Self-hosted upgrade

[Hoddie]

We've been running version 4.1.x for some time now without any issues, but finally decided to bite the bullet and install the latest version because we wanted to improve our spam protection.

So I used the auto update feature within the ACP, and this did a little work then prompted me to download the update and manually install it. Okay, fair enough. On arrival to my account here I see that the latest version requires a PHP/MySQL version that our server doesn't have, so I sent a service request to my host asking them to update.

At this point I figured the update was on hold and thought nothing of it. But on trying to load the site it's now returning a 500 error. The files are still there when viewing on FTP, I can upload other files and view them normally, but anything related to IPB is now buggered. I suspect the update process changed something before realising the PHP/MySQL versions weren't appropriate which seems a poor way of doing things (check first!).

Viewing the files on FTP the init.php file within the root ipb directory was updated today, so this may be the cause of the problem. However, there may be other files within the various subfolders that have been updated too. If I try and load the ACP it tells me I don't have authority to view the page, so clearly the files are there. Sadly I have no way to login because the site won't load.

I've submitted a support ticket but I guess they don't work on the weekend. In the mean time, any ideas I can try?

[Aiwa]

Have you re-uploaded the 4.1.x files to ensure the application files match the DB schema, templates, etc?

the upgrade will have done checks before making changes. If you downloaded the new files from IPS, then uploaded them to your server, that’s most likely the issue. That said, is the updated version of MySQL and PHP supported by 4.1.x? If not, and you have the latest IPS files on your server, just hit /admin/upgrade. 

[Pete T]

1 hour ago, Hoddie said:

We've been running version 4.1.x for some time now without any issues, but finally decided to bite the bullet and install the latest version because we wanted to improve our spam protection.

So I used the auto update feature within the ACP, and this did a little work then prompted me to download the update and manually install it. Okay, fair enough. On arrival to my account here I see that the latest version requires a PHP/MySQL version that our server doesn't have, so I sent a service request to my host asking them to update.

At this point I figured the update was on hold and thought nothing of it. But on trying to load the site it's now returning a 500 error. The files are still there when viewing on FTP, I can upload other files and view them normally, but anything related to IPB is now buggered. I suspect the update process changed something before realising the PHP/MySQL versions weren't appropriate which seems a poor way of doing things (check first!).

Viewing the files on FTP the init.php file within the root ipb directory was updated today, so this may be the cause of the problem. However, there may be other files within the various subfolders that have been updated too. If I try and load the ACP it tells me I don't have authority to view the page, so clearly the files are there. Sadly I have no way to login because the site won't load.

I've submitted a support ticket but I guess they don't work on the weekend. In the mean time, any ideas I can try?

If i am correct when clicked update started downloading latest version of IPS that will require high version php and because this is not here you getting the 500 error so i would see if have backup of 4.1.x files reload them and error should go away as don't believe full ips update has started,

[Hoddie]

1 hour ago, Aiwa said:

Have you re-uploaded the 4.1.x files to ensure the application files match the DB schema, templates, etc?

the upgrade will have done checks before making changes. If you downloaded the new files from IPS, then uploaded them to your server, that’s most likely the issue. That said, is the updated version of MySQL and PHP supported by 4.1.x? If not, and you have the latest IPS files on your server, just hit /admin/upgrade. 

I don't have 4.1.x files to re-upload. My host takes a daily backup but have advised it could take several days to restore. I'd like to claim rookie mistake on my behalf but I should know better - I was comforted by the fact that I pay a little extra for a backup service, and was not aware restores could take days.

I did download the new files to my local PC but did not upload them. The only action I did is outlined above (began the update process through ACP but stopped when it told me to upload files). Nothing indicated that anything had been changed.

1 hour ago, Pete T said:

If i am correct when clicked update started downloading latest version of IPS that will require high version php and because this is not here you getting the 500 error so i would see if have backup of 4.1.x files reload them and error should go away as don't believe full ips update has started,

It's odd, the 500 error only started when I tried to view the site itself. I could continue to navigate around the ACP until I closed the ACP and, presumably, the session cookie ended. I can't create the cookie again because I now get a 'not authorised' error when trying to navigate to anything inside the admin folder. It did not appear that the update process had actually done anything except try and download the necessary files itself, which I assumed it had failed to do because it asked that I do it manually instead.

It seems to be a real fault of the software that it begins changing things without first checking the versions of PHP and MySQL are as required - a simple check.

