Admin won't let login - have searched forums

I have found numorus threads on this issue and have implemented everything that it asks for.

When ever my client tries to login to his admin panel it just goes back to the login screen.

I transfered him from his current host and upgraded him from 1.3.6 to 1.3.7.

He has a comodo ssl cert I have installed and I turned it off for the admin to see if that would resolve the issue as per other threads.

He is running on PHP 4.4.4. I have tried changing the admin folder to manage and updated the config file as per one of the threads.

Even tried IE vs Firefox.

I have include the config file below any help would be appreciated as I am totally stumped as to what the issue could be.

Config information is this.

define('HTTP_SERVER', 'http://www.domain.com');
define('HTTPS_SERVER', 'https://www.domain.com');
define('HTTP_CATALOG_SERVER', 'http://www.domain.com');
define('HTTPS_CATALOG_SERVER', 'https://www.domain.com');

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

// NOTE: be sure to leave the trailing '/' at the end of these lines if you make changes!
// * DIR_WS_* = Webserver directories (virtual/URL)
// these paths are relative to top of your webspace ... (ie: under the public_html or httpdocs folder)
define('DIR_WS_ADMIN', '/admin/');
define('DIR_WS_CATALOG', '/');
define('DIR_WS_HTTPS_ADMIN', '/admin/');
define('DIR_WS_HTTPS_CATALOG', '/');

There are several things that can cause this ...

1 Typo in the /admin/includes/configure.php file that is on the server ...
NOTE: an edited version could mask the real issue

2 A problem with the secure and non-secure settings

3 Having the wrong username or password

4 Session setting issues

5 bad or corrupt files that are not throwing errors but happening quietly

6 php issues such as v5.x without the upgrade to v1.3.7 as php 5.2 does have known issues that were addressed in v1.3.7 until php is corrected

Has your login ever worked?

What happens if you set the enable to false?

Can you login?

What are the Session Settings?

If you can login but not your client ...

What browser does the client use?

Has the client tried to clear caches and delete all cookies to the site?

Can you login with the client's login information?

I thank you for your quick reply, I cannot login nor can the client.

As for errors I have checked the error log and this are the last entries

[Sun Apr 15 11:41:47 2007] [error] [client 65.55.214.176] File does not exist: /home/justpoke/public_html/robots.txt
[Sun Apr 15 11:41:24 2007] [error] [client 65.55.209.175] File does not exist: /home/justpoke/public_html/robots.txt
[Sun Apr 15 11:39:18 2007] [error] [client 65.54.188.132] File does not exist: /home/justpoke/public_html/robots.txt
[Sun Apr 15 11:39:15 2007] [error] [client 64.246.165.160] File does not exist: /home/justpoke/public_html/robots.txt
[Sun Apr 15 11:38:07 2007] [error] [client 65.55.209.177] File does not exist: /home/justpoke/public_html/robots.txt

There is some more there I won't flood the forum with it all.

Where would I check for session issues, (/includes/fuctions/sessions.php) and what am I looking for.

Below is a full config (with password *** out) let me know if you see anything that may be causing an issue.
define('HTTP_SERVER', 'http://www.justpokersupplies.com');
define('HTTPS_SERVER', 'https://www.justpokersupplies.com');
define('HTTP_CATALOG_SERVER', 'http://www.justpokersupplies.com');
define('HTTPS_CATALOG_SERVER', 'https://www.justpokersupplies.com');

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

// NOTE: be sure to leave the trailing '/' at the end of these lines if you make changes!
// * DIR_WS_* = Webserver directories (virtual/URL)
// these paths are relative to top of your webspace ... (ie: under the public_html or httpdocs folder)
define('DIR_WS_ADMIN', '/admin/');
define('DIR_WS_CATALOG', '/');
define('DIR_WS_HTTPS_ADMIN', '/admin/');
define('DIR_WS_HTTPS_CATALOG', '/');

define('DIR_WS_IMAGES', 'images/');
define('DIR_WS_ICONS', DIR_WS_IMAGES . 'icons/');
define('DIR_WS_CATALOG_IMAGES', HTTP_CATALOG_SERVER . DIR_WS_CATALOG . 'images/');
define('DIR_WS_CATALOG_TEMPLATE', HTTP_CATALOG_SERVER . DIR_WS_CATALOG . 'includes/templates/');
define('DIR_WS_INCLUDES', 'includes/');
define('DIR_WS_BOXES', DIR_WS_INCLUDES . 'boxes/');
define('DIR_WS_FUNCTIONS', DIR_WS_INCLUDES . 'functions/');
define('DIR_WS_CLASSES', DIR_WS_INCLUDES . 'classes/');
define('DIR_WS_MODULES', DIR_WS_INCLUDES . 'modules/');
define('DIR_WS_LANGUAGES', DIR_WS_INCLUDES . 'languages/');
define('DIR_WS_CATALOG_LANGUAGES', HTTP_CATALOG_SERVER . DIR_WS_CATALOG . 'includes/languages/');

