[fixed] HUGE Very Bad BUG!

[brookelyn]

OK, I am going to try to explain this properly - it's really bizarre.
It appears when users change their email address is when this is happening. I have been getting tons of emails saying something similar to this:


to whom it may concern,

i seem to be having a few problems with hole.com.

1) i changed my email address - verified this change, and re-activated my account and although i was able to access hole.com i remained unable to post at all. (this occurred yesterday)

2) now (today) it says that my user name (sonicpisces) is invalid.

please let me know what i can do to regain access to hole.com.

Now, upon searching the memberlist, this member no longer exists! The same is true for other users that have emailed me - they changed their email address and poof they are gone. They're old posts are still showing up, but without a username saying they registered in Dec. 1969 - this looks totally bizarre and my board members call it "the ghost"

Another thing that has happened is that they won't be able to login, but are still in the memberlist - their old posts all turn to say they registered in Dec 1969 and all of their preferences in their profile are not displayed. The posts looks like this:
http://www.hole.com/soapbox/showthread.php?s=&threadid=48591


I've had atleast 10 users report this to me - THIS IS SERIOUS.
Please look into this, I cannot afford to have my members be mysteriously deleted from the database when they change their email address.

[bira]

Brooklyn I can;t access that link you provided. It seems if I;m not registered I cannot access. Can you give us a username/password for a test account so we can have a look?

In the mean time, what is most important is: can you find these users in the Control Panel? You didn't mention that.

[brookelyn]

you can login with
username: guest
password: guest

[brookelyn]

some users can be found in the control panel
some users dissapear all together.
the ones that show up as a "ghost" cannot be found in the control panel - i will try to locate one of those posts right now.

[bira]

Brooklyn,

can you check to see if you can find the user Coketo at all in the Control Panel?

Also, can you send me by e-mail you member.php and register.php files? my e-mail is goren@atlasf1.com

[brookelyn]

Yes, I can find Coketo in the Control Panel - it has all of her information she entered, but for some reason it is not showing up in the posts.


here is the user http://www.hole.com/soapbox/showthread.php?s=&postid=654829&highlight=sonicpisces#post654829 - it says registered Dec 1969 - also, if you click on her link to her profile, it says "invalid link" - she cannot be found in the member database


here is an example of a "ghost" thread - the user is missing from the member database:
http://www.hole.com/soapbox/showthread.php?s=&postid=453956&highlight=antihole.com#post453956

[bira]

Well, the php files are fine.

What you might want to do is close down your BB, run myisamchk and then via the control panel run "Update Users Info".

If you have the user in the control panel, then the users are not lost. It looks like a table record got corrupted and it's fixable.

[bira]

one other thing: I think the table that somehow got corrupted is the userfield table, which is used as the basis for the memberlist, actually.

[brookelyn]

What about the users that are being removed completely and aren't in the memberlist/control panel anymore?

[bira]

that they aren't in the memberlist isn't a big deal -- like I said, it's the userfield table that memberlist.php queries.

Find the userid (the number) for one of those users and do via phpMyAdmin or telnet:



SELECT username FROM user WHERE userid='xxx'


(replace xxx with the userid number).

If you get back that user's username - then his record is there just fine and it's probably just the userfield table that needs rebuilding. If nothing is returned, then that user record indeed was deleted.

I cannot tell you how though - there is no viable way that this happened through vBulletin's scripts. It has to be down to db table corruption.

[brookelyn]

what's the difference between myisamchk and isamchk?
i ran isamchk and it didn't find any corruptions or problems.
i talked to "coketo" today, and she said that she re-registered the name because it kept saying it was an invalid username.
i don't see how this could be due to table corruptions when i don't have any??!!

below is the results of running isamchk:

[root@server1 /root]# isamchk /var/lib/mysql/soapbox/*.ISM
Checking ISAM file: /var/lib/mysql/soapbox/access.ISM
Data records: 16 Deleted blocks: 0
- check file-size
- check delete-chain
- check index reference

---------

Checking ISAM file: /var/lib/mysql/soapbox/adminlog.ISM
Data records: 3549 Deleted blocks: 0
- check file-size
- check delete-chain
- check index reference

---------

Checking ISAM file: /var/lib/mysql/soapbox/announcement.ISM
Data records: 8 Deleted blocks: 0
- check file-size
- check delete-chain
- check index reference
- check data record references index: 1
- check data record references index: 2
- check record links