Anyways, thanks for the help, any suggestions on how to fix would be appreciated. (Perhaps pointing me in the direction of older versions of the software if they exist?)

[Pete T]

1 minute ago, Hoddie said:

I don't have 4.1.x files to re-upload. My host takes a daily backup but have advised it could take several days to restore. I'd like to claim rookie mistake on my behalf but I should know better - I was comforted by the fact that I pay a little extra for a backup service, and was not aware restores could take days.

I did download the new files to my local PC but did not upload them. The only action I did is outlined above (began the update process through ACP but stopped when it told me to upload files). Nothing indicated that anything had been changed.

It's odd, the 500 error only started when I tried to view the site itself. I could continue to navigate around the ACP until I closed the ACP and, presumably, the session cookie ended. I can't create the cookie again because I now get a 'not authorised' error when trying to navigate to anything inside the admin folder. It did not appear that the update process had actually done anything except try and download the necessary files itself, which I assumed it had failed to do because it asked that I do it manually instead.

It seems to be a real fault of the software that it begins changing things without first checking the versions of PHP and MySQL are as required - a simple check.

Anyways, thanks for the help, any suggestions on how to fix would be appreciated. (Perhaps pointing me in the direction of older versions of the software if they exist?)

Sadly ips only keep current version available so at moment that 4.4.4 and also has download for beta and that 4.4.5 Beta 2 old version no longer stored and not even sure if get from asking in support ticket, this why asked from backup most host create backup's (not all) as all might need is 4.1.x files that might changed, can ask is your host using cPanel ? if so it might be away use php multi version to move to correct php version.

[Hoddie]

50 minutes ago, Pete T said:

Sadly ips only keep current version available so at moment that 4.4.4 and also has download for beta and that 4.4.5 Beta 2 old version no longer stored and not even sure if get from asking in support ticket, this why asked from backup most host create backup's (not all) as all might need is 4.1.x files that might changed, can ask is your host using cPanel ? if so it might be away use php multi version to move to correct php version.

It's a bit of a car crash. I have FTP access but not phpadmin or cpanel - well I do but the credentials I have aren't working so seems there was a change at the last server update. Guess I'll need to get them started on a backup restore.

[Aiwa]

If your host updated you PHP version and MySQL version, I see no harm in trying the upgrade after uploading the 4.4.4 files. You still have your 4.1.x backup. 

Make sure you take a DB backup, though. 

[Hoddie]

On 7/27/2019 at 8:29 PM, Aiwa said:

If your host updated you PHP version and MySQL version, I see no harm in trying the upgrade after uploading the 4.4.4 files. You still have your 4.1.x backup. 

Make sure you take a DB backup, though. 

Yeah I think that's the way forward. IPB support went dark after initially replying quickly, so other than waiting an unspecified number of days for a backup restore - which will remain an option in any case - I think installing the latest version and hoping for the best is the way forward (after PHP/MySQL upgrade ofc).

Thanks for all the help.

[bfarber]

When the upgrade process starts, a setting in the database is updated to denote that an upgrade is in process and access to the site is blocked until that setting is toggled back off (there is no interface to adjust this setting, it's just a hidden flag basically). Sounds like this got turned "on" but then because you got stuck it never got turned "off".

My recommendation if possible would indeed be to get your PHP version updated and proceed with the upgrade as planned.

[daunk]

Argh - same for me. It flags up on system check the following message (which must be a new requirement). 

• Your PHP memory limit is set to 64 MB but should be set to 128M or more. You should contact your hosting provider or system administrator to ask for this to be changed.

Ok I will contact provider to get this sorted (but it will be a few hours at least), but the forums are now not usable come up with "Update is in progress" message when anyone tries to access. Really not cool. Is there anything that can be done until hosting provider updates the PHP memory limit, so the forum can continue to operate?

[Adriano Faria]

1 minute ago, daunk said:

It flags up on system check the following message (which must be a new requirement)

Nope. IPS4 is 128Mb minimum since 4.0.0. Your host probably changed your set-up.

[daunk]

Hmm -  I stand corrected. Never had an issue with it before. Still the update is in progress message showing on the forums and apparently not ability to get out of it.... super frustrating.

But of course the update hasn't actually started and I am unable to do anything until the PHP memory limit is changed.

[Mark H]

Try adding this line to your conf_global.php file, immediately below the opening php tag.

ini_set('memory_limit','128M');