// * DIR_FS_* = Filesystem directories (local/physical)
//the following path is a COMPLETE path to your Zen Cart files. eg: /var/www/vhost/accountname/public_html/store/
define('DIR_FS_ADMIN', '/home/justpoke/public_html/admin/');
define('DIR_FS_CATALOG', '/home/justpoke/public_html/');

define('DIR_FS_CATALOG_LANGUAGES', DIR_FS_CATALOG . 'includes/languages/');
define('DIR_FS_CATALOG_IMAGES', DIR_FS_CATALOG . 'images/');
define('DIR_FS_CATALOG_MODULES', DIR_FS_CATALOG . 'includes/modules/');
define('DIR_FS_CATALOG_TEMPLATES', DIR_FS_CATALOG . 'includes/templates/');
define('DIR_FS_BACKUP', DIR_FS_ADMIN . 'backups/');
define('DIR_FS_EMAIL_TEMPLATES', DIR_FS_CATALOG . 'email/');
define('DIR_FS_DOWNLOAD', DIR_FS_CATALOG . 'download/');

// define our database connection
define('DB_TYPE', 'mysql');
define('DB_PREFIX', '');
define('DB_SERVER', 'localhost');
define('DB_SERVER_USERNAME', 'j*****');
define('DB_SERVER_PASSWORD', '*****);
define('DB_DATABASE', '****');
define('USE_PCONNECT', 'false'); // use persistent connections?
define('STORE_SESSIONS', 'db'); // use 'db' for best support, or '' for file-based storage

// The next 2 "defines" are for SQL cache support.
// For SQL_CACHE_METHOD, you can select from: none, database, or file
// If you choose "file", then you need to set the DIR_FS_SQL_CACHE to a directory where your apache
// or webserver user has write privileges (chmod 666 or 777). We recommend using the "cache" folder inside the Zen Cart folder
// ie: /path/to/your/webspace/public_html/zen/cache -- leave no trailing slash
define('SQL_CACHE_METHOD', 'database');
define('DIR_FS_SQL_CACHE', '/home/justpoke/public_html/cache');

The site is using an SEO add-on ... are you able to browse the database configuration table and find the configuration_key related to turning this off?

Check for .htaccess files ... what happens if you name the one in the /public_html and /admin to .htaccess_HIDE so they do not run?

What version php?

What version Zen Cart?

Did the login info to the admin work on the old site?

Have you tried to reset the admin table in case the client gave you the wrong information for logging in?

Again thank you for the quick reply and your assistance.

He is running on php 4.4.4

Zen Cart 1.3.7

Changing the admin .htaccess to .htaccess.hide does not work

How would I turn it off in the database.

And when you type in the password it just goes to back to the admin screen and its blank like it would look if you just went to it but if you type in the wrong user name and password it gives you

You entered the wrong username or password.

And yes before he transfered his admin worked I logged in there to get some information.

If you could show me how to turn it off it would be appreciated so I don't make another problem. :)

Thank you again.

I am watching this thread as I am having the exact same problem.

I just moved the cart from one host to another via doing a full cPanel backup at old host and restoring it, then changing the owner of the files at the new host. This recreates everything exactly as it was - database, files, email addresses & forwards, etc. Even the home directory, user name, and file structure is the same - so no config file modifications were needed.

Everything was working before the move, and the cart appears to be fully functional except the ability to login. I even had it reset and send a new password, and used PHPMyAdmin to check that the password hash changed in the database. I also get the same result of just getting the login screen refreshed with correct login and an error with a incorrect one.

puppet87112, have you tried logging in to the cart as a customer? in my case I cannot login there either. wrong login yields a error, and a proper one yields a refresh of the home page with the "Welcome Guest" message.

I am using a very old version of ZenCart (Version 1.2.4) because the client has not payed to have me update it, and there are several mods - since it has been two years since I touched it I don't remember how many or which ones, but I do know several are admin mods and therefore don't survive an upgrade.
Anyhow, this means that the issue has been around in the code for quite some time, and I would guess it must have been covered somewhere before.

Ajeh, thank you for your help. I am sure that the three of us will get this figured out if we just keep at it.

T313C0mun1s7 - I have not I have not created account to try I may do that to see what happens. It will not even let me create an account.

Update
I refreshed the page and it created the account but it went to a blank white screen before. But will not let me login to it.

puppet87112:

T313C0mun1s7 - I have not I have not created account to try I may do that to see what happens. It will not even let me create an account.

What happens when you try to create an account? I may be related to the issue. So far all the answers I have seen relate to sessions, cache, or the admin configure.php file. I have not yet found a fix, but if customer logins and customer account creation is related and not working we can rule out the admin configure.php file.

When I first created the account it went to a blank white screen if you refresh is come back saying that the said email was already in use please try logging in with it.

So when I tried to login it went to a blank screen and then when you click refresh it says there is no such email or password.

Ok, I will try to reproduce this and expand on the details.

