PDA

View Full Version : Wordpress Site Completely Corrupted. What Happened ?



Harold Mansfield
12-15-2009, 05:19 PM
Today I went in to edit an index.php file, like I do every day for the last 2 years on one of my Wordpress themes (adding video) and all hell broke lose.

First, after the first edit, the site would not display anything but gibberish symbols. Thinking I made a mistake, I uploaded the original file from the theme..still no change.
I checked all of my FTP settings to makes sure that I had not changed some encoding setting and re-uploaded the file.
Still the same gibberish, but at least I was able to access WP-Admin, but the theme is not showing up properly in the Appearance area.

It seems to me that even though the files look normal when I open them, they are not actually normal or else why would they be displaying gibberish code?
I reinstalled FTP, Set back to default. Cleaned and restarted my computer..reinstalled the file and still gibberish.

I checked all other files of the theme and they all look perfectly normal as they had for the last year or so..no changes.
So since I had not made any big edits to the theme files, I figure I'd reinstall the original files. Big mistake, now the entire site is completely corrupted and displays gibberish...

What could have caused such a catastrophe? Just doing normal edits how could everything have gotten corrupt ?

The only change to my normal routine is that I am working from my laptop using a wireless broadband connection, but I have done that many times in the past and that really shouldn't have anything to do with it.

I have tech support working on it now, and I am sure they will at least be able to restore it a few hours back, but has anyone every had such a thing happen ?

The files look normal via FTP but they aren't..something is corrupting them.

What is going on?

billbenson
12-15-2009, 06:14 PM
Probably a corrupted db, not the site. someone else had one and only one table corrupted in his db. He's a "real" programmer - computer science university professor - and didn't figure out what caused it.

Go into phpmyadmin and look at your tables that have posts and other tables and see if they have jibberish. Particularly the post that has the index file if that is the one with the problems.

Could be a hack that is causing a valid database to display gibberish?

Harold Mansfield
12-15-2009, 06:26 PM
Probably a corrupted db, not the site. someone else had one and only one table corrupted in his db. He's a "real" programmer - computer science university professor - and didn't figure out what caused it.

Go into phpmyadmin and look at your tables that have posts and other tables and see if they have jibberish. Particularly the post that has the index file if that is the one with the problems.

Could be a hack that is causing a valid database to display gibberish?

I called tech support to figure it out.
In the meanwhile, I figured I'd check my uploading and installed a new theme (just purchased) onto a new domain, new IP address and got the same thing. The file displays gibberish.
Different database and everything.

painperdu
12-15-2009, 06:30 PM
What type of gibberish? Can we have a look/see? Link?

billbenson
12-15-2009, 07:05 PM
Is your FTP program set to Auto, ascII, binary. Pretty sure binary is just for images so if is set to that, it would probably mess up all your files. Try installing a different ftp program and see what happens.

It's sounding like its something on your end, not the server.

Harold Mansfield
12-15-2009, 07:14 PM
Is your FTP program set to Auto, ascII, binary. Pretty sure binary is just for images so if is set to that, it would probably mess up all your files. Try installing a different ftp program and see what happens.

It's sounding like its something on your end, not the server.
FTP is set to auto.

I'm starting to think it has something to do with the new firmware update on my wireless attachment.
The part that is perplexing is...the files look normal. When I open them..all the code is there just as it should be. Nothing out of the ordinary, however, when I upload them it comes out like this:


