s:17:"search_cache_size";s:2:"50";s:23:"search_results_per_page";s:2:"30";s:23:"search_weight_frequency";s:2:"30";s:17:"search_weight_age";s:2:"25";s:20:"search_weight_length";s:2:"20";s:21:"search_weight_subject";s:2:"15";s:27:"search_weight_first_message";s:2:"10";s:18:"search_max_results";s:4:"1200";s:24:"search_floodcontrol_time";s:2:"20";s:22:"permission_enable_deny";s:1:"0";s:28:"permission_enable_postgroups";s:1:"0";s:14:"mail_next_send";s:1:"0";s:11:"mail_recent";s:12:"1391023078|3";s:16:"settings_updated";s:10:"1717027214";s:14:"next_task_time";s:10:"1729094400";s:16:"warning_settings";s:6:"0,20,0";s:14:"admin_features";s:10:"cp,k,ml,sp";s:22:"last_mod_report_action";s:10:"1644100926";s:14:"pruningOptions";s:15:"30,1,180,1,30,0";s:12:"cache_enable";s:1:"1";s:16:"reg_verification";s:1:"1";s:24:"visual_verification_type";s:1:"0";s:16:"enable_buddylist";s:1:"1";s:14:"birthday_email";s:14:"happy_birthday";s:22:"dont_repeat_theme_core";s:1:"1";s:22:"dont_repeat_smileys_20";s:1:"1";s:22:"dont_repeat_buddylists";s:1:"1";s:25:"attachment_image_reencode";s:1:"1";s:25:"attachment_image_paranoid";s:1:"0";s:20:"attachment_thumb_png";s:1:"1";s:15:"avatar_reencode";s:1:"1";s:15:"avatar_paranoid";s:1:"0";s:20:"global_character_set";s:5:"UTF-8";s:16:"default_timezone";s:13:"Europe/London";s:18:"memberlist_updated";s:10:"1726327055";s:12:"latestMember";s:4:"1569";s:14:"latestRealName";s:10:"KokoGCongo";s:9:"rand_seed";s:10:"1273757257";s:17:"mostOnlineUpdated";s:10:"2024-10-16";s:16:"calendar_updated";s:10:"1726327055";s:10:"sa_version";s:5:"1.0.1";s:14:"pretty_filters";s:1929:"a:4:{s:6:"boards";a:6:{s:11:"description";s:18:"Rewrite Board URLs";s:7:"enabled";i:1;s:6:"filter";a:2:{s:8:"priority";i:45;s:8:"callback";s:24:"pretty_urls_board_filter";}s:7:"rewrite";a:2:{s:8:"priority";i:50;s:4:"rule";a:2:{i:0;s:84:"RewriteRule ^ROOTURL([-_!~*\'()$a-zA-Z0-9]+)/?$ ./index.php?pretty;board=$1.0 [L,QSA]";i:1;s:94:"RewriteRule ^ROOTURL([-_!~*\'()$a-zA-Z0-9]+)/([0-9]*)/?$ ./index.php?pretty;board=$1.$2 [L,QSA]";}}s:13:"test_callback";s:18:"pretty_boards_test";s:5:"title";s:6:"Boards";}s:6:"topics";a:6:{s:11:"description";s:18:"Rewrite Topic URLs";s:7:"enabled";i:1;s:6:"filter";a:2:{s:8:"priority";i:40;s:8:"callback";s:24:"pretty_urls_topic_filter";}s:7:"rewrite";a:2:{s:8:"priority";i:55;s:4:"rule";a:2:{i:0;s:117:"RewriteRule ^ROOTURL([-_!~*\'()$a-zA-Z0-9]+)/([-_!~*\'()$a-zA-Z0-9]+)/?$ ./index.php?pretty;board=$1;topic=$2.0 [L,QSA]";i:1;s:141:"RewriteRule ^ROOTURL([-_!~*\'()$a-zA-Z0-9]+)/([-_!~*\'()$a-zA-Z0-9]+)/([0-9]*|msg[0-9]*|new)/?$ ./index.php?pretty;board=$1;topic=$2.$3 [L,QSA]";}}s:13:"test_callback";s:18:"pretty_topics_test";s:5:"title";s:6:"Topics";}s:7:"actions";a:6:{s:11:"description";s:52:"Rewrite Action URLs (ie, index.php?action=something)";s:7:"enabled";i:1;s:6:"filter";a:2:{s:8:"priority";i:55;s:8:"callback";s:26:"pretty_urls_actions_filter";}s:7:"rewrite";a:2:{s:8:"priority";i:45;s:4:"rule";s:8:"#ACTIONS";}s:13:"test_callback";s:19:"pretty_actions_test";s:5:"title";s:7:"Actions";}s:8:"profiles";a:6:{s:11:"description";s:131:"Rewrite Profile URLs. As this uses the Username of an account rather than it\'s Dis

