Didn't upgrade in time

[scoyote]

It appears my hosting company (InMotion Hosting) has upgraded the PHP on the server and now I cannot get to my forum/site

I'm trying to figure out how to upgrade/patch when I can't even access the site?

I know I should have patched/upgraded earlier.....but it's over my pay grade and I just kept putting it off.

What can I do to access the site?

[delicjous]

Please give us more information.
Like which version are you using?

Perhaps you could access adminCP...

You could perform a normal upgrade by upload the new files and go to page -> yourdomain/core/install/upgrade.php

[Dave]

All you have to do is overwrite the current files with the new files and then run the upgrade script (which will work since it supports PHP 7+).

[scoyote]

I'm running vbulletin 5 connect but that is all I know.

So, I just download the latest version and using the Control Panel at the hosting company I replace the existing files with the new files and then I run

crappiecentral.com/core/install/upgrade.php

That sounds easy enough.....but for some reason.....I'm thinking it's not all that easy ?

[Dave]

That is all it but of course unexpected issues may show up.

[scoyote]

Well, I think I just found the problem....it appears my database has been taken hostage....sigh

<?php /* Hello. We have taken your forum database hostage. Send 0.06 BTC to 1BWWCmzgbazqgVabaZeeXyk4iCDhn6jQ1b, and email your transaction ID to vbhackerz@gmail.com, and the database will be yours again */ ?>

Will an upgrade "fix" things?

I did see that I am running version 5.1.8

[Dave]

Well if your database is truly gone or encrypted then you need to restore the database from a backup. If you have no backups then I'm afraid you only have 2 options: start fresh or give them the money (roughly $500) with the risk of them not restoring your database and being ripped off.

[scoyote]

Sigh.....so.....starting over then......just download the latest version and delete all the existing files?

I think the latest version requires PHP 7.0 or greater and the latest mysql?

I'm not paying anyone ..... there's nothing really on there of value.

[Dave]

Yes. I would delete everything you have in the public_html/www folder (because there could be backdoors) and upload a fresh installation. Also create a new fresh database to use on the new forum.

It's recommended to run it on PHP 7.3+ but most other PHP 7 versions should work too.

[scoyote]

OK....thanks for the help.....it's worse than I figured really.

Let me try to get the PHP and mysql updated on the server and then I will do a fresh install.

Is that something that you offer as a service?