x�WMo�6='@��T0 ����v�El�C� �EQ�4���H����E�{��$;�㸇�&#37;��8�7o���^@E+3˕L� k�XcI?P���b:��������iͺ$�����"^4���Җx��ҘZn�p~��C&�1���K�~1�X��ğц�8��|�_xYYX;�T͛��JY����'��+P'�,�ӂJn g��QZ�Z��,Ƨ,Y֥�Z�r=T&<[L&d ��7��/���X�M*��7��~��9,?}���\~��\���p�|p`N��z�������?'�' �gg���[2�����4j���*Wm���lȷ�2%T�Q� ӥ ���j�����a�ס��I�SoY�Q;���!,��vɰ�8�՟S�i��KV�� `Agҩ�U &}���3O^���ПI?6:ء���2�I jf�]j���X�3�;Ƃ����l�Y�tn�K��f%�K�J� +�1C������,�<�\��'���&�9,�\�.����cU�O66���.H/�L��2��O��a���δQ��q���+�SS�O h�ŗ�e�o�X�C��K�!��>L��zB��\�{@җ \�Ҏ�Է��٧ֻ�ku�еٷ��V�$b�C[PiD���-M�8����a����V��)�c����^p�ʜf�X�LgU@�8q���zҤ\r��@�t� �u|����R�����s�;9�PHH$i�R�E#,�B��Ji;,Q��hq�� � �����X�7sei|��!�r9����p���Q�s�X�0�ҕ3���j�]���娣)*?yv޵T ��q�sP�`f���3ۿ66x�Q�r,X+��>8�B ���V�eߢS�%7�? ��)�d韽I� ���h��;����Ս�X���LA�P4!���*F�#�(P�O�g�7�Cų��t�6��� vwN�nY�ځ�T9aL�&j���a�aF�&#251;#�kD���T��8(c_�`<� ��$U���R�4��o��a�����_�L����2�ty�����T�K*Tv���w�V �R��[@��������*7�.\�e�T��_�=/_cX9��C�S�� �5�:4���h�U׫�'�H���K�CЏy�#�.Gׁ�1�+�/t�nIQ�R[� �h+ ���In6�t,����Q��C��" J� {�v���ahrQ}��A��uDn�|f��-��DC�������Y]O�@�+7��B�Ї՘�K� �D�d}"-��mCKv��{Ν�V��V}�:�ܹ�~�sK�lW���~�4�y�2��Ko� A��[L��90Ah6�9�� ࿿���;GC|��NE�;���9 �, �J�&#249;�3�=O�8��M���hW��=?� ��V�M���y]1��-0#���Ξ�D� �`���̼��ؽ� �P��Sr!��&2���S <�,� S�%�,V��I���Շh*i�4��)�O����DQ��_K���- ��o�4�txF��L�����۸ @��v��K�.&2]b�O������hYY$�L�&�#��6��a�0�h:��)�/��Ŋ���B�8�-�6�#�\�$�zr;���2wJA�HOZ�� #�]rt�}�%��N��E�s 3�Yc�u������<�]K+��Z8Cf�-�d[\��~_\MƏY؋��M*^CM�5��!nO�D]i�VK$�ݴ/��M��hKsO!ob2�k�i��t�t='���^�� �Mѩaa� �ֹvE(r�y#�P�*��/��_ʁ�|� �N^����Ts�`j�9������/5���~!��r4��5Ŵ�Ri[�mJڃ����2;�O�>�23�Ul��m�U!�H>� �~���ӑ�_ �W���ybJg�ZQ3��b�Q���i �����w:@���!j�2�� ���C�7�\���,�� >O�q��~����"k���[�&_R$�:1��?e��В{t�f�7t���I��9�7������Z]��6�+�� ��"$�P���,/HE-��#�$3c5�D�|m}Ϲ�O�&�Vb�Ž�{m_�{�9\eH�P0a�1��+8-��P}��=A�LLn��;u�w���>���b~пq�ɫfct�7; Lmޘ��*���j��� �1���V��s7���&ӥN���d����F���M^���&5k��ߧ�(�j��F���n�����}����nU�ܕ�9R��nG&�D���m���;���d-?