[Sono]

This is the email I got from the support:

What might cause the issue here?

Its not due to that ((Recaptcha)), its due to your PHP file:

Parse error: syntax error, unexpected ''a:368:{s:10:"smfVersion";s:5:' (T_ENCAPSED_AND_WHITESPACE) in /home/congovib/domains/congovibes.com/public_html/cache/data_1d7abd38fe6251696c153503d1057dd3-SMF-modSettings.php on line 1
I enabled PHP debugging in your hosting account > select PHP Version > Options so you can see the error

Do let us know if you have any further questions or concerns.

[Illori]

it is a bug in SMF. if deleting the file does not fix it you can disable the file cache.

[Sono]

it is a bug in SMF. if deleting the file does not fix it you can disable the file cache.

So isn't it a mod? The last mod I installed in February was Simple Media Embedder.

By the way, be deleting only that one file the forum can come back, but then the error is retriggered sooner or later. Moreover I see that the ending of the cache file contains some process with Pretty URLs, however I have removed that long ago. Why is the forum bothering with it still?

I have just checked my htaccess file and interestingly it still contains the commands that Pretty URL insterts, though I have removed Pretty URLs mod a year ago. Isn't it that causes the problem?

This is the file content:

Code Select Expand

"
#Czech Republic
Deny from 188.130.220.0/23

# Lithuania
Deny from 178.23.189.0/24

# Netherlands

# Canada
Deny from 54.39.50.123

# Seychelles
Deny from 154.195.99.0/24

# UK


# Thailand
Deny from 134.236.0.0/17

# Romania
Deny from 146.70.108.55

# Russia
Deny from 37.139.48.0/21
Deny from 45.139.124.0/24
Deny from 195.2.67.0/24
Deny from 95.84.192.0/19
Deny from 77.35.0.0/18
Deny from 176.114.128.0/18

Ukraine
Deny from 176.111.176.0/20

# USA

Deny from 69.197.156.228

Deny from 173.252.64.0/18
Deny from 23.20.0.0/14
Deny from 47.74.0.0/15
Deny from 47.76.0.0/14
Deny from 47.80.0.0/13
Deny from 52.0.0.0/10
Deny from 52.64.0.0/12

# Germany


# PRETTYURLS MOD BEGINS
# Pretty URLs mod
# http://code.google.com/p/prettyurls/
# .htaccess file generated automatically on: January 15, 2024, 23:12

RewriteEngine on
RewriteBase /

#disable bad crawlers
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} inetdex [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} MJ12bot [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} SemrushBot [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} SentiBot [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} SeznamBot [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} YaK/ [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} YandexBot [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} coccocbot [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} bitlybot [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} Mail.Ru [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} Baidu [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} Jakarta [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} seostar.co [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} Neticle [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} AhrefsBot [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} DotBot [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} Bytespider [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} Sogou [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} Exabot [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} MauiBot [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ia_archiver [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} Kinza [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} PetalBot [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} AspiegelBot [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} Aspeigel [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} Neevabot
RewriteRule ^.* - [F,L]

