Repair settings.php

The tool repair_settings.php is used to repair some of the more crucial settings on your forum. Simply download this file and upload it to your forum, putting it in the same directory as your Settings.php file.

Using this tool should not cause any problems, but it is always better to backup, just in case.

Upload the file with FTP to the main folder where Settings.php can be found. Navigate with your browser to your usual forum URL, but instead of "/index.php", direct your browser to "/repair_settings.php". For example, if your forum's in the root of your site, and your site is at "www.example.com" you need to go to: "http://www.example.com/repair_settings.php". If it is located in a sub-directory named, say "forum", you need to go to: "http://www.example.com/forum/repair_settings.php"

Upload the file to the root directory of your forum with FTP and then access the page in your browser.

ATTENTION: this tool will display sensitive information about your server setup, namely the database user and password. Be sure to upload it, use it, and immediately remove it once you have finished the maintenance!

Repair_settings.php allows you to change the most important settings, such as database information, file paths, and urls, and it can be used when SMF is not functioning. It is used to repair sufficiently your SMF installation to allow an admin to login and fix any other problems.

Download

The repair_settings.php modules can be downloaded from the SMF download page: Download > Tools > repair_settings.php

Settings the Tool Can Repair

For more information on each of these settings, please see server settings.

Critical Settings

• Maintenance Mode - Turns maintenance mode on and off for your forum, and it also makes your forum completely unusable.
• Language File - Changes the language of your forum.
• Cookie Name - Changes the name of the cookie that your forum creates for the user's browser.
• Queryless URLs - Turns the use of queries in the forum's urls on and off ("index.php/topic,1.0.html" vs. "index.php?topic=1.0").
• Output Compression - Turns output compression on and off.
• Database driven sessions - Sets whether sessions are managed by the database.

Database Settings

• Includes all of the typical settings that are needed to connect to the database - Database server address, database name, database username, database password, and database table prefix.
• Database connection type - Can be set to Persistent or Standard.

Paths & URLs

• Allows you to set the paths for - Forum URL, Forum Directory, Sources Directory, Attachment Directory, Avatar URL, Avatar Directory, Smileys URL, Smileys Directory, Default Theme URL, Default Theme Images URL, and Default Theme Directory and Custom Theme Directories.

Repair_settings.php will allow you to keep your custom theme as default and not reset to the default theme, unless you select the option toward the top of the page.

Recommended values

In most cases, SMF can detect the correct value for each of the fields and settings. Below many of these settings there is a link with a recommended value. Clicking these links will update the corresponding text box fields with this value. Be careful though, because SMF will not always guess correctly if the server is configured unusually.

Restore all settings

At the bottom of the file there is an option to restore all settings. This will change all values to their default.

Remove all hooks

If mods have installed hooks and a clean install is desired, clicking "Remove all hooks" will ensure that all mods have all elements removed/disabled. Do not use this button unless you know what you are doing.