[RESOLVED] 1.0.14RC1 - Invalid Session

[leahcim_dach]

I tested the updates for 1.0.14RC1 on a demo site. Found no serious issues, and decided to update my live site. One big difference between the demo site and live site...I cannot login to the Back-end. I recieve a message of "Invalid Session". I checked out my php error logs, but they are empty, no errors reported.

I downgraded my installation and updated each file one at a time, until I could narrow the issue down. I could log in up until I replaced the joomla.php file.

Without going through each file and comparing 6100 lines of code in each one, I am not sure where I should start to look. Any tips or input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Joomla! Version: 1.0.14
PHP version: 4.4.7
MySQL version: 4.1.22-standard-log
Web Server: Apache/1.3.39 (Unix) mod_fastcgi/2.4.2 mod_auth_passthrough/1.8 mod_log_bytes/1.2 mod_bwlimited/1.4 FrontPage/5.0.2.2635.SR1.2 mod_ssl/2.8.30 OpenSSL/0.9.7a PHP-CGI/0.1b
Webserver to PHP interface: cgi-fcgi


Chad

[jezza63]

I'm having a similar problem. Also the content doesn't appear on my site.  http://www.yarratri.com.au

[L]

I tested the updates for 1.0.14RC1 on a demo site. Found no serious issues, and decided to update my live site. One big difference between the demo site and live site...I cannot login to the Back-end. I recieve a message of "Invalid Session". I checked out my php error logs, but they are empty, no errors reported.

I downgraded my installation and updated each file one at a time, until I could narrow the issue down. I could log in up until I replaced the joomla.php file.

Without going through each file and comparing 6100 lines of code in each one, I am not sure where I should start to look. Any tips or input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

PHP version: 4.4.7
MySQL version: 4.1.22-standard-log
Web Server: Apache/1.3.39 (Unix) mod_fastcgi/2.4.2 mod_auth_passthrough/1.8 mod_log_bytes/1.2 mod_bwlimited/1.4 FrontPage/5.0.2.2635.SR1.2 mod_ssl/2.8.30 OpenSSL/0.9.7a PHP-CGI/0.1b
Webserver to PHP interface: cgi-fcgi


Chad

if your joomla version 1.0.13 download only the Joomla 1.0.14RC1 Change file package and make sure to backup first.

[leahcim_dach]

I should have clarified...that's what I did.

Started out with standard 1.0.13 installation on a test site. Downloaded the 1.0.13 - 1.0.14RC1 Patch Package, and FTP'd the necessary files to the server. The test site went just fine and haven't had any issues, minus the Back icon in the Menu Manager toolbar wigging out.

Once I felt the upgrade was going to go smoothly, I did the same to a live site. However, this time when I attempted to log into the Back-end, the page would refresh with a message at the top stating "Invalid Session".

To help narrow down the problem, I uploaded my backup files so I could login, and then added the files one at a time, until I started getting the message again. The only file that affected the login procedure was joomla.php.

I was going to go through the file and see what the difference between the old joomla.php and the new version was...but A.D.D. kicked in around line 200.


Chad

[leahcim_dach]

Well, I managed to fix my "Invalid Session" message. And that was only by accident. I ended up over-writing all the update files with the original 1.0.13 files. All was good.

While I had fifteen windows open, I somehow managed to download the incorrect update patch package. I didn't pay any attention until I had already completed the update. I had inadvertently downloaded and installed the 1.0.12 - 1.0.14RC1 Patch Package...instead of the 1.0.13 - 1.0.14RC1 Patch Package I had on my home computer.

Anyrate, brought the site down and FTP'd the files to the server. Attempted to log in to the Back-end as I did the other night...and what do you know, logged me right in with no issues....made several attempts, so far so good.

What can I say, don't know what I did different other than the incorrect patch files...but it works now. 


Chad

[RavenLife]

also getting an invalid session on a fresh install

going back to joomla 1.0.12

[windsor104]

I was also encountering a similar problem on my site. I had upgraded from 1.013 to 1.0.14RC1. I was able to log into the Admin but was getting kicked out every few minutes and getting the Invalid Session message. This is what I did and resolved my problem:

1. When I was logged in the Admin area I clicked on System > System Info then clicked on System Info tab. I noticed that under Session save path the value was none. I also clicked on the Permissions tab and noticed that the Session Directory was Unwriteable.

2. I then created the following directory in my joomla root and named it session and set permissions to 755

3. I logged into my hosting control panel and located my php.ini file. (I have PHP 5)

4. In the php.ini file I found the line session.save_path = " /tmp"

5. I uncommented the line

6. I changed the /tmp to "absolute_path_to_my_web_document_root/htdocs/session" (replace with your absolute path and the name of the folder you created for your sessions in step 2) then Save.

