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Site Restoration

#24370 Application Error: Exception — Layout main/default not found

Posted in ‘Site restoration’
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Environment Information

PHP version
n/a
CMS Type
Other
CMS Version
n/a
Backup Tool Version
n/a
Kickstart version
n/a

Latest post by dlb on Monday, 08 February 2016 09:49 CST

Friday, 05 February 2016 08:00 CST

interstorm
Hello - I'm having problems restoring any backups my site has taken -- issue seems identical to the one noted in the below link however following those steps did not allow me to proceed. Not sure if related but it seemed like this occurred to our site when Rackspace moved our database from MySQL to MariaDB. When doing this the backup process didn't work until I installed Akeeba Backup Core 4.1.2 (this allowed me to successfully take backups again) however I have yet to get a restore to work.

https://www.akeebabackup.com/support/site-restoration/22500-kickstart-stops-exception-layout-main-default-not-found.html

Friday, 05 February 2016 08:43 CST

dlb
Both the source and target databases are MariaDB, right? If you're going from MariaDB to MySQL or vice versa, there can be problems.

What Davide was trying to do in #22500 was replace the code that actually does the restore. It is in the /installation folder. The only data in that folder is in /installation/SQL, which is your database dump. The restore code is stored on your site in a .jpa archive and it extracted and added to your backup archive during the backup process.

The exception in red at the top of your screen shot makes it look like part of the restore code is missing.

You can also extract the administrator/com_akeeba/assets/installers/angie-joomla.jpa file locally with eXtract (from the downloads page) and upload those files into /installation overwriting the existing files. Remember, don't mess with the SQL folder.


Dale L. Brackin
Support Specialist


us.gifEnglish: native


Please keep in mind my timezone and cultural differences when reading my replies. Thank you!


????
My time zone is EST (UTC -5) (click here to see my current time in Philadelphia, PA)

Friday, 05 February 2016 09:06 CST

interstorm
Thank you for responding so quickly!

Yes -- right now both the source and target databases are MariaDB.

Just to be clear -- is your recommendation to extract the angie-joomla.jpa file (from a clean download on the akeeba site) and then upload them into the /installation directory of the restored site? Would I do that before or after I run the Kickstart extraction utility?

You mentioned that it appears like some of the restore code may be missing -- would this be related to that or is that more of a kickstart.php issue (I believe there is also json2.min.js and jquery.min.js files -- I haven't been using an INI there)? If this is different than the potential angie problem, can you elaborate on that more.

I appreciate you taking the time for support!!!

Friday, 05 February 2016 09:24 CST

dlb
You need to upload the contents of angie-joomla.jpa after you extract with kickstart. I think the error was with the backup, not the extraction. As Davide said in #22500, you need to make sure that installer is selected in your live site.

Kickstart is just an extractor. It extracts the archive and then hands off control to the restore script in /installation. The two .js files are needed for the extraction if there is no Internet connection (or if you're behind a Chinese firewall). Normally they will be pulled from Google's site.


Dale L. Brackin
Support Specialist


us.gifEnglish: native


Please keep in mind my timezone and cultural differences when reading my replies. Thank you!


????
My time zone is EST (UTC -5) (click here to see my current time in Philadelphia, PA)

Friday, 05 February 2016 09:28 CST

interstorm
Ok -- I will give that I shot. I did check to make sure the installer was selected (it was). Thanks again and I'll let you know how it goes.

Friday, 05 February 2016 10:02 CST

interstorm
Before I move forward -- wanted to check once more because something doesn't appear right to me:

After extracting the angie-joomla.jpa file (using a fresh one downloaded from the Akeeba site) I have the files noted in the uploaded image angieextract.png. On the restore site's installation directory I have a lot more files -- I included a screenshot of some of the directories there (remote.jpg). Is this correct?

Friday, 05 February 2016 10:21 CST

dlb
You are right, they should be about the same. What version of Akeeba Backup did you download? You're using a pretty old Core version. I assume that is due to Joomla! version or PHP restrictions. The installer does change over time.


Dale L. Brackin
Support Specialist


us.gifEnglish: native


Please keep in mind my timezone and cultural differences when reading my replies. Thank you!


????
My time zone is EST (UTC -5) (click here to see my current time in Philadelphia, PA)

Friday, 05 February 2016 10:28 CST

interstorm
I'm not sure what the original version of the Akeeba backup I had but I did upgrade it to 4.1.2 (which the site says is the last version to support Joomla 2.5). That is the same version that I took from the site and extracted. I'm guessing any additional files contained in there are from the original (unsure version) of Akeeba.

Should I remove everything entirely and put the angie-extracted items in (are there any other options)?

Friday, 05 February 2016 10:44 CST

dlb
This is a test restore, right? We can start over if we want to?

If that is true, run ALICE, the log analyser on your live site. You can use any available log file. One of the things that ALICE will look at is the integrity of your installation. That's the part I want to check.


Dale L. Brackin
Support Specialist


us.gifEnglish: native


Please keep in mind my timezone and cultural differences when reading my replies. Thank you!


????
My time zone is EST (UTC -5) (click here to see my current time in Philadelphia, PA)

Friday, 05 February 2016 10:45 CST

interstorm
Ok -- seems like a little progress. After extracting the backup file, I went into the installation/angie folder and renamed the existing folders that appear to exist in the extracted angie-joomla.jpa file (specifically these were controllers, js, models, views). I could then progress to the next screen however it looks like an exception was encountered (see uploaded image). It doesn't appear to be moving forward (been on that screen for about 10 minutes).

I'd appreciate any thoughts you may have on this latest issue.

(just got your latest message and will do that now)

Friday, 05 February 2016 10:46 CST

interstorm
And yes -- this is a restore from our production site to a development one -- so it is ok to do whatever we need there.