�oP�5���:��Δ��7V�4[�V�m���������t:���ɥK �]�C�����w��1~���3�����ΘW^^��K���bV6r��h��>��y�I�x�H��D^0�_�%�$�qC�ͧ�oou�J���gy��v�iU� �����(3q��X`�������d۪f�J4% *��w�}j����4 d (��x�r��%d(A���_ˏ��Ip�c��~�B�D��* u��x���_cj�4PӰ‡�p:�.BvT�lE��#j߾�ZF��ᣉ�pēr{ <�C�/C�Ǩi�k����� ���N�� }�,'�Bq���7?�g��_�`;�n�|� Lб2�/-d� FA����R��;hi�C�+ ���a�Y݋��l��+��q)���-���9��Mx$q�ʓ�*�P�`����ٹR[��Nj�e�: ��;�J�k�@Y�X ���08ޘJ����\\�n��Q��v�E�H�0�x�tf̳��`#�mN5�/r�}�Į�Ƿ��(����.�$l�Q����A���Lvj�^�P�l�{�߯���'��jv �J�^GxQ�`Z3��y������ߠ�����R3�����ގ ���p� hZُ�X�Ѝ>�"�p}o*RI��h$�X�K[,��AL��AP�sn1۹+� b7��Z�l�?u�r�v�AH��u�/������[M��0�+�qi*��J�J��j+u/��%$��� ������q�d0,z�'��������1:G�t��}�s�1�� �Rj�+q��c�"�2g�)�]J�ug��qT��s�K�}�ʕs�4[���ӫ[�K��ЀQ���4ә�&��1n���h �5��0M�?��Cu�$k��0ԟ�z���j�v�Tk���*��@&���EU�������x��}�����R�ݑ�Rۘ��m�8m��Y���0C�1� :��N�� ����F��n`�:�V#p�=%&���=C_���r�\b��s��K�����[d\��_L�V��5�����y� 3`��X"T0�ט��l��Y�x��G������O�/���津���fxa:m@��_`�v� �����f!����ԛF��W�aO"��('�SͲ'�����y �8�����5�4ܣe� �����"E����O�� ��kJY�E)�?���\�$����7�3�NbG~�p6\�z$2��u�֖7슀wo���� Y�e� ��)OM������M��#�tj�r�d�f��K07�d��++�[��m5,2������m�]=c�fk�@A����@�\�_�kl��/�u��?�}�K��QҠ=�:P�����ُq��(�%�J�7[�/��q�������\;�0� ��3Bb`��������:mIm�n *S�&���_��v'��PuJ]�~_^�;4[����>�t�Z*�~��>��/(& Q�E$�)8�{wg�.��F�M�M{����:�E��B����4,���g�NԌ��D��� *� Q����[ J��@c��H^�!~�F.��d�V�;y��b�[����_��T�ۋ���:o�9�+0���G�-e�"M�o���S�OIb���P͋1ĕRS��Y/c��6�1�n���W���:2�]�Oc����}��D� M�� ���0�ɌE�[��s�&#197;�\J�@��!;�O�4O-�/Qx� |nZ̰�1��D�;��N�jp/�ԧ�#����]�BJ��+K��C�P9Q8���1Sbi���x�>��܅5�cR�� ��`��_�[)vg�rM\�|"�B�$�d-x�E�u��� �����\Q� <�L��xjJ�Ħ��]�V���H���`�[ΰ��-m����q��Xr�h�5�L��-b ��hi�-e�ŀ�E�"�kd�r�O~��Y�h�1^}'����u7mA��h�9 E��&#222;Y[~�~���X�Ґ��"�n�9R�W�qQ�;�<��hD���ǽw��x�9�|�_w�9'�*gݱZG�NN����5�J�mYp�9 �:V) ]�^]*���E�o��5����P��w�މ�-~$'���>M�U���9�p�'���,�����8T�E�=��?=oBPi�1cZ3���,n5��1�� ����tz�Xa��'--;���FEJ�*�'�Z@�+b�|�����g��h��\U���>��D�"ˋlFk�?�� 6��T�k&�`�`|���?B�"4�[�����Q�Z�_��ъև@;[5X�8Y,T�V��'l[�������Dx���ҷ�4����۹�`AG�l���i&@�[���m�N��sb�Pe|�c]n�c���r6�"��E���7��F�w�(\�P��$ێS4��Dᵿ�:�r�E���;��E�<i\]�Ł���CcC���9Ș��d��ry�@,�����!