---------

Checking ISAM file: /var/lib/mysql/soapbox/attachment.ISM
Data records: 6480 Deleted blocks: 0
- check file-size
- check delete-chain
- check index reference
- check record links

---------

Checking ISAM file: /var/lib/mysql/soapbox/avatar.ISM
Data records: 0 Deleted blocks: 0
- check file-size
- check delete-chain
- check index reference

---------

Checking ISAM file: /var/lib/mysql/soapbox/bbcode.ISM
Data records: 9 Deleted blocks: 0
- check file-size
- check delete-chain
- check index reference
- check record links

---------

Checking ISAM file: /var/lib/mysql/soapbox/calendar_events.ISM
Data records: 49 Deleted blocks: 0
- check file-size
- check delete-chain
- check index reference
- check data record references index: 1
- check data record references index: 2
- check record links

---------

Checking ISAM file: /var/lib/mysql/soapbox/customavatar.ISM
Data records: 739 Deleted blocks: 1
- check file-size
- check delete-chain
- check index reference
- check record links

---------

Checking ISAM file: /var/lib/mysql/soapbox/forum.ISM
Data records: 16 Deleted blocks: 0
- check file-size
- check delete-chain
- check index reference

---------

Checking ISAM file: /var/lib/mysql/soapbox/forumpermission.ISM
Data records: 23 Deleted blocks: 0
- check file-size
- check delete-chain
- check index reference
- check data record references index: 1
- check data record references index: 2

---------

Checking ISAM file: /var/lib/mysql/soapbox/icon.ISM
Data records: 14 Deleted blocks: 0
- check file-size
- check delete-chain
- check index reference

---------

Checking ISAM file: /var/lib/mysql/soapbox/moderator.ISM
Data records: 0 Deleted blocks: 0
- check file-size
- check delete-chain
- check index reference

---------

Checking ISAM file: /var/lib/mysql/soapbox/poll.ISM
Data records: 834 Deleted blocks: 0
- check file-size
- check delete-chain
- check index reference
- check data record references index: 1
- check data record references index: 2
- check record links

---------

Checking ISAM file: /var/lib/mysql/soapbox/pollvote.ISM
Data records: 24648 Deleted blocks: 0
- check file-size
- check delete-chain
- check index reference
- check data record references index: 1
- check data record references index: 2

---------

Checking ISAM file: /var/lib/mysql/soapbox/post.ISM
Data records: 644033 Deleted blocks: 0
- check file-size
- check delete-chain
- check index reference
- check data record references index: 1
- check data record references index: 2
- check data record references index: 3
- check data record references index: 4
- check data record references index: 5
- check data record references index: 6
- check record links

---------

Checking ISAM file: /var/lib/mysql/soapbox/privatemessage.ISM
Data records: 20488 Deleted blocks: 0
- check file-size
- check delete-chain
- check index reference
- check data record references index: 1
- check data record references index: 2
- check record links

---------

Checking ISAM file: /var/lib/mysql/soapbox/profilefield.ISM
Data records: 4 Deleted blocks: 0
- check file-size
- check delete-chain
- check index reference

---------

Checking ISAM file: /var/lib/mysql/soapbox/replacement.ISM
Data records: 79 Deleted blocks: 0
- check file-size
- check delete-chain
- check index reference
- check data record references index: 1
- check data record references index: 2
- check record links

---------

Checking ISAM file: /var/lib/mysql/soapbox/replacementset.ISM
Data records: 2 Deleted blocks: 0
- check file-size
- check delete-chain
- check index reference

---------

Checking ISAM file: /var/lib/mysql/soapbox/search.ISM
Data records: 3329 Deleted blocks: 825
- check file-size
- check delete-chain
- check index reference
- check data record references index: 1
- check data record references index: 2
- check data record references index: 3
- check record links

---------

Checking ISAM file: /var/lib/mysql/soapbox/searchindex.ISM
Data records: 10194584 Deleted blocks: 0
- check file-size
- check delete-chain
- check index reference

[John]

Brookelyn,

Can you post the output from user and userfield tables from isamchk.

Thanks,
John

[brookelyn]

[root@server1 /root]# isamchk /var/lib/mysql/soapbox/user.ISM
Checking ISAM file: /var/lib/mysql/soapbox/user.ISM
Data records: 15710 Deleted blocks: 0
- check file-size
- check delete-chain
- check index reference
- check data record references index: 1
- check data record references index: 2
- check record links
[root@server1 /root]# isamchk /var/lib/mysql/soapbox/userfield.ISM
Checking ISAM file: /var/lib/mysql/soapbox/userfield.ISM
Data records: 15746 Deleted blocks: 0
- check file-size
- check delete-chain
- check index reference

[Castel]

I need help or a fix for the exact same problem. i have posted it twice already (one time here in the "bug report" forum but it ended up in the archive after a newer release) and just a few days ago in the "vb questions" forum ( see here (http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=16001))


Right now I just removed the email changing option from the template, but the users are not thrilled about it. I have been plagued with this bug/problem since beta 3.