Friday, 05 February 2016 10:53 CST

interstorm
Also -- where is the ALICE component -- is that something I can download or plug into the existing site? I looked in the Akeeba installation I have and don't see anything there (I am using an old version just to support 2.5).

Friday, 05 February 2016 11:01 CST

dlb
I don't have a 2.5 installation any more so I can't look at it. It is built in, not an add on. I don't recall when it was added but I think it should be there. The label in the current version is "Troubleshooter - ALICE".


Dale L. Brackin
Support Specialist


us.gifEnglish: native


Please keep in mind my timezone and cultural differences when reading my replies. Thank you!


????
My time zone is EST (UTC -5) (click here to see my current time in Philadelphia, PA)

Friday, 05 February 2016 11:29 CST

interstorm
I don't see anything there for it. I can easily get one of my log files (didn't want to post it as an attachment in the public thread) if that would help...just not seeing anything for ALICE or troubleshooting.

Friday, 05 February 2016 11:44 CST

dlb
Because you're using the Core version instead of the Pro version. OK, no problem. You already have Akeeba Backup 4.1.2 downloaded, please install it on your live site twice, back to back, without doing anything in between. Do not uninstall the component, that will cause you to lose your settings and possibly your stored backup archives. This "install twice" trick usually works around a long time bug in the Joomla! installer where it forgets to copy files during an update or install. If the restore code is "broken" on your live site, that should fix it and future backups should be fine.

Please take a new backup and see if it will restore on your dev server.


Dale L. Brackin
Support Specialist


us.gifEnglish: native


Please keep in mind my timezone and cultural differences when reading my replies. Thank you!


????
My time zone is EST (UTC -5) (click here to see my current time in Philadelphia, PA)

Friday, 05 February 2016 13:17 CST

interstorm
Ok -- will try that now. Thanks again, I appreciate it!

Friday, 05 February 2016 17:35 CST

interstorm
Ok -- the good news is that the double installation appears to work for new backups -- I am now able to successfully restore the production JPA file to our development site. After I confirmed this, however, I tried to reload a recent backup done before the double Akeeba installation -- that appears to still fail. Do you think there is anything I can do to get the historical one in place?

Saturday, 06 February 2016 09:04 CST

dlb
That's good news that we figured out the problem. We can restore one of those old backups if we have to. The restore script is damaged or missing within the backup archive. We were on the right track yesterday trying to replace the installation folder contents. We would have to figure out where we went wrong in order to get the restore to run. In a pinch we could manually install it. New backups will be more fun to restore.


Dale L. Brackin
Support Specialist


us.gifEnglish: native


Please keep in mind my timezone and cultural differences when reading my replies. Thank you!


????
My time zone is EST (UTC -5) (click here to see my current time in Philadelphia, PA)

Sunday, 07 February 2016 09:24 CST

interstorm
Ok, thanks Dale. There is some information I need from the historical database, so any thoughts on what to do to get an older backup working would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again for your timely help too in getting us this far!

Monday, 08 February 2016 07:13 CST

nicholas
I'm sorry, I just saw that. There is actually a simpler way to proceed and no, MariaDB wasn't relevant – that was a red herring. The problem is that not all files of the restoration script were added to the backup archive.

If you still have access to the source site, create a new backup profile, make sure that the Included restoration script setting is "ANGIE for Joomla! sites" and take a new backup with that new backup profile.

If you do not have access to the source site, start extracting your backup. Do not click on the Run the Installer button yet. Set up a temporary blank Joomla! site and take a backup of it. Extract the backup. Take the contents of the installation folder except the installation/sql directory and copy them into the site you are trying to restore. Now go back to Kickstart and click on the Run the Installer button. The restoration should proceed without a problem.

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!

Monday, 08 February 2016 07:26 CST

interstorm
Ok -- thanks for the response however I'm not certain how this helps restore a previous backup I have. Dale was able to help me earlier and now I can successfully take new backups and restore them -- at the moment I'm looking to see if I can get one of the previous backups (taken before we fixed the issue on the live site) restored to a development location. (As noted above) I had tried putting the JPA file in place and replacing some of the installation folders/files but that was unsuccessful. I'd appreciate any thoughts you may have on how to restore an already-taken backup.

Monday, 08 February 2016 08:17 CST

dlb
  1. First we need to extract one of your new, working archives on your dev server. Save the contents of the /installation folder EXCEPT for the /SQL folder within it.
  2. Now delete that extracted site, we don't want to install it.
  3. Next we need to extract the old archive on your dev server. Delete the files in the /installation folder, EXCEPT for the /SQL folder and its contents.
  4. Now copy or extract the files from step 1 into the installation folder.
  5. Finally, start the restore script by visiting your local site, www.mylocalsite.com/installation/index.php

That is what we were trying to do when we were talking about #22500 in the beginning. Something was going wrong when we copied the new restore code into the extracted site, I'm not sure what. Deleting the files before we copy will prevent any ownership issues that might have been messing us up. That's basically what Nicholas was saying too.


Dale L. Brackin
Support Specialist


us.gifEnglish: native


Please keep in mind my timezone and cultural differences when reading my replies. Thank you!


????
My time zone is EST (UTC -5) (click here to see my current time in Philadelphia, PA)

Monday, 08 February 2016 09:24 CST

interstorm
Confirming that the above worked -- thank you very much for your support and your wonderful product!!! We're good to close this issue!

Monday, 08 February 2016 09:49 CST

dlb
I'm glad we got it beaten into submission!


Dale L. Brackin
Support Specialist


us.gifEnglish: native


Please keep in mind my timezone and cultural differences when reading my replies. Thank you!


????
My time zone is EST (UTC -5) (click here to see my current time in Philadelphia, PA)

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