�G��у��|C�"ϑ�FIEL��P9%ΰ ��y!),�EZ�l��R��\�LO�HM�|�u��2U�W���%%-���5�h�33�̂dM��ɹM����l�͆�ᖎ�m� ���X��x,���ƜVx�1%�BG�`�)|p�œ�A.h`GDn�p�����g���ox� ����kp:#q4�.YCI+39��zS Q�m< ���2<�K�B��? %�8��L����tCx�t��|�HdԊ'��z.Ȇ��!���ƀ��k����s�?4���� ��T���Ѥ��B<)l|>XD��\F�x01�o����i��9 V#�XA��NS�lt��������]Mo�0=�_d�a=�Ȇ`�8��Cz�a�,�֠�� ��{��X��&q�����HQI�����'���V�`P�P��X� ��M�h��4\���x��5 ^�~ B~�.�q���kťy�A]C�vL �i��G3`�汒���N��)�W���R�MV�wLһb����:sX�"���� -���=�0*�n�S��j�f���J#V��H}A�6��J�Z����I�@*|���B��� kL �J�2I.F~`��qz���$oݏU-Y��H�I�[���(1�Y٭��8��ʼ �#7��kb!}��}fE0D�PZ$�J��R��"\�d]�_b����"����bs��E‡��_ۋ�,���UtylL��A,e��8� �'�РVŸ���<r=��*���*���D�!OL�SGaV� ȚQ�Nuw�d[��:6զ#�Yt\4���C'� 5��N�l����nwb�G��`�;-F��a��d�aL,4Fk6�8�ߴ��wZ-I:�ނ����_�ߢ\&#236;�<5 m�egjI�>@��P���{J|֍uV |u�w҅�5& �$�zۣ8_\ {��6���a�{�$��L &#201;���H��(&#182;��R��S6J��4��:CV��-EYo�?dH�[d��VSu��C�_�nV(�:���ͭ���DeX*_/�M�W��g�����a����C�������!�S:|IM'0���n��a�M��R��?� ��c�@$��=!hO�� J���H�V5�#ϐhl�x� ��m@w€\���|>��f(xҐ�9Y�,��/��Lo��&�R'��x�w��u�����p=G�� �����륮ϲ�`�CE�B�S����p�j9ZuѶ��=YL�W�4��E���: �����c Bw���Fo=��pۑ+ڱHI������]A�@<��o{7.���x��ߙi�J�b"�%,Mm���ll�ٻ�m؃��byY����m��p��mw��u�{l��We�ɠ � �4��h[Ũ��� �4��F�[6ѵ3�7C�Km���<̻ E����*�]�m���|a��7�$ԗS/<�;�೜�|��]�����x�UMk�@=ǐ�0S��4)�ĒM . �hn���4��Ȼ�v�Ĕ����J��ɥ>%��7o�̆�2/�u�#K� FS��N���Y �de��j ���%9�'` �kV�8���3L6�Zs������� #���_��Z�l���Wir��+`���{L�k���I��5�4�)4 ]`��^/p�r��>}�a�1����e�VR�<ΐ�BKA]��A�&]�,.��N���ϻ۫�����8�ƞ�~C����a� )�R��@Ve��?�_SπvMq)�V�r'L��hw0{�G�r���yh����� @ �����_�Y�+ῡ� `!�x��[d1�0$l��k99�ؒ �՗����\��Ȋ��XzB9X]@����j�Y�V.�hs�F�����Ӂ3��� �lJoDF#&#220;������s^���~ֹ�Muq�X�xvsm�=Le,��Ӻ,8I��f�~�3 .j�B]�d�r!�$9��z�� 0sߡ��!M6b�keK��N��͵�"�\��=:�G��j�?�]��զC��`��糐A^ay��+�x���< ��h�1�Rʧ��h֬9݈�&#221;�Tn) h�<��`Cږ~'lN�����^W{}zlX����xI�*���+a���mt.��6F��;��� �D6���H;n�ܧpBg����G��ML\d���ѵ��R�$(R+�)�_�@����g�߆ �ݠ<�Akj���L���e�����


