Admin page goes into redirect loop after installing v 1.3.9h

I downloaded and installed the latest version of Zen Cart a few days ago. The store works fine but the admin page goes into a loop and won't let me log on.

I get this error in Firefox and similar errors in other browsers when I try to access the admin directory.

"Firefox has detected that the server is redirecting the request for this address in a way that will never complete."

I reinstalled several times. After the second try I called the hosting company and they said it was something I entered wrong during setup.

On the fourth try I called them back and walked through every setting with the tech. He seemed surprised when it didn't work and put in a ticket. He thought there might be an old redirect lurking on the Windows server.

They closed the ticket saying this:

Hello Jane,

Thank you for waiting.

I should inform you, that as our administrators reports - there is no redirects on server side. Thus it's not a server-side issue. Kindly please check your application settings and let us know if you need additional assistance.

Thank you for using our services.

I just removed the subdirectory, downloaded the file again and started from scratch. Same problem.

It's version 1.3.9h -- no add ons or customization

Hosting company is IXWebhosting.

Zencart admin is:
http://www.briggsway.com/catalog/admin/

The new installation is in the catalog subdirectory. There's an older version in the store subdirectory but it has issues -- that's why I decided to reinstall rather than upgrade.

I've spent the last few days reading the FAQs about similar problems here and elsewhere on the web but haven't found the right answer.

Thanks for any help!

And if you clear your browser's cache and cookies before logging in?

Also, if you were to install the demo data, then you'd have products which you could try adding to your shopping cart. If they don't add to your cart, or if you can't login when you create an account, then you've got a sessions problem, which could easily be a conflict of cookies between your old site on the same URL and your new one. Clearing your cookies may solve that.

Thanks for the reply

Clearing the cache does not solve the problem. I tried it again just to make sure.

I reinstalled and added the demo products. I created an account but was not taken to the checkout page. I could not log in -- it just refreshed the login/sign up page.

I tried to create the account again but was told my email address is already in the system so the info is being captured by the database. I used another email address to create a new account. When I tried to check out the products from both accounts were in my cart. Still couldn't log in and get to the check out area.

Similarly, inability to login, suggests a sessions problem.

Clearing the cache is different than clearing cookies. Did you clear cookies?

Did you try turning off SSL on the site you're having problems with?

I've cleared both cookies and cache multiple times.

I turned off shared SSL. Same problem.

I selected no for the SSL setting while installing because SSL was enabled. The tech I had on the line at the time said that was correct. Now that I've turned off shared SSl, should I reinstall and make the SSL setting Yes?

There's also this option in my control panel:

Generate a temporary SSL certificate and certificate request

Is that something I should try?

Thanks!

Janie:

I selected no for the SSL setting while installing because SSL was enabled. The tech I had on the line at the time said that was correct. Now that I've turned off shared SSl, should I reinstall and make the SSL setting Yes?That doesn't make any sense. You'd only select "no" if you did NOT have SSL available. And conversely, you'd only select "yes" if you DO have SSL available.

Janie:

There's also this option in my control panel:

Generate a temporary SSL certificate and certificate request

Is that something I should try?
Highly unlikely. Those are likely for starting the process of getting SSL, not for enabling it. Installing a proper valid SSL certificate is almost always something you let your hosting company do.

DrByte:

That doesn't make any sense. You'd only select "no" if you did NOT have SSL available. And conversely, you'd only select "yes" if you DO have SSL available.

Highly unlikely. Those are likely for starting the process of getting SSL, not for enabling it. Installing a proper valid SSL certificate is almost always something you let your hosting company do.

I reinstalled with SSL turned off and selected "no" and got the same redirect error.

I reinstalled with SSL turned on and selected "yes" and also got the redirect error.

When I went to check out after that install I got this error:

"This is probably not the site you are looking for!
You attempted to reach https://www.briggsway.com, but instead you actually reached a server identifying itself as *.c3.ixwebhosting.com. This may be caused by a misconfiguration on the server or by something more serious. An attacker on your network could be trying to get you to visit a fake (and potentially harmful) version of https://www.briggsway.com. You should not proceed."

When I proceed anyway the page hangs.

More info:

Even though the page hangs I got an email notification about opening an account.

"page hangs" sounds like you're getting a "blank page", which is almost certainly a PHP error resulting from incomplete file uploads or incorrectly-edited files: https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/index.php?article=82

I checked the address of the secure server with the hosting company. I can now create an account in the store.

The admin is trying to direct to:

https://www.briggsway.c3.ixwebhosting.com/catalog/admin

Any idea how I can fix this?

Thanks!

If it's redirecting to the wrong folder, then you've put the wrong information into your /admin/includes/configure.php file.

Your HTTP_SERVER and HTTPS_SERVER and DIR_WS_ADMIN and DIR_WS_HTTPS_ADMIN need to point to correct URLS and paths, as does your DIR_FS_ADMIN.

FYI I called the hosting company to check the path to the secure server. They checked and everything was set up correctly.

The tech passed it along to a senior tech. He just called back. There was an old redirect associated with the admin directory. He renamed it and now everything is working.

Thanks for your help!:clap:

I'm having the same problem with 1.3.9h. Can anyone give me an idea where I should look to find this redirect.

Thanks in advance

The person above was having problems due to bad SSL configuration, and maybe odd rewrite rules in their custom-added .htaccess.
Is yours using SSL? If so, what happens if you turn off SSL?

I found the offending .htaccess. I'm making changes to a site I didn't initially write so am finding my way round the edits they made.

Thanks for your help.