For the past several days, I got a message that SMF was busy. Was this an update?
No, but they appear to have solved the problem.
Quote from: Alps on March 21, 2024, 07:41:06 PM
No, but they appear to have solved the problem.
I guess so if we're here.
Took a while, though.
Quote from: ZLoth on March 21, 2024, 07:40:23 PM
For the past several days, I got a message that SMF was busy. Was this an update?
The SQL server was overloaded with requests, so the host shut it down (I don't know in what universe that makes sense as a response to high traffic, but that's what they did).
Quote from: Scott5114 on March 21, 2024, 07:51:44 PM
Quote from: ZLoth on March 21, 2024, 07:40:23 PM
For the past several days, I got a message that SMF was busy. Was this an update?
The SQL server was overloaded with requests, so the host shut it down (I don't know in what universe that makes sense as a response to high traffic, but that's what they did).
I can think of a few reasons why this may happen, but I'm not going to state them on a public forum. Isn't SQL fun?
Somebody must really hate you guys.
Quote from: Scott5114 on March 21, 2024, 07:51:44 PM
Quote from: ZLoth on March 21, 2024, 07:40:23 PM
For the past several days, I got a message that SMF was busy. Was this an update?
The SQL server was overloaded with requests, so the host shut it down (I don't know in what universe that makes sense as a response to high traffic, but that's what they did).
More than likely, the "server" at the hosting company/data center isn't a dedicated machine, but a virtualization holding multiple "servers", and the SQL overload was affecting the other instances.
The server being busy was not random, as something, or someone flooded the MySQL database with call requests. I got Ionos support to unlock the database, as I could not even access it through the server control panel.
Kind of hard to determine anything when you cannot access either SMF here or the database there... So while the forum is running now, we need to figure out what happened, determine what security measures can or need to be taken, etc. before saying everything is back to normal.
I can't view anyone's profile.
Quote from: 1 on March 21, 2024, 09:25:00 PM
I can't view anyone's profile.
Nosy, nosy, nosy. :D
As Charlie Brown would say, good grief!
Quote from: 1 on March 21, 2024, 09:25:00 PM
I can't view anyone's profile.
Same. :coffee:
Shows this on every profile:
Quote
Database Error
Please try again. If you come back to this error screen, report the error to an administrator.
Quote from: 1 on March 21, 2024, 09:25:00 PM
I can't view anyone's profile.
I can see my stats...
Seriously, I appreciate all the effort by the admins to get the forum back online. As I'm sure they're aware, it's still running slow.
I wouldn't be too surprised if the slowness is related to whatever issue caused the database to get locked.
Quote from: 1 on March 21, 2024, 09:25:00 PM
I can't view anyone's profile.
Interesting. Even I can't see other's profiles.
Getting the same problem on my end including not being able to see my own profile.
Also can't see people's profiles.
Is this a problem unique to our forum, or are other forums/websites that use SQL having issues as well? (I know nothing about coding or web design, so take what I have to say with a grain of salt)
But regardless of the issue, all I can say is thank you to all the moderators and admins that have helped keep the forum running. Greatly appreciate y'all!
Quote from: CoreySamson on March 21, 2024, 11:37:16 PM
Is this a problem unique to our forum, or are other forums/websites that use SQL having issues as well?
Pretty much every website these days uses SQL, so it's probably just us.
The viewing others profile option should work now. I changed some things in the database last night and caused that.
That being said, the forum database is still being flooded with call requests, so I may switch it into maintenance mode again until I can figure out what to try next...
Quote from: Alex on March 22, 2024, 08:36:32 AM
The viewing others profile option should work now. I changed some things in the database last night and caused that.
It doesn't.
Unrelated question: Are these extra requests generating additional ad revenue?
Quote from: 1 on March 22, 2024, 08:37:18 AM
Quote from: Alex on March 22, 2024, 08:36:32 AM
The viewing others profile option should work now. I changed some things in the database last night and caused that.
It doesn't.
Yeah I just realized that, I need more time to figure this out.
OK who did we piss off recently that's screwing with this place.
Is some Fin trying to relegate us to a lower-tier forum?
So was it that the North Koreans, Chinese, or Russian hackers thought that the AARoads Forum was so important that they needed to attack or hold it for ransom? And then when no one came up with more than $12.53 for the ransom that they decided to go back to trying to hijack medical/financial records?
