Problems with Log In and Check Outs - IE?

Not sure which area to put this one in, but my site (hoopclothes.com) is repeatedly having problems with both log ins and payment.

For some unknown reason customers will get stuck in a repeating log in loop that send them back and back and back to the log in page. On the same note, using express pay customers get locked into a loop where they enter ALL their information and then hit complete (or whatever that button says) and are thrown back to the index page of the site.

I've been trying to figure this out for over a month. I've looked every where I can think of for problems. Including repairing the database etc.
I'm using Zen Cart 1.3.9d. Most of the problems seem to be occurring with Internet Explorer. I have been unable to duplicate the errors. Every time I try logging in or ordering everything works seamlessly. However I have a mac so I am not trying to use IE.

Its very frustrating for people trying to use the site and as you can imagine we are losing business. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks!

i don't speak spanish.

anyone else?

I keep posting for info on this, but thus far no one has an answer so I will keep asking as I can't figure it out. Someone, anyone...?

I've had several customers (using IE and Mozilla) create accounts and be unable to see the 'My Account' link. Therefore they assume they aren't logged in and keep logging in. I can see this happening in the admin area where customers are logging in 21 times in less than an hour. Personally I would quit way before then. I know we are losing business! I'm running 1.3.9d, domain is hoopclothes.com

I've done some digging around in the forums, but haven't found any exact references to this problem. I found some references to the config files so if this is helpful here are portions of them:
includes>config -
define('HTTP_SERVER', 'http://www.hoopclothes.com');
define('HTTPS_SERVER', 'https://www.hoopclothes.com');

// Use secure webserver for checkout procedure?
define('ENABLE_SSL', 'false');

AND admin>includes>config
define('HTTP_SERVER', 'http://hoopclothes.com');
define('HTTPS_SERVER', 'https://hoopclothes.com');
define('HTTP_CATALOG_SERVER', 'http://hoopclothes.com');
define('HTTPS_CATALOG_SERVER', 'https://hoopclothes.com');

// Use secure webserver for catalog module and/or admin areas?
define('ENABLE_SSL_CATALOG', 'false');
define('ENABLE_SSL_ADMIN', 'false');

I also found a few references to something about setting Configuration>Sessions>Recreate Sessions to false. I haven't done this as I think it can cause other security issues. Right now it is set at true.
I NEVER have trouble logging in. I use firefox or safari so maybe its a browser thing?

In a possibly related (or possibly not related) issue people on the same browsers (IE and Mozilla) have problems checking out. They get re-routed to the home page over and over again and all the address and item info they entered is lost. Maybe this is two separate problems? Help me with the first one and at least I'll be halfway there! Thanks!!

PS And how do I make the titles of my posts bold? I am feeling mentally deficient. The **** obviously doesn't work! :)

You do not need to make the titles on your posts bold ...

Meanwhile, I created an account on your site and see the My Account in FireFox ... and in IE 6.x ... and in SeaMonkey ...

Thanks! Doh, on the bold post titles.

So that, like me, you had zero problems with the site's system.
Why in the world is it that some people have such issues?
Can you think of any reason why certain people would not be able to see the my account link? Is there any explanation?
and if it might be related to getting stuck in the payment loop?

Its been happening for a few months. I think I've checked everything and haven't been able to get the error. I'll give up looking for it for awhile and then it happens again. Its happened at least 3 times this week that I know of.
Once a payment loop and twice a log in no-see-'my-account' link. If its something on the customer's end I'd just like to know what it is so I can tell them or put a note up on the site or something.
Could it be some sort of firewall issue or some sort of settings issue in their browsers? I'm at a loss. The last person tried on 2 computer's, same account, one with IE and one with Mozilla. Then just today we've had orders go through with NO issues from IE and Safari.
I appreciate your help!!

Not sure why off the top of my head ...

NOTE: the current version of Zen Cart is v1.3.9h ... not sure if it would make a difference but might help find some obscure issue that you are having ...

Thanks. I have also tried looking in the config files for the session info and those are both 'db' and checking the cache file which is set at 777. I've backed up and deleted and re-installed the db several times. I've called the host (hostmonster). I'm really just at a loss. And it never seems to happen with people using Firefox or Safari which is odd.

I have thought about updating to 1.3.9h, but have been fearful. This was my first install of zen cart and I've messed around with the files here and there sort of a lot (without keeping track of everything I've done and/or putting the new files in a separate override folder).

I guess it'd just take time after I updated to go back in and re-do all my little tweaks. Maybe I should get over this fear and dive in.

In the meantime if you think of anything that could cause this issue let me know.

