Error logging onto sitebuilder

[kilrootrec]

Hi Paul,
Im getting an error message when trying to log into my sitebuilder.
I recently added a picture trophy.jpeg and the problem has occured since that point.
Would you be able to have a look at this for me?
Think you have my login details but you need them again, contact me.

[paul_r]

I get the same error. I'm pretty sure this is just a permission error on one of your folders. There was some software updating being done on the server last week, and I've seen this before after we did an update. I think what happens is that the default setting on some files is to have some applications protected from being written to.

I'll need to get the server tech guy to correct it - it'll get him to sort that in the morning for you.

[kilrootrec]

I get the same error. I'm pretty sure this is just a permission error on one of your folders. There was some software updating being done on the server last week, and I've seen this before after we did an update. I think what happens is that the default setting on some files is to have some applications protected from being written to.

I'll need to get the server tech guy to correct it - it'll get him to sort that in the morning for you.
Cheers Paul

[kilrootrec]

Hi Paul,
Any update on this? Tried logging on to test however my user name now seems invalid?
Ta

[paul_r]

Yes, they're working at it now. I also found a couple of minor things in the main admin panel not working they way they were so they're checking to see why that is. Probably some server software updates over the last day or two.

I know they are working at your account because I just got a notification that your password has been reset (why you can't get in at the moment).

As soon as they have that sorted I'll contact you with your new password.

[kilrootrec]

T.O.P man

[paul_r]

Hi Paul,
Any update on this? Tried logging on to test however my user name now seems invalid?
Ta
Sorry - it'll be tomorrow before they sort that. The server tech who fixed this before was off today and the other guy preferred not to mess with it without checking what was done before.

[kilrootrec]

not a problem Paul.
Thanks

[kilrootrec]

Any movement on this Paul?

[paul_r]

Sort of. Movement but not a solution just yet. They were working at it today but the guy who fixed the previous problem (that I thought was the same as this) says it's something different. I was out after lunch so hadn't heard if he'd sorted it but since you're asking now I guess that answers that question :1 (47):

I think I'm right in saying everything was fine just a few days ago? If you're able to tell me what day it stopped working it should help them see what changed. I'm confident we'll have it sorted tomorrow ok.

[kilrootrec]

Sort of. Movement but not a solution just yet. They were working at it today but the guy who fixed the previous problem (that I thought was the same as this) says it's something different. I was out after lunch so hadn't heard if he'd sorted it but since you're asking now I guess that answers that question :1 (47):

I think I'm right in saying everything was fine just a few days ago? If you're able to tell me what day it stopped working it should help them see what changed. I'm confident we'll have it sorted tomorrow ok.

Yeah all was fine until earlier this week. The problem occurred on Monday (15th). I tried to add a picture to my site, it was a .jpeg file called 'trophy' and as soon as this file was added sitebuilder shut down and I was unable to log back in. I would definately say it had something to do with this .jpeg image.

[paul_r]

ok, that might help as they might be able to find that event in the log. There is no 'trophy' image file in there now so it looks like the upload failed when it crashed.

Sounds like that crash has corrupted a folder somewhere in the sitebuilder.

If all else fails is it ok if we just recover a backup of the site from before that crash?

Can you send me the image file trophy.jpg that you were trying to upload so we can see if there's anything unusual about that? At least it will let us rule that out. websites@visport.co.uk will do.

[kilrootrec]

ok, that might help as they might be able to find that event in the log. There is no 'trophy' image file in there now so it looks like the upload failed when it crashed.

Sounds like that crash has corrupted a folder somewhere in the sitebuilder.

If all else fails is it ok if we just recover a backup of the site from before that crash?

Can you send me the image file trophy.jpg that you were trying to upload so we can see if there's anything unusual about that? At least it will let us rule that out. websites@visport.co.uk will do.

Did you get my email ok Paul?

[paul_r]

Yup, got that thanks. I wanted to check there was nothing unusual about the image but it looked fine to me.

The server tech has emailed the company who produce the sitebuilder to see if they can identify how/what happened exactly. We can still sort the problem for you ok by restoring a backup but I just wanted to check if there was a bug in the program somewhere that could cause it to happen again - in case we needed to put that right first. The sitebuilder company is in USA so there's been a delay getting a response from them.

Anyway ... we'll hopefully either correct the problem or restore a site backup before the end of the day. I'll post as soon as I know.

