[Bug / Issue] Another SLL issue

[JDekkers]

Hi all,

We have been using VBulletin for years now and we want to move to SSL. Unfortunately we keep getting these errors. We have been trying (as far as we know), all guides and tips what we could find here on the forum. All help is much appreciated;

[Thu Jul 27 10:30:59.058978 2017] [:error] [pid 12396] [client XXXXXX] PHP Fatal error: require_once(): Failed opening required '/home/dc015/domains/config.php' (include_path='.:/usr/local/php56/lib/php') in /home/dc015/domains/wijhebbensarcoidose.nl/public_html/includes/vb5/config.php on line 65, referer: http://www.wijhebbensarcoidose.nl/admincp/index.php?do=nav
[Thu Jul 27 10:31:05.740249 2017] [:error] [pid 12335] [client XXXXXX] PHP Warning: require_once(/home/dc015/domains/config.php): failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /home/dc015/domains/wijhebbensarcoidose.nl/public_html/includes/vb5/config.php on line 65
[Thu Jul 27 10:31:05.740355 2017] [:error] [pid 12335] [client XXXXXXXX] PHP Fatal error: require_once(): Failed opening required '/home/dc015/domains/config.php' (include_path='.:/usr/local/php56/lib/php') in /home/dc015/domains/wijhebbensarcoidose.nl/public_html/includes/vb5/config.php on line 65

[Lexus!]

Together with JDekkers I tried to set our forum to SSL.

Directly after setting the 3 urls in the admin from http to https, both the frontend and admin doesn't work anymore. The error we get while visiting the frontend is error 500.

I also tried to redirect all http trafic to https with htaccess, but even that doesn't solve the issue.

The topic below seems to be the same problem, but trying that solution didn't help us:

https://www.vbulletin.com/forum/forum/vbulletin-5-connect/vbulletin-5-connect-questions-problems-troubleshooting/vbulletin-5-support-issues-questions/4360351-http-to-https-help

[glennrocksvb]

What URL is throwing HTTP error 500?

[JDekkers]

https://www.wijhebbensarcoidose.nl

[glennrocksvb]

Was the SSL certificate installed properly?

[Wayne Luke]

The PHP error in the original post is that PHP cannot see the config.php file for some reason. If you're using the same file structure with non-SSL and SSL, then you need to talk to the Server Administrator. If you are using the old school method of having a separate HTTPS directory, you need to rename /config.php.bkp to /config.php.

[Lexus!]

We use the the same folder through the symbolic link setting: "Use a symbolic link from private_html to public_html - allows for same data in http and https"

I'm the administrator, and as far I can see, SSL is working correctly. (https://wijhebbensarcoidose.nl/LICENSE)
At SSL Server test we got an A rating:

https://www.ssllabs.com/ssltest/analyze.html?d=wijhebbensarcoidose.nl&hideResults=on

I also saw the strange call to the config.php. I did not test the config.php.bkp, I will try asap.

[Lexus!]

I tried, but also renaming the .bkp to php results in the same error 500. The Direct Admin logs say:

[Fri Aug 04 12:01:57.961535 2017] [:error] [pid 27943] [client ip:53957] PHP Warning: require_once(/home/dc015/domains/config.php): failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /home/dc015/domains/wijhebbensarcoidose.nl/public_html/includes/vb5/config.php on line 65
[Fri Aug 04 12:01:57.961715 2017] [:error] [pid 27943] [client ip:53957] PHP Fatal error: require_once(): Failed opening required '/home/dc015/domains/config.php' (include_path='.:/usr/local/php56/lib/php') in /home/dc015/domains/wijhebbensarcoidose.nl/public_html/includes/vb5/config.php on line 65

I even tried to change the internal forum path in the config.php in core/includes, but that didn't work either and gives the same errors.

It seems to be a path issue, but where to correct?

[glennrocksvb]

It is looking for the config.php in the wrong directory '/home/dc015/domains/config.php' .

[Wayne Luke]

There are two config.php files... One in the root directory of vBulletin and one in /core/includes.

[Lexus!]