Filled in the form for new account and hit submit, and I am redirected to "index.php?main_page=create_account_success" which looks like

Your Account Has Been Created!
Congratulations! Your new account has been successfully created! You can now take advantage of member privileges to enhance your online shopping experience with us. If you have ANY questions about the operation of this online shop, please email the store owner.

A confirmation has been sent to the provided email address. If you have not received it within the hour, please contact us.
Checked for E-mail, I received it and it looked ok except that it referred to me as "Dear Mr. User" rather than by my entered name. I hit "Continue" on the account created success page, and get forwarded to the home page. I try to login with the new user and I get forwarded back to the home page with "Welcome Guest! Would you like to log yourself in?"

So I was able to create a customer account, just not log in with it.

I was able to recreate an error (I have now commented that line out to get ride for the error but here it is

Warning: session_save_path() [function.session-save-path]: open_basedir restriction in effect. File(/hsphere/local/home/wayne/justpokersupplies.com/cache) is not within the allowed path(s): (/home/justpoke:/usr/lib/php:/usr/local/lib/php:/tmp) in /home/justpoke/public_html/includes/functions/sessions.php on line 304

Line 304 says return session_save_path($path);

Which I think that is causing the error cause when I got that error I tried to login to the admin and it took me somewhere else.

So if I can figure out how to take care of that I think I got the issue fixed.

Something does not match here:
Warning: session_save_path() [function.session-save-path]: open_basedir restriction in effect. File(/hsphere/local/home/wayne/justpokersupplies.com/cache) is not within the allowed path(s): (/home/justpoke:/usr/lib/php:/usr/local/lib/php:/tmp) in **/home/justpoke/public_html/**includes/functions/sessions.php on line 304

Look in phpMyAdmin at the configuration table for the configuration_key:
SESSION_WRITE_DIRECTORY

Make this is correct ...

I am sending you a pm Ajeh you can look at the ftp as well.

He means that if you have access to phpMyAdmin, browse the zen_configuration (or whatever your table prefix is, mine is cart so it is cart_configuration) table and find the row that contains the configuration_key SESSION_WRITE_DIRECTORY then check the configuration_value column to see if the entry points to the correct directory. It should point to the cache directory.

If you are not familiar with phpMyAdmin, now is a good time to become so. It is an invaluable tools for working with your MySQL databases. In cPanel click on the MySQL Databases icon, scroll all the way to the bottom and click on the link that says phpMyAdmin. In the "X" theme it is the third line from the bottom right above a line of text that says "You can use phpMyAdmin to administer your MySQL databases in a web based environment." It will open a new tab or window with phpMyAdmin.

Find the table on the left mentioned before, the one called xxxx_configuration, all the prefixes should be the same for every table unless you have more than one cart running from one database. Click on the table name and then in the right frame click on the Browse tab at the very top. You may have to go through a couple of pages to find it, or change the number of rows to view to some large number like 300. I am sure you can figure it out from here.

Look around a bit in phpMyAdmin, just be cautious as any changed you make are made in real time. You are poking around in your live database.

NOTE: I think you induced a new and unrelated to the original topic problem. I am not having this same issue. What did you comment out?? You might want to put that line back in ;-P

I got it kind of I accidentally put in jukepoke instead justpoke so rather than delete the whole database again I am going to see is Linda knows a better way to change that cause I am sure there is a faster way.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for there help on all the issues that have been posted by me and you are the guys that make zen cart such a wonderful cart to use.

Keep up the good work.

Alright I was able to resolve that issue,

but with that issue fixed it is still looping through the admin.

But I can create the account it looks like and cannot order time you add something it says shopping cart is empty.

very, Very, VERY ODD!!! :frusty:

Ok, get this. puppet87112, you said you could not add items to the cart. So I tried it and I could add items. I tried to log in with the user I created to replicate your not being able to add a user, and got in invalid username or password error. So I tried to login with the customer account I could not log in with before, and IT WORKED. So I tried to login with the admin using the new password I had sent with the forgot password link, and I got invalid user or password. I tried with the old password and IT WORKED.

I HAVE TOUCHED NOTHING. I could not have fixed this because all I have been doing is trying to log in, creating a user, and having the admin password sent to me. It is as if time itself was reset to a point prior to me not being able to log in as admin. As if the new customer was never created, and I never had the admin password reset. Go figure, anyone have an explanation for that?? Oh, and one more thing, even though I am using a 1.2.4 version, from the backend I am being told "Your version of Zen Cart™ appears to be current." :shocking:

Yeah, I just tried again with no luck. I cannot add items to the shopping cart it looks like its adding customers alright, my client is getting the emails just fine.

But his site is totally down and I need to get it back up for him. I mean it comes up but no one can order anything and he or i cannot login the the admin panel.

I am very confused on this and I wish it would just fix itself but things are not that easy.

Just to updated everyone.

I replaced all the core files AGAIN and the problem resolved. He can get orders now and login to his admin.

I would like to thank everyone for there help. It is users like you that make zen cart such a wonderful shopping cart to use. I am honored to host your clients and thats why I donate to keep this cart alive.