EE crashing Lunarpages server

[xahmol]

When I tried to upload my holiday pictures yesterday, I found that when I choose New exhibition or Edit exhibition from the admin page, I get a 500 error 'Internal Server error' and a large system dump in my directory.
I spoke to this to Lunarpages support (where my site is hosted), and they tell me that their server is unchanged, and that I should stop using EE as soon as possible as according to them it is the EE PHP code that is crashing the server.

I am somewhat confused by this, as EE 1.5 RC4 is working fine on this server for quite some time now and I am not aware of any new PHP script I uploaded. So, how can it be that the script did work but stopped working when both the server and script are unchanged?

Anybody any idea? It seems that I am forced to move to another Gallery script but I love EE.

As illustration my correspondence with Lunarpages helpdesk below:

Your message on Fri, 14th Apr 2006 11:05 pm
1

Today, when I try to do work from the admin page of the Exhibit Engine 1.5 RC 4 PHP script I use as a gallery script on my site, I get an Internal Server Error (code 500). Also, the server dumps a very large file file 'core.xxxx' in my xxx folder varying from tens to hunderds of megabytes. This file seems to be a system dump from the server. In the directory mentioned I have deleted all but one of these files.

I have not changed anything in my PHP script.

Is there a server or new configuration of the Naos server that is causing these server errors?

I would appreciate a solution for this problem, as my script is now unusable when I was just planning to upload my new holiday pictures.

Thanks in advance,

Xander Mol

Message by Lunarpages staff on Sat, 15th Apr 2006 1:10 pm
5

Hello,

Nothing has been changed on the server for quite a while, but we do need you to stop using the script that creates these dump files.

They are created when the PHP code you are running is basically crashing the server. It recovers, but it very bad for the system.

Please stop using the gallery software. You can install an alternative script. You can also get a pro-rated refund from us if you decide to host elsewhere.

--
Best Regards,
support@lunarpages.com

Your message on Sat, 15th Apr 2006 1:22 pm
6

I am a little bit surprised by this answer as I am running this script for quite some time now on the Lunarpages Naos server without ever having trouble.
The script has not been changed, and I know from the support forum of the script that some of your other clients are using the same script with, so far, any problems as well.

How can it then be that I did not change the script and you did not change the server, that suddenly the script is crashing your server?

I will go looking for another script if I have to, but will check the support forum of the script first.

Meanwhile, luckily the script only seems to crash from the admin page, not from the normal pages my visitors see

[Pekka]

First, see http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=111933

See also http://www.lunarforums.com/forum/index.php?topic=20444.msg150519#msg150519

Then, if ANY application "crashes" PHP, it does not cause any problems in server or Apache, PHP just reloads next time Apache calls it. The core dump file created on your server is something LUnarpages has set up it to do, and the dump is of no use for anyone and in production servers should be disabled.

If you have EE running for a long time and all is ok, then suddenly you get such problems, it means they have changed something in the server.

I would recommend some other host. See http://www.diagnose-me.com/sucks/lunarpages.html

A quote: "You write about how you don't know where all the good reviews for Lunarpages are coming from. I'll tell you. From the people that generate 100 or less hits a day, from the people that don't use their support, and from the people who's websites aren't dynamic at all. Those sites are a cake-walk for Lunarpages to host. But if you have a few php files, then beware, some how their state-of-the-art servers can't handle it."

[xahmol]

Pekka,

Thanks you very much for again a very fast reply. The new SCRIPT_editor_functions.php file did the trick.

Regarding moving to another hosting provider: until now I did not encounter any problems with LP. Because of the amount of effort needed in migrating to a different hosting provider and the fact that I run a personal website just for hobby and am not willing to pay much more than I presently do, I will stick with LP for now. I really do not have the time right now to delve into a possible new host, but thanks for the tip.

I am a little bit surprised by the way: the reason why I migrated to Lunarpages in the first pages were good stories in the Great host for EE topic on this same forum (http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=26707). Lunarpages is referenced very favourably several times in that topic.

[Pekka]

Pekka,

Thanks you very much for again a very fast reply. The new SCRIPT_editor_functions.php file did the trick.

Regarding moving to another hosting provider: until now I did not encounter any problems with LP. Because of the amount of effort needed in migrating to a different hosting provider and the fact that I run a personal website just for hobby and am not willing to pay much more than I presently do, I will stick with LP for now. I really do not have the time right now to delve into a possible new host, but thanks for the tip.

I am a little bit surprised by the way: the reason why I migrated to Lunarpages in the first pages were good stories in the Great host for EE topic on this same forum (http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=26707). Lunarpages is referenced very favourably several times in that topic.

If it works for you then great! :)

[yosemite]

i to joined lunarpages upon recommendations from the hosting thread. i have had no problems and they have been very helpful when i have a problem. i did have problems with tiny portal installed on top of smf forum, it would not work so i moved that to another server.

i am worried now after reading about others problems.

[xahmol]

Yosemite, my issues have been solved now and all is working fine again. I was also very much surprised by both the LP reaction als Pekka's comments, as I had very good experience with the LP helpdesk before, especially on installing EE in the first place (I was on a non-IM server, they moved me within an hour to an IM enabled server). Same as with you I choose LP because of user recommendations in exactly this forum.
So I stick with LP for now, because I do not want to go through the effort of moving when all is working OK.
But what did get me slightly worried though is how easy LP helpdesk tells you to look for another hosting provider if they apparently can not solve your issues. I start to get the impression they are very very helpfull as long as they can help you, but are also very glad to get rid of you in case you have problems there support can not easily handle.
Will monitor how things go for the coming months, keep you posted in case of any updates.