rick-tech Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 I pulled the greatest bonehead maneuver of my career, I killed the contents of the forum/uploads folder! We recently upgraded our hosting solution and changed servers, things have been a little laggy and I was looking through the ACP settings and saw that under storage settings there were two choices, it was at the time pointing to: File System: /home/xwebs01/public_html/malecaster/forum/uploads and I saw that there was another file system that matched the FTP address used by the FTP/File software on my host cPanel: File System: /home4/xwebs01/public_html/malecaster/forum/uploads Thinking this was maybe the pointer to the new server I went through and changed ALL of the settings for some 26 fields from "Custom Emoji Required" to "filestorage__taskmanager_Cardcover" including the fields for "Theme Resources Required", "Attachments", and "Gallery Images". Immediately my board blew up, reverting to simple HTML script and throwing errors like: [[Template core/global/global/includeCSS is throwing an error. This theme may be out of date. Run the support tool in the AdminCP to restore the default theme.]] I can get into the ACP and the forum, but as I said it's all basic HTML output. I tried to use the self hosted recovery mode to get into the ACP, but all that did was get me the following error: This page isn’t workingmalecaster.x-webs.com is currently unable to handle this request. HTTP ERROR 500 when I changed the constants.php file to include the line for recovery_mode True. When I now use the FTP program built into the cPanel to go into the uploads folder it shows only "ghost" files in there. All of them with the creation date of Dec. 31, 1969, 06:00 PM. No file size, file type, or permissions listed, just blank fields. I cannot open, move, delete, edit, rename, etc. any of the files or enter any of the "ghost" folders. When I try to upload a file to "uploads" it just disappears into the void. I've tried copying over some of the profile images that exist and it does nothing, even if I tell it to overwrite. I tried uploading a new file and again it just goes "poof". When I login with WS_FTP Professional I can SEE the upload sub folder in the forum folder, however when I try to access it with WS_FTP I get the following error: 550 Can't change directory to /public_html/malecaster/forum/uploads: Permission denied XCWD /public_html/malecaster/forum/uploads 550 Can't change directory to /public_html/malecaster/forum/uploads: Permission denied PWD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Calvert Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 You should contact your host about possibly restoring the folder from backup. There is not a built in recovery capability within the software. If the files were deleted, you need your backups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick-tech Posted October 21, 2022 Author Share Posted October 21, 2022 The above wasn't completed and it appears I timed out the editor when I tried to correct it so here's the whole post: I pulled the greatest bonehead maneuver of my career, I killed the contents of the forum/uploads folder! After upgrading to IPB 4.7 we decided to also upgrade our hosting solution and changed servers, things have been a little laggy and I was looking through the ACP settings and saw that under the files area there were storage settings which had two choices listed, it was at the time pointing to: File System: /home/xwebs01/public_html/malecaster/forum/uploads and I saw that there was another file system that matched the FTP address used by the FTP/File software on my host cPanel: File System: /home4/xwebs01/public_html/malecaster/forum/uploads Thinking this was maybe the pointer to the new server I went through and changed ALL of the settings for some 26 fields from "Custom Emoji Required" to "filestorage__taskmanager_Cardcover" including the fields for "Theme Resources Required", "Attachments", and "Gallery Images" from the /home File System to the /home4 one. Immediately my board blew up, reverting to simple HTML script and throwing errors like: [[Template core/global/global/includeCSS is throwing an error. This theme may be out of date. Run the support tool in the AdminCP to restore the default theme.]] I can get into the ACP and the forum, but as I said it's all basic HTML output. I tried to change constants.php and use the self hosted recovery mode to get into the ACP by adding recovery_mode True, but all that did was get me the following error: This page isn’t working malecaster.x-webs.com is currently unable to handle this request. HTTP ERROR 500 When I now use the FTP program built into the cPanel to go into the "uploads" folder it shows only "ghost" files in there, these "ghosts" are all of the files and folders that are supposed to be in the upload directory, but they just appear to be names, nothing more. All of them have the creation date of Dec. 31, 1969, 06:00 PM. No file size, file type, or permissions listed, just blank fields. I cannot open, move, delete, edit, rename, etc. any of the files or enter any of the "ghost" folders. When I try to upload a file to the "uploads" directory it just disappears into the void. I've tried copying over some of the profile images that exist and it does nothing, even if I tell it to overwrite. I even tried uploading a new file and again it just goes "poof". When I login with WS_FTP Professional I can SEE the upload sub folder in the forum folder, however when I try to access it with WS_FTP I get the following error: 550 Can't change directory to /public_html/malecaster/forum/uploads: Permission denied XCWD /public_html/malecaster/forum/uploads 550 Can't change directory to /public_html/malecaster/forum/uploads: Permission denied PWD I did manage to use the HTML version of the ACP to go in and change the file system BACK to the original address for all of the inputs, but still can only get HTML versions of the board and ACP to work. I DID backup the forum before we upgraded last month, so I have all the profile images, gallery uploads, and attachments going back to 2006 at least so I can restore those if necessary. I just do not have any of the files from AFTER the upgrade. Including the php and css files that should be in the upload folder and it's subfolders. I have screen captures if needed to see what I'm dealing with (they won't attach here for some reason). Fingers crossed someone out there has a fix that doesn't involve completely re-installing everything from scratch!! Thanks for reading my opus! Rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 Hi @rick-tech, You're not alone. We have all done something like this in the past, myself included. As @Randy Calvert has mentioned, have you been able to get in touch with your current hosting provider to see whether they can backup the folder from their end? Reputable hosting providers generally tend to backup data for their clients for cases just like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick-tech Posted October 24, 2022 Author Share Posted October 24, 2022 (edited) Unfortunately the most recent backups I have are from September 5th, just AFTER I successfully upgraded to IPB 