Datebase field corrupted

  • Resolved unklee

    (@unklee)


    5 years, 7 months ago

    I have a WordPress blog with many comments over the years. Several months ago, the comments no longer appeared. When I investigated, I found that the “In Response To” column in the Comments table had all been blanked, meaning the comments were no longer associated with a particular blog post. My host (Inmotion) wasn’t able to offer any insight into how this happened. After some trouble, I restored the comments table from my backup, and all was well.

    Then last week the same thing happened again. I cannot think of anything I did to cause it, I wasn’t looking at the database through phpMyAdmin or anything. I advised my host again, and while awaiting a response, continued a discussion on the blog, as new comments were appearing OK. Then again tonight, the few recent comments again disappeared while I was posting a comment. Again, all the comments are still there in the database but the “In Response to” column is again blank.

    I am at a loss to explain this. I feel it cannot be anything I did these last two times. If it was a hacker, it is very surprising that they would blank out one field in one table, and the same field each of three times. Perhaps it is a systematic error in the database processes, maybe by my host or maybe in WordPress, yet if that were so, you’d think many others would have had the same problem.

    I have advised my host, changed my password, but before i restore from backups again, I really need to find out what is happening. Anyone got any ideas please?

    • This topic was modified 5 years, 7 months ago by unklee.

    The page I need help with: [log in to see the link]

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)
  • Moderator Steven Stern (sterndata)

    (@sterndata)

    Volunteer Forum Moderator

    Ask your host to check the mysql server logs. It’s clear something is going wrong, but without logs it’s hard to know.

    You might also check the database via PHPMYADMIN from your hosting control panel. Check all tables and repair any if necessary. Also, try changing the DB engine for wp_comments and wp_commentmeta from myISAM to InnoDB. (It would not be a bad idea to do that for all tables.)

    https://www.a2hosting.com/kb/cpanel/cpanel-database-features/optimizing-and-repairing-mysql-databases-with-phpmyadmin

    https://www.siteground.com/kb/how_to_change_the_database_engine_of_a_mysql_database_table/

    Thread Starter unklee

    (@unklee)

    Hey Steven, thanks so much for that advice. I had never heard of myISAM and InnoDB, so I have read up on that a bit now. Can I ask you a couple more questions please?

    I have asked my host to check the logs, but the first time this happened they seemed reluctant to do that. My concern is that they won’t want to admit liability, so I’m interested in your thoughts.

    Does the myISAM to InnoDB change improve security against hacking? Or does this look to you more like a server corruption than a hack? (I am trying to understand what arethe possible causes.)

    Thanks.

    Thread Starter unklee

    (@unklee)

    Steven,

    An update: I have just come across on another thread on this forum (I searched for this topic but didn’t find this one before) a report that two plugins were causing this problem to others. Tako movable comments causes the problem when used in conjunction with Simple Comment Editing. Tako is apparently an outdated and no longer supported plugin, and they recommend it be removed. I use both so I will disable Tako immediately.

    Thread Starter unklee

    (@unklee)

    ??

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)
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