Even when I look at them via FTP, they still look as they should. There isn't anything wrong with them. So why then does the page and it's source code look like it does when none of the files have this in them? And why did it start today out of the blue, when it has never happened before?
I am using the same FTP, Same wireless card. Same everything. Nothing has changed on my end...I don't get it.

Harold Mansfield
12-15-2009, 08:02 PM
Something else..the dashboard (admin) of the affected site has the same gibberish, but only in the areas that display Wordpress.org information.

Harold Mansfield
12-15-2009, 08:13 PM
Just did another test. Edited a css file on another site, on a completely different platform....changed one small thing and when i uploaded the file, it completely destroyed the CSS file and crashed the site layout.

Now I am sure it is coming from me, but I have no idea what is causing every file that I open via FTP to be completely destroyed.

Does anyone have any ideas ?
When I try to reinstall and overwrite with the original files...it won't do it, it just reverts back to the messed up file.
I even deleted the corrupt file and then uploaded the good file and it just reverts back to the corrupt file.

What is going on, Am I infected ? Have I been hacked ?
What gives here ?

Edited:
Just noticed that even though my FTP settings are on "Auto", every update I make keeps saying "Opening ASCII mode data connection for /bin/ls." and I know that's not supposed to be like that. Any suggestions ?

Patrysha
12-15-2009, 08:43 PM
Oh my! If that happened to me I would be sitting in the corner fixing to cry...

No advice...but ouch!

Spider
12-15-2009, 08:54 PM
No help from me, either, but I'd be in the corner crying with Patrysha.

Feeling for you, Harold. Well, not FEELING for you, but you know what I mean!!!!

:eek:

Harold Mansfield
12-15-2009, 08:57 PM
Oh my! If that happened to me I would be sitting in the corner fixing to cry...

No advice...but ouch!


No help from me, either, but I'd be in the corner crying with Patrysha.

Feeling for you, Harold. Well, not FEELING for you, but you know what I mean!!!!

:eek:

Well...I'll get to the bottom of it before the night is over, but I just wasted a whole day on it when I had other things to accomplish..that really pisses me off.

Bill, if you are still out there, what does this command mean ?


Passive connection must come from same host as control connect

Harold Mansfield
12-15-2009, 10:06 PM
UPDATE:
I dumped the previous FTP program and purchased Smart FTP.(which looks like it was a waste of $40)
Somehow all sites are completely restored and the files are back to normal. It must have been a server side thing since I haven't figured out what happened or why, nor did I fix it, but I opened a tech support ticket for one problem and all of them are now fixed.

I still don't know what happened or why but everything is back to normal. waiting to hear from tech support to see what actually happened and why everything went haywire today.

Looks like I wasted a whole day troubleshooting something that wasn't my fault....Not to happy right now:( I was actually motivated to get a lot done today and if I had known it was on their end, I could have done other things instead of running around in circles chasing ghosts.

Nope. Not happy at all.

Spider
12-15-2009, 10:19 PM
Oh, dear! Wish I could have done something to help.

billbenson
12-15-2009, 10:33 PM
The auto will probably display ascII when uploading text files and binary when uploading images.

I'd try a different computer if you haven't already done that.

Next, connect directly to your modem wired bypassing your router.

You are going to have to start taking stuff out of the loop to figure out what is going on.

billbenson
12-15-2009, 10:39 PM
Passive connection must come from same host as control connect

I'll do some searching here. At first glance it looks like that is related to SFTP. Is your FTP set up for a secure connection and your host isn't? Or the other way around? That could mean that its being incrypted which would probably look like that if both ends are set up for coding / decoding?

I'll do some more searching.

billbenson
12-15-2009, 10:53 PM
I'm not a network guy, Harold, so I'm just tossing stuff out. I think your FTP needs to be in Passive mode. Also, a firewall connection could affect this.

