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#11695 AKEEBADELUXE seems to be a total waste of money!

Posted in ‘Admin Tools for Joomla! 4 & 5’
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Environment Information

Joomla! version
n/a
PHP version
n/a
Admin Tools version
n/a

Latest post by on Tuesday, 24 April 2012 18:00 CDT

Saturday, 24 March 2012 18:24 CDT

gdarnton
Mandatory information about my setup:

Have I read the related troubleshooter articles above before posting (which pages?)? No
Have I searched the tickets before posting? No
Have I read the documentation before posting (which pages?)? No
Joomla! version: (unknown)
PHP version: (unknown)
MySQL version: (unknown)
Host: (optional, but it helps us help you)
Admin Tools version: (unknown)

Description of my issue:
I purchased AKEEBADELUXE. It installed (or, it appears to have installed). So far, almost nothing works. I cannot backup - that fails. I get frequent emails telling me that there are new versions of admin tools and Joomla - I am unable to update admin tools:
Fatal error: Cannot pass parameter 2 by reference in /home/metamode/public_html/administrator/components/com_admintools/liveupdate/classes/download.php on line 40

I am unable to upgrade Joomla:
The archive file is corrupt, truncated, or archive parts are missing.

When I try to do a backup, something seems to override admin access so that I only get a backup icon when I go into the administrator menu, and not all the admin buttons.

So far, it all seems an expensive waste of money as not only can I obtain no benefit, trying the features fails.

Saturday, 24 March 2012 23:54 CDT

nicholas
If you'd mind filling in the mandatory support information above, you'd have told us that you are using PHP 5.4.0. This is an unsupported version of PHP. PHP 5.4 has changed a lot of things about how PHP works compared to PHP 5.3. At the time of this writing, the number of local server environments (e.g. XAMPP, MAMP, etc) which can be used by developers to test their products against PHP 5.4 is a big round number: zero. There is no way for us to test our software against PHP 5.4. In fact, Joomla! itself does not support PHP 5.4 yet. It is working on it.

If you also had read our changelog, you'd see that the first experimental PHP 5.4 support for Akeeba Backup was added 2 days ago. Admin Tools? I didn't have time to revise its code yet. Everything else? Ditto. Of course pretty much all Joomla! extensions have several problems working on PHP 5.4.

So, yes, trying to get a site running smoothly on PHP 5.4 today is a big waste of time. Would you like to use a supported PHP version, like 5.3.10, or would you like me to give you a refund?

Nicholas K. Dionysopoulos

Lead Developer and Director

🇬🇷Greek: native 🇬🇧English: excellent 🇫🇷French: basic • 🕐 My time zone is Europe / Athens
Please keep in mind my timezone and cultural differences when reading my replies. Thank you!

Sunday, 25 March 2012 02:15 CDT

gdarnton
Interersting and curious response......I have just looked at System Information in the Joomla control panel - it says I am using PHP v5.2.17........why would you think it is v5.4?

If the server says it is running v5.2.17 but is actually running v5.4, that sounds like a support issue for the ISP rather than you.

Sunday, 25 March 2012 02:36 CDT

nicholas
The error message you mentioned should only happen when you're using PHP 5.4 or if you're using an older developer's release. I assumed you are not using a developer's release, but I am not so sure anymore.

OK, let's try taking things from the start. We'll get everything working for you, just like we do with everyone who has a problem.

Begin by downloading the ZIP installation package files for Akeeba Backup 3.4.3 and Amin Tools 2.2.2. Install each one of them on your site twice (this is a precaution to make sure that Joomla! has copied over all of the files). These versions are tested against 5.2.17. Actually, the very fact that you are able to file a support request on our site, which runs these versions of our software on Joomla! 2.5.3 and PHP 5.2.17 proves that point.

If you have any problems backing up, please post a new thread in the Akeeba Backuo category and attach your backup log so that I can help you. Some hosts are a little picky, we may have to do some extra configuration, but that's why you basically paid for support, right?

Likewise, if you have problems with Admin Tools, start another ticket in the Admin Tools category, please provide me with as much information possible about what you tried to do and I will help you.

Nicholas K. Dionysopoulos

Lead Developer and Director

🇬🇷Greek: native 🇬🇧English: excellent 🇫🇷French: basic • 🕐 My time zone is Europe / Athens
Please keep in mind my timezone and cultural differences when reading my replies. Thank you!

Sunday, 25 March 2012 05:43 CDT

gdarnton
Installing twice seems to have done something. Admin Tools is now uptodate, and not only was a backup done, but it didn't lock me into only the backup icon in the admin page. I have managed to replicate a backup successfully now. So thanks for that one.

Updating Joomla still falls over with "The archive file is corrupt, truncated, or archive parts are missing". I have no idea what those are about so, as you suggest, I'll post this in the Admin Tools place.

Sunday, 25 March 2012 06:35 CDT

nicholas
OK, now we're up to something good :)

Go to Admin Tools and click on the Clean Temporary Directory button. Then click on the Joomla! Update Found button and perform a Joomla! update. It should now work.

Nicholas K. Dionysopoulos

Lead Developer and Director

🇬🇷Greek: native 🇬🇧English: excellent 🇫🇷French: basic • 🕐 My time zone is Europe / Athens
Please keep in mind my timezone and cultural differences when reading my replies. Thank you!

