Forum Issues

[Arioch]

I have noticed lately that the forums log me out regularly, and that I get an HTTP 500 error after making a post. Are others having these issues, or is it just me?

[Snoofman]

Not error 500 message. But I do notice that when I submit a post on some forums, the page goes blank and I am forced to retrace a step before posting it again.

[QuakeIV]

You should get another page colored and post it so we can talk about it to test the issue

[Krulle]

No issues on my side.
But may be your hoster.
(resetting stored cookies to limit attack possibilities)

[elizibar]

You should get another page colored and post it so we can talk about it to test the issue

Sneaky

[Moon Moth]

I get logged off after somewhere between 0.5 and 3 hours of inactivity. I've been assuming that was some account or browser setting I forgot about (it seems like something I'd choose). I haven't noticed the 500 error, yet.

Edit: didn't see one then.

Edit 2: Or then.

[SaintofM]

Not error 500 message. But I do notice that when I submit a post on some forums, the page goes blank and I am forced to retrace a step before posting it again.

I had this same one. A refresh usualy helps, but it can easily lead one to make an accidental double post as they think they might have lost everything they posted

[Demarquis]

I have a weird thing--when I submit a new post, I get sent to a blank page, with no way of getting back to the thread. I have to manually type in the main forum page, or else Google and look for it that way.

Except it's not consistent--for example that didn't happen just now.

[Moon Moth]

I have a weird thing--when I submit a new post, I get sent to a blank page, with no way of getting back to the thread. I have to manually type in the main forum page, or else Google and look for it that way.

Except it's not consistent--for example that didn't happen just now.

That just happened to me a few minutes ago.

Edit: and here, too.

[SaintofM]

It posts but normaly yu would think it dosn't. You either have to refresh or hi the back button which is strang

[Hālian]

When I've made posts today, I get sent to a blank page upon clicking “Submit” instead of the usual successful post screen, but the post is successful nonetheless.

e: …except this one for some reason.

[Demarquis]

The same thing is still happening to me, and in addition, I find that the system sometimes doesn't recognize when I am signed in.

[gaerzi]

Haven't noticed a problem here, but the Stars in Shadow forums have been out of service for a while now.

[Hālian]

When I've made posts today, I get sent to a blank page upon clicking “Submit” instead of the usual successful post screen, but the post is successful nonetheless.

e: …except this one for some reason.

Now the forum throws a 500 every time I post, but the post posts anyway.

[Hālian]

Haven't noticed a problem here, but the Stars in Shadow forums have been out of service for a while now.

The forum is back up, but the site's SSL certificate expired in March.

[Arioch]

When I've made posts today, I get sent to a blank page upon clicking “Submit” instead of the usual successful post screen, but the post is successful nonetheless.

e: …except this one for some reason.

Now the forum throws a 500 every time I post, but the post posts anyway.

Yeah, that's what it does to me, has been this way for a while. It also makes me re-login pretty much every time I visit the page. I don't know what's causing these problems.

What I'll do at some point is update to a newer phpBB version in the hope that will fix it... and then if that doesn't work I suppose the next option would be to back up the data and reinstall clean. I'm definitely not looking forward to that. At least at the moment things are functional, so we can limp along as is for the time being. I disabled email verification for new users so at least people can sign up now (this was preventing it before, as for some reason the new user verification emails weren't being sent).

I don't have any access to the SiS web servers, so I don't know what problems Sven is having there.

[Bamax]

I have noticed lately that the forums log me out regularly, and that I get an HTTP 500 error after making a post. Are others having these issues, or is it just me?

I have had my screen go white and refresh everytime I make a new post.

Occasionally the site will say too many users and won't open.

As to why I don't know, and I hate to say it, but can you rule out bad actors (hackers with time on their hands and an ax to grind for one reason or another)?

It's worth noting that there are people whose default is conflict escalation rather than deescalation.

For example, I was using a public toilet, and in the stall next to me I hear a loud thud and commotion. Then I see the empty toilet paper roll violently hurled to the floor as it slides into my stall, nearly hitting my feet.

All of that because he was upset over no toilet paper, when the sensible thing would be to double check first, not sit his bare ass on a public toilet sit (there are no seat covers) and not bother to even check if there is any toilet paper first.

Anyway he left the stall, only to return shortly later after which I hear another thud and more commotion. Judging by the fact that he stayed in the stall this time, I can only presume that he refilled the toliet paper himself, but angrily and with much force.

Now imagine someone with the same attitude problem but they have hacking skills and for one reason or another they decide to target your forum.

These are days when polarizing people and extremism are profitable and popular, so I would not be suprised if even this forum is a casualty of the culture wars.

You live here in California.... and it has a LOT of that.

[Arioch]

As to why I don't know, and I hate to say it, but can you rule out bad actors (hackers with time on their hands and an ax to grind for one reason or another)?

I think that's extremely unlikely. External DOS-style attacks would not cause these issues, and if someone had gained direct access to the account, they could do much more damaging things than cause intermittent annoying glitches.