If you like, email me your ftp connect stuff and I'll se what happens if I try to ftp to your site?

on edit: oops, didn't see your last post that you fixed it.

vangogh
12-16-2009, 03:39 AM
Sorry I missed this thread Harold. Sounds like it may have been your host. I was thinking the php wasn't getting parsed properly, thought that would have affected all your php pages so maybe not. My other thought is it was the way the files got transferred. I used to use auto, but now I transfer everything in binary.

ASCII sometimes did some weird things for me. Not all the time and not on every site, but every so often. For example if I uploaded all the files for an application everything would get there, but two of the files would have swapped names. Now it's binary for all transfers. Seems to give me less problems.

It could have been when you bought Smart FTP it did a better job with the transfer which fixed the problem. What were you using before? Filezilla?

Harold Mansfield
12-16-2009, 01:02 PM
Before I was using Mozilla's Fire FTP and it has been working fine for over 2 years.
As I said the only change is that I am working with a wireless modem for a few days, but that has never caused a problem before.

I am still having a problem with the files getting corrupt (with Fire FTP). I have Smart FTP now, but I never knew how to work it properly, I know it's not supposed to take 30 minutes to upload files...I still don't understand why it operates like that and it's the reason I dumped it in the first place 2 years ago.

Right now I am in limbo...scared to use Fire FTP, but I can't log in with Filezilla and Smart FTP takes forever.

I am still leaning towards something having to do with my connection...none of this started happening until I updated the firmware for the device.

jamestl2
12-16-2009, 01:55 PM
You said you went into the theme originally to edit video? Have you worked with videos on the WP site before? What was the code you added into the index file?

Also, did you install a specific video-related plugin that could have been causing the encoding issues? If so, then maybe you could try deactivating it and see if you still get the gibberish.

Harold Mansfield
12-16-2009, 02:47 PM
You said you went into the theme originally to edit video? Have you worked with videos on the WP site before? What was the code you added into the index file?

Also, did you install a specific video-related plugin that could have been causing the encoding issues? If so, then maybe you could try deactivating it and see if you still get the gibberish.

No, I work with embedding video all the time, most times I don't use a plug in. This particular edit is just placing the code into the theme files to put it where I need it..I have been doing it that way on this site for over a year with no problems, as well as other sites.

Right now I'm working with my wireless provider to see if the firmware is corrupt or just didn't install properly..as I said, none of this started happening until I upgraded the firmware.

I think I have it narrowed down to the file uploads...something is getting lost in translation...files that are already on the server are fine...files that I upload are getting corrupted along the way and are only transferring part of the code and replacing the rest with a garbled mess.

Harold Mansfield
12-16-2009, 03:09 PM
Well...that wasn't it. Files are still getting messed up in the upload. All of the images are uploading correctly..it's the code that in the individual files that is not making the transition.

Back to the drawing board.

billbenson
12-16-2009, 06:36 PM
did you try a different pc or connecting directly to the modem eborg?

Oh, you should have taken your fathers advice and become a lawyer. You wouldn't have these kind of problems :)

Harold Mansfield
12-16-2009, 06:53 PM
did you try a different pc or connecting directly to the modem eborg?

Well, I'm kinda at a disadvantage right now, I'm a few hundred miles from home and I only have my own laptop for access. The other computer is a laptop as well, which is also wireless, and I have a thing about using open wifi or public access to log into sensitive accounts....I won't do it.

I have tried using other FTP programs and the result is the same..so I know it's not the actual FTP program.

I found a few old articles around web about others who have experienced similar things when trying to access via FTP using wireless modems and it seemed that it had something to do with some companies restricting access from wireless modems...don't know how true that is, and the articles are a few years old, but I'm waiting to hear from my hosting company to see if there is some kind of conflict..they are checking it out now.

I did get a newsletter that they have a new FTP scanning feature that was just installed:


Automatic security screening is performed on a constant basis, automatically scanning uploaded files for malicious signatures. If our system detects one of these signatures it automatically removes the offending code from an HTML or PHP script, disconnects the ftp user, resets the password, and opens a ticket to document the issue.

All files are scanned immediately as you upload them!

