Akeeba Backup for Joomla!

Wednesday, 20 July 2011 16:57 CDT

user42574

Mandatory information about my setup:

Have I read the related troubleshooter articles above before posting? Yes, much browsing, but no relevant pages found.
Have I searched the forum before posting? Yes.
Have I read the documentation before posting (All Akeeba and Kickstart User docs)? Yes.
Joomla! version: 1.7.0
PHP version: MAMP PHP 5.2.13; Remote Host PHP 5.2.17
MySQL version: MAMP 5.1.44; Remote Host 5.1.52
Host: www.httpme.com
Akeeba Backup version: 3.3.b1; Kickstart 3.3

EXTREMELY IMPORTANT: Please attach your Akeeba Backup log file in order for us to help you with any backup or restoration issue.

Description of my issue:
I have used Akeeba backup and Kickstart for backup and restoring sites with 100% success for many months.

Now when I try to use kickstart.php to open the backup .jpa file I am unable to proceed because the green 'start' button is missing from the kickstart opening screen. The word 'start' appears but is not linked to any activity.

This problem started after upgrading to J1.6.5 on local server. I have since further upgraded to 1.7.0. And I have also put a fresh install of 1.7.0 on my remote server. What could be stopping kickstart from, er, starting?

Thursday, 21 July 2011 02:53 CDT

nicholas

This sounds like a Javascript issue with your PC. Start by turning off your firewall, antivirus or Internet Security application. If you have AVG antivirus, please turn off its "Link Checker" feature (it kills Javascript!) and reboot your PC. Then, clean your browser's cache and reload Kickstart's page.

If that fails, please try using a different PC, connected to a different Internet connection. Many times I have seen such problems occurring as the result of a system misconfiguration or an ISP which is filtering too much the incoming traffic.

If this still doesn't work, it's time to move to Plan B. Use Akeeba eXtract Wizard to extract the backup archive locally. Upload all files to your site and then access the restoration script as http://www.yoursite.com/installation/index.php. Follow all of the restoration steps and, when the process is over, remember to remove the installation directory. Kickstart is not strictly required to restore your site; it merely extracts the archive. The real restoration script is always included in the backup archive, it's called Akeeba Backup Installer (ABI for short) and located in the "installation" directory when you extract the archive.

If you get stuck anywhere, don't hesitate to post back!

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!

Thursday, 21 July 2011 03:57 CDT

user42574

Thanks for reply. I use MacbookPro, OSX 10.5.08. I have no firewall or AV. Javascript is enabled. Cleaning the cache did not help when tried on several recent occasions.

I tried Akeeba eXtract Wizard, but it does not work with less than OSX 10.6 (so not my OSX 10.5.08). Incidentally, I also tried Firefox as a change from my Safari browser, but no change.

My location in the 'campo' (near Cordoba, Spain) means I use a Vodafone 3G dongle for internet access. I will try to test another connection - and also another computer, if I can. If Vodafone is the culprit here then they will be very difficult to talk to with my current level of Spanish!

But first I'll try another (Wi-Fi?) connection, and maybe another computer if I can find one.

Thursday, 21 July 2011 05:22 CDT

nicholas

Given that eXtract Wizard won't run on your machine as it is, you have the following options:

1. Install DarWINE, an emulation layer which allows you to run Windows programs on your Mac. This will allow you to use the Windows version of Akeeba eXtract Wizard.

2. Setup a local server, e.g. MAMP and use Kickstart locally to extract the archive.

I would also recommend trying to use Google Chrome instead of Safari or Firefox. This is the primary browser Kickstart was tested with and, well, it works. That said, I know that 3G connections usually have serious reliability issues with Kickstart and ABI, due to the very high latency of the connection and the very high probability of dropped packages. It's best to use a Wi-Fi connection, if you can get access to one.

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!

Thursday, 21 July 2011 05:44 CDT

user42574

I already use MAMP, and for months have enjoyed easy backup and restoration - in both directions - using Akeeba backup and Kickstart. When I updated J1.6.3/4 to J1.7.0 it was on MAMP local server - to check it worked OK. Then I had the problem of suddenly not being able to restore the .jpa backups to the live server(s).

