Can't log in to CP after installing Multiple Site Manager, can't switch sites

Question

ExpressionEngine v2.5.2 Multiple Site Manager 2.1.4

I installed MSM 2.1.4 in an existing running version of EE 2.5.2.

It seemed to be installed OK, I was able to create a new site, but before I had a chance to do more I logged out.

When I came back I was unable to log in. The login panel seems to submit, clears its fields, but remains in place without logging in. Multiple tries make no difference

The only way I have been able to log in is by editing config/config.php and setting $config['multiple_sites_enabled'] = "n"; instead of y;

If, after I log in, I set MSM to "on", I can access the menu to edit or add a site, but I cannot switch to the site I've created, it stays on the current site.

Once I log out, I'm locked out again.

On looking through as many references to this problem as I could find on StackExchange and the Ellis Lab forum archives (apparently it's not an uncommon problem) I found that in most cases they say deleting cookies and clearing the cache, and/or resetting session security preferences solves the problem.

This hasn't worked for me.

I have:

• Tried clearing caches and deleting all cookies - on 4 different browsers (Safari, Firefox, Chrome, Opera) on two different computers (both running Mac OS X 10.6.8)

• Tried changing Security and Sessions CP Session Type and User Session Type - to all thee options, logging out and logging in again each time. In each case I can log in as long as Enable MSM is set to "No". If I set Enable MSM to "Yes" and log out, I'm locked out again, no matter what the Session Type; only able to log in if I reset it to no in the config file.

• Tried adding these values to config/congif.php (as per this post: Can't login to CP after logging out ):

$config['cookie_domain'] = "";
$config['cookie_path'] = "";
$config['cookie_prefix'] = "";
$config['admin_session_type'] = "s";
$config['user_session_type'] = "c";
$config['require_ip_for_login'] = "n";
$config['require_ip_for_posting'] = "n"; 
$config['secure_forms'] = "n";

(No change - removed again)

I have successfully used MSM before on another site on the same web host (HostMySite.com).

Has anyone else encountered this problem to this level?

Answer 1

Found it.

Turned out to be a setting left over in config.php.

When the original site was constructed, I was using one of those temporary URLs that hosting companies often provide for viewing sites before domains are pointed at them.

The original setting for the temporary URL was still in the config.php setting for 'cp_url'.

Apparently, changing the site URL in General Configuration from the temporary URL to the final domain name did not replace the URL in config.php (at least in EE 2.5.2).

This was enough to create both the login lock-out and inability to switch sites whenever MSM was enabled.

Answer 2

I believe you will need to upgrade your version of ExpressionEngine. You have the newest version of the Multi Site Manager (MSM 2.1.4), but an older version of ExpressionEngine (2.5.2). This has been known to cause some issues (occasionally). See errors and other reports from Ellis Labs forums.

If you can't update EE, then you may want to check with Ellis Lab if they can provide you with an older copy of MSM (to downgrade) to see if that works for you.

You didn't mention, but its worth a check, 'Did you properly configure 'index.php' and 'admin.php' to work with MSM?' It's also possible that your getting logged out because none of the sites are set-up properly. Turning off MSM would allow for a general configuration to stand, but with MSM, both the 'admin.php' and 'index.php' files need to be modified to work with the various sites, including the 'main' site.

Answer 3

You shall also take a look at the admin.php file from your main install, some values might be overwritten with the new site. It happen to me once. Verify that each admin.php has the values according to the site they are assigned to.