Admin Control Panel showing incorrect vBulletin version

[SCH]

During the last FTP session, I was using FileZilla (on a Windows XP machine... normally I use Cyberduck on a Mac).

And I've always set whatever FTP client I've been using to overwrite all existing files. Not 'merge' or 'replace with whichever file is newer'... full overwrite!

In the public_html/forums directory where I upload the update files (as per the vBulletin installation instructions) all the files are the latest versions (3.8.6 PL1). It's the files that are under public_html/clientscript and public_html/includes that are showing as older versions.

[Paul M]

Are you sure the user you are logging in with has permission to overwrite them ?

Easy test, just delete them yourself and then re-upload the new ones.

[SCH]

Yes, I'm sure I have the proper permission to overwrite these files. Like I said, all the files that I've uploaded to the server are correct and up-to-date. It's the files that should have been overwritten during the update process that are old.

[Paul M]

As I said, just delete them and re-uplaod them.


Edit : Not sure what you mean by "files that should have been overwritten during the update process that are old" - upgrading itself does not overwite any files.

[Joe D.]

Another way to upgrade is to upload a zip file of the "upload" directory and unzip it in your forum root folder right on your server- if you have control panel you can usually unzip through file manager or a dedicated file archive plugin.

[JamesC70]

Yes, you can delete vbulletin_quickreply.js.

Now that I've had a chance to break free from interruptions (work can be such a pain!), I've downloaded 3.8.6PL1 again, and I don't see those missing files either. I then went onto my server and I don't have those files at all!

I started with 3.6 series, and if I've never had them, then it's probably safe to say that the files you show as suspect are either from the add-ons, or old files from your forum's pre-3.5 days. However, I'd feel better if another long-time vB person (Paul, BoP, etc) would double-check theirs as well.

My apologies for leading you down the wrong path with that thought... I presumed that since Trevor didn't question the files, they were current vB files (other than the obvious addon files).

[Joe D.]

I checked all the files in the first group (client script directory) and don't have any of them in my 3.8.6 zip nor on the live server. I'd bet those are all old versions but no matter how sure I am definitely back them up before deleting- no excuse not to.

[SCH]

Hi guys,

Thanks very much for going through the efforts to check your own installs for those files!

Just an update on what I've done up 'til now: I copied each of the files listed in the Suspect Files diagnostic list to my local hard drive and deleted each off the server one by one. Each of those files were dated anywhere from 2003 to 2005 - all quite old when compared to the vBulletin 3.8.6 install. After I deleted each file, I checked my site to ensure that it was still functioning normally. Apart from two files: read_pms.php and cpnav_rpm.xml, all the others weren't needed and all seems fine with the site.

However, I do have some other questions re: the files on my server.

When I uploaded the update folder, I did so exactly as per the vBulletin install instructions (ie. I renamed the "upload" folder to "forums", deleted the file install.php from the install directory, then uploaded the folder to my public_html directory and told my FTP client to overwrite all files). Whenever I've run the update scripts, everything worked flawlessly without any error messages or issues.

When I check the directory that I uploaded to public_html/forums, all the files and directories in it are all dated the day they were uploaded (which is normal). However when I check the files and folders under public_html (for example: public_html/admincp, public_html/includes, etc...) they are all showing vBulletin 3.7.2 Patch Level 1, except for the file version_vbulletin.php (which I FTPed to the server earlier today). Is this normal, or should I see all (or at least a large majority of) the files showing vBulletin 3.8.6?

[Joe D.]

OK it sounds like you installed your forums in your html root directory, not your /forums/ directory, I am correct in assuming you visit your forums by www.domain.com and not www.domain.com/forums/?

If this is the case it sounds like you uploaded the new files to the wrong place (/forums/) when the files in upload should have just gone to your public_html (root) directory... then run www.domain.com/install/upgrade.php

That would explain all the issues I think.

Edit- from your signature-
Yes this is the issue!
http://www.superchargerhelp.com/ - your 'real' forum
http://www.superchargerhelp.com/forums/ - a new "phantom" forum caused by the incorrect upload folder- erase this folder once you upgrade the correct root folder.

[SCH]

Yes, my site is visited via www.domain.com (in fact, the site URL is just below my signature) and not via www.domain.com/forums/.

But if I've uploaded the files to the wrong place (and you may very well be correct in this matter), then why does the site say that it's powered by vBulletin 3.8.6 at the bottom of each page after the update?

[SCH]

OK just doing some double checking, and I think BirdOPRey5 is correct - it looks like I have indeed uploaded the site update files to the wrong location!

I performed a site backup on October 30th before my first attempt to FTP the vBulletin 3.8.6 PL1 update package, and the /forum/ directory didn't contain any of the files that the update pack had in it. In fact, it only contained a single directory in it with very few (and very old) files within that directory.

So it looks like I uploaded the update files to the wrong location - they should have gone to the root directory (public_html). I can easily re-FTP all the files to the correct location and perform the update again. However, does that mean I can delete all the files I uploaded to the forums directory without adversely affecting the site?

[SCH]

Just re-FTPed the entire update pack to the root directory of my site and performed the update which has gone off without a problem! It looks like my site is now properly powered by vBulletin 3.8.6 PL 1.

So does this mean I can delete all the files within the public_html/forums directory without any adverse issues to the site?

[Joe D.]

I think you are safe deleting the /forums/ directory, there's certainly no /forums/ folder in the install package so unless a mod you had used it you'll be fine. You might want to rename the folder to something like /forumsx/ and test your site for a day before deleting just in case.

[Paul M]

I think you are safe deleting the /forums/ directory, there's certainly no /forums/ folder in the install package so unless a mod you had used it you'll be fine. You might want to rename the folder to something like /forumsx/ and test your site for a day before deleting just in case.

Yep, just rename the folder to something like forums_old and make sure nothing breaks.

[SCH]

Hi guys,

Well it looks like BirdOPrey5 was right - I did indeed install the 3.8.6 PL1 vBulletin files in the wrong location all along.

I re-FTPed everything up to the root directory on the server last night, ran the update and everything went fine. I then downloaded the 'forums' directory to my local hard drive, erased it's contents from the server and the site ran perfectly. I then ran the Suspect Files diagnostics, and other than the files associated with the two mods/plug-ins I had installed (Read PMs and StopForumSpam) before BirdOPrey5 suggested I had uploaded everything to the wrong location, there are no rogue or old files floating around in the installation. I've even gone through each directory (admincp, clientscript, includes, etc...) and double-checked all their contents with the contents of the vBulletin update folder, and everything matches up perfectly (again, with the exception of the files required for the two mods/plug-ins I installed). And, of course, I'm happy to report that all files are showing version 'vBulletin 3.8.6 Patch Level 1'

So it looks like all the issues have been solved!

Thanks very much for all the help everyone. I realize that being experienced vBulletin users/coders/admins having to instruct a noob like myself can be frustrating, so I greatly appreciate your patience.