Sunday, 25 March 2012 09:30 CDT

gdarnton
Thanks for the suggestion. I tried that. It seems the Clean Temporary Directory button worked, reporting 'Finished Cleaning Temp-directory'.

Attempt to upgrade Joomla failed. There are two options:

Your version 1.7.3
Latest version 1.7.5
Latest version (LTS) 2.5.3

Attempting either upgrade results in "The archive file is corrupt, truncated, or archive parts are missing."

Sunday, 25 March 2012 10:02 CDT

nicholas
Hm, in that case you may have a problem with the download of the update package to your site. This is a not very common but not unheard of case. The workaround is not very difficult and documented. You have to click on the link to the update package and download it to your computer. Then just upload it to your site's tmp directory, then go back ro the Joomla! update page. It should work this time.

Nicholas K. Dionysopoulos

Lead Developer and Director

🇬🇷Greek: native 🇬🇧English: excellent 🇫🇷French: basic • 🕐 My time zone is Europe / Athens
Please keep in mind my timezone and cultural differences when reading my replies. Thank you!

Sunday, 25 March 2012 10:31 CDT

gdarnton
I have only just finished my attempt to upgrade to Joomla 2.5.3. The site now says it is that version. I have yet to test content etc.

This required a workaround round Admin Tools (i.e. not using Admin Tools). What yielded a successful report was:

1. go to the Update tag of the Extension Manager
2. Check for updates - 1 package was listed
3. Purge the cache - that removed the identified update
4. Check again for updates - 1 package was listed
5. Having failed to identify a clean answer on the web about upgrading from Joomla 1.7.3 to 1.7.5 I was extremely nervious about the one listed upgrade file for 1.7.3 to 2.5.3 - as we had solved the backup problem ok, I took a risk and applied that upgrade
6. I got a report of a successful upgrade

HOWEVER - now when I look at Joomla Core Update information it is showing a very odd result:
Your version 2.5.3
Latest version 1.7.5
Latest version (LTS) 2.5.3

and it has buttons to upgrade (!) to 1.7.5 or 2.5.3 !!

So, now it is showing as running version 2.5.3 with an upgrade version to 1.7.5 available! Reloading information from the server eliminates this anomaly in Admin Tools, but I'm being invited to reinstall 2.5.3 - I'm not yet sure if I should now do that!

Sunday, 25 March 2012 10:57 CDT

brianteeman
In the Joomla core update click on the purge cache button on the toolbar and then click on the find updates button on the same toolbar. What does it say then?

Sunday, 25 March 2012 11:15 CDT

gdarnton
Having done nothing else (i.e. only after the passage of time and no intervention by me) I am no longer being invited to upgrade from 2.5.3 to 1.7.5 [sic] anymore. I am only being invited to reinstall 2.5.3

I am receiving emails suggesting there is an update available for Joomla. However, in that email, it is pretty vague about versions and only says:

Joomla! version currently installed: Array
Joomla! version available for installation:

[Yes, no version available for installation is identified.]

I could not locate any purge cache option on the Joomla core update page. There is a purge cache option on the Extension Manager: Update page. Before pressing purge cache it says "There are no updates available at the moment. Please check again later." After pressing purge cache it says the same, and it has purged updates.

Sunday, 25 March 2012 12:01 CDT

nicholas
Admin Tools has its own version cache. If you upgrade Joomla! outside Admin Tools you have to go to Admin Tools, click on the J! update button and click on the Refresh uodate information. This does solve this.

Moreover, when you ask for my support, please try following my instructions. When you improvise I can not unfortunately provide accurate support :( Please remember that I am not in front of your screen. I need you to help me help you.

Nicholas K. Dionysopoulos

Lead Developer and Director

🇬🇷Greek: native 🇬🇧English: excellent 🇫🇷French: basic • 🕐 My time zone is Europe / Athens
Please keep in mind my timezone and cultural differences when reading my replies. Thank you!

Sunday, 25 March 2012 12:38 CDT

gdarnton
I went outside Admin Tools because I could not get it to work inside Admin Tools. That's what I explained above.

I could not see an answer to one of my questions on the internet either. Therefore, it was necessary to improvise.

I am left with the residual decision whether to reinstall 2.5.3 or not. That is the state Joomla Core Update has left me, whether I get to that via Admin Tools or not. It does not say whether that is something that should be done, or whether it is merely an option.

Sunday, 25 March 2012 13:17 CDT

nicholas
Sorry about that, I am usually more helpful but I am still in France and trying to do support over an unstable and quite slow 3G connection on an iPad :(

The email issue does sound like a bug, but I will be able to test it on Tuesday at the earliest. If you continue to receive those emails, please tell me and I will find a workaround.

In the meantime, you should not reinstall anything. Your site is already upgraded to 2.5.3. It's just Admin Tools which will take 3 to 8 hours to figure it out due to the update information caching.

Nicholas K. Dionysopoulos

Lead Developer and Director

🇬🇷Greek: native 🇬🇧English: excellent 🇫🇷French: basic • 🕐 My time zone is Europe / Athens
Please keep in mind my timezone and cultural differences when reading my replies. Thank you!

Tuesday, 24 April 2012 18:00 CDT

System Task
system
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