Hope there's someone out there who can wave a magic wand over this lot. I've spent about 20 hours trying to sort out a former client's site as a favour; it's costing me plenty.

They moved to a cheaper host and their site worked fine until they tried to access the CMS to make some changes. They found they couldn't login and asked fo help. I found I was not able to login either.

"Error cannot access file on server"

I read through the forums and found that there was a problem with moving servers and the encryption and the base that was used, effectively rendering the encrypted passwords unusable.

As they were using version 2.3.1 with the mollom and spam protection modules, and the official site says that this bug was fixed with the release of 2.4.0 I followed the instructions, backed up the database and copied the system files, before deleting the original cms, sapphire and jsparty files. I also deleted mollom and spam protection as they are not using it, thinking that would avoid any problems from those modules.

Loaded in the 2.4.0 cms, sapphire files and did a ?dev/build/flush but found I got another error message. So I reloaded the original cms, sapphire and jsparty files from where i saved them, but them I got a message about missing mollom in the phpconfig file.

So I reloaded mollom and spamprotection modules from the original zipped files in my hard drive, and checked the keys were installed, which they were.

Thinking this would revert to a functioning site again that I could have another shot at getting access to I flushed again, but each time now I get a install.php page.

Anyone else know how to solve this?

Thanks!!

Well lets step through all the issues one by one:

"Error cannot access file on server"

Is that the only content on the page? Does it say what file? All the php files should be readable by your web user (www-data or apache). Make sure your assets folder is read and writable. If you are on a shared host you might also need to make a 'silverstripe-cache' folder in your root folder (as you may not be able to access your tmp folder) make sure silverstripe-cache is read and writable.

Loaded in the 2.4.0 cms, sapphire files and did a ?dev/build/flush but found I got another error message. So I reloaded the original cms, sapphire and jsparty files from where i saved them, but them I got a message about missing mollom in the phpconfig file.

Note 2.4 only has a cms and sapphire folder (no jsparty) and the correct url to visit after updating is site.com/dev/build?flush=1

Thinking this would revert to a functioning site again that I could have another shot at getting access to I flushed again, but each time now I get a install.php page.

You will be getting an install.php if SS cannot find the details to connect to a database. You probably deleting your old mysite/_config file which stored your database details.

Thanks for coming back so quickly Will - it's much appreciated. To help clarify - I'm pretty unfamiliar, having only used SS on this site, and then when everything has gone right! I'm not a developer either, somehow I've just got myself into this...

First up,

"Error cannot access file on server"

I state this from memory as I can't bring it up again, but I don't recall a specific file. I think it was from the CMS as it was styled in a grey (silver?) stripe across the top of the page.

Checked the assets and it's read and writable. The tmp folder has permissions for my client so I think this is ok, there's no permissions for groups etc checked so I assume this is not shared hosting.

If I make a silverstripe-cache folder in the root anyway, will it interfere if it's not required?

I was a bit brief with the original post - sorry - I did realise that there's only cms and folders, which is when I turned back and reinstalled the backed up versions, as the site has some javascript and I couldn't see how one could check all the paths to ensure none were broken. Assume that's a manual task? i.e. looking at the page templates and changing each instance? I wanted to keep the site up and this reversion worked ok, but still no login for admins.

From there I tried to find a patch and followed a lot of discussions, that really led nowhere however. Well, it did make me more wary if the php!

I had deleted the mollom & spamprotection folders directly off the server, which seemed to throw a spanner in the works (I did flush with the correct address, cut and pasted for accuracy - that's why I didn't remember it correctly). The error message looked more like it was server-generated, at least not styled as if it was from within the cms. Said something about missing mollom from line 31(?) in the config_php. I think - certainly mollom php ref is still in there with the two key codes.

I think I will have to reconfigure the access to the database - I have the username and password from the mysite/_config.php

Just about to go ahead but it says it will overwrite the existing SS install. Assume I can add the old cms and sapphire folders to the webroot and not lose the customised blackcandy etc?

Sorry I sound pretty noob about this, keen to crack this...

Re-reading that - "Assume I can add the old cms and sapphire folders to the webroot and not lose the customised blackcandy etc?" I mean these are the system files, right, the rest of it stays intact. No wonder I can't find the custom templates in there.

Sorry - getting late!

As long as you have not edited anything in the sapphire or cms folders (which I recommend you avoid) then upgrading should be easy as deleting those 2 folders and putting the new ones in and doing a /dev/build. Don't replace the mysite or themes folders and you should be good.

Ok - went and installed 2.4.0 with database details from config file.

Got this error message, but says it can install anyway?

Fatal error: Call to a member function hasErrors() on a non-object in /usr/local/www/vhosts/robynmathieson.co.nz/httpdocs/sapphire/dev/install/config-form.html on line 54

But I did a flush and have this now:

Fatal error: Class 'Mollom' not found in /usr/local/www/vhosts/sitenamehere.co.nz/httpdocs/mysite/_config.php on line 33

Not sure what this means, I've had a look at line 33:

Mollom::setPublicKey('a06cec554aea651a8d2c301627544a43');

Sorry Will - we must have overlapped there - I have not edited anything in the themes and mysite folders.

I'd be happy to liberate the site from mollom, it's not working nor being used. I installed it when they had a blog module which overloaded their server space when mollom said it was in place and running but didn't.

Some of the posts mention incompatibility with mollom?

Nearly there:

I Deleted those Mollom lines in the mysite/_config file and flushed.

Built the Db/environment, and then I managed to get to the login screen by appending /admin . The site is showing up ok, and I logged in using admin/password. It recognises me as phil, but I don't get the CMS interface?

There's a new, long single line text box that's new - and probably is the key to reaching the cms interface.

Is there some trick with 2.4.0 to bring it up?