Extreme problems trying an install

jimithy · by **jimithy** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 2:47 am

For 24 hours I have searched everywhere I can... read tons... tried everything possible... and my forum is still dead. (no one can log on) after installing MX Google Sitemap. There are forum topics here that seem to discuss my specific problem but they are in French, which I do not understand, so I get only guesses about solutions when reading them.

I believe it is an .htaccess problem (I am on an Apache server).

I totally scrapped my original (and every speck of protection with it.) just to try every solution I could research on your site. Currently my index.php comes up with these errors.

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/.keisa/jimithy/slashdrugcosts.org/forum/index.php:4) in /home/.keisa/jimithy/slashdrugcosts.org/forum/includes/sessions.php on line 254

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/.keisa/jimithy/slashdrugcosts.org/forum/index.php:4) in /home/.keisa/jimithy/slashdrugcosts.org/forum/includes/sessions.php on line 255

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/.keisa/jimithy/slashdrugcosts.org/forum/index.php:4) in /home/.keisa/jimithy/slashdrugcosts.org/forum/includes/page_header.php on line 507

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/.keisa/jimithy/slashdrugcosts.org/forum/index.php:4) in /home/.keisa/jimithy/slashdrugcosts.org/forum/includes/page_header.php on line 513

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/.keisa/jimithy/slashdrugcosts.org/forum/index.php:4) in /home/.keisa/jimithy/slashdrugcosts.org/forum/includes/page_header.php on line 514

I am currently using this .htaccess in my forum directory (and I removed all .htaccess files from the root and below.)

# FORUM PROTECTION RULE
RewriteRule ^forum/.+/([^/]+\.html)$ /forum/index.php [R=301,L]
# CATEGORIES
RewriteRule ^forum/.+-vc([0-9]+)\.html$ /forum/index.php?c=$1 [QSA,L]
# PAGINATED FORUM
RewriteRule ^forum/.+-vf([0-9]+)-([0-9]+)\.html$ /forum/viewforum.php?f=$1&start=$2 [QSA,L]
# FORUM
RewriteRule ^forum/.+-vf([0-9]+)\.html$ /forum/viewforum.php?f=$1 [QSA,L]
Options +FollowSymlinks
RewriteEngine on
RewriteBase /
# PAGINATED TOPIC
RewriteRule ^forum/.+-vt([0-9]+)-([0-9]+)\.html$ /forum/viewtopic.php?t=$1&start=$2 [QSA,L]
# TOPIC
RewriteRule ^forum/.+-vt([0-9]+)\.html$ /forum/viewtopic.php?t=$1 [QSA,L]
# POST
RewriteRule ^forum/post([0-9]+)\.html$ /forum/viewtopic.php?p=$1 [QSA,L]
#PROFILES
RewriteRule ^forum/member([0-9]+)\.html$ /forum/profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=$1 [QSA,L]
# END PHPBB PAGES
#####################################################

#########################################################
# MX GG_SITEMAPS REWRITE RULES #
#########################################################
# AUTHOR : dcz http://www.phpbb-seo.com/
# STARTED : 2006/02/22
########################
########################################################
# phpBB
RewriteRule ^sitemaps.xml$ /sitemap.php [L]
RewriteRule ^forum-sitemap-([0-9]+).xml$ /sitemap.php?fid=$1 [L]
RewriteRule ^sitemap-forum.xml$ /sitemap.php?forum [L]