4.7 but BEFORE I installed all my languages, themes, apps, and plugins. It seems that I went over CodeGuard's quota for my level at that point and they stopped performing the daily backups on the site. The (insert appropriate curse word here) at CodeGuard never notified me that the site was over quota even tho they have TWO Email addresses and my cell setup for SMS notifications. For the first couple of weeks after I started using them I checked every couple of days and the backups were being run each day at 19:00 GMT and there was a nice library of backups on hand so I didn't think there was a need to check in anymore. The last backup they performed was dated September 4th, a week after the upgrade to IPB 4.7 was completed so I have backup "uploads" files of all the avatars, gallery uploads, message attachments, and basic IPB 4.7 files from the beginning up to that date. But NONE of the files associated with any of the languages, themes, apps, or plugins I installed. My assumption is that I will have to re-install all of those in order to get the correct php, etc. files placed back in the uploads folder. My next question is can I just re-install them from the Marketplace or will each one have to be removed first? It would be a HUGE relief if I could just re-install them and they'd repair the installations by replacing the missing files. BTW, does anyone know why those ghost files and directories with the 1969 creation date are showing in the uploads directory? I moved that directory to a copy folder, didn't want to delete it just in case, and re-created the uploads folder but I'm stumped what the deal is with those ghost items. It's like having the card catalogue of a library but not having any of the books. All the names for everything that should be in there are there, just no data in any of them and the crazy creation date of Dec. 31, 1969. I REALLY am not looking at another several days of installing stuff and configuring it. 😭 Rick Edited October 24, 2022 by rick-tech Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Calvert Posted October 24, 2022 Share Posted October 24, 2022 Those “ghost” files typically occur when metadata about the file is written but the data itself is not. This is typically associated with a disk issue such as either being over quota or the hardware itself being out of space. It’s not something associated with the IPB software and is typically something you need to address with your hosting provider. Regarding reinstalling marketplace apps, you can install them from the marketplace… but you might need to set your settings all over again and there might be data lost depending on if the app itself handles data. Marketplace files are typically found in the applications folder, not within uploads also. (Attachments uploaded by a marketplace app might be there, just not the app itself.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted October 24, 2022 Share Posted October 24, 2022 There is no way in which we can tell why you have files of that nature. You would really need to speak to your hosting company on that. With regard 3rd party things, you would be best to speak to the authors in order that you may retain any data that is stored in the database. They may well be able to provide you files to upload rather than reinstalling on that basis. Unfortunately there isnt really any better news I can give you at this point without the relevant backups Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss_B Posted October 24, 2022 Share Posted October 24, 2022 3 hours ago, rick-tech said: Unfortunately the most recent backups I have are from September 5th, just AFTER I successfully upgraded to IPB 4.7 but BEFORE I installed all my languages, themes, apps, and plugins. What about your host? Most hosts make dayily backups and maybe they have a recent one for your site. It 's worth a shot imo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Posted October 25, 2022 Share Posted October 25, 2022 14 hours ago, rick-tech said: Unfortunately the most recent backups I have are from September 5th, just AFTER I successfully upgraded to IPB 4.7 but BEFORE I installed all my languages, themes, apps, and plugins. In my experience with hosts, sometimes they tend to retain backups for several days and not just the most recent one. I know it's a basic question, but have you asked whether they have a backup before you performed the upgrade? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teraßyte Posted October 25, 2022 Share Posted October 25, 2022 Based on what he wrote right after he already asked and it looks like his hosting disabled the backups once he went over his quota: Quote It seems that I went over CodeGuard's quota for my level at that point and they stopped performing the daily backups on the site. [...] The last backup they performed was dated September 4th [...] 🙄 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick-tech Posted October 30, 2022 Author Share Posted October 30, 2022 Please excuse the delay in my response, I had a planned trip for the last several days that I couldn't put off. TeraByte is correct, stupid $#%$ CodeGuard ceased running backups back in early Sept. So the most recent backup I had was from then. HOWEVER! Something totally unexpected has happened, just after posting the message above I DELETED that weird Uploads folder with all the ghost files and created a new empty Uploads directory and within 24 hours the software had re-constituted almost ALL of the contents!! The unique PHP files are now there as well as from what I can tell all of the subfolders WITH all my customizations! The site is working just like before with just a few broken links to images. The only errors that appear now are the occasional "does not exist" errors when one of said images is called. From what I can tell right now the only things that are missing are the old gallery and image attachments to posts and a handful of button images! Now all I have to do is re-upload all of the old gallery images and post attachments and anything else from the last backup that hasn't been recovered. I thought this whole time I was on vacation that I would be coming back to a full Email box of complaints and several days of recovery, but this, this is awesome! I must say IPB is MUCH, MUCH more resilient then I ever expected (it's also very idiot prof thank God!!). Thanks to all who posted suggestions on how to fix this! And a HUGE THANK YOU to the developers who created such a strong suite! Rick Meddysong 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted October 31, 2022 Share Posted October 31, 2022 Very glad to hear that your issue has been resolved there. Of course this was unlikely to have been the case based on what you were describing, so please do ensure you have a full, robust backup solution in place on your server. This just means you can revert at any point should there be a major issue. Of course if you dont want to deal with any of that, and just want to run your site, you may be interested in our cloud solutions. Feel free to let us know if thats something you may be interested in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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