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Support / Re: After trying to put the forum into maintenance mode, it “disappeared”

Last post by Steeley - June 22, 2026, 06:56:00 pm

Hi Mrs Chaos,

First, php 7.2 will definitely work, probably 5.6 as well. But if 8.x was working then the version shouldn't be an issue either..

May I suggest something really simple and basic.. just a 'reality check'

Find the directory on your server that contains your forum "index.php" file

Rename the file "Forum-index.php"

Now in a text editor, copy the following:

Code: [Select]

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
    <head>
        <title>PHP Test</title>
    </head>
    <body>
        <?php echo '<p>Hello World</p>'; ?>
    </body>
</html>

Save the file as "index.php" in that directory..

Now, with your browser click on the HTML link that launches your forum..

You should get a display that says "Hello World!"

Let us know what you get.

If you get an error.. stop worrying about ElkArte and let us now find out what's screwy with the server ..

If, as I expect, you get "Hello World" displayed, then php is functioning on the server and from that directory.

Then you can delete the new index.php file and rename the "Forum-index.php" back to "index.php"

And next, maybe @Spuds can suggest some temporary edits to the forum index.php (or perhaps some other php file) to eliminate checks and cut straight to a streamlined/basic launch of the forum, without added/custom themes, addons, etc.. and see if you get SOMETHING besides whatever error (or nothing) that you're getting now.

Support / Re: After trying to put the forum into maintenance mode, it “disappeared”

Last post by Mrs. Chaos - June 22, 2026, 03:51:26 pm

Quote from: "Spuds" – June 15, 2026, 05:50:54 pmYou can try running repair settings to see if it finds anything.
Did you version of PHP change during any of this? I can't remember what version 1.1.8 is compatible with.

Sorry again for the late reply. Unfortunately, I haven’t had time over the last couple of days to keep on top of my forum.

I wasn’t able to get the repair settings to run, unfortunately; it just wouldn’t work.
The PHP version has been 8.1 for quite some time now, and I haven’t tried to change it.

I’ve been experimenting some more today, but nothing has led to a positive result.
Now I’m wondering whether I should perhaps just install a completely new forum – one that’s up to date and fully current.
I’m just not sure whether I’ll be able to reinstall at least most of the add-ons I’ve used so far, so that they’ll still work afterwards, as some of them were created or last updated quite a while ago.
Would it at least be possible to import my backup from 1 June into a new forum? Would I have to create all the categories myself first, or would they be created automatically when the backup is imported?

My hosting provider offers the following:
MariaDB: 10.11.14
PHP versions: 5.6, 7.4, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5

Which PHP version should I choose for a new/up-to-date forum?

Support / Re: After trying to put the forum into maintenance mode, it “disappeared”

Last post by Snuffy - June 18, 2026, 08:23:24 pm

Quote from: ahrasis – June 14, 2026, 03:38:36 pm
What is your problem @Steeley in attacking me? ....

Hi Arasis, (This is Steeley, posting as "snuffy")

I had no intent to attack you. If I wanted to attack you I would have questioned your parentage or something about your personality, intelligence or physical appearance, not your troubleshooting advice.

No, I was trying to tell you your suggestion "wasn't the best approach" to the problem. And I had a good reason..
Yes, if it works, great.
But if it doesn't, as I tried to explain, now you've got another puzzle, because you've introduced another element (or two) that you do not know doesn't have its own issues, separate from the one you were originally working..

How do I know this?

Because I did exactly what you suggested just the day before I saw your post and generated a whole lot of new work for me I wasn't counting on..

Permit me to explain. My host had this nasty habit of "updating" the servers, without notification. Only clue was when I discovered some aspect of the site no longer worked properly - email stopped going out, attachments disappeared, etc.. and to boot, they upped the cost dramatically.. I decided it was time to move. (The site wasn't broke, but now was trying to make me broke.. regardless, the solution is to copy my site to another server).

And so that weekend I was in the process of moving 4 websites to a new host's server.
The website that hosts my ElkArte platform had several issues after I copied it over to the new server.. nothing to do with ElkArte, it turned out, it was more fundamental .. after hours of troubleshooting getting nowhere, I contacted my new host and asked about the problems I was having.