# Rules for: actions
RewriteRule ^(activate|admin|announce|attachapprove|buddy|calendar|clock|collapse)/?$ ./index.php?pretty;action=$1 [L,QSA]
RewriteRule ^(coppa|credits|deletemsg|display|dlattach|editpoll|editpoll2|emailuser)/?$ ./index.php?pretty;action=$1 [L,QSA]
RewriteRule ^(findmember|forum|portal|groups|help|helpadmin|hidetopic|im)/?$ ./index.php?pretty;action=$1 [L,QSA]
RewriteRule ^(jseditor|jsmodify|jsoption|lock|lockvoting|login|login2|logout)/?$ ./index.php?pretty;action=$1 [L,QSA]
RewriteRule ^(markasread|mergetopics|mlist|moderate|modifycat|modifykarma|movetopic|movetopic2)/?$ ./index.php?pretty;action=$1 [L,QSA]
RewriteRule ^(notify|notifyboard|openidreturn|pm|post|post2|printpage|profile)/?$ ./index.php?pretty;action=$1 [L,QSA]
RewriteRule ^(quotefast|quickmod|quickmod2|recent|register|register2|reminder|removepoll)/?$ ./index.php?pretty;action=$1 [L,QSA]
RewriteRule ^(removetopic2|reporttm|requestmembers|restoretopic|search|search2|sendtopic|smstats)/?$ ./index.php?pretty;action=$1 [L,QSA]
RewriteRule ^(suggest|spellcheck|splittopics|stats|sticky|theme|trackip|about:mozilla)/?$ ./index.php?pretty;action=$1 [L,QSA]
RewriteRule ^(about:unknown|unread|unreadreplies|verificationcode|viewprofile|vote|viewquery|viewsmfile)/?$ ./index.php?pretty;action=$1 [L,QSA]
RewriteRule ^(who|\.xml|xmlhttp)/?$ ./index.php?pretty;action=$1 [L,QSA]

# Rules for: boards
RewriteRule ^([-_!~*'()$a-zA-Z0-9]+)/?$ ./index.php?pretty;board=$1.0 [L,QSA]
RewriteRule ^([-_!~*'()$a-zA-Z0-9]+)/([0-9]*)/?$ ./index.php?pretty;board=$1.$2 [L,QSA]

# Rules for: topics
RewriteRule ^([-_!~*'()$a-zA-Z0-9]+)/([-_!~*'()$a-zA-Z0-9]+)/?$ ./index.php?pretty;board=$1;topic=$2.0 [L,QSA]
RewriteRule ^([-_!~*'()$a-zA-Z0-9]+)/([-_!~*'()$a-zA-Z0-9]+)/([0-9]*|msg[0-9]*|new)/?$ ./index.php?pretty;board=$1;topic=$2.$3 [L,QSA]

# PRETTYURLS MOD ENDS

<IfModule mod_security.c>
# Turn off mod_security filtering.
SecFilterEngine Off

# The next part below probably is not needed, but better safe than sorry.
SecFilterScanPOST Off
</IfModule>

'


[Arantor]

No, it's not a mod. The cache file contains a dumped copy of the entire smf_settings table (where all the mod settings are, which is why it seems like it's a mod) but it's a known bug in 2.0 whereby after a certain point in time the cache file doesn't get generated correctly.

Several of us have had a go over the years to try and fix it but the fixes we've tried end up not working in some very specific edge cases and we've never been able to nail down exactly why things don't really work the way the PHP manual says they should...

Delete that file, then turn off file caching.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Admin > Server Settings > Caching - set to No caching

Uninstalling pretty urls does not remove mod code from .htaccess, you must do that manually or bad things will happen.

[Sono]

No, it's not a mod. The cache file contains a dumped copy of the entire smf_settings table (where all the mod settings are, which is why it seems like it's a mod) but it's a known bug in 2.0 whereby after a certain point in time the cache file doesn't get generated correctly.

Several of us have had a go over the years to try and fix it but the fixes we've tried end up not working in some very specific edge cases and we've never been able to nail down exactly why things don't really work the way the PHP manual says they should...

Delete that file, then turn off file caching.

Admin > Server Settings > Caching - set to No caching

Uninstalling pretty urls does not remove mod code from .htaccess, you must do that manually or bad things will happen.

Admin > Server Settings > Caching - set to No caching

Uninstalling pretty urls does not remove mod code from .htaccess, you must do that manually or bad things will happen.

Is it the following part of the code I need to remove, or even more? I don't know where Rewriterule ends or where it should end.