7. I returned to my Joomla admin and was able to log in with no problem. I went back to the System >Sytem Info page and now I have my session save path value and also on the Permissions tab the Session Directory is writeable.

If you have the following directory in your hosting root /cgi-bin/tmp you can also use this as your session save path directory instead of creating the session folder in step 2. So your step six would be absolute_path_to_my_web_document_root/cgi-bin/tmp

And that's my contribution to the world today 

[candyman808]

Looks like your contribution to the world doesn't work for everybody. I've already have that "absolute_path_to_my_web_document_root/cgi-bin/tmp" in my php.ini  still doesn't work. Hope some finds a solution for this.

[candyman808]

I should have clarified...that's what I did.

Started out with standard 1.0.13 installation on a test site. Downloaded the 1.0.13 - 1.0.14RC1 Patch Package, and FTP'd the necessary files to the server. The test site went just fine and haven't had any issues, minus the Back icon in the Menu Manager toolbar wigging out.

Once I felt the upgrade was going to go smoothly, I did the same to a live site. However, this time when I attempted to log into the Back-end, the page would refresh with a message at the top stating "Invalid Session".

To help narrow down the problem, I uploaded my backup files so I could login, and then added the files one at a time, until I started getting the message again. The only file that affected the login procedure was joomla.php.

I was going to go through the file and see what the difference between the old joomla.php and the new version was...but A.D.D. kicked in around line 200.


Chad

Where is this joomla.php Located in the directory?

[leahcim_dach]

That file is located in joomla_root/includes/.


Chad

[candyman808]

Okay I tried that route didn'twork it actually changed the look of my Fireboard Forum. I switched to my old template settings. Now I cant log in from the back to change it. Please.. Hope someone will find a fix for this.

[leahcim_dach]

Do you at least have a back up of those files you overwrote? If you have a 1.0.13 (assuming you started out with 1.0.13) full installation package, unarchive it and upload those files you changed...that should at least get you back on an even keel.


Chad

[chillnet]

I'm Experiencing the same problem here.

Did a clean install Joomla_1.0.14-RC1-Full_Package.tar.gz. 

And when finished tried to access the back end without any luck. 

Please advise if anyone knows how to fix this problem?

Regards

ChillNet 

[dex]

I've had invalid session path in version 1.0.13 on bluehost hosting.
I solved it by creating my own session path directory and adding it to my configuration.php.
So last line of configuration.php now reads:

session_save_path('/home/myactualdirectorypath/session');

The only thing is, Joomla! doesn't know about this, so don't re-write the configuration from Global Configuration or you'll lose it. But anyway, I've applied the patch that hides configuration.php outside the public_html, so the above caveat was already true (see this post http://forum.joomla.org/index.php/topic ... #msg604266)

[chillnet]

I got it working with the help of one of my good friends who owns a hosting company.

This is what I did.

in the /administrator forlder create a .htaccess file with the following two flags

php_flag session.auto_start off
php_flag session.use_cookies on

This fixes the login problem in a cPanel environment.

Till later. 

[user deleted]

Well, I managed to fix my "Invalid Session" message. And that was only by accident. I ended up over-writing all the update files with the original 1.0.13 files. All was good.

While I had fifteen windows open, I somehow managed to download the incorrect update patch package. I didn't pay any attention until I had already completed the update. I had inadvertently downloaded and installed the 1.0.12 - 1.0.14RC1 Patch Package...instead of the 1.0.13 - 1.0.14RC1 Patch Package I had on my home computer.

Anyrate, brought the site down and FTP'd the files to the server. Attempted to log in to the Back-end as I did the other night...and what do you know, logged me right in with no issues....made several attempts, so far so good.

What can I say, don't know what I did different other than the incorrect patch files...but it works now. 


Chad

Marking this issue solved since the original user confirmed it's fix. I am unable to replicate the session problem. For anyone experiencing a session problem, please post your own report. But... do check if it has been reported before, otherwise we close it anyway as a duplicate report.

[smartweb]

I've experienced this issue on multiple fresh 1.0.14RC1 installs. The problem was resolved using the previously discussed solution provided by Dex. Thanks Dex saved me lots of pain.

My Environment

Plesk Control Panel on Windows 2003 running IIS and PHP 5. Fresh intall of Joomla 1.014RC1. As a note site was running fine for day, once I intalled Community Builder sesion issue popped.

Kenya
----DEX SOLUTION------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I solved it by creating my own session path directory and adding it to my configuration.php.
So last line of configuration.php now reads:"

Quote
session_save_path('/home/myactualdirectorypath/session');