After upgrading database site not displaying correctly

After a successful database upgrade from 1.39h to 1.54 at my demo site at https://www.gelcandlecompany.com/demo
I discovered my blue sheffield responsive template lost its footer and lost entrance to secure pages on not only my demo site but for my entire root effecting my live sites including entrance to my admin.

https://gelcandlecompany.com/demo/index.php?main_page=login

It a state of panic I reverted to before my import files and database.
The problem still remains.... i cannot see or enter my secure pages!

Please guys or gals, what have I done and how can I fix?

thank you kindly

Seems like the SSL configuration for your web account is broken.
That could be because the hosting company has changed something.
Or could be because of changes you've made to the /public_html/.htaccess file.

Zen Cart has nothing to do with either of those, but if you'd added an .htaccess file in the /public_html/ and/or /public_html/demo/ folders then perhaps you need to reconsider the changes you've put in there.

I just check my .htaccess file at /public_html/ with found todays date so I will attempt to upload yesterdays .htaccess.
I don't think bluehost changed anything. What could of changed the .htaccess file during my upgrade?
Thanks Doc!

Wow. can get a connection will check with blue host

I can seem to get in touch with my host.

Is this common to ask our host to re configure our ssl after our upgrading?

spawnie69:

I can seem to get in touch with my host.

Is this common to ask our host to re configure our ssl after our upgrading?

bluehost could'nt figure out they wanted me to submit a ticket.

spawnie69:

bluehost could'nt figure out they wanted me to submit a ticket.

I suggest you disable the SSL for your store until the problem is resolved. At least you'll then be able to access the store. (hopefully)

Unless BH caused the problem with an update of their own they probably won't be much help to you anyway.

Check and double check your SSL related config settings (assuming that disabling it allows the store to function correctly). The idea of disabling this (as well as allowing you back into the store) is to prove (or disprove) that you have an SSL issue and nothing more.

If there are other issues you should try to resolve them before re-enabling the SSL again.

Cheers
RodG

Do I disable SSL in configure file? Or do I run zcinstall?

There are no other issues now other than just losing my SSL.

What's strange is how it effected my entire root when working on my demo dBASE upgrade.

Thanks

RodG:

I suggest you disable the SSL for your store until the problem is resolved. At least you'll then be able to access the store. (hopefully)

Unless BH caused the problem with an update of their own they probably won't be much help to you anyway.

Check and double check your SSL related config settings (assuming that disabling it allows the store to function correctly). The idea of disabling this (as well as allowing you back into the store) is to prove (or disprove) that you have an SSL issue and nothing more.

If there are other issues you should try to resolve them before re-enabling the SSL again.

Cheers
RodG
Do I disable SSL in configure file? Or do I run zcinstall?

There are no other issues now other than just losing my SSL.

What's strange is how it effected my entire root when working on my demo dBASE upgrade.

Thanks

spawnie69:

Do I disable SSL in configure file? Or do I run zcinstall?

The config fileS (both of them).

This used to be a matter of just changing the 'enable SSL' option to 'false'.

These days (since many people have decided encrypting the entire site is a good idea. It isn't), you may also have to change the server defines to remove the 's' from the 'http'.

spawnie69:

There are no other issues now other than just losing my SSL.

Silly question time. With SSL enabled, you can't log into the site, right? So how do you know that there aren't any other problems? (which may or may not be related to the SSL)

spawnie69:

What's strange is how it effected my entire root when working on my demo dBASE upgrade.

You are right, it doesn't make sense - So that means that things aren't what they appear to be.

There is a piece of the puzzle that is missing. We probably won't be able to tell you exactly what that piece is, or what it looks like, so all we can really do for you at the moment is ask questions, and hopefully guide you in the right direction. There may be a detour or two that we need to take along the way (The disabling the SSL for further testing/checking could be such a detour).

Cheers
RodG

I have 2 live sites of 1.39h site at gelcandlecompany.com and https://www.gelcandlecompany.com/wholesale
and 3 demo 1.54 stores running responsive templates at /demo, /demo2, and /demo3

I can't seem to get a single SSL page to display at all sites, do I change all configure files? or just the 2 live sites

Thank you RodG

spawnie69:

I can't seem to get a single SSL page to display at all sites
That's why I suggested it was a problem with your account. Or at least with something in the "root" files in your account, particularly the master .htaccess in the top level directory (called "the root") which governs all your stores.

And, no, an upgrade has nothing to do with any SSL breaking in other subdirectories. Either you touched files that were unrelated, or your host did something around the same time that coincidentally broke your SSL.

