# Repeated Internal Server Errors Upon Reply/Quote - 6-22-2018



## tallbm

So this seems to be an issue that is reoccurring and I'm not sure it has been raised.
Basically there are issues with making some reply posts to existing threads.  

*Issue*:  Inability to post replies to a forum threads in a number of scenarios.  Error received is "Internal Server Error".






*
Impact*: Affects core functionality of the forum.  Affects ability to consistently participate in forum threads by preventing users from being able to post replies in a number of cases.

*Frequency*:  Intermittent, seems to only occur with certain types of post replies, not all types.

*Repeatable*:  Yes.

*Behavior*:  Internal Server Error received when trying to use Multi-Quote feature as well Reply feature on existing threads. 
It seems that the string/message content used in the post reply is causing the server to fail.
This has occurred with the use of the Multi-Quote feature as well as the "Image" feature (not to be confused with "Gallery" feature) of a thread reply post.

*Steps to Repeat:*  Go to a thread with more than 3 posts.  Use the multi-quote feature and reply with a few lines of simple text.

Also, use the multi-quote feature AND use the "Image" feature to post 3 large images.  Delete the multi-quote text and see if the "Image" feature still causes the Internal Server Error.  Delete the Image text and post to likely have success posting



Let me know if you have any questions and I'm sure I can help you repeat the error and you can troubleshoot the logs/system to figure out what is going on.

Thanks! :)


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## tallbm

Wow the error is happening right now as I try to edit the original post hahaha.  So odd :)


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## Bearcarver

That's the same Flag that comes up every time I try to Edit my Step by Steps Index.
Jeff reported it to the Platform Geeks, but so far no change.

Also--As of today, this is the first time I'm being logged out all the time too.
I haven't had to log in more than twice since we switched platforms, but today I had to log on about 20 times already.

Bear


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## pops6927

I just got it while posting on FB, referencing www.smokingmeatforums.com about my curing.


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## tallbm

bearcarver said:


> That's the same Flag that comes up every time I try to Edit my Step by Steps Index.
> Jeff reported it to the Platform Geeks, but so far no change.
> 
> Also--As of today, this is the first time I'm being logged out all the time too.
> I haven't had to log in more than twice since we switched platforms, but today I had to log on about 20 times already.
> 
> Bear



Yeah something is screwy.

I'm not getting the log off issue.  I am only accessing from a PC though. 
With all my activity and long winded posts you can probably tell that work has been slow lately :D


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## Bearcarver

tallbm said:


> Yeah something is screwy.
> 
> I'm not getting the log off issue.  I am only accessing from a PC though.
> With all my activity and long winded posts you can probably tell that work has been slow lately :D






Here's a Beauty that's happening to me right now.

I made a comment on a Thread about a 20 pound Prime Rib.
Now when I click on "Recent" that thread isn't on "Recent" list when I'm logged in, but when I'm logged out it's on the Recent List. That just doesn't make any sense at all!!!!

Bear


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## dls1

bearcarver said:


> Here's a Beauty that's happening to me right now.
> 
> I made a comment on a Thread about a 20 pound Prime Rib.
> Now when I click on "Recent" that thread isn't on "Recent" list when I'm logged in, but when I'm logged out it's on the Recent List. That just doesn't make any sense at all!!!!
> 
> Bear



Just got the very same thing.


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## tallbm

bearcarver said:


> Here's a Beauty that's happening to me right now.
> 
> I made a comment on a Thread about a 20 pound Prime Rib.
> Now when I click on "Recent" that thread isn't on "Recent" list when I'm logged in, but when I'm logged out it's on the Recent List. That just doesn't make any sense at all!!!!
> 
> Bear



HAHHAHAHAHAHAH I totally found that same behavior earlier today before reading your post!!!!
Man small world hahaha.  I think we are either causing all the problems or the gremlins are after us two :p

Oh and about 4 minutes ago I ran into my first Log Off issue hahaha


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## noboundaries

I switched my browser to Chrome from Explorer.  Seems to have solved ALL the issues I was having with pics, posts, and log-outs.  We'll see if it sticks.


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## pc farmer

noboundaries said:


> I switched my browser to Chrome from Explorer.  Seems to have solved ALL the issues I was having with pics, posts, and log-outs.  We'll see if it sticks.




I am on IE at work, all kinds of problems.  Chrome at home, no issues.


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## dward51

I went to edit a post to add more info and also received this error.  On Firefox (latest version 58???).  I abandoned IE eons ago and will either use Firefox or Chrome.


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## tallbm

I've been using Chrome exclusively.  I think the issues are just intermittent or the site is slowly degrading and messing up lol.