Quote from: SectorZ on March 22, 2024, 08:48:15 AM
OK who did we piss off recently that's screwing with this place.
Is some Fin trying to relegate us to a lower-tier forum?
Russians is our guess
I fixed the viewing others profile option. I neglected to add all of the fields to the table I recreated. Fortunately I still have a copy of the old forum DB, so I just mimicked what was there.
Quote from: 1 on March 22, 2024, 08:37:18 AM
Unrelated question: Are these extra requests generating additional ad revenue?
No, the ad revenue for this month is 9% lower than it was at this time last month.
Quote from: davewiecking on March 21, 2024, 09:57:33 PM
Seriously, I appreciate all the effort by the admins to get the forum back online.
^ What dave said.
I have to admit I couldn't help but wonder whether this was a repeat of "angry banned user throws tantrum."
Quote from: 1995hoo on March 22, 2024, 09:07:05 AM
I have to admit I couldn't help but wonder whether this was a repeat of "angry banned user throws tantrum."
I was more imagining New Urbanists. "Angry banned member" wasn't even on my radar.
Quote from: 1 on March 22, 2024, 09:10:12 AM
Quote from: 1995hoo on March 22, 2024, 09:07:05 AM
I have to admit I couldn't help but wonder whether this was a repeat of "angry banned user throws tantrum."
I was more imagining New Urbanists. "Angry banned member" wasn't even on my radar.
I was thinking in terms of a repeat of the incident last year that led to the forum being taken offline for a few days.
Quote from: Alex on March 22, 2024, 08:36:32 AM
The viewing others profile option should work now. I changed some things in the database last night and caused that.
I just accessed my own profile, and made a minor edit (apparently successfully).
Quote from: oscar on March 22, 2024, 10:00:59 AM
Quote from: Alex on March 22, 2024, 08:36:32 AM
The viewing others profile option should work now. I changed some things in the database last night and caused that.
I just accessed my own profile, and made a minor edit (apparently successfully).
I just successfully viewed Oscar's profile, so the feature appears to be back.
Quote from: 1995hoo on March 22, 2024, 10:18:55 AM
Quote from: oscar on March 22, 2024, 10:00:59 AM
Quote from: Alex on March 22, 2024, 08:36:32 AM
The viewing others profile option should work now. I changed some things in the database last night and caused that.
I just accessed my own profile, and made a minor edit (apparently successfully).
I just successfully viewed Oscar's profile, so the feature appears to be back.
Seconded. I just viewed you and Oscar's profile and it's working for me too.
I also viewed 1995hoo's stats page and oscar's posts page with no issue.
Quote from: Alex on March 22, 2024, 08:36:32 AMThat being said, the forum database is still being flooded with call requests, so I may switch it into maintenance mode again until I can figure out what to try next...
Please give us some warning before the forum goes into maintenance mode. :D
And, thank you for investigating this.
Quote from: Alex on March 22, 2024, 08:56:30 AM
Quote from: SectorZ on March 22, 2024, 08:48:15 AM
OK who did we piss off recently that's screwing with this place.
Is some Fin trying to relegate us to a lower-tier forum?
Russians is our guess
I remember in my first year of high school, and Huntsville City Schools implementing student laptops system-wide, someone, I believe a foreign government, attempted to attack Redstone Arsenal and wound-up hitting the city school system's network in the process, which made using the internet at school to do literally
anything a slow and arduous task. I could very well see this being something similar.
Has wikipedia ever done this for someone challenging their site?
I like the theories, but I think the investigation has just shown some incompatible software versions.
Quote from: ZLoth on March 22, 2024, 12:28:46 PM
Quote from: Alex on March 22, 2024, 08:36:32 AMThat being said, the forum database is still being flooded with call requests, so I may switch it into maintenance mode again until I can figure out what to try next...
Please give us some warning before the forum goes into maintenance mode. :D
And, thank you for investigating this.
Ok, we're going into Maintenance Mode @ 5PM on March 18th. Mark your calendar. :p lol.
Just so everyone knows, the wiki is on a separate server, so it will remain up during the downtime if you still need to get your fix of roads stuff.