Turned out there were two issues:
1 - php scripts no longer run in the cgi-bin directory (fine on my old server??)
2 - the directory privacy issue (.htaccess / passwd files) will not function properly until the nameservers are pointed at the new server. (Until I knew that, there was no way I was going to change nameservers and go live with "private" sections of the server open to the world).

So, the new site was, well, not broke, actually, but not working as expected - and it was the result of doing exactly the same thing you had recommended Ms. Chaos do - (for a different reason, but still) ..create a copy and see if it works...

Again - that's great .. if it works. If not, you end up spending hours chasing the NEW problems that had nothing to do with the original task you were trying to do. Just like I did..

But wait, there's more! To make matters more frustrating, the domain registrar for one of my domains went down! AS I kept trying to access them, I got to watch their efforts over the day as the various error messages I was getting trying to log in gave me clues as to their progress restoring their site.. frustrating because I absolutely had to have the site operational by last Tuesday or the domain on the old server turns into a pumpkin and my userbase is out in the weeds.

And of course there's tons of email accounts I had to migrate using ip addresses for both the old and new servers since I don't know when over the following 24 hours after the nameservers are updated that the dns changes are going to take place, and every account needs old and new credentials and ip addys for each and every account entered into my migration tool. And if an error (I got several with several accounts), have to trouble-shoot that too (inevitably it's a typo on my part).

So, I'm bouncing back and forth between three servers (old one, new one, and the email migration) and two computers, two steps forward and one step back, and, oh, yea, Ms Chaos and her issue..

If I sounded a bit terse in my post, sorry - it wasn't you.. I was trying to keep from throwing my desktop computers out the window..and didn't want Ms Chaos following me down a rabbit hole if she tried what you suggested and that activity didn't work for her either.

Now here's the kicker..

I decided not to migrate the forum. My user base is all in their 70's, 80's or fertilizing the grass above them now, and nobody has logged into the forum in over a year. No point getting ElkArte working again behind my "protected directories" on the new server if nobody is going to use it anyway (never mind I couldn't get the protected directories working either). So I've now archived about 10GB of discussion (read only) and it will all go to a national military library for posterity when I finally close the site down entirely.

So, from a practical personal support aspect, I have no reason to maintain access to this community.

Yet, I was planning to "stick around" and, if able, be helpful to others on occasion.

Except, I log in, and see that I am "banned"! Only explanation is "Attacking Moderator"?

Being "banned" over a misunderstanding really isn't the way I want to exit and be remembered. I've gotten a lot of help and knowledge from y'all and perhaps a bit of friendship. I've certainly never had any ill feelings or hostility toward you. No reason to burn those bridges, especially over a misunderstanding.

But if I'm no longer welcome.. hey, it's no skin off my nose.

But, before I post this, just a "pro-moderator tip" based on almost 30 years of group moderating - I'll post it in the open since it might help others with less experience moderating discussion forums:

Once the ban flag is set, the user can't access or read anything written, so it is a waste of time to post messages to the user asking or explaining anything before you pull the trigger. If you expect a user-view or response (or don't want to piss someone off over a misunderstanding), don't set the flag without giving the user a chance to see, and maybe address the issue.
I have no idea who has moderator privileges any more here, so seeing a message saying I "attacked the moderator" left me headscratching.
Did someone hack in on my account and flame a moderator? Was this a mistake? Someone a bit "thin skinned"?
"No clue" is a hell of a way to walk away..

If you're the "moderator" who set the flag (or if not, whomever is), feel free to delete this account as I won't need it any more if the ban flag is lifted. If it's the desire delete the Steeley account too, then no point to continuing the conversation..

Semper Fi..

Steeley (as "snuffy)

Support / Re: After trying to put the forum into maintenance mode, it “disappeared”

Last post by Spuds - June 15, 2026, 05:50:54 pm

I don't feel it would be the db as you are not seeing any errors in that log. That means it not making it very far.

You can try running repair settings to see if it finds anything.

Since its not logging errors in the ElkArte DB, the real failure reason will be in the server logs ... either in your PHP log or in your web server error/access logs.

Did you version of PHP change during any of this? I can't remember what version 1.1.8 is compatible with.

