Some users unable to log in

[pastuck]

Hello,

I am currently having an issue with my forum in which some users (new within the last few days) cannot log in to the forum after their first visit to the site. I do not have Kontera ad's on my forum (searched for kontera in templates). The only thing i have added to the site in the last while are smileys, so at this point i am lost. Oh, and i am running vb 3.8.6

Any ideas?

[Steve Machol]

Try logging in as one of these users to see if you have the same problem. If you don't, then the cause is somewhere on their end. It's impossible to know exactly what it is but some possibilities are: browsers, browser settings, cookies being blocked, Internet and security settings, ISP and/or cache issues, firewalls, ad-blockers, spyware, proxies and any other application that affects Internet content.

[pastuck]

I've tried that. I have also created a new user for myself, and after about 5 mins when i tried to log in again it said invalid password. Changing the password still would not let me back in.

[Steve Machol]

The only thing that would cause that is a modification.

To troubleshoot this, first reupload all the original vB non-image files (except install.php). Make sure you upload these in ASCII format and overwrite the ones on the server. Also be sure to upload the admincp files to whichever directory you have set in your config.php file. Then run 'Suspect File Versions' in Diagnostics to make sure you have all the original files for your version and that none show 'File does not contain expected contents':

Admin CP -> Maintenance -> Diagnostics -> Suspect File Versions

[Note: In some cases you may also need to remove any of the listed .xml files in the includes/xml directory.]

Next, disable all products (except vB Blog and vB CMS if you are running the Suite.)

Admin CP -> Plugins & Products -> Manage Products -> Disable

Then manually uncheck all plugins that are not for 'vBulletin Blog' and vBulletin CMS' here:

Admin CP -> Plugins & Products -> Plugin Manager

You must do BOTH of those steps in order to disable all non vBulletin Modifications.

Then if you still have this problem, create a new style and choose no parent style. This will force it to use the default templates. Finally empty your browser cache, close all browser windows then try again. Make sure you change to the new style and view your forums with it.

Do you have the same problem?

[pastuck]

None of that seemed to work. I realized i did make one other change lately... I was seeing an increase of bots registering. I was using reCAPTCHA so i changed to a question and answer for verification. If i reset the password for affected users it still would not work, changed back to reCAPTCHA and then reset the password... BINGO... worked fine. I have no idea how that would have any affect like this, but so far so good.