phpBB Forum Problem

December 26th, 2004, 9:48 pm

I have a website which uses phpBB for the forums. I have been using it for a few months without a hitch. But starting on Christmas eve, it started doing weird things. First thing it did was that they would not come up, and it would tell me

Quote:

phpBB : Critical Error
Could not connect to the database

Well, then I call up my Web Host and ask them to rebbot the server. After they did this, my entire site crashed. If finally came back up today, but now there is a whole new problem. Whenever someone logs in, they can see which topics are new by a cookie something. And when a new topic has been posted since they visited last, that topic gets highlighted. Well, now every single post is highlighted on the forums as if every single topic is new. And no one can post anything cause it tells them that

Quote:

You cannot make another post so soon after your last; please try again in a short while.

Even though they haven't posted anything. Please Help! Is it a problem on the server end? Cause I haven't messed with the code at all to make it act up like this.
The site of the forums is http://www.undergroundwriters.com/phpBB2/index.php

December 27th, 2004, 2:04 am

I dont know why it would do that.

But you need to update your version of phpbb very soon. See if the problem carries on after you apply the 2.0.11 patches.

Also check the cookie, session and posting options in the admin controll panel. It's possible that someone has changed them. It might help if people clean thier cache to remove all cookies left by your forum.
Have you had a look on the http://www.phpbb.com forum? someone else might of had the same problem.

December 27th, 2004, 9:07 am

The Problem is resolved. It was a problem on the server end.

December 27th, 2004, 11:48 am

Im suffering similar problems, im getting the following error:

Code: [ Download ] [ Select ]

phpBB : Critical Error

Could not get theme data for themes_id [4]

1. phpBB : Critical Error
3. Could not get theme data for themes_id [4]

care to shed any light as to why?

[ATNO/TW]

December 27th, 2004, 11:57 am

Your theme's data information is stored in two tables. phpbb_themes, and phpbb_themes_name. In both cases, themes_id is the primary auto increment key assigned to that theme when you created it. In essense, I think something is screwed up with one or both of those tables, in other words theme "4" no longer exists. You or your host needs to restore that theme.

December 27th, 2004, 1:17 pm

but i was trying to remove a theme when this error occured and now it has gone the error persists?

[ATNO/TW]

December 28th, 2004, 3:48 am

In your board Admin area, make sure that theme is removed from CSS management, and make sure it is not set as the board default theme in configuration.

December 28th, 2004, 9:39 am

well i would if i could but i cant access the admin area as that is where im getting the error, sorry for not poiniting this out, i should have.

[ATNO/TW]

December 28th, 2004, 9:52 am

Do you have access to phpMyAdmin, and do you have a database backup that you can import and restore to prior to your attempt to remove the theme?

December 28th, 2004, 1:31 pm

Yes i do have access to PHPMY ADMIN , but i dont have a db backup as the forum has only been up several hours before the error occured?

December 28th, 2004, 1:41 pm

couldnt you start from scratch if its only just been installed?

December 28th, 2004, 4:29 pm

PHP Code: [ Download ] [ Select ]

 
Select theme_id, theme_name, style_name  from phpbb_themes, phpbb_themes_name  WHERE phpbb_themes.theme_id = phpbb_themes_name.themes_id;
 
 

1.  
2. Select theme_id, theme_name, style_name  from phpbb_themes, phpbb_themes_name  WHERE phpbb_themes.theme_id = phpbb_themes_name.themes_id;
3.  
4.  

With this query in mysqladmin u should get all the info needed to set the template back to the standard theme..

PHP Code: [ Download ] [ Select ]

 
select * from phpbb_themes, phpbb_themes_name  WHERE phpbb_themes.theme_id = phpbb_themes_name.themes_id;
 
 

1.  
2. select * from phpbb_themes, phpbb_themes_name  WHERE phpbb_themes.theme_id = phpbb_themes_name.themes_id;
3.  
4.  

or use this one to list everything..


Usually the "standard" setting is still there under and diffrent ID..

By deleting the new template with its id`s from the database, phpBB should automaticly pick up the standard template as being the current template.

December 28th, 2004, 6:42 pm

meman i cant start a fresh again, as members have signed up and asking them to do it a third time in less than 3 months may be pushing it.

may thanks for those codes, but could you please specify the excact location within PHP MY ADMIN as im new to this.

Sorry.

December 28th, 2004, 11:42 pm

hehehe,

i would like to, but erm im am not talking about "PHP MY ADMIN" or the admin menu on your site,

I am talking about "MYSQL ADMIN", it is a tool usually dilivered with the server by your webhost. Usually it is located in the admin menu of your webserver, or within plesk -> databases -> databasename -> mysqladmin ->...

This is a console to execute sql commands directly on the sql database, this is also the place where the information is located that tells your site where and wich template to use..

When u enter a new template as being default (after module install wich is nothin more then adding the tables in your db) in the phpBB admin this information is being put inside the database..

so find mysqladmin by either figuring it out your self or chose the easy way by contacting your host

psps. if u run your own server mysqladmin is a free downloadable tool, just google it up and install it

December 28th, 2004, 11:45 pm

ps.ps.

cubechris wrote:

Im suffering similar problems, im getting the following error:

Code: [ Download ] [ Select ]

phpBB : Critical Error

Could not get theme data for themes_id [4]

1. phpBB : Critical Error
3. Could not get theme data for themes_id [4]

care to shed any light as to why?

It seems that u have multiple themes installed.. just query the tables phpBB_themes , phpBB_themes_name, to set back the default to themes_id = "1" wich is prob. the default phpBB theme!

Good luck..

ow ps, and be carefull, DONT ALTER THE THEMES_ID column itself!!

mail me if u need additional help for this, and if u dont have a clue on how the SQL works..

greetz may