Server errors *fixed

[Caretaker]

Had to happen someday. Looks like many files & attachments have been lost on the server side, text in all posts are there, but pictures (except recent ones) and references to them in posts are missing (got recent backups to restore, but always a risk of loosing some posts\attachments in the process), am looking into it.

e

    
27.09. 2009 23:02
Preparing some fixes, all formerly uploaded pictures located and looks intact, needs to repair some correlation to posts, should be a straightforward although time consuming job, so cannot give an exact time estimate.

Until then, uploading of new pictures is disabled, stopping changes in the existing attachment database may make the work a little easier. For any new picture, use a picture hosting site (like photobucket, google picasa etc etc) and link to it in the post.

e

[Caretaker]

This was crazy stuff. Have been sitting up for some nights with bits of files, ftp, phpmyadmin, editors, SQL tables and God knows what. Looks like we're back to normal. All posts seems ok, a few attachments may have yet to be restored, please pm me a link to the post where you may see any error and I'll look into it.

Luckily I had taken regular backups, otherwise it would have been Good Night here.

To everybody, remember to take regular backups of your pc, especially photos and whatever personal stuff, your online photo database, your website etc, one day it will be needed.

Picture posting is active.

e

[bsa-bill]

Well done e

all the best - Bill

[flashblack]

Erling,
Huge respect for all your hard work on this excellent site!

 Richie    

                                                

[Caretaker]

Thanks a lot. Am very happy that all seems well again, and learned a lot in the process, looks like I'll slowly be forced to become a real forum admin ! For the curious, here are some examples of what the forum 'is made of', what we see in posts etc is the tiny top of the pyramid (...iceberg), some amazing stuff is constantly going on "dans les coulisses". Anyone out there with experience in SQL, SMF, ftp and all the rest ?

[dodmo]

...Anyone out there with experience in SQL, SMF, ftp and all the rest ?

Self taught - but reasonably confident dealing with the majority of this stuff in general.
No SMF experience but I would be happy to help at any time if I could.
Mind you, if you've managed to deal with this you can probably handle anything I can.

regards
dodmo

[Caretaker]

Thanks, good to know there may be somebody to assist if needed. Basically, errors was in the attachment dept. only, so a complete restore was deemed unnecessary, opted instead to paste together pieces taken from several backups, rebuilding that particular SQL table into a seemingly complete one, and ftp a complete bu of all attachments (pictures) to the server (suppose this is just childs play for some). I learned a lot from that work, seems like mostly anything in a forum can be fixed and welded together as long as one has some decent backups, + some basic knowledge of SQL (programming, language?), and patience. Compared to some SMF forums I've seen (quote: 2,152,076 Posts in 278,657 Topics by 197,628 Members), this one should in any case be quite manageable !

[rocket man]

well done i think you do a great job thanks



dave

[A10Boy]

I would second that. Well done and thanks.