Code Select Expand

# Rules for: actions
RewriteRule ^(activate|admin|announce|attachapprove|buddy|calendar|clock|collapse)/?$ ./index.php?pretty;action=$1 [L,QSA]
RewriteRule ^(coppa|credits|deletemsg|display|dlattach|editpoll|editpoll2|emailuser)/?$ ./index.php?pretty;action=$1 [L,QSA]
RewriteRule ^(findmember|forum|portal|groups|help|helpadmin|hidetopic|im)/?$ ./index.php?pretty;action=$1 [L,QSA]
RewriteRule ^(jseditor|jsmodify|jsoption|lock|lockvoting|login|login2|logout)/?$ ./index.php?pretty;action=$1 [L,QSA]
RewriteRule ^(markasread|mergetopics|mlist|moderate|modifycat|modifykarma|movetopic|movetopic2)/?$ ./index.php?pretty;action=$1 [L,QSA]
RewriteRule ^(notify|notifyboard|openidreturn|pm|post|post2|printpage|profile)/?$ ./index.php?pretty;action=$1 [L,QSA]
RewriteRule ^(quotefast|quickmod|quickmod2|recent|register|register2|reminder|removepoll)/?$ ./index.php?pretty;action=$1 [L,QSA]
RewriteRule ^(removetopic2|reporttm|requestmembers|restoretopic|search|search2|sendtopic|smstats)/?$ ./index.php?pretty;action=$1 [L,QSA]
RewriteRule ^(suggest|spellcheck|splittopics|stats|sticky|theme|trackip|about:mozilla)/?$ ./index.php?pretty;action=$1 [L,QSA]
RewriteRule ^(about:unknown|unread|unreadreplies|verificationcode|viewprofile|vote|viewquery|viewsmfile)/?$ ./index.php?pretty;action=$1 [L,QSA]
RewriteRule ^(who|\.xml|xmlhttp)/?$ ./index.php?pretty;action=$1 [L,QSA]

# Rules for: boards
RewriteRule ^([-_!~*'()$a-zA-Z0-9]+)/?$ ./index.php?pretty;board=$1.0 [L,QSA]
RewriteRule ^([-_!~*'()$a-zA-Z0-9]+)/([0-9]*)/?$ ./index.php?pretty;board=$1.$2 [L,QSA]

# Rules for: topics
RewriteRule ^([-_!~*'()$a-zA-Z0-9]+)/([-_!~*'()$a-zA-Z0-9]+)/?$ ./index.php?pretty;board=$1;topic=$2.0 [L,QSA]
RewriteRule ^([-_!~*'()$a-zA-Z0-9]+)/([-_!~*'()$a-zA-Z0-9]+)/([0-9]*|msg[0-9]*|new)/?$ ./index.php?pretty;board=$1;topic=$2.$3 [L,QSA]

# PRETTYURLS MOD ENDS

[Sir Osis of Liver]

You have to delete everything from # PRETTYURLS MOD BEGINS to # PRETTYURLS MOD ENDS.

[Sono]

I forgot to mention that the bad crawlers part is not by Prettyurls, it was added by my friend. So In case I want to leave that in, the code must look like:

Code Select Expand

RewriteEngine on
RewriteBase /

#disable bad crawlers
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} inetdex [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} MJ12bot [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} SemrushBot [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} SentiBot [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} SeznamBot [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} YaK/ [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} YandexBot [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} coccocbot [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} bitlybot [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} Mail.Ru [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} Baidu [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} Jakarta [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} seostar.co [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} Neticle [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} AhrefsBot [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} DotBot [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} Bytespider [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} Sogou [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} Exabot [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} MauiBot [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ia_archiver [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} Kinza [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} PetalBot [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} AspiegelBot [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} Aspeigel [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} Neevabot
RewriteRule ^.* - [F,L]


<IfModule mod_security.c>
   # Turn off mod_security filtering.
   SecFilterEngine Off

   # The next part below probably is not needed, but better safe than sorry.
   SecFilterScanPOST Off
</IfModule>[/cide]

Correct, or I removed something I shouldn't?


[Kindred]

Note, please use code tags, not quote tags, when displaying code