Some images disappeared for one user only....

[PixelPix]

One of my users has complained that many of her images have vanished.  Her albums are still intact and still contain some images, but many are missing... totally missing, no little blank square, nothing, it's as if they were never uploaded in the first place.

I have checked the album directory via FTP and it contains ONLY the images that are viewable in Coppermine.

I have checked the database and again, it contains ONLY the images that are viewable in Coppermine.

It seems to me that the only way for this to happen, is for "delete" command to be run from Coppermine, as a "glitch" with the DB would not have removed the images from the album directory.... and a "glitch" with the album directory would not have removed them from the database.

Is there another way that this could have happened by accident, or is my above theory correct and "human intervention" the only possoble answer.

Many thanks

Rusty

[Abbas Ali]

The other possibility is the server changes or upgradation. The server people takes a back up of you files and database before they make some changes in the system and restore your site with that backup. It might have happened that the backup taken by the server people was before those uploaded pics (which are missing now) and when they restored it all the new pics got disappeared since they were not present in the backup copy.

This has happened once to me and hence i am bringing this possibility to your notice. Please ask your server admin whether any such thing has happened or not.

[PixelPix]

Thanks for your reply.

Server backup is not the case here (I run my own dedicated and backups) as it has happened for one user only and these particular images were uploaded over a period of time.

Plus, my site is very dymamic and changes very frequently, any restoration... even a very quick one, would more than likely effect more than one user.

[Joachim Müller]

Are you 100% sure that the user hasn't accidentally removed the files herself by mistake?

[PixelPix]

Are you 100% sure that the user hasn't accidentally removed the files herself by mistake?

LOL...  well that is my theory, but I want to make sure that there is no other possible answer before I stand my ground. 

At the moment I have suggested that she change her password and run virus and spyware aps, just in case she has a malicious user lurking in the background.   I personally see that being the only other way... and even if that is the case, that is far out of my control and certainly no problem with Coppermine.

[PixelPix]

I have just heard back from this user and it seems that my malicious user theory may be correct. 

She has experienced trouble on a another site with a creep gaining access to her stuff.  If that creep has now found her on my site, it would certainly go a long way towards explaining things.

Thanks for all your help.  :-)

[Joachim Müller]

thanks for returning and posting the "solution" (or rather "explanaition").