can't log in administrator back-end

[livvving]

I took my 2.5 site down (I set the site live to NO in admin) to do a complete redesign in Joomla but I am now unable to access the backend to get old articles to use in the new site.

I've gone into PHPMyAdmin and changed passwords, but every time it says "warning username and password do not match or you do not have an account yet." I had two factor authentication on, but found out how to turn it off through PHPMyAdmin, but still can't get in. I did have RSJoomla's RSFirewall on, but that's now off after visiting their support site.

I have ftp access and CPanel/PHPMyAdmin access only. The front end is still there, and the login page is too.
I am just unable to get in! I checked that I'm accessing the correct database by looking at the configuration.php file.

I need to get in urgently as I have to show the new site to the customer this week!

[AMurray]

To change your password, did you follow the procedure here:
https://docs.joomla.org/How_do_you_reco ... assword%3F (Method 2: Direct Editing of the database).

[AMurray]

Just to be clear, you're changing the *Joomla* password not the *database* (MySQL User) password?

Might be a silly question but just thought I had better ask.

[AMurray]

Are you planning to stick with Joomla 2.5 - an out of date, and unsupported system as of seven years ago (again, silly question, just thought I'd ask).

[livvving]

hi,

yes i followed the instructions at the link you gave - my passwords don't seem to be encrypted though, which i thought was odd.

yup i'm changing the admin password.

i will be upgrading to the latest joomla version, but need the content from the old site to copy/paste.

thanks

[AMurray]

yes i followed the instructions at the link you gave - my passwords don't seem to be encrypted though, which i thought was odd.

Did you do Step 5, (Method 2 changing the password in database) and copy the hashed code of the password (i.e. the encrypted equivalent) and not the plain english temporary password? Is the password field in the database set as MD5 type?

Nonetheless, does it let you back into the administrator - at which point you can then create a real secure password?

[livvving]

yes i followed the instructions at the link you gave - my passwords don't seem to be encrypted though, which i thought was odd.

Did you do Step 5, (Method 2 changing the password in database) and copy the hashed code of the password (i.e. the encrypted equivalent) and not the plain english temporary password? Is the password field in the database set as MD5 type?

Nonetheless, does it let you back into the administrator - at which point you can then create a real secure password?

here's what i see..... i don't know mysql at all, i only go into phpmyadmin when i have problems with joomla.
(thanks for your patience on this!)

Screen Shot 2020-09-24 at 6.12.44 AM.jpeg

[Webdongle]

I took my 2.5 site down (I set the site live to NO in admin) to do a complete redesign in Joomla but I am now unable to access the backend to get old articles to use in the new site....

Does that mean you can't get to the admin login screen or you can get to the Admin login screen and then can't login.

A wild 'stab in the dark' ... you have an extension that returns you to the home page if a code is not appended to site.com/administrator. If that is the case then you will need to disable that extension before editing the Super User Password

[livvving]

A wild 'stab in the dark' ... you have an extension that returns you to the home page if a code is not appended to site.com/administrator. If that is the case then you will need to disable that extension before editing the Super User Password

good thinking, i did, but i disabled it via ftp as per the maker's instructions, so i don't think that's it.

[Webdongle]

Are you seeing the Admin login screen when you go to site.com/administrator ?

[sozzled]

Good thinking, i did [have a third-party extension that returns you to the home page if you don't append a "secret codeword" to the /administrator URL] but i disabled it via FTP as per the maker's instructions ...

I have never heard of disabling a third-party extension via FTP and I have never heard of "instructions" from those third-party extensions (e.g. AdminExile, Akeeba Admin Tools, RSFirewall! and similar) that describe disabling their products "via FTP". This doesn't make sense to me.

Anyway, that's not the point. The point is that the backend login screen appears and the entered user credentials don't work with them.

[Every] time [I enter the user credentials, I see a message saying] "Warning username and password do not match or you do not have an account yet."

So there's the problem. The entered password does not match for the username or you're trying to access the backend with an account that doesn't exist.

[Webdongle]

...I have never heard of disabling a third-party extension via FTP and I have never heard of "instructions" from those third-party extensions (e.g. AdminExile, Akeeba Admin Tools, RSFirewall! and similar) that describe disabling their products "via FTP". This doesn't make sense to me....

Really @sozzled? It is standard practice to rename the component's folder or a file.

https://www.richeyweb.com/documentation/2-adminexile

Access your server filesystem in whatever means you normally use to browse the server files (FTP, SSH, FISH, CPanel).
Your access method needs to provide the ability to rename files.
Navigate to your Joomla website folders, into the plugins/system/adminexile directory.
Rename adminexile.php - you can rename it to anything, but I like adding an "X" to the filename, like this: Xadminexile.php.
I will refer to this filename later, so don't be confused if you renamed it to something else.
Once renamed, Joomla can't load this file - this means that AdminExile is no longer protecting your site.
Additionally, it means that it can't keep you locked out anymore!
Browse to your /administrator folder, into the Plugin Manager, and disable AdminExile.
Back in your server filesystem, rename Xadminexile.php back to adminexile.php.
By doing this, you can uninstall using the Extension Manager if you so choose, or re-enable the plugin for use once the configuration issues are resolved.

[sozzled]

Thanks for that information, @Webdongle. Even so (as I wrote), it's not the point. The point is that (after removing any impediment that impinges on accessing the backend login screen), the user account information is invalid. That's what the OP wrote at the beginning of the discussion; that was the main point I was trying to make in addressing your question ...

Are you seeing the Admin login screen when you go to site.com/administrator?

Yes, the OP sees the admin login screen.