SATEXAS : Eggdrop Support - Troubleshooting Tips

Do I have CRONTAB installed? How can I tell?
My user file might be damaged. How can I fix this?
I keep getting a bad port error on launch, why?
How do I backup my files for nice safekeeping?
I'm getting a very funky MSG068 type of error. How can I fix?
What is 'throttling' on the Undernet? Can I prevent it?
How do I test for 'throttling' If I think it's happening?
My bot won't come online! Help!
When I try to TELNET/FTP into the system, it won't give me a prompt.


^ 1. Do I have CRONTAB installed? How can I tell?: Crontab allows your bot to auto-startup when the server is rebooted for any reason, or your bot is down.

To see if you have crontab installed, type "crontab-l" to list your crontabs.

To edit your crontab, type "crontab-e"

A complete walk-through install with troubleshooting can be found under the topic Crontab Autoloading on the lefthand toobar.

^ 2. My user file might be damaged. How can I fix this?

This sometimes happens when a server goes down HARD, and your bot is still writing to the file at the time. The first obvious check is to do a listing on your directory (ls -altr), and see if it has a file size of 0. If it does, then it is a BAD file.

The following example of replacing your backup over your current file assumes your bot user files is named "Bot.user".

A damaged user file will cause your bot not to launch in CRONTAB, for obvious reasoning.

NOTE : SATEXAS does do weekly backups, so if you get in a bind, let us know and we will try to help. SATEXAS policy says you are responsible for your own data, so please do not depend on our backups in case they fail (read : we will help if we can't, but if we can't save your data, please be understanding). Please take advantage and use the automated SATEXAS backup system provided for you!

^ 3. I keep getting a bad port error on launch, why?

This error is seen when you install a vhost that isn't configured correctly.

Here are some tips :

Is the VHOST set, on this machine itself? Am I absolutely sure?
Visit the SATEXAS VHOSTS Page for verification.
To see if it is indeed a host problem, comment out the vhost lines, and try to launch.
Switch to a random port # (make one up) between 9000 and 20000.


^ 4. How do I backup my files for nice safekeeping?: SATEXAS has written a few programs to preform this automatically for you! Just type 'menu' at the SATEXAS unix prompt (in telnet).
Once you do a backup, we suggest you ftp your nice little backup archive file home for safe-keeping. The backup program specifically dates and times your archive for you, so you know how old it is!

^ 5. I'm getting a very funky MSG068 type of error. How can I fix?

Your bot's language files are out of wack. Use the following procedure to fix.

NOTE : This only works for the Internal Bot

Telnet into your account.
Type menu and select the language fix selection.
Type ps-x to see what process your bot is running on
Kill your bot by typing kill-9#### where #### is the PID (Process ID)
If you have CRONTAB, please wait for the bot to auto-load, otherwise, manually fire it back up.

^ 6. What is 'throttling' on the Undernet? Can I prevent it?

When a bunch of bots connect to a server too quickly, or all at once, the IRC server THROTTLES. The server will then reject ALL connects to ALL ports from that domain (*.satexas.com) for exactly 2 minutes. If ANYBODY from that domain tries to connect within that 2 minutes, the server starts the 2 minute throttle period OVER, thus going into an infinite loop if never left alone. Too many users using CRONTAB will only make this matter WORSE because it tries automatically without care.

The key to STOP the throttling, is when you KNOW it's happening, STOP YOUR BOT DEAD, and wait for it to stop. Getting impatient and greedy will only prolong your frustration! Remember, this is a GROUP effort, and one idiot can ruin it for us all. (And trust me, he'll hear about it!)

NOTE: This is NOT an SATEXAS issue, but an Undernet server configuration, meaning there's nothing we can do about it but educate our users making us stronger and better. ALL egg providers must deal with it individually.

To help prevent it, there are 2 things we can do. The first way is to tell the bot to use a 2 minute (120 second) timeout. The second method, in addition to the first, is to use an alternating server list, so you don't keep pounding the same server over and over! See below :

Change :

To:

DO NOT list all your servers like this:

Instead, do it like this:

This will go a LONG way to stop THROTTLING, and protect us on the net.

^ 7. How do I test for 'throttling' If I think it's happening?

The FIRST thing you do is kill ALL of your bots on the throttling server to keep bad from getting worse.

The next step is to wait 2 minutes (Remember, you must not bother an IRC server for 2 minutes before it can reset itself).

Now, the third step is to get on to IRC from the unix server like your bot does, and see what happens. From Telnet, type something like this :

irc

nickname

city.state.country.undernet.org

This will try to launch you into IRC so you can test the server and see if you can get on... if it's throttling, it will tell you as such, and you need to do a /quit and wait a minimum of 2 minutes, and retry this procedure until you can successfully get on irc. Remember, if YOU can't get on IRC, your bot can't either - he does it the same way.

^ 8. My bot won't come online! Help!

Use the following questions to troubleshoot your problem:

1. Can I get on IRC in unix ok?

Telnet into SATEXAS, and IRC from unix itself - your bot does this.
Type "ircnicknameirc.servername.dom"
If you can't get on irc, and you see the server's error, then your bot can't either.

2. Am I only configured for one server, and it's down?

Telnet into SATEXAS, and IRC from unix itself using that particular server.
Check your bot configuration file for multiple servers.
Have you waited long enough to give it time to make it online? (Timeout value)

3. Has my bot ever been online before? Config problem?

What have you changed since it was last working?
If never online before, check your configuration.
Did it error when you launched it from the SATEXAS unix prompt?

4. Do I have a port problem?

If another user chose your port by accident, or vise-versa, there's a problem.
Change the port of your bot in your config file, and see what happens.
Invalid port maybe? - Try to stay between 9000-20000 in your port selections.

5. It could be the Virtual Hosts (VHOSTS).

Check to make sure the server you're using is where the vhosts actually are!
Did you put in the correct IP associated with that VHOST?
Did you check SATEXAS's listing of VHOSTS to validate you are correct?
To make sure it IS a vhost problem, have you tried removing the vhosts and then launching the bot to see what happens?

6. Are you having a irc server problem?

When's the last time you updated you list of servers in your config?
Do you have more than one server listed in your config? Have you waited long enough for it to cycle?
Have you done step #1 above, and tried to IRC from the SATEXAS unix prompt to see if you could get on the IRC server the same way your bot does?
Have you checked the egg-server list on SATEXAS to make sure you are using good irc servers in your config?
The List : http://www.satexas.com/unixshells/eggservers.phtml


^ 9. When I try to TELNET/FTP into the system, it won't give me a prompt.: If you get a quick connect, then disconnect, then our firewall is restricting your access because it can't resolve your address. When a client connects to SATEXAS, our firewall does a authenticaion check via DNS to make sure you are whom you say you are, and are not trying access via a SPOOFED address. This authentication is achieved via "reverse dns lookups". If your ISP or lan administrator does not have an accurate DNS table system, this firewall system will not allow you through. An accurate example is this :
jun 28 18:29:23 rooster popper[7536]: warning: host name/address mismatch: 207.71.51.55 != SA5399-7-09.stic.net
Jun 28 18:29:23 rooster popper[7536]: refused connect from 207.71.51.55

In the above example, reverse lookups are incorrect via DNS, and the access was denied. This is a rare occasion, but it *does* happen from time to time. If you suspect this, and are not sure if it's us or you, have a friend or another host telnet/ftp to the SATEXAS system, and see if they get a LOGIN prompt... 99% of the time you will find your administrator has some work to do.

This protection is not an advanced security feature, but it is one of the steps we take to protect our systems and it's clients, something that is in your best interest.