It is looking for the config.php in the wrong directory '/home/dc015/domains/config.php' .

True, that's wat I understand from the logs..

There are two config.php files... One in the root directory of vBulletin and one in /core/includes.

I also found these two config.php files.
Based on earlier posts, the config.php in root is replaced by the bkp version.
Like I wrote earlier, I tried to edit the forumpath variable in the config.php in /core/includes, but that didn't change the search path in the logs. Now it's empty again, like it was.

So both of you were right, but what can I do?

[Wayne Luke]

If you renamed config.php.bkp to config.php and /core/includes/config.php.new to /core/includes/config.php and the server cannot find the files it is a either a permission error on the server. Or the server has some sort of security settings preventing the web server from viewing the files. Neither of these are something we can solve for you. Only your hosting provider or server administrator can help you resolve server errors.

That the software worked before trying to move to SSL points to server configuration issues. vBulletin doesn't actually care or do anything different on SSL or Non-SSL. The only thing you have to do in vBulletin is updating your URLs so the software points to the correct version you want. This doesn't change any behavior or require any changes to files if it worked previously.

[Lexus!]

Yes, I renamed (and updated) both config files, but that doesn't help.

My hoster looked to this topic and tells me this can't be a server issue. SSL works fine, there is a virtual pointer from https to http.

I still think it's strange the log file shows me vBulletin is looking for a config file that place. It's looking 2 folders above the normal root:

Log file: /home/dc015/domains/config.php

Should be: /home/dc015/domains/wijhebbensarcoidose.nl/public_html/config.php
Or: /home/dc015/domains/wijhebbensarcoidose.nl/public_html/core/includes/config.php

But, now I'm in the middle of a discussion, pointing to eachother while I can't figure out the problem or be able to run my forum with SSL. I hope you can find something else this can cause these issue.

[Mark.B]

Hosts ALAWAYS say "it's a software issue" so that's not going to have any bearing on it to be honest. If the software had a bug, which is what they are implying, we'd have hundreds if not thousands of customers reporting it.

It's important to ensure no changes are made to any of the configuration files beyond the database information. There are lines within them that contain paths and sometimes people seem to change these. They should all be default. Even if it looks wrong. Changes to these paths can cause the errors you are seeing.

It may be worth downloading fresh copies of the two config files, reconfiguring the core config file with the database info, and uploading these with no other changes.

[Wayne Luke]

Yes, I renamed (and updated) both config files, but that doesn't help.

My hoster looked to this topic and tells me this can't be a server issue. SSL works fine, there is a virtual pointer from https to http.

I still think it's strange the log file shows me vBulletin is looking for a config file that place. It's looking 2 folders above the normal root:

Log file: /home/dc015/domains/config.php

Should be: /home/dc015/domains/wijhebbensarcoidose.nl/public_html/config.php
Or: /home/dc015/domains/wijhebbensarcoidose.nl/public_html/core/includes/config.php

But, now I'm in the middle of a discussion, pointing to eachother while I can't figure out the problem or be able to run my forum with SSL. I hope you can find something else this can cause these issue.

When vBulletin builds a directory name, it asks the server what our current directory is. The most common method to do this is the __DIR__ constant in PHP. From there, we can traverse the vBulletin file structure as needed because we know where everything is. We expect the value to be correct. If the file is in /home/dc015/domains/wijhebbensarcoidose.nl/public_html/core/includes/ that is the answer that we expect. If the server returns /home/dc015/domains/, our software has to assume it is true. Now if there are permission issues where PHP cannot see some subdirectories for whatever reason, they won't be included in the returned path. PHP thinks it is in /home/dc015/domains/.

This is not something under our control and a pure server configuration issue that comes down to the user that PHP executes under and the permissions granted. It has nothing to do with pointers unless the PHP user does not have access to an endpoint for some reason.

Please note that in many environments, PHP is not a distinct user and is accessed using the same user as the web server. However, if the server is using something like SUEXEC, these users will be different and must have their own permissions.

Unzip the attached file and put it in the /core/ directory. Load it in your browser. What is the output?