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## JckDanls 07

I've not had these problems (yet) ...  But I still have problems with the forums never fully loading and thus freezing up my internet ... I'm using chrome...


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## JckDanls 07

so after replying to this..  it doesn't show up in "recent"


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## pc farmer

jckdanls 07 said:


> so after replying to this..  it doesn't show up in "recent"




It won't show up in recent, it's not like the old  forum under new posts


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## JckDanls 07

ok..  so this Is what I see happening... when I read a thread it doesn't show up again when I go back to "recent"...  I had to go to "my activity" to find this thread to repost to it ...


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## JckDanls 07

Adam..  I disagree... It has been that way..  it just doesn't/didn't have the dot at the beginning showing a new reply...

That was how I could tell If I read a thread or not by the dot being there (or not)... If no dot, then I knew I had already read that thread and there had been no new reply since I read it ...


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## dward51

Well there are some threads I replied to a few hour ago that are no longer in my view of recent posts at all.  Something is amiss and it may be getting worse?


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## tallbm

So with this section of the forum for bugs and such, are we suppose to hear back from a systems operation person or someone like that?  I don't recall there being a process outlined or anything for this type if situation.

Obviously this part of the forum exists but I wonder if it is even being monitored.  
Believe it or not this kind of thing happens all the time in all kinds of ways.
I once worked for a software company and they were trying to hire and in a meeting about it I asked if there was any activity in the resume submission section of the website.
Everyone looked at me like I was crazy so I showed it to them.
When they checked there were thousands of resumes submitted for a few years and no one was aware hahahahaha.

It is crazy when you discovered what gets missed out there in the world :)


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## Bearcarver

jckdanls 07 said:


> so after replying to this..  it doesn't show up in "recent"




I just got back on since last night.

However that's one of the things that was happening to me:
If I managed to make a reply, it wouldn't show up in the recent list.
But then if I got logged out it would show up.
Log-in----Gone again.
Log Out --There is is again.

Bear


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## tallbm

bearcarver said:


> I just got back on since last night.
> 
> However that's one of the things that was happening to me:
> If I managed to make a reply, it wouldn't show up in the recent list.
> But then if I got logged out it would show up.
> Log-in----Gone again.
> Log Out --There is is again.
> 
> Bear



Hmmm, seems like maybe a session plus caching issue.

*Translation:* 
When you log in something called a "session" is created and information is stored in it.

Caching is where the site will store commonly hit information and have it stored in memory (instead of deep down in the system) so that when another request for the information occurs, the info is already there and can be served up super fast without involving the deeper parts of the system.

When you are not logged you have no session info (usually) so your visit is more like a clean slate.
When you DO login well your previous session info may be hanging around and making things look/feel like they were in the past rather than in the present.  Hence not seeing new things.

Somehow old user session information and new request caching information seem to be out of whack :)

This is just a guess since I don't have any supporting evidence but maybe a system guy will read this and look in those areas of performance :D


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## Bearcarver

tallbm said:


> Hmmm, seems like maybe a session plus caching issue.
> 
> *Translation:*
> When you log in something called a "session" is created and information is stored in it.
> 
> Caching is where the site will store commonly hit information and have it stored in memory (instead of deep down in the system) so that when another request for the information occurs, the info is already there and can be served up super fast without involving the deeper parts of the system.
> 
> When you are not logged you have no session info (usually) so your visit is more like a clean slate.
> When you DO login well your previous session info may be hanging around and making things look/feel like they were in the past rather than in the present.  Hence not seeing new things.
> 
> Somehow old user session information and new request caching information seem to be out of whack :)
> 
> This is just a guess since I don't have any supporting evidence but maybe a system guy will read this and look in those areas of performance :D





LOL---Believe it or not---That makes sense to me, and I'm shocked that it does!!!

Thanks,
Bear


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## JckDanls 07

OK..  Here's what I'm experiencing now...

When I open the home page I am not logged in, and can't log in (log in popup doesn't pop up)
When on the home page if I arrow over "forums" and click on "recent post" from the drop down menu it takes me to the "recent" page (still as a guest)..
when I click on "recent" (from the tool bar) as a guest, the "New Post" page opens and I am logged in then (without logging in).. but it is the "new post" page instead of the "recent" page .. this is why none of the previous read or reply'd to threads aren't showing up "as read" (meaning the little dot gone) ... 

Then when on the "New Post" page (signed in)...  If I click on the home page, it takes me there..  but as a guest again ...


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## dr k

No email notifications again for a few days. When they do come in they are old news. Maybe a day or two late after I've already logged in and read them so they are no longer new. When I get these now obsolete email notifications and go to the thread from the email notification I've spent double time on a thread I've already read.
-Kurt


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## noboundaries

The only issue I seem to be having now after switching to Chrome is where my posts show up.  They don't appear in Recent or New Posts, only under "Your Activity."