DrByte:

That's why I suggested it was a problem with your account. Or at least with something in the "root" files in your account, particularly the master .htaccess in the top level directory (called "the root") which governs all your stores.

And, no, an upgrade has nothing to do with any SSL breaking in other subdirectories. Either you touched files that were unrelated, or your host did something around the same time that coincidentally broke your SSL.

I did not touch my .htacess file before my upgrade and I thought I was being careful. I did freak out when I saw my blue sheffield template not appearing right once I switched templates from default green to sheffield ..(yes, I did have access to admin at this time)...so like a dummy I reinstalled the blue sheffield template files thinking it may fix the footer display. I also forgot to mention there was a mention in my upgrade of tables that were already present/missing for ceon card manual so I reinstalled that module.

I was curious to see how an upgrade would go a I successfully imported my 1.39h database to my /demo3 site at http://gelcandlecompany.com/demo3/ and looks fine but thats when I discovered the broken ssl.

I did notice the roots .htaccess file yesterday had yesterdays date so I replaced it with the day before's .htaccess file with no luck.
This may sound nutty but can I try an older .htaccess file from a different date?

I hope bluehost resetting my ssl will solve this. thanks doc

spawnie69:

This may sound nutty but can I try an older .htaccess file from a different date?
Yes, you could.

If there's nothing about rewrites or ssl or https in there, then it may not be relevant.

A simple test for https:
Say you have a site: https://www.example.com ... ie: a site that's NOT in a subdirectory
And you have a file on that site, such as robots.txt (just choosing this cuz it's a common thing to have for telling search engines where to go)

1. Can you get to the http://www.example.com/robots.txt
2. Can you get to the https version of that same page: https://www.example.com/robots.txt
   If you get a different response between the two, then you've got a configuration problem.
3. If you think .htaccess could be a problem, then rename it to .htaccess_OFF temporarily and re-test 1 and 2 above.

Do these tests with your own real domain ... not the ones in a subdirectory.
The reason for picking robots.txt is that it rules out PHP and therefore also Zen Cart, thus confirming that the problem is something with your host.

spawnie69,
Looks like your SSL issue has been addressed
https://www.gelcandlecompany dot com/wholesale/

spawnie69:

I have 2 live sites of 1.39h site at gelcandlecompany.com and www.gelcandlecompany.com/wholesale
and 3 demo 1.54 stores running responsive templates at /demo, /demo2, and /demo3

I can't seem to get a single SSL page to display at all sites, do I change all configure files? or just the 2 live sites

Thank you RodG

So, if I'm reading this correctly you are saying that the SSL is actually working OK on at least one of these sites? Which one?

I've tried various permutations of URLs based on the information you've provided and SSL is failing on all of them.
The thlot pickens.

How about we try a different approach?

Firstly though, if you are using a host supplied shared SSL then please go away. You aren't serious about site security. Testing, debugging, and configuration of such installions can be a nightmare even with a single site on a single host.

Your setup (based on what you have written) consists of two different hosts each with a live zencart. (which may or may not have their own top level folders), plus three demo sites that reside in a folder from one of these hosts, and no indication as to which of the two hosts you are wanting to use to access the demo sites.
It gets worse. If you use SSL, you now have three different hosts to consider, and possibly even four if you want the SSL to be valid for the two current hosts.
The SSL for the sites residing in the folders will be using the same SSL certificate as the parent site, keeping in mind that the certificates are issued (valid for) only a *single host, of which you have two.
*At this point someone usually steps in to tell me that these days you can get an SSL certificate for multiple host, which is true, but that is a whole new ballgame and a different discussion.

So, have I got you confused yet? Yes? Good, because if you your aren't then it means you are possibly trying to achieve the unachievable, and that is why you can't get it to all play nicely together.

Ok, so now let me try to give you some info that I'm hoping will help you diagnose the SSL issue.
Firstly, the two live sites gelcandlecompany.com & https://www.gelcandlecompany.com really are different hosts. An SSL certificate issued for one will not be valid for the other.
This simple fact is invariably going to be the root cause of your problem, especially considering that you stated "I can't seem to get a single SSL page to display at all sites".
You must be consistent with you "www" (or lack of).
You will need to determine which of these the certificate was issued for and use that in all config settings for all sites hosted on that server.
This consistency all means that you can now ignore most of the confusing stuff I wrote as it will no longer be relevant.
You are now down to a single host, and a single SSL that matches that host.