I'll take a look at DarWINE and Google Chrome.

Thursday, 21 July 2011 06:13 CDT

nicholas

OK, just a quick check. You have the problem running Kickstart on the live server, not the local site, right? I want to make sure I am not trying to tell you how to solve the wrong problem :D

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!

Thursday, 21 July 2011 08:26 CDT

user42574

Correct. This problem was first noticed after I upgraded from J1.6.3 to 1.6.4 on my local site (and later to 1.7.0) and I tried to then update the remote live site with a backup. At that time I was unable to update the live site through the extension manager, and hoped the backup would help achieve the upgrade on the live server.

I just tested 3 sites which are all independently hosted (via my Web Host Manager) at the same host. One of them works 'both ways', but two only open backups on the local server, and NOT on the live server.

The original problem site is now a new install of J 1.7.0, and I am trying to open the .jpa backup file from the local server site onto it (it is also J1.7.0). I am happy to send you login details if that helps.

Thursday, 21 July 2011 09:00 CDT

nicholas

OK, now I'm sure that I was giving you correct instructions. Please send me a Personal Message (I'm user "nicholas") with the URL to your site and FTP login details so that I can see where the problem is and help you work around it.

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!

Thursday, 21 July 2011 12:17 CDT

nicholas

Hi! Thank you for your PM. The problem seems to be isolated on your local machine (most likely due to the unreliable 3G connection?), not Kickstart itself. I just typed http://www.thesiteyoutoldme.com/kickstart.php and the green Start button was there. Clicking on it extracted the archive just fine. You can check it out if you want. Tested on Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion) using Google Chrome 12, Safari 5.1, Firefox 5.1 using the dead slow 2MBps ADSL line I have installed in my summer house. I also tested using a 3G connection, but it seems that I have a better (faster, less latency) connection with 3G than with the ADSL line, so of course it worked just fine.

As we discussed before, maybe it's a good idea to use a different Mac or PC (to rule out any misconfiguration on your Mac) with your 3G connection and, if that doesn't work, try using your Mac with a different Internet connection.

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!

Friday, 22 July 2011 03:38 CDT

user42574

Thanks for all your ideas. The site swazisoc.com is now restored.

Yesterday I wrote: "just tested 3 sites which are all independently hosted (via my Web Host Manager) at the same host. One of them works 'both ways', but two only open backups on the local server, and NOT on the live server". I have now found that the site that works 'both ways' is in fact on a different host (www.123-reg.co.uk). All my other sites are hosted at www.httpme.com.

Ever since starting with Joomla last December, Akeeba and Kickstart have worked perfectly on my MacBookPro and my 3G connection. It was about 2 weeks ago I found I could not open backups with kickstart (no green button). Could the problem be at my host? Different versions of PHP etc? (See all version details in my first post). This is all way above my head.

I will try other computers and other connections, as suggested, later today. Thanks again.

Friday, 22 July 2011 03:49 CDT

nicholas

It may be something as simple as the number of 3G subscribers in the area growing, increasing the latency of the connection and throwing off the Javascript in Kickstart. I don't think that a problem with the host, PHP version etc is a plausible explanation. If it were, Kickstart wouldn't work from my connections either.

Since it worked from here, the only differences which can play a role are a. the system configuration (Mac OS X Lion vs Leopard) b. the browser and c. the connection. The former should not play a role, unless you could not access your sites at all. The second one is easy to test by using Google Chrome 12. The latter is most likely the culprit, but the only way to test is to drive to some place with a Wi-Fi connection. Do you have any Starbucks near your place? Most likely, for the price of a Mocha Grande, you can get decent quality and free Wi-Fi for a couple of hours, adequate to perform some tests.

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!

Friday, 22 July 2011 05:50 CDT

user42574

What you say makes perfect sense, and I'll make appropriate tests in the next couple of days. Thanks again for your very detailed replies.

Friday, 22 July 2011 06:35 CDT

nicholas

You're welcome :)

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!

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