New Problem on Existing Database

[napa169]

Hello:

I have an MySQL database being hosted on GoDaddy.
It has been running well for the past 6 months.
Recently, there is a glitch.

This is a reviews site where users input people and create reviews on these people.

You register and the system sends you a validation email. Validation link is included in the email.
You try the validation link and it doesn't work. The reason it doesn't work is because you have not been added to the table in the database.???

The registration process works to a point. If you try to register with a username that already exists - it reports this and you have to try again. So it queries the database as well as the user table.

The review and people to be reviewed tables in the database seem to work because if you are already registered, you login, and now you can add people to be reviewed as well as add additional reviews to existing people.

Could there be something wrong with the table?

One database with these tables:
users, people to be reviewed, reviews

I have a similar site and it is working fine. I was thinking that I should just copy it over, but how would I copy the existing information over? The reviews are linked to the registered people as well as the reviewed people. Hmmmm.

I am at a loss. This is a free site and I am trying to have a bit of fun here. Any help would be appreciated. If you can help figure this out, you'll have my heartfelt thanks, I will post your expertise everywhere (if you want me to) and I will gather my sheckles and send you a gift certificate.  lol 

Tell me what you need to know or access.

Thanks for your help.

Randy

PS The original programmer is no where to be found. Grrrrr.

[jsladek]

Is this a custom application?  Do you have access via phpMyAdmin or something like that?  If so it might be a real good idea to back up the database before you mess with it.  If you don't get any takers I would be glad to look @ it and see if I can help you.  I'm no expert but I'm interested in helping you out.

Regards,
John Sladek

[AndyB]

If it worked for six months and then stopped working, 'something' has changed.

Assuming it wasn't passing gremlins that made the change, that leaves three possibilities:

#1 - you changed something. If so, change it back.

#2 - your host changed something.  Possible culprit is an update to php and your script assumed register_globals was ON whereas it is now set to OFF (the current php release default).

#3 - your host managed to damage your database. Do they provide back-ups?

[napa169]

Yep. "Something has changed". I like the Gremlins theory.

#1 - Unfortunately I didn't make any changes. So nothing to change back. Darn.

#2 - Where would I find this register_globals thing? (I know, very technical) I can at least check it out.

#3 - Will call them tomorrow and ask. Doubtful at this point in time cause this problem has been going on for awhile while the initial programmer dragged his feet. And is now gone.

I have phpMyAdmin so I can go through the db to check these things out.

[napa169]

The auto_increment is not working. It is 'stuck' at 127. As soon as that record is used, then I get a duplicate entry error.

I have checked the web, but the programing gets over my head pretty quick on what they are talking about.

Similar to this...

http://bugs.mysql.com/bug.php?id=10405

[fenway]

127? That's not a very arbitrary number... kind of like a signed TINYINT.  Are you sure your column type is large enough? Post the CREATE TABLE output for the users table.