Cannot open update-sites

[gerpol]

Hi,

for some time now on one of the sites i manage i cannot update through the normal update-feature of Joomla (3.8.3).

When trying manually to find updates through Extensions/Update/Find Updates all updatesites state they cannot be opened.

Already checked every single update-ste listed there and they seem to work (getting response on the xml).

The site itself is hosted on the same server as all other sites i manage so i doubt there would be something wrong there.

Updating Joomla itself and other extensions manually by finding and uploading the zip-package work though, but is off course a lot of work.

Can anyone point me to the right direction to solve this ?

[Webdongle]

viewtopic.php?f=621&t=582860 please

Best guess a security extension

[deleted user]

Check for some kind of server side firewall blocking connections to those sites.

In the case of Joomla core, I'm not aware of any issues reaching the update server and reading the XML files from there, but there are some geographic regions blocking access to the AWS architecture our primary downloads source uses (which is why 3.8.3 added a download mirror function) and this blocks downloading the ZIP package needed to do the upgrade.

[sozzled]

... I cannot update through the normal update-feature of Joomla (3.8.3).

What, specifically, is it that you cannot update? Are you describing the procedure for updating Joomla (which would surprise me because I'm assuming you are currently using the latest version of J!) or are you describing a problem with updating one or more Joomla extensions?

From the looks of things, you are describing a problem with one or more extensions that you cannot update (because the update servers/services for those extensions are inoperative); this is a question/problem that you need to discuss with the author(s) of those extensions, I think.

[gerpol]

@Webdongle : in theory could be a security extension (RS Firewall), however I use that same extension on all my sites o that same server and there I don't have that problem.

@mbabker : as this site is located on the same (shared) server as my other sites and I use the same firewall extension on those sites we can rule that out imo

@sozzled : the problem is with all joomla oriented auto-update procedures (both core and extensions). When i go out find and download the update-packages for core or extenions myself I can update them through the manual update process (Extensions/Upload package) with no problem at all.
If the problem is caused by one extension, then why are all the update-sites are marked as not reachable ? Already tried to disable some non-core update-sites with no result.

To clarify: this is what i see when trying to use the option Extensions/Update/Find updates.

Waarschuwing
Update: Kan updatesite #1 "Joomla! Core" niet openen, URL: https://update.joomla.org/core/list.xml
Update: Kan updatesite #3 "Accredited Joomla! Translations" niet openen, URL: https://update.joomla.org/language/tran ... list_3.xml
Update: Kan updatesite #4 "Joomla! Update Component Update Site" niet openen, URL: https://update.joomla.org/core/extensio ... update.xml
Update: Kan updatesite #43 "FavPromote Updates" niet openen, URL: http://updates.favthemes.com/extensions/favpromote.xml
Update: Kan updatesite #44 "FavSocial Updates" niet openen, URL: http://updates.favthemes.com/extensions/favsocial.xml
Update: Kan updatesite #45 "WebInstaller Update Site" niet openen, URL: https://appscdn.joomla.org/webapps/jeda ... taller.xml
Update: Kan updatesite #46 "Helix3 - Ajax" niet openen, URL: http://www.joomshaper.com/updates/plg-ajax-helix3.xml
Update: Kan updatesite #47 "Plazart Framework Update" niet openen, URL: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/templ ... update.xml
Update: Kan updatesite #48 "System - Helix3 Framework" niet openen, URL: http://www.joomshaper.com/updates/plg-system-helix3.xml
Update: Kan updatesite #50 "RSFirewall!" niet openen, URL: https://www.rsjoomla.com/updates/com_rs ... rewall.xml
Update: Kan updatesite #51 "FOF 3.x" niet openen, URL: http://cdn.akeebabackup.com/updates/fof3.xml
Update: Kan updatesite #52 "Akeeba Backup Core" niet openen, URL: http://cdn.akeebabackup.com/updates/pkgakeebacore.xml
Update: Kan updatesite #53 "TZ MultiPurpose Core" niet openen, URL: http://joomla.templaza.net/extensions/u ... update.xml

[sozzled]

@sozzled : the problem is with all joomla oriented auto-update procedures (both core and extensions).

Hmmm ... there are two completely different procedures to update the Joomla core vs. extensions. You are aware, of course, that you cannot update the Joomla core by using the Extension Manager? You're supposed to use the Joomla! Update component to update the Joomla core.

[gerpol]

@sozzled : the problem is with all joomla oriented auto-update procedures (both core and extensions).

Hmmm ... there are two completely different procedures to update the Joomla core vs. extensions. You are aware, of course, that you cannot update the Joomla core by using the Extension Manager? You're supposed to use the Joomla! Update component to update the Joomla core.

Yes, of course I know you're not supposed to use the "old" way of uploading core-updatepackages of Joomla and install them, but when the regular way fails, I'm falling back to something that still works in order to keep up with the Joomla-version.

[sozzled]

The "regular" way—using the Joomla! Update component—is the only suported way to maintain Joomla. The fact that the "regular way" fails, in your case, is a problem that you should attend to. If people use alternative methods then, I regret to say, they're on their own.

Because your website has been updated via an alternative, unsupported aproach, there are no guarantees that we'll be able to resolve your issues. My suspicion is that you've modified your website in non-recommended ways and this is why you're currently in your predicament.

Some people—and it's only a small percentage of all Joomla users—have difficulties using the Joomla! Update component; there's no doubt that everyone (at some stage in their lives) have problems. What often happens, unfortunately, is that people rely on folklore or they [falsely] assume that alternative methods (e.g. methods that were abandoned more than two years ago) will continue to work; that's when all manner of other problems surface.

Remembering that every Joomla installation is different, advice that we offer is for general guidance only. Each situation requires its own detailed analysis. Best thing to do is to understand why you can't use the Joomla! Update component to maintain your website; start by looking for information by using the Forum Post Assistant report. We'll try to help.

It may be that "falling back on something that 'still works'" doesn't generate any errors at the time but it's a false assumption that it actually works.

[Webdongle]

@Webdongle : in theory could be a security extension (RS Firewall), however I use that same extension on all my sites o that same server and there I don't have that problem....

Check the settings. Some event (that happened on that site not the others) could have caused it to 'lock' something.

@mbabker : as this site is located on the same (shared) server as my other sites and I use the same firewall extension on those sites we can rule that out imo

Same as above.

viewtopic.php?f=621&t=582860 please

[gerpol]

Thanks guys, I finally found it.
Although I tried it before, changed the errorlevel in the Joomla-backend one more time to mamixum and only then I noticed a small warning in the top about curl_exec (Warning: curl_exec() has been disabled for security reasons).
So, went into the php.ini and removed the curl_exec in the line disabled functions.
C'est ca !

Just wondering why/how the php.ini got changed that way. I know I didn't do that, so probably some extension did that for me ? Curious which extension will now stop working properly !? Will double back to you here when i know it.

Anyway: appreciate the help.