While there has been a spate of Russian IP addresses trying to create forum member accounts recently, the software compatibility is the issue with the current version of PHP that is the problem. As such, we will be switching the forum to maintenance mode tonight, likely after 9 PM EDT, to work on upgrading the SMF software to meet PHP 8.1 requirements. The result may be that the forum goes back to a default SMF template, as there are some additional PHP issues related to the Button Copy theme we have in place here. That said, the functionality of the forum should still be the same regardless of how it looks.
Quote from: Alex on March 23, 2024, 10:11:03 AM
While there has been a spate of Russian IP addresses trying to create forum member accounts recently, the software compatibility is the issue with the current version of PHP that is the problem. As such, we will be switching the forum to maintenance mode tonight, likely after 9 PM EDT, to work on upgrading the SMF software to meet PHP 8.1 requirements. The result may be that the forum goes back to a default SMF template, as there are some additional PHP issues related to the Button Copy theme we have in place here. That said, the functionality of the forum should still be the same regardless of how it looks.
We may have to upgrade to the reflective sheeting theme ;)
Quote from: rickmastfan67 on March 23, 2024, 02:44:52 AM
Quote from: ZLoth on March 22, 2024, 12:28:46 PM
Quote from: Alex on March 22, 2024, 08:36:32 AMThat being said, the forum database is still being flooded with call requests, so I may switch it into maintenance mode again until I can figure out what to try next...
Please give us some warning before the forum goes into maintenance mode. :D
And, thank you for investigating this.
Ok, we're going into Maintenance Mode @ 5PM on March 18th. Mark your calendar. :p lol.
March 18? Yay time travel!
The subject line has a certain song running through my head.
https://youtu.be/dWipTSreuaw?si=3UER2ripPoLLrGbH
Everything seems to be working fine minus the emojis looking weird.
(I forgot Alex's comment on his own Facebook posts :banghead: )
Quote from: 74/171FAN on March 25, 2024, 04:34:43 PMEverything seems to be working fine minus the emojis looking weird.
(I forgot Alex's comment on his own Facebook posts :banghead: )
Yes anything that references the regular directory from the temporary one will not work until things are finalized. The jumbled text for the emoji's is the result. This would also go for avatars and message icons.
I can at least see that certain features are working (putting most recent posts first, in my case) but others are not (showing unread posts - right now I see no differentiation). Wishing luck.
Quote from: Alps on March 25, 2024, 07:23:42 PM(showing unread posts - right now I see no differentiation). Wishing luck.
That seems to be working fine for me.
Unread Posts = All posts since you last logged.
Updated Topics = Unread posts that you're subscribed to (watching).
Looks like we're back? Everything seems to be working for me.
Quote from: WillWeaverRVA on March 26, 2024, 11:17:00 AMLooks like we're back? Everything seems to be working for me.
Yeah, we're back 'hopefully'. lol. I think I got everything setup just right.
Still, if you see any issues, please let us know. There will be some functionality missing for now, like your Twitter/Facebook/YouTube account names. That will be added back soon, however you'll have to reenter said info when that's back.
Same with a new theme for the forums. This is the 'basic' version that comes with SMF 2.1. It will take awhile till I can craft a new 'similar' theme to the BC one.
We seem to have gone back to the early days of the forum (which I was not apart of). :-D
Interesting look. I'll, admit it's taking me a bit of time to get used to but I like it.
Quote from: Hunty2022 on March 26, 2024, 11:23:08 AMWe seem to have gone back to the early days of the forum (which I was not apart of). :-D
Even then, I never saw the forum set up like this. If I did, I quickly changed to a theme.
Forum theme looks off, yeah
Quote from: BlueOutback7 on March 26, 2024, 11:25:04 AMInteresting look. I'll, admit it's taking me a bit of time to get used to but I like it.
Me too; I don't think I'd mind if it stayed with this look.
Quote from: Evan_Th on March 26, 2024, 12:14:09 PMQuote from: BlueOutback7 on March 26, 2024, 11:25:04 AMInteresting look. I'll, admit it's taking me a bit of time to get used to but I like it.
Me too; I don't think I'd mind if it stayed with this look.
This look would stay as an option once when have the custom themes done, as it's the 'default' theme for SMF, and is a fallback for other themes when you mod them and don't have a custom page for any specific part of the site.