As new threats emerge our signature database will evolve proactively. This system will help protect you, your website, and your visitors from viewing unwanted advertisements or downloading harmful content. This feature will be added to all Webair accounts automatically and free of charge. There is nothing that needs to be done by the customer.

Wondering if this has anything to do with it...the timing is right.

vangogh
12-16-2009, 07:31 PM
That could be it. It does seem like they're warning they'll remove code from uploaded files and it seems like that's what's happening to you.

What if you tried uploading the simplest of files. Maybe just a page with the basic html code, a title, and a single paragraph in the body? Or even simpler just a .txt file with a few words in it.

Spider
12-16-2009, 08:01 PM
I don't know anything about this stuff, so ignore at will. However, from a pure plain English point of view I see your host's notice included ...
As new threats emerge our signature database will evolve proactively....What if some other bad-person tried to send malware to the host, and the hosts filters identified it as a threat and added it to the protective database (that is evovling pproactively), and that bit of code looks like something you had in your code, your code would be altered accordingly.

What worked yesterday doesn't work today because a bit of it is newly identified as malware.

Okay... I'll go away now.

Harold Mansfield
12-16-2009, 09:12 PM
That could be it. It does seem like they're warning they'll remove code from uploaded files and it seems like that's what's happening to you.

What if you tried uploading the simplest of files. Maybe just a page with the basic html code, a title, and a single paragraph in the body? Or even simpler just a .txt file with a few words in it.

Yes. I checked 'Read Me' files, License.txt and other plain text files and they all are perfectly fine, as well as images.

It's stripping the code from .php and.css files and if it's happening to me, it's probably happening to a bunch of people (Probably hundreds of thousands) which is probably why I can't get an answer in a timely fashion (which is very abnormal).


I don't know anything about this stuff, so ignore at will. However, from a pure plain English point of view I see your host's notice included ...What if some other bad-person tried to send malware to the host, and the hosts filters identified it as a threat and added it to the protective database (that is evovling pproactively), and that bit of code looks like something you had in your code, your code would be altered accordingly.

What worked yesterday doesn't work today because a bit of it is newly identified as malware.

Okay... I'll go away now.

No it makes perfect sense, I am sure there are security concerns everyday. There is always security updates in the newsletters and warnings of new attacks, scripts and all kinds of stuff, but they can't mess with .php files...that would just be catastrophic.

Still don't know if this is the reason, I'm having a hard time getting a timely answer from anyone in tech support.
I'm pretty much shut down for the last 2 days..can't do any work at all for myself or anyone else...and I am not happy.

I even tried uploading using the WP upload functions and that doesn't work either.

It's not the problem that bothers me, I can deal with technical set backs, it's the lack of a straight answer that burns my goat. That upsets me more than the actual problem.

billbenson
12-16-2009, 09:35 PM
Now I'm confused. Is it your host stripping it or your wireless internet service. I can't imaging the host doing it. That would be political death. The wireless ISP could, but that's still crazy, but it would only affect their customers ftp'ing programs.

Harold Mansfield
12-16-2009, 11:25 PM
Now I'm confused. Is it your host stripping it or your wireless internet service. I can't imaging the host doing it. That would be political death. The wireless ISP could, but that's still crazy, but it would only affect their customers ftp'ing programs.

I'm confused as well, I don't know where the problem is coming from.
I already did the tech support thing and troubleshooting with my wireless ISP (sending and receiving files) and everything seems to be working fine. I have use this same provider for wireless internet for over 3 years and never had this type of problem...so I don't think the problem is with them anymore.

Now I'm leaning towards my host. Something is changing the files that have code in them, when they are uploaded to the server.
The files are fine on my computer. When I send the files elsewhere, they get there in tact. No Problem.

It's only when I upload or edit .php, html, and css files via FTP. I've used different FTP programs and the result is the same, so I have concluded that it's not the FTP program.

Text files and images are fine. No problem.

I have opened multiple tickets about this problem. For some reason I can't get phone support anymore (that's really ticking me off too), and it's taking forever for them to respond.

