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Your LimeSurvey version: Version 5.3.0+220228
Own server or LimeSurvey hosting: Own server
Survey theme/template: Can't log in to specify (probably Skelvanilla, but not sure)
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After the last update to Version 5.3.0+220228 (two days ago), it is impossible to log in. I get the following message (translating from Greek):
500: Internal server error
The alias "application.controllers.admin.Authentication" is not valid.
Make sure that it points to an existing PHP file.
An internal server error occurred during processing your request.

Installation specifications:
Database type & version: mysql, driver version mysqlnd 5.0.12-dev - 20150407 - Id: 38fea24f2847fa7519001be390c98ae0acafe387
Server OS: Windows NT WIN-A34LDHDT6H4 6.3 build 9600 (Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard Edition) AMD64
Webserver software & version: Microsoft-IIS/8.5
PHP Version: 7.2.7

I see that the "Authentication.php" file in the "application/admin/controllers" directory is missing. Also - compared with the installation on another server - it seems that several other files are also missing. The update probably deleted some files. Has anyone encountered the same problem? Any ideas will be very much appreciated.

 

I just copied the missing file from my other installation which is identical, although in Linux. Should I do the same with all missing files?
Is there anything to do when the update procedure fails in this way by deleting files?

OK. I have by now established that during the last update an unknown number of files has been deleted. The last file established (for which I did not manage to discover its location) is "lsadminmodules\globalsettings\controller\globalsettings". Is there a way to repair the installation by restoring all files?
There are several active surveys which means that a lot of work by several colleagues has been invested here...

Having had the exact same problem after a manual update to 5.3.0, I can confirm that rolling back to 5.2.12 was successful by just uploading my backup of it over 5.3.0 and correcting the file permissions as if it were a new install.

I don't think it's deleting files -- like I said, I ran a manual update, so the 5.2.12 files that weren't overwritten in the update are right where I left them. But, something's definitely not right regarding "lsadminmodules\globalsettings\controller\globalsettings".

Please file a bug report - bugs.limesurvey.org

Thanks for the reply. Will it be OK to restore the files and database backups I received during the update? Will that restore the previous version or is it going to ruin the whole system?

Thanks again!

Could you please specify what "correcting the file permissions as if it were a new install" means?

Thanks!

Today's update somehow fixed, but not corrected the issue with the "GlobalSettings.php".

I still get the message:
500: Internal server error
Alias "application\controllers\admin\globalsettings" is invalid. Make sure it points to an existing PHP file and the file is readable.

Everything else seems to work. If only this could be fixed somehow...

bugs.limesurvey.org/view.php?id=17918

Thanks! I just submitted a bug for the 5.3.1 release too ( bugs.limesurvey.org/view.php?id=17922 ). Is there a way to install 5.2.12 without losing my surveys and data? Could this be done following the instructions for manual update ( here )?

Thank again!

> Is there a way to install 5.2.12 without losing my surveys and data?
Yes. To go back to 5.2.12, you can (as I did) just copy the old files (5.2.12) back over the new files (5.3.1). Your survey data is stored in the database, which should still be compatible with the old files. (I'm not having any problems accessing my old survey data or my currently running surveys, after having gone to 5.3.0 and back.)

If you have any errors after reuploading the old files, see the notes about file permissions in the installation instructions ( www.limesurvey.org/manual/Installation_-...irectory_permissions ), but I see you're not using the linux version, so that may not affect you.

OK. For the files, it's clear what I need to do: just overwrite.
Unfortunately, I don't know how to restore the database from the backup.