Please note, up until this point, zencart (and it's settings) haven't been mentioned, and even though these could be well messed up, now is not the time to worry about them.
The first (and only) thing you need to do is ensure that the host can correctly respond to both SSL and non SSL requests.
Simple to do. If the certificate is issued for "www.gelcandlecompany.com" then enter
"http://www.gelcandlecompany.com" into your Web browser and verify that the page displayed a) actually displays a valid page rather than an error message, and b) the address you entered is the same as the page you are seeing. The only permitted change being the possible addition of /something after the com.
Repeat this same test, but this time, enter "https" rather than just "http"
Again, the page displayed (regardless what it is) should be valid (not an error) and the URL should remain the same as entered.

If you DON'T get these expected results it means that you either have some sort of URL rewriting going on, and/or the SSL installation is incorrect.

Whichever it is, it will need to be rectified before diving any deeper.
If you find the URL you enter gets changed so that the "www" is added or removed you will then need to go to the zencart config settings of the sites that was displayed (the one in the top lever (root) folder and change the server defines so they match your SSL (IOW, add/remove the "www" As appropriate)
Repeat the two tests.
When, and only when both tests succeed you should go back to the zencart configs and enable the SSL. Take note, the tests I've suggested will/should/must function correctly regardless of whether the SSL has been enabled in the configs or not. This setting is effectively overwritten (doesn't come into play) when you access the site via the URL. Understanding this is very useful, because if it's not immediately obvious, you now know how to test the SSL capability/functionality of ANY website on the planet (including all of yours) - SSL is a function of the server, not the software hosted on the server.

At this stage, the site in the root folder of the host should now be fully functional and after the first access, will automatically switch between SSL and non SSL pages as appropriate.

The main thing for you to take home here is that you don't need to enable/disable the SSL settings in any of your current five zencart installs to see if they will work or not.
The idea being is that you should verify that they do function correctly, and then enable.

Your next step is to tackle the site that you have located in the folders (sub folders)
This is just a matter of repeating the URL tests, but instead of just entering
"www.gelcandlecompany.com" you'll need to include the folder names, eg
"http://www.gelcandlecompany.com/wholesale/" and
"https://www.gelcandlecompany.com/wholesale/"
and
"http://www.gelcandlecompany.com/demo/"
"https://www.gelcandlecompany.com/demo/"

If/when these tests pass (no errors, no strange URL rewrites (other than the possible additional stuff after the last / you can go to the zencart configs and enable the SSL.

If the URL tests/checks Do pass, but things fall over when navigation the site(s) , then you will be needing to look at the zencart configs for the troublesome sites. You will no longer be looking (or even thinking) about the SSL.. That aspect of things has already been tested and verified.

So, I've started out trying to confuse you... Because, well, it is confusing if/when you try to look at the big picture, but I'm hoping that by breaking it down to the various components in a step by step manner it has become a little clearer as to how all the various pieces fit together, and possibly even shown where /why things are going wrong. .. As a general rule (and in my experience) few people seem to consider that entering something in the browser address bar, and then observing what is shown (on both the page and the returned URL) is a very good diagnostic tool that can eliminate a lot of trial and error that comes about from messing with various config settings.

Hopefully this helps.

Cheers
RodG

DrByte:

Yes, you could.

If there's nothing about rewrites or ssl or https in there, then it may not be relevant.

A simple test for https:
Say you have a site: https://www.example.com ... ie: a site that's NOT in a subdirectory
And you have a file on that site, such as robots.txt (just choosing this cuz it's a common thing to have for telling search engines where to go)

1. Can you get to the http://www.example.com/robots.txt
2. Can you get to the https version of that same page: https://www.example.com/robots.txt
   If you get a different response between the two, then you've got a configuration problem.
3. If you think .htaccess could be a problem, then rename it to .htaccess_OFF temporarily and re-test 1 and 2 above.

Do these tests with your own real domain ... not the ones in a subdirectory.
The reason for picking robots.txt is that it rules out PHP and therefore also Zen Cart, thus confirming that the problem is something with your host.

My robot files viewed both ways are identical.
Thanks for info, will use in the in future if I suspect an ssl issue with host.

Looks like bluehost corrected the ssl issue.
I wonder if I caused the issue? They never got back to me.

Does this happen every so often when messing around with upgrading?
Thanks Doc

I asked bluehost to reset my ssl, so I guess that was it.
Not sure what caused this but I'm back on again.
Thanks kobra

The issue seems to be an ssl issue which has now been repaired by my host.
2 live stores gelcandlecompany.com and gelcand.lecompany.com/wholesale
and my demo shops also working

I have one SSL for all stores not shared.

Thanks for all your help RodG

spawnie69:

Does this happen every so often when messing around with upgrading?
Nope.
Not an upgrade issue.
Not a Zen Cart issue.