Support / Re: After trying to put the forum into maintenance mode, it “disappeared”

Last post by Mrs. Chaos - June 15, 2026, 02:25:56 pm

Yes, I can go to "elkarte_log_errors", but it’s empty and doesn’t show any errors.

There’s other content on the server, but the forum is the only thing that’s inaccessible or not visible. Everything else works or is displayed.

In the meantime, I tried again to simply restore an old backup of the forum, but that didn’t work either.

Should I just create a new database? Could I then simply import the backup from about a week ago into it and just swap the old database name for the new one in the settings?

Support / Re: After trying to put the forum into maintenance mode, it “disappeared”

Last post by Mrs. Chaos - June 14, 2026, 11:58:05 pm

Thanks for your replies, and sorry for the delay in getting back to you. I haven't had much time to attend to the forum lately. I won't be able to try out your suggestions and instructions for another few hours, but hopefully, I'll manage to bring the forum back to life in the process.
No matter how it turns out, I’ll definitely get back to you afterwards.

Support / Re: After trying to put the forum into maintenance mode, it “disappeared”

Last post by ahrasis - June 14, 2026, 03:38:36 pm

Quote from: Steeley – June 13, 2026, 12:00:31 pm
Quote from: ahrasis – June 13, 2026, 01:07:50 amI would reestablish a copy that forum (files and database) temporarily elsewhere, and run test(s) there. ...

Put it on another server?
Or same server but different directory (reconfigure the database and forum for new location)?
If you can't get in the new location either, then what? Did you misconfigure the forum copy for that new location, or is the server (if the same one, still) broke? Now you have something else to troubleshoot before you get back to working the first problem....
My experience is that it's best to isolate and fix a problem, not create and dart down a new rabbit hole trying to side-step it.

[EDIT: And if @Spuds is working with her back-channel (s)he should make that note here so we don't complicate/duplicate the troubleshooting in the "public silence" (while they ignore us), eh? ]

What is your problem @Steeley in attacking me? I know not everyone has the same toolkits, but no facts were given about what Mrs. Chaos has, so I offered what works from my experience. Isolate and fix problem, yes, in a new place, yes, even on own PC, yes. True, some use shared hosting without them, but others do have VPS or dedicated servers. Either way, we're both trying to help.

Support / Re: After trying to put the forum into maintenance mode, it “disappeared”

Last post by Spuds - June 13, 2026, 08:21:36 pm

There must be an server error log available, can you get to that so we can see what error may be logged when you try to access?

You might also be able to check the elkarte db directly, look at the last entries of log_errors, there might be a clue IF its getting that far.

Also make sure the site files are accessible by the web server user .. are you using Apache or Nginx?

If all that fails, you can PM me with a SSH id/password so I can take a look at what is going on.

Support / Re: After trying to put the forum into maintenance mode, it “disappeared”

Last post by Steeley - June 13, 2026, 12:00:31 pm

Quote from: ahrasis – June 13, 2026, 01:07:50 amI would reestablish a copy that forum (files and database) temporarily elsewhere, and run test(s) there. ...

Put it on another server?
Or same server but different directory (reconfigure the database and forum for new location)?
If you can't get in the new location either, then what? Did you misconfigure the forum copy for that new location, or is the server (if the same one, still) broke? Now you have something else to troubleshoot before you get back to working the first problem....
My experience is that it's best to isolate and fix a problem, not create and dart down a new rabbit hole trying to side-step it.

[EDIT: And if @Spuds is working with her back-channel (s)he should make that note here so we don't complicate/duplicate the troubleshooting in the "public silence" (while they ignore us), eh?

]

Support / Re: After trying to put the forum into maintenance mode, it “disappeared”

Last post by Steeley - June 13, 2026, 11:44:56 am

Quote from: Burke Knight – June 13, 2026, 03:12:01 amHave you reached out to your web host about this?
This unfortunately sounds like an issue with the server, which might mean that the DDoS attack caused server issues, not site issues.

That was probably the next step I was going to suggest.. but my experience is that having some more detail in hand other than "It's broke and this is what I think I did" is helpful all around. If other content on the server is accessible, that rules out all kinds of stuff including most server-issues, and narrows down the problem a lot. If other content is N/A also, that rules out the Forum (for now, anyway - it could still be a problem, but not the main one at the moment) and the host probably DOES have to get involved with that.