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## Bearcarver

Seems like after reading all the posts of the problems everyone is having, I'm craving a Batch of "Scrambled Eggs".

I'll try not to scramble them as much as everything here is scrambled.  I'm Hungry!!!

Later Guys,

Bear


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## tallbm

Hmmm I'm wondering if the load balancing is out of whack.

I am positive that this website is likely hosted/run by a number of machines.
Every time a user clicks something on the website that request/click will be sent to one of the machines that hosts/runs the website and that machine will look at session information (if it has it) and then direct the user to place where they clicked.

It seems that the user session information is either not being saved on all machines that run the website OR the load balancing mechanisms are failing to send that user's request/click back to the SAME machine that has the user session info.

Example:
If website Machine A has my user session info on it and then I click on "Recent" and the request is directed to website Machine B, my user session info doesn't live on website Machine B so things go crazy for me like log outs, stale history, etc.
What is likely suppose to happen is that once my session info is created on website Machine A, all of my clicks/requests should then be directed to website Machine A via the load balancing mechanism instead of website Machine B or C.  This is called "Sticky Session" functionality.

The alternative is called "Replicated Session" which means my session info is created and maintained on all website Machine A, B, and C no matter what.

Again just a guess since I have no real evidence other than what we are all seeing :)


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## SmokinAl

I hope someone is working on this!
It's getting very frustrating!
BTW I have tried IE, Chrome, Firefox, & Edge & the problem is the same.
But someone figured out if you click on Smokingmeatforums.com at the top left, you will go there & be logged in.

Al


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## tallbm

I hope it goes get better soon guys.  I'm just glad I'm not experiencing the log off issue other than the 1 time.  I hope all the issues start fixing up soon.


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## TulsaJeff

This issue has been reported.. I appreciate the feedback.


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## tallbm

tulsajeff said:


> This issue has been reported.. I appreciate the feedback.


Thanks Jeff.  

If you need any more information or testing done just let me know.  I deal with this kind of stuff for a living so I can probably give accurate and useful details if needed :)


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## noboundaries

Now I'm having the same log-out issues with Chrome on my laptop I was having with IE.  When I change pages I get logged out and can't log back in.  I have to close the session, open a new one, use my Favorites link to SMF, and that's good for one look.  Good thing the smilies aren't back. There were a few in there I would have used for the first time.


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## Bearcarver

The Smilies wouldn't be smiling.

Actually mine is working pretty good today, except I still can't edit my Step by Step Index page.

I use a Mac, with Safari.

Bear


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## noboundaries

Update: I have to log back in as described above.  The only section I can visit without getting logged-out is "Your Activity" under Forums.  If I click "Recent" or "New Posts,' ba-bye.  

The log-in button isn't working for me.  When I press the log-in button, my information pops up, but nothing happens when I press the button to actually log-in.  I have to close the session as described in my last post.


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## dward51

Well, now the forum refuses to keep me logged in (on top of all the other issues).  I hate to say this, but I seem to be spending less and less time here due to the bugs. It's just getting old.   Sigh....

I miss the old forum (there I said it).


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## idahopz

Don't give up just yet - delete your cookies for this site and you should be good to go.

The cookies are likely:

smokingmeatforums.com
www.smokingmeatforums.com


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## johnmeyer

Deleting cookies doesn't help. I think a lot of the workarounds posted are probably bogus. I say this because what I've found is that, as I click around trying to figure out how to get the login dialog to come up, sometimes I am suddenly logged on, without having had to do anything. Therefore, I suspect that when someone does something and then they are able to log in, their logical assumption is that it must have been that thing they just did. But, it may just be a happy coincidence, without any causal connection.


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## TulsaJeff

I feel your pain and am having the same issues on my end. We have some very smart people working on this and hopefully it will be resolved soon. 

One of the issues we had when we first got ready to move over to the new server is that the database was in really bad shape.. so bad that we worried we would lose a ton of data. Well they went through it line by line, table by table and somehow got it all figured out and imported in without losing anything.

Once we got onto the the new server, we were without secure SSL.. that is what makes the lock show up in the URL bar letting you know that the site is secure. They just got that fixed a few nights ago along with several other issues and that is when a few of these other issues started popping up.

All of these new issues have been reported and they are working on them.. I feel confident that it will be resolved very soon.

I have given them the link to this thread as well so anything you feel is important and want to include here is fine and may be helpful as this is being sorted out.

I appreciate everyone's patience!


