Existing site failing upload

[cobbler]

After using V6 for years, it recently started to give occasional time out errors, but I can get over these, and anyhow, as I'm planning on switching to a V9 site, I decided to fix the issue later on. (Maybe my first mistake.)

Then I find that my V9 site, based on a V6 snapshot, won't upload, gives
"500 internal server error" and network settings fail test.

Actinic support tested my network settings and found no fault .
Clara.net also say they found no fault in site settings at their end.

I uploaded my V9 site to Actinic trial space. This worked except for a clickable image used to enter the store, which gives a "404 Not found" error,
and the shopping cart returns a general script error with regard to "the advanced shipping plug-in script"

Now, after about a week, I can no longer upload V6 or V9 to Clara.net as the time outs seem to have got worse, and I can't access the trial space either.
I get various errors, including time outs and unable to connect to the server, cgi permission errors etc. I have checked permissions at Clara.net
with filezilla, and they are set to 755 for the acatalog and cgi-bin folders. (I have also tried 777)

I've tried emptying the acatalog and cgi-bin folders before attempting upload, but to no avail.
I've also tried uploading the actinic demo site from V9 using my network settings. The settings pass the test, but it won't upload.

If it wasn't for the fact that I am now having trouble uploading to the trial site I would have said this was a hosting issue but now I'm not so sure.

I've tried actinic and clara.net support, and I've searched the forum, so by looking at it with fresh eyes, I wonder if anyone can suggest a course
of action to try and pin this problem down.

Thanks in advance!

[jont]

AFAIK Clara are OK at the moment (fingers crossed) but as this is affecting Actinic Trial and CLARA it could be something else.

Have you tried reinstalling a known working snapshot of your v6 site and uploading that? Try disabling any firewall / security features that may have updated themselves and now blocking Actinic.

[cobbler]

Thanks for the reply jonty; on a sunny Sunday too!!

I sort of knew this was a self inflicted wound, but I couldn't grasp what it was I might have done...... until now.

A few weeks ago I upgraded V6 from DHBA to EGRA and got an error message on upload that the server and client version's scripts were incompatible, not surprising with hindsight. I used Windows System Restore to get back to a workable version and thought nothing more of it. It can't be coincidence that the problems started not long, although not immediately, after this.

I think I've been approaching this all wrong in focussing on V9. So tommorrow, I will uninstall all versions of Catalog, reinstall V6, patch up to day number 6EGRA and then follow your suggestion of trying the last known working snapshot. I'll post the results as soon as I have them........


Once again many thanks for the input

[RuralWeb]

your not alone as I have a site which started doing the same recently. Its not a hosting issue as other sites I have are on the same host. There is definately something odd happening with actinic IMO

[cobbler]

O.K. folks, this is what I have tried today:

Uninstall all versions of Actinic and re-install V6 (6.1.3.0.0.0.dhba) from disc.
Manually enter my network settings into demo store and test, three times, all pass ok

I have 3 V6 snapshots, but only one is compatible with 6.1.3.0.0.0.dhba, so I import it and test the network settings five times. All pass ok except the
2nd test, which times out.

Attempt upload, fails as before, with time out errors. I converted the site to Actinic host and tried to upload to test space which gives the error message:

Actinic is not able to run the cgi scripts on the server. The most likely cause is that you have an incorrect cgi-bin url. It appears as if the scripts are not installed. Check your cgi script id in the advanced/network setup dialog. Review your network settings in the advanced/network setup dialog. check the cgi bin url and cgi script id or contact your mail administrator.


Then, I uninstalled V6 and reinstalled V6 (6.1.5.0.0.0.egra) from the Actinic download site. With this version, I can try the remaining snapshots. I imported one of the snapshots and tested the network settings 6 times: I got 4 passes and 2 failures. Attempt upload which times out again as before.

One last try:
Uninstall, re-install, (v6.1.5.0.0.0.egra) and attempt to upload the demo site, so no snapshot is involved. This also times out, several times. After cancelling the upload, I get a new error: "Internal Application Error"

I have also spoken to claranet again, and they are adamant that there is no fault at their end. They even uploaded some test files for me to prove it.

I will next investigate firewall/router problem possibilities........

[TraceyG]

Hi Ian,

If you would like me to test your settings from here then export your network settings (Advanced | Network Setup | Export) and email them to me at tgsupport [@] actinic [dot] co [dot] uk, that might help figure out if it is a firewall/router/internet connection problem.

[cobbler]

Thank you Tracey, I will mail you the settings, although someone at support has already tested them and found no fault.

I think I am getting closer to a solution though:

I use McAfee total protection, and I uninstalled this, using their own removal tool so as to minimise the risk of leaving something lurking on the system,
and then tried all combinations of XP and router firewalls, including none (eek!) but it made no difference.
I re-installed McAfee total protection, and, more out of desperation than expectation, tried an upload of my V6 site.
As a new installation, McAfee asked permission to allow Actinic to accept incoming traffic and Version 6 now responds like an eager puppy
and works faultlessly, at least as far as upload, and refresh/upload is concerned: I have yet to test funcionality of the site.

I really thought I'd cracked it, but my V9 site is still not responding, and times out as before..........

[NormanRouxel]

As you're pretty much looking for last-resort solutions, why not lug PC to a neighbours and see if it uploads from there.

That way your router, ISP, etc can be removed from the equation.

Easy if you use a laptop, but a pain if it's a desktop.

[cobbler]

Thanks Norman, this is option is "on the list" but I haven't quite finished the McAfee Firewall route yet.