[Mike Sullivan]

Brookelyn -- email me with phpMyAdmin access and I'll take a look at it.

[brookelyn]

Originally posted by Castel
I need help or a fix for the exact same problem. i have posted it twice already (one time here in the "bug report" forum but it ended up in the archive after a newer release) and just a few days ago in the "vb questions" forum ( see here (http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=16001))


Right now I just removed the email changing option from the template, but the users are not thrilled about it. I have been plagued with this bug/problem since beta 3.

me too, this is the second time i've posted about it actually.

[Raptor]

ive also had similar problems since B3

if a user changes his email address the board does not send a confirmation

and if a new user registers it doesnt send them an email confirmation

at present I have almost 3000 members with awaiting user confirmation status

can someone look at my board ?

[brookelyn]

Originally posted by Raptor
ive also had similar problems since B3

if a user changes his email address the board does not send a confirmation

and if a new user registers it doesnt send them an email confirmation

at present I have almost 3000 members with awaiting user confirmation status

can someone look at my board ?

that's different than what we are talking about.
maybe your sendmail stuff is messed up?

[Raptor]

in what way ?

all cgi scripts using sendmail work fine on the server - how can I check this within the forum software ?

I run index fixes through telnet regularly and i keep the board highly maintained. This is the only issue that the board has I really need it looked at

[Mike Sullivan]

I checked out brookelyn's board today and this is quite strange: the records are in userfield, but not user. As a matter of fact, there are a bunch of users like that. You can find out if you have anything like that with this query:

SELECT userfield.userid FROM userfield LEFT JOIN user ON user.userid=userfield.userid WHERE user.userid IS NULL;

I'm baffled as there's nothing in vB to delete records just from the user table...

[brookelyn]

all users that have reported this problem to me (about 10) have said the problems happened when they changed their email address - anyway to look at what is happening when someone changes their email address - perhaps there is something in the code??

[brookelyn]

this is somewhat related and could be why i can't reproduce the bug on your board. on my board i require users to confirm their email address - what is strange is that it treats them as if they have not registered and they are not allowed to post until confirmed - perhaps this bit is somehow causing the problem? why not just make the email address stay the same as the previously confirmed one until they confirm the new one - why does their entire account need to be invalid until they confirm it?

i had a contest recently and put all new registrations through the moderation queue to be activated after the contest ended to prevent people from registering multiple times just to vote - i had a lot of users who ended up in that queue just because they had changed their email address - those things should be seperate in my opinion.

[Castel]

Ed, it's the same over here. I have 22 more records in userfield table and all those IDs are gone from the user table.

[vanessa]

same problem in my forum. users have said the problems happened when they changed their email address, as reported before...please help!

yours vanessa

[brookelyn]

are you guys working on this or still saying that it must be my database that is corrupt? i don't think that's the case and i really hope you are working to fix this bug.

thanks,
brooke

[Freddie Bingham]

As of yet we have not duplicated the problem.

[amykhar]

This just happened on my board as well. A user changed her email address and for a brief moment showed up in the users awaiting moderation queue. Then, poof, she was gone.

Board config - unique email required. approval required to register, private board.


Amy

http://www.epinionaddicts.com

[amykhar]

Is there any way to disable members changing their email addresses until this is resolved?

Amy

[amykhar]

More info.

It seems to happen only to users that I imported from UBB. Also, it seems to happen when the member is moved from the queue where they are waiting for email validation, and the registration moderation queue.

Amy

[brookelyn]

freddie,

i don't see how it c ould be reproduced on this board when their is no email validation required ...

[tubedogg]

He's not necessarily just talking about this board. They have test boards set up, as well as their own boards.

[Castel]

Originally posted by amykhar
Is there any way to disable members changing their email addresses until this is resolved?

Amy

You can just take that option out of the modifyprofile template and replace it with 2 hidden fields



<input type="hidden" name="email" value="$bbuserinfo[email]">
<input type="hidden" name="emailconfirm" value="$bbuserinfo[email]">


That is what I am doing currently until this problem can be fixed.