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## johnmeyer

FWIW, I have verified that adding "www" to the beginning of the URL does not help (in fact, the browser immediately strips the "www" and displays the URL without it). Also, deleting cookies does not help. The cookie deletion is sometimes a fix for things like this, when the cookie gets corrupted, but it doesn't seem to do anything for this problem.


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## sultan

Checking...


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## dward51

Yeah, flushing the cache and deleting cookies also did nothing for me as well.  Same for deleting the old bookmark and saving a new one.


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## Bearcarver

Don't know if this has been reported yet, but everything was going Great until this morning.
Now I'm getting Logged out again numerous times this morning.

Bear


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## SmokinAl

It's happening to me too Bear!
I guess it's going to be a while until they get all the bugs worked out.
Al


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## Bearcarver

Yeah, it logged me out about 10 times, and my Step by Steps wouldn't let me edit again.

But at the moment it stopped doing that & I'm still logged on.

Seems it's either intermittent or they just fixed it already. Hope it the Latter

The problem must be from Florida---We don't have bugs up here this time of year.:D

Bear


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## SmokinAl

Well I'd rather have a few bugs than 2' of snow!! :)
I sure wish they would expand the list of emoticons too.
Oh well, I'm sure it will all work out in the end.
I'm sure Jeff spent a lot of money in this changeover & he will want it to be better when it's all working correctly.
I just hope I'm still alive when that happens!:eek:
Al


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## Bearcarver

smokinal said:


> Well I'd rather have a few bugs than 2' of snow!! :)
> I sure wish they would expand the list of emoticons too.
> Oh well, I'm sure it will all work out in the end.
> I'm sure Jeff spent a lot of money in this changeover & he will want it to be better when it's all working correctly.
> I just hope I'm still alive when that happens!:eek:
> Al




Yeah, I mentioned the emoticons too, and Jeff said they're working on some Beauties, but I figure they want to get rid of all the other problems first. I really miss my "Thumbs ups" and my "Eating Popcorn".

Bear


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## tallbm

bearcarver said:


> Yeah, I mentioned the emoticons too, and Jeff said they're working on some Beauties, but I figure they want to get rid of all the other problems first. I really miss my "Thumbs ups" and my "Eating Popcorn".
> 
> Bear



Any progress on the ability to edit your step by step posts?


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## Bearcarver

tallbm said:


> Any progress on the ability to edit your step by step posts?




Yup---Working Good right now.

Bear


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## tallbm

bearcarver said:


> Yup---Working Good right now.
> 
> Bear



Awesome to hear!

I think they may be doing something to the site right now or another issue has popped up.

When I go to the "Recent" section I am NOT logged in.  Therefore I cannot comment on any of those posts.
When I'm on the "Your Activity" section I AM logged in and I CAN comment on any of those posts hahaha.

Looks like they found a way to shut me up for a little while... well kind of :P


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## noboundaries

Hitting "Recent" logs me out again, whether I'm using Chrome, IE, laptop, or phone.  Just started last night.


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## tallbm

noboundaries said:


> Hitting "Recent" logs me out again, whether I'm using Chrome, IE, laptop, or phone.  Just started last night.



Yeah.  It seems like the session management issue is back.


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## tallbm

Here is a "work around" to get to Recent Posts while still being logged in.

FYI, this recent posts link is not exactly the same as the "Recent" link at the top of the screen, but it is close enough and allows users to participate until the "Recent" link up top is fixed.

*Steps:*
1. Simply go to "Your Activity" and click it.  Notice you are logged in.
2. Click the other "Recent Posts" link and you get some recent post to pop up.  Notice you are still logged in

Again it's not perfect and not 100% the same as the link at the top but it should keep you in the ballgame :)


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## johnmeyer

I had to log on during my first session here this morning. I logged on twice since then and in these two later sessions the site recognized me and I didn't have to log on.


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## dward51

Still kicking me out over here.  sigh........


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## tallbm

Hey Jeff and website admin guys, we are experiencing Internal Server Errors at the moment when replying or editing posts/replies.

I figured I would give you a heads up :)


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## TulsaJeff

tallbm said:


> Hey Jeff and website admin guys, we are experiencing Internal Server Errors at the moment when replying or editing posts/replies.
> 
> I figured I would give you a heads up :)



Thank you for the heads up.. I will look into it right away.


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## TulsaJeff

Are you still seeing this problem?


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## tallbm

TulsaJeff said:


> Are you still seeing this problem?



Yep.

I go to edit my post here:
MES Rewire Simple Guide - No Back Removal Needed!!!

I try to change the text:

"You generally have 6 steps with the Auber."

To become:
"You generally have 6 Cooking Steps with the Auber."

And I get the error when trying to save the change.  The change does not take affect.


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