When I sent Tracey my network settings I added the following to the e-mail:

"However, I've just had a thought:
V6 now works, V9 doesn't. The only difference is that V6 was present when I reinstalled McAfee, and V9 was installed afterwards. It's a long shot, but I might try uninstalling all Actinic applications and McAfee (yet again) and then installing V6/V9/Mcafee, in that order."

This is what happened:

1/ Uninstall V9
2/ Uninstall McAfee and restart
3/ Reinstall V9 and restart again
4/ Check that V6 is still uploading OK: No it aint, "an error occurred while sending the merge request" Tried a refresh and get time outs etc as before.
5/ Press on with the original plan and reinstall McAfee, restart
6/ Open V9, enter my network settings into the demo site and test (McAfee asks if I want to allow Actinic to accept incoming traffic, click yes) passes test
7/ Switch the site to test mode and upload. IT WORKS!!!!!!
8/ Place test order and everything seems ok

Maybe there is some conflict between McAfee and Actinic? McAfee updates itself at regular intervals and it could be that one of their updates wrecked it for me.

I'm now off for beer and football, but tomorrow I'll try my own site; fingers crossed.

Thanks to everyone for your help, advice and, above all, patience

[cobbler]

It was too good to be true andall went belly up this morning so I tried a fresh start:

Remove McAfee and all versions of Actinic
Turn off XP Firewall
Remove acatalog and empty cgi-bin folder
(This is as "clean" as I can get it)

Install V9 and switch Demo site to test mode
Attempt upload and get time out errors

Enable XP firewall
Open V9 and convert Demo site to production mode
At this point XP firewall asks if I would like to "unblock" this program, click yes and test network settings, which pass ok

Still in production mode I convert to Actinic trial and click publish to web
I get several ftp errors, "unable to establish connection with the server"

disable XP firewall and restart the PC

Open V9 and attempt to upload again to Actinic trial and this now works
(I've visited the site, placed orders etc, and everything is working)

Switch back to production mode, enter network settings and test
I get the ftp error, "unable to establish connection with the server" on the first two tests, but on the third try it passes
Switch to test mode and attempt upload but it times out.
Switch back to production mode and convert back to Actinic trial and this now fails with the following error message:
Actinic received a network error while communicating with the portal. Try again later and contact your network
administrator if the problem persist. A connection with the server could not be established.


So, I get errors with and without a firewall, in test and production mode, and with Clara.net and Actinic trial hosting.
I might buy another router, of a different make, and see if this makes any difference and/or I will take Norman's suggestion and try an upload through a different connection.

As I'm in danger of boring everyone with this I'll probably address any other queries regarding this direct to Actinic support, but if anyone is still interested in me continuing to post here let me know.


Thanks again everybody

[Mike Hughes]

The

accept incoming traffic

bit sounds like an FTP problem.

try enabling 'passive' ftp (or of it's already enabled try disabling it).

Mike

[cobbler]

Thanks Mike, I've tried all combinations of use passive ftp transfers, ignore passive transfer errors, and use enhanced ftp but nothing worked.
As we speak I have the V9 demo site, with XP's firewall on, working on Actinic trial. Publish to web works every time, now I need to decide what to try next: either a purge and refresh, import my snapshot, or convert the trial to a test site and try to upload to my own host. Whatever I do I think I'll break it again.

I get the feeling that this will turn out to be one of those ".........it's ok, it's not plugged in at the mains" moments, but I don't mind any quantity of
egg-on-face if I could just get the thing working again.

[Sean Williams]

I know it's widely used, but whenever I've had occasion to use McAffee, it's been a real headache. I won't allow it anywhere near my systems.

Assuming you're protected behind a decent router and it's firewall, try getting rid of McAffee completely (ie; purge the registry manually etc) and give everything a go (apart from email of course!).
(if I was at the stage you're at - I'd also do a manual purge of all Actinic stuff too.)
In fact, I was at a similar stage a few weeks ago (not with Actinic) and formatted the disc, reinstalled XP and my apps, bought another HDD and Acronis and cloned the blinking thing. Slightest sign of trouble now and I just bring on the 'virgin' installation. Marvellous!
Why oh why didn't I do this years ago
Of course, only a decent solution if all data is on a separate disc to start with ....

[cobbler]

Hi Sean, I take your point about reformatting etc, but I hope the situation is not quite that drastic yet!

Anyhow, here's the thing:
rather than risk breaking the working demo site, not that it's any practical use to me obviously, I tried an upload from my laptop installation. This has always failed in the same way as all the others .......until now. My own site snapshot went straight up to the Actinic trial space. So I tried an upload to claranet in test mode, this failed with a script error, but no time out errors, so I used purge and refresh in the troubleshooting section and it went straight up too. I've placed test orders and have no problem. (It's worth mentioning that the laptop also has McAfee installed)

Now: egg-on-face time, I can't use Purge and Refresh in troubleshooting on my desktop inastallation 'cause it's greyed out. (I checked out the help file and it's shown greyed out in the screen shot used there too?) How do I make this option active?

[Sean Williams]

Hi Ian
I'm afraid I can't help with that. Clutching at straws here - is it in Test Mode? Or Demo mode perhaps?

Regarding the previous errors, I clean forgot an experience I had the other day.

I found I couldn't update or refresh reliably - just kept giving errors/crashing/hanging/spewing forth .dmp files etc.

I switched off the computer and on again - no joy. Switched off the Router, waited 10 secs and on again - sorted!
There's a cache in the Router apparently, which evidently can cause odd things to happen. I had been using Filezilla during that session as well ...

HTH