[Castel]

For the record. I also require email confirmation, unique email, no mulitple accounts for the same email. I cannot confirm 100% it only happens to old UBB imported members like amykhar mentioned but all the accounts I have restored manually have all been long time members and most likely UBB imports.

[ThePenguin]

This has happened to me too on at least three occassions, most recently today with RC3. My userfield table has two more entries in it than my user table. In the past I had them register again and then changed their usernumber to match their original registration so that their posts are again then linked. I then delete the most recent entry in userfield. This does work but is kind of tedious. I have email confirmation, unique email, and no multiple accounts for the same email also turned on. I also approve each before posting privs are granted but I doubt this part is related. It only seems to happen when they change email addresses (and I don't know if it is *everyone* either).

[John]

Brooklyn et al,

Are you moderating new registrations? Or were these people COPPA users?

Thanks,
John

[ThePenguin]

Hi John. Although I am moderating new registrations, the people whom this has happened to have never been 'new'. The one I just corrected a few hours ago had 49 posts (and had just changed her email address).

[brookelyn]

Originally posted by John
Brooklyn et al,

Are you moderating new registrations? Or were these people COPPA users?

Thanks,
John

i was moderating new registrations for 3 days, but other than that have never moderated new registrations - it has occured inside and outside of this period when i was.

none of the users were COPPA users.

it is happening when a user is changing their email address

[John]

Hmm, ok.

Can you try commenting out line 1131 of user.php, which looks like this:


$DB_site->query("DELETE FROM user WHERE joindate<$datecut AND usergroupid=4");


Do this by adding a # to the beginning of that line.

Let me know how that goes.

John

[amykhar]

I moderate registrations. We do not allow minors to register.

Amy

[Castel]

Originally posted by John
Brooklyn et al,

Are you moderating new registrations? Or were these people COPPA users?

Thanks,
John

Yes I moderate new registrations, but as far as I can tell all the accounts it has happened to were older accounts (imported from UBB).

I do not use the COPPA registration however.

[John]

OK. Be sure to apply that fix that I suggested above as soon as possible, and I will put a proper fix into the next release. That fix will stop anything else being deleted.

I am sorry, but those accounts that have been deleted are gone for good.

John

[amykhar]

Dumb question time. If the member tries to re-register, she can't because it says her username is taken. She can't use a different username because we have strict requirements about usernames.

How can I either clean out all traces of her existance so that she can rejoin, or have her rejoin under a different name and then change her name to the proper one?

I am EXTREMELY new with MySQL or databases of any kind, but I can follow directions if they are clear. I only have the one affected user because other instances were test accounts that I set up.

Amy

[ThePenguin]

I had no problem with them re-registering once deleted. We only permit unique usernames too but once they were deleted, they were completely gone from the user table and could re-register without any problem.

[Castel]

John,

The fix is working great, haven't dropped a member since implementing the fix. Just one minor problem now. Members who change their email end up in "New Users awaiting Moderation" after they verify the new email address. (I use both email verification and moderate new account).

Just a minor detail, at least they are not getting deleted anymore.

[John]

OK, that's great.

I'm fairly sure that is a feature, but I'll have to check up on that.

John

[Mike Sullivan]

Castel -- unfortunately that's unavoidable (without writing new rountines)....

*thinks*

Maybe not. Lemme get your opinion on this. :)

If a user modifies his/her email and is set back to "awaiting activation", when they click on the link in the email, they go to the validation process.

Here's where we add a new exception. If they have 1 or more posts and you do moderation, just put them in the registered group again. It's not fool proof, but should help.

Lemme know what you think -- it's a 1 or 2 line change.

[jucs]

I would just like to know if this bug is fixed in the release due out on Monday?:confused:

[tubedogg]

I would assume, since the word [fixed] appears in the subject line. :)

[Castel]

Ed

That would make sense, since the account was already approved when they first registered. It's really no big deal to me but I just wanted to mention it. At least there are no more accounts deleted now.

[brookelyn]

so is it a problem that user and userfield dont have the same number of records? do i need to do something to fix this?

[Castel]

Originally posted by brookelyn
so is it a problem that user and userfield dont have the same number of records? do i need to do something to fix this?

The problem as fixed with the latest release. I did delete the userfields records that had no matching user record, but I doubt that leaving them would cause more users to be deleted.

Ed, will the small issue I mentioned be fixed in the next release? The already registered users ending up in "Awaiting Moderation" after changing emails? It would make more sense for them to end up back in the "Registered" group right away after confirming email.