I'm done investigating this on my own...I've spent 2 days on it and the problem is not coming from me or any of my equipment.
All I can do is wait for them to acknowledge that there is a problem and sent out some freakin' emails.

Right now I am so mad that I can't get an answer from them that I want to close my account and move elsewhere. Support is taking forever to respond and this is totally unacceptable for a supposedly large hosting company.

billbenson
12-17-2009, 12:48 AM
I have a couple of junk domains if you want to try uploading to them and see what happens? It would at least take your host out of the loop?

Harold Mansfield
12-17-2009, 01:32 AM
That's a really generous offer, but I think I'll knock off for the night...too much frustration. Tech support did respond and they are telling me they have no idea what is happening or why, so I sent them plenty of documentation and explanation and I'm going to let them handle it, or at least come up with a solution.
I may take you up on that if they aren't able to help.

In the mean while...it's happy hour at my favorite bar...half price midnight till 4 a.m. and I need a little stress release.

vangogh
12-17-2009, 11:31 AM
Definitely take Bill up on his offer. That should narrow the problem down to your host. And then assuming it is the host that's the problem what you should do is call billing (not tech support) if they'll answer the phone and start your conversation asking for your money because they aren't delivering services. Sometimes it's amazing how that gets people to respond.

If you have to go through the support ticket do the same thing. Make your ticket about the refund you expect for failure to deliver services and let them know if the problem isn't resolved you'll be taking all your sites to a new host.

Harold Mansfield
12-18-2009, 03:51 PM
Seems like I have the problem solved. Looks like it had something to do with a combination of the wireless modem and accessing the server via FTP.



You're receiving that error because your either behind a proxy or your IP address is changing. Our server is configured to require the IP of the control and data channels to match


Host lifted the IP address restrictions and now everything seems to work fine.

billbenson
12-18-2009, 03:55 PM
Interesting. Only took 25 days to figure out...

Harold Mansfield
12-18-2009, 04:03 PM
Interesting. Only took 25 days to figure out...

LOL, not quite, but when you have an issue like that, it certainly seems like it.
That was probably the most frustrating and perplexing issue that I have ever had...at least I learned something and will know how to trouble shoot any possible similar problems in the future.

vangogh
12-18-2009, 04:03 PM
I wouldn't have guessed that was the problem. What a pain. And only 25 days to figure out :)

That's how I've learned to troubleshoot things as well. I had the problem, spent what felt like years trying to figure out what was wrong, and eventually learning something for next time.

Spider
12-18-2009, 09:43 PM
I feel relieved. Harold isn't insane and isn't imagining things. And he didn't smash his computer in frustration.

Yeah! Today is a good day!

Harold Mansfield
12-18-2009, 10:04 PM
I feel relieved. Harold isn't insane and isn't imagining things. And he didn't smash his computer in frustration.

Yeah! Today is a good day!

You know, I was starting to think I was going crazy. when you look at a file and it's normal and then you move it and it's all messed up, you start wondering what could you have possibly done and how come it never happened before ?

Even worse, I can normally trouble shoot something pretty quickly...at least by the end of the day..when nothing worked, I was in a big panic.

Turns out Tech Support was communicating with me via my control panel..I didn't see the messages..I was sitting around waiting for the email.

Very relieved.

billbenson
12-18-2009, 10:21 PM
meant 2.5 days :)

Code is like that. Your missing a comma and spend a day finding it - or you are looking for the wrong thing and you wake up at 4am with the solution and it was something so obvious that you didn't see it.

painperdu
12-19-2009, 07:02 AM
Was it that the data was being encrypted but since IP#'s didn't match encryption wasn't being decoded?

Harold Mansfield
12-19-2009, 11:02 AM
Was it that the data was being encrypted but since IP#'s didn't match encryption wasn't being decoded?

Something like that. Being mobile probably didn't help either since I'm sure that each tower that I bounced off of gave a different IP address every time I logged in...which was out of the ordinary of how I usually log in....I'm just guessing based on the way they explained it to me.