Hello - I have posted about this before, but the problem is still on going and I am wondering if anyone has any idea what is causing it and/or how to fix it.

https://www.hoopclothes.com
Running Zencart 1.3.9d
Mods just NewsletterSubscribe and ImageHandler

I've had many customers (especially recently) email me saying they are unable to log in to their accounts. If I observe this from the zencart admin area Tools>Who'sOnline it shows the same IP going through log in over and over in different sessions.
I don't know why some people can't log in and other people have no problems. With my test account I've never been able to duplicate this issue and others have tried it with test accts and also not had problems with log in.

Mostly it seems the people not able to log in are using IE or Mozilla if that makes a difference. I have tried asking customers to clear their history/cache, quit their browsers and restart. Some have even tried different computers and still they can't access their accounts.

I have checked the config files and looked at everything I can think of and have had no success solving this issue. The site is losing business and I feel like a dimwit.

Please help with any ideas, thoughts or suggestions!

No one? I'm going nuts trying to figure this out.

Maybe it has something to do with the sessions? I don't want to switch recreate session in admin>sessions to false since that'll cause other problems.

Could changing:
define('SQL_CACHE_METHOD', 'file');

to
define('SQL_CACHE_METHOD', 'database');

in both configure files possibly help?

yeah!:

Maybe it has something to do with the sessions?Yes.> yeah!:

I don't want to switch recreate session in admin>sessions to false since that'll cause other problems.Correct.
yeah!:

Could changing:
define('SQL_CACHE_METHOD', 'file');

to
define('SQL_CACHE_METHOD', 'database');

in both configure files possibly help?No

yeah!:

Running Zencart 1.3.9d
Why not 1.3.9h as Ajeh suggested to you earlier?

No real solid reason for not updating right now. I guess I am just afraid that upgrading might cause some new random problem to occur.

You really think upgrading to 1.3.9h would solve it? I just feel like I am doing a lot of guessing for something that feels like it should have a solid answer.

i'm sort of surprised no one else has had this problem. i keep thinking like that must mean i've got something wrong somewhere.

Upgrading between v1.3.9 versions is mostly just a matter of replacing a bunch of updated files, one letter-version at a time.

There were improvements made in the later 1.3.9 releases to handle some session problems unique to IE quirks. You need to apply each version-letter upgrade until you get to the latest version. You'll see the list of changed files in the files in the /docs/ folder.
(You can use the v1.3.9h zip file, and then just go thru all the lists of changed-files for each version-letter update, and replace those files on your server with the ones from the v1.3.9h zip file, since it contains all the updates from prior versions. But you need to use all the separate change logs because that's where all the filenames are mentioned.)

Plus, if you're using the latest version and still having the same problems then that rules out the known bugs and helps us focus on what is the problem, instead of making us guess what might be the problem and having to sort through code for several older versions. Plus, when you're using the latest version you and your customers will benefit from all the other unrelated bugs that are fixed in the process.

Ok! You make brilliant sense!

Except I have never upgraded and don't understand this:
"You can use the v1.3.9h zip file, and then just go thru all the lists of changed-files for each version-letter update, and replace those files on your server with the ones from the v1.3.9h zip file, since it contains all the updates from prior versions. But you need to use all the separate change logs because that's where all the filenames are mentioned."

What do you mean separate change logs exactly? is that a file that i need to get from each prior version and install one after the other (like find a change log file from 1.3.9e, then9f, then 9g, then 9h)?

Correct.

However, it's a little simpler since all those changelogs are listed in the /docs/ folder of the v1.3.9h files. So you only need the v1.3.9h zip. Unzip it. Grab the e/f/g/h lists of changed files, and then go upload all those files from v1.3.9h since v1.3.9h contains all the e/f/g/h fixes.

Just remember: If you (or any of your addons) have made any changes to any of the files listed in the changelogs, you'll need to redo those changes in the updated files, else you'll lose those changes.

Ok that doesn't sound so frightening (I say before starting, ha!).
If I understand it right without looking at the file. This change log is a text doc with a handy list of all the files in each version that have been 'changed.' So reading from those lists/change logs I pull the files out of 1.3.9h and install them over the older 1.3.9d versions. Voila.

I have thought about all the changes I've made to the files and been afraid I'd never figure out what I did where. This has all in a way been a learning experiment and as such I have not kept anywhere near perfect track of all the little tweaks I've made here and there. Part of that fear of updating factor.

I'll revisit this after I've had a chance to upgrade. Hopefully that'll fix the problems.
Thanks!

They are .html files, so can be viewed with your browser.