#####################################################
# able2know rewriterules
#we keep them to kill them Wink
RewriteRule ^forum/forums.* /forum/index.php [L,NC]
RewriteRule ^forum/post-([0-9]*).html&highlight=([a-zA-Z0-9]*) /forum/viewtopic.php?p=$1&highlight=$2 [L,NC]
RewriteRule ^forum/post-([0-9]*).* /forum/viewtopic.php?p=$1 [L,NC]
RewriteRule ^forum/view-poll([0-9]*)-([0-9]*)-([a-zA-Z]*).* /forum/viewtopic.php?t=$1&postdays=$2&postorder=$3&vote=viewresult [L,NC]
RewriteRule ^forum/about([0-9]*).html&highlight=([a-zA-Z0-9]*) /forum/viewtopic.php?t=$1&highlight=$2 [L,NC]
RewriteRule ^forum/about([0-9]*).html&view=newest /forum/viewtopic.php?t=$1&view=newest [L,NC]
RewriteRule ^forum/about([0-9]*)-([0-9]*)-([a-zA-Z]*)-([0-9]*).* /forum/viewtopic.php?t=$1&postdays=$2&postorder=$3&start=$4 [L,NC]
RewriteRule ^forum/about([0-9]*)-([0-9]*).* /forum/viewtopic.php?t=$1&start=$2 [L,NC]
RewriteRule ^forum/about([0-9]*).* /forum/viewtopic.php?t=$1 [L,NC]
RewriteRule ^forum/about([0-9]*).html /forum/viewtopic.php?t=$1&start=$2&postdays=$3&postorder=$4&highlight=$5 [L,NC]
RewriteRule ^forum/mark-forum([0-9]*).html* /forum/viewforum.php?f=$1&mark=topics [L,NC]
RewriteRule ^forum/updates-topic([0-9]*).html* /forum/viewtopic.php?t=$1&watch=topic [L,NC]
RewriteRule ^forum/stop-updates-topic([0-9]*).html* /forum/viewtopic.php?t=$1&unwatch=topic [L,NC]
RewriteRule ^forum/forum-([0-9]*).html /forum/viewforum.php?f=$1 [L,NC]
RewriteRule ^forum/forum-([0-9]*).* /forum/viewforum.php?f=$1 [L,NC]
RewriteRule ^forum/topic-([0-9]*)-([0-9]*)-([0-9]*).* /forum/viewforum.php?f=$1&topicdays=$2&start=$3 [L,NC]
RewriteRule ^forum/ptopic([0-9]*).* /forum/viewtopic.php?t=$1&view=previous [L,NC]
RewriteRule ^forum/ntopic([0-9]*).* /forum/viewtopic.php?t=$1&view=next [L,NC]

# To allow the zero dupe to take care about the topicxx.html duplicates
# PAGINATED TOPIC
RewriteRule ^forum/topic([0-9]+)-([0-9]+)\.html$ /forum/viewtopic.php?t=$1&start=$2 [QSA,L]
# TOPIC
RewriteRule ^forum/topic([0-9]+)\.html$ /forum/viewtopic.php?t=$1 [QSA,L]

This last .htaccess could be total garbage considering how many versions I have tried.

My forum does not have the "attachment_mod". I went back and searched the files just to make sure.

I do not use a bunch of mods because I believe there is too much chance for interaction between them.

I run a simple forum.

I made sure that the MX install did not overwrite any of my files. (It did do the one file mod to allow admin control.)

I have tried cleaning out MX Google Sitemap to get my forum functional again.

I deleted MX Google Sitemap files. Renamed my forum and installed a backup of my forum made before installation. I get exactly the same errors and problems.

I restored my database a backup made before installation. I get exactly the same errors and problems.

I renamed my root dir of my site and then I restored my ENTIRE SITE from a backup made before installation. So finally my forum now works. (minus MX Google Sitemap of course)

My db is MySQL - 5.0.18
I run PHP version 4.4.2 on a Apache/2.0.54 <UNIX> server.

My phpBB forum 2.0.21 does has some mods:

Copyright_Information_1.0.1
fix_caret
guests_no_urls
mod_topic_cement_1.0.3
spamwords
mouse_hover_last_post_1.0.1

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Well, something I'd like to know is if it worked once ?

Because it seems you are trying to install more than one mod at a time here.

So, now that your forum is up and running again, you should proceed step by step.

Installing mx sitemaps does not change a single phpBB line of code, so I doubt it could have been the problem here.

So please try to install mx sitemaps, with no other changes, I'm pretty sure it will work.

Then, we'll see what to do about mod rewrite (phpBB + sitemaps)

++

jimithy · by **jimithy** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 4:47 pm

The forum has been up and running smoothly with the last of those minor mods being made a few months ago. So it is clear that none of them created this problem.

It is not practical to "start from scratch" with such a forum because of the effect on security, db, and users if all mods are removed.

Installing mx sitemaps does not change a single phpBB line of code, so I doubt it could have been the problem here.

MX does a very minor code change (insertion) in the code for the admin panel. But I really do not see how that could create such problems.

It does a very MAJOR change in the .htaccess file which is integral with the operation of any site. That is why I suspect that something in that change is interfering with the operation of my site.

What I clearly do not understand is how that after restoring my db from backups, restoring my .htaccess from backups, restoring my forum from backups, AND removing the MX Sitemaps... my forum would still be down. After all... what else is there that could have changed?