[paul_r]

Sorry, but the server guys have asked if we can leave this until tomorrow morning. They'd much prefer to get a response back from the sitebuilder people before they restore a backup in case there's an underlying issue somewhere.

I've told them to do that as I want to make sure it doesn't break on you again if at all possible. The sitebuilder has been completely reliable so far and the company are very thorough with any queries, but the time delay can be a nuisance. Hope you can work with this ok.

[kilrootrec]

Yeah thats fine Paul. Thanks for the updates.

[kilrootrec]

any joy?

[kilrootrec]

Sorry, but the server guys have asked if we can leave this until tomorrow morning. They'd much prefer to get a response back from the sitebuilder people before they restore a backup in case there's an underlying issue somewhere.

I've told them to do that as I want to make sure it doesn't break on you again if at all possible. The sitebuilder has been completely reliable so far and the company are very thorough with any queries, but the time delay can be a nuisance. Hope you can work with this ok.

Any update on this issue Paul?

[paul_r]

Sorry for the delay. We've been working at this all day and think we have it sorted ok. I can get in fine now so if you could try and let me know?

The problem was indeed with that image file that you were uploading when it crashed. We eventually found several versions of that image and what we think happened was that it was corrupted in the crash. Then, every time the sitebuilder tried to open it choked on that corrupted file and seems to have created temporary versions of it. Anyway, once we deleted those the sitebuilder has opened up again.

You should be fine to upload the image again. If it does crash again (unlikely) I know how to fix it in a couple of minutes next time.

You'll also see a temporary site in your sitebuilder menu when you get in there - that's just another site we created in there to test some stuff. Once you can access the sitebuilder ok you can delete that site. It's called 'Main Site', whereas the real site is called 'Kilrootrec' (or similar).

[kilrootrec]

have my log in details changed Paul?

[paul_r]

have my log in details changed Paul?
Sorry, yes. It was changed automatically when we reset the site first to see if that would clear the problem.

I've just changed it back to the original password. I've also PM'd it to you.

[paul_r]

Meant to explain why it was so hard to spot the corrupted image file: we originally looked for the file name you gave us but that wasn't there. Then when you gave me the other file name we still couldn't find that, so assumed the file had failed to upload the time the sitebuilder crashed. Therefore we went off looking for something else that might be broken, but couldn't find anything else amiss.

When I was trawling throough all the site files today looking for anything that didn't look right I noticed an image file with a zero file size - often a clue that it's corrupt. However, that file had a completely different name. Then I realised the date on it was the last date/time of any file on Monday (the last day you could get on), so I reckoned it had to be the last thing to have happened before you were locked out.

Then I opened some more of the image files in the same directory and found several were of that cup image you sent me, but they all had variations of the file name.

I realised then that the sitebuilder seems to allocate new file names to images that are uploaded. I guess this is because it resizes and resamples images to make them fit properly, so gives the modified file a new name. So that's why we couldn't find the image when we were searching for it at first.

As soon as we renamed the suspect images the sitebuilder ignored them and loaded fine. All seems simple and obvious now, like most mysteries once you know the answer I suppose.

[kilrootrec]

Meant to explain why it was so hard to spot the corrupted image file: we originally looked for the file name you gave us but that wasn't there. Then when you gave me the other file name we still couldn't find that, so assumed the file had failed to upload the time the sitebuilder crashed. Therefore we went off looking for something else that might be broken, but couldn't find anything else amiss.

When I was trawling throough all the site files today looking for anything that didn't look right I noticed an image file with a zero file size - often a clue that it's corrupt. However, that file had a completely different name. Then I realised the date on it was the last date/time of any file on Monday (the last day you could get on), so I reckoned it had to be the last thing to have happened before you were locked out.

Then I opened some more of the image files in the same directory and found several were of that cup image you sent me, but they all had variations of the file name.

I realised then that the sitebuilder seems to allocate new file names to images that are uploaded. I guess this is because it resizes and resamples images to make them fit properly, so gives the modified file a new name. So that's why we couldn't find the image when we were searching for it at first.

As soon as we renamed the suspect images the sitebuilder ignored them and loaded fine. All seems simple and obvious now, like most mysteries once you know the answer I suppose.

Its like everything else, simply when you know the answer!
Thanks again for your time and effort into looking into this solution for me, its greatly apprecited!

[paul_r]

No prob. Glad we got sorted.