It was only a complete wipe and restore of my entire site that brought things back again.

I am going to follow your suggestion and try reinstalling MX but this time every operation including db changes will be made manually... with careful tests every step of the way. That should identify what part of MX is giving me trouble... and then we will have a start about what to do to get it working smoothly with my forum.

Thank you very much!

jimithy

dcz · by **dcz** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 6:44 pm

jimithy wrote:
What I clearly do not understand is how that after restoring my db from backups, restoring my .htaccess from backups, restoring my forum from backups, AND removing the MX Sitemaps... my forum would still be down. After all... what else is there that could have changed?

To me this means it's not the mod.

And it looks like there is another miss-understanding here, because mx Google sitemaps does not add a single code change, besides .htaccess and language file if you really want ot be fully compliant with phpBB mod standards, but none of them is required for the mod to work (you can use it without mod rewrite).

Besides, the .htaccess you posted is suggesting you previously used able2know mod rewrite and tried to install as well the phpBB SEO advanced mod rewrite.

I suggest you read this post if you plan to migrate from abl2know mod rewrite, and, that in all cases you proceed stp by step for the install.

You can install mx Google sitemaps without any editing, using the sql install script will make it a lot easier though. It should work.

++

jimithy · by **jimithy** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 7:10 pm

I had stated that I experimented a LOT with .htaccess since I felt that it was probably where my problem was and that the .htaccess file I listed was just the last of a great many attempts of understanding a French language forum's suggestions.

You are right that .htaccess does have the Able2Mod code in it (which should not be there since I do not use Able2Mod). In my current careful reinstall I am going back to the original .htaccess file which is supposed to work... getting away from all the suggested changes I found in different areas. Desperation caused me to make blind/stupid changes in .htaccess. Now that my site and forum are back up and I can instantly switch to a working site location if I have install problems... I am not worried about running into trouble.

Yes, your SQL update program is much easier than doing it by hand.

Thank you very much. I will keep you informed of my progress.

jimithy

dcz · by **dcz** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 8:15 pm

How come did you think a french topic most likely talking about migrating form able2know mod rewrite could help you out dealing with your problem ?

So, if mx Google sitemaps is the first mod you'll install from here, and if you do not use the able2know mod rewrite, first step is to install it without touching the .htaccess, it will only be a matter of uploading the file at the right place, and it will work

Do not hesitate to ask for support here, at least before you go back to the french forums

You'll se, it's simple in the end.

++

jimithy · by **jimithy** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 9:09 pm

I try my best to fix things without bothering people (I started programming in 1971 and have lived off of 2 software companies that were based upon my products.). Currently though I am disabled and no longer have the resources I used to have.

So I ended up in desperation trying to decipher French when I don't know it. The forum/MX problem existed long before I got to searching there.

I have done a manual install. Testing every step of the way. The forum had no problems.

I just ran sitemap.php and it generated a sitemap... and killed my forum. I am totally mystified. I do not understand this at all. It does not seem possible

.

Luckily I was prepared so I immediately switched my entire site to the mirror on the server and everything works ok again.

If you want to give up on me I can totally understand.

dcz · by **dcz** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 9:39 pm

No way

Well, since the mod is really simple to install the second time, you may want to test it on a local test server, so that you can make sure about the possible mistakes before you switch to an online server.

Then, a possible matter could be if you tried to output a huge sitemap and overload the server, I mean, this never occurred so far, but with very big boards, who knows.

Anyway, this would only be possible if you changed some settings in acp, default are very unlikely to cause any trouble.

Settings could, for example if you set sql cycle to 1 and url limit to 50 000, I doubt any server could handle 50 000 sql queries in a single session.

The upcoming udpate is checking for such possible miss-settings.

But the current version is really working nicely.

So, let's proceed by steps, local testing would be a great thing, but in all cases, first upload all file at the right place, then, run the sql script, and voilà, you should be able to load sitemap.php.

If you get errors while doing this, please tell me about them, we'll figure out better if you tell me every time you have doubts

++

jimithy · by **jimithy** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 9:50 pm

The forum is small with less than 200 topics total. More of a knowledge base than a place to congregate.

I read your config.php carefully and decided to leave everything at default settings until I was confident everything was operational.

I will mess around with local testing.

Thank you for all the time you have spent on this.

Extreme problems trying an install

Extreme problems trying an install

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