Inability to login to archive

[ShilohPell]

Hello there. I’ve just recently created an account on the archive but it’s not allowing me to log in. I put in my screen name and password and click login and it just takes me back to the same page without logging me in. Have I done something wrong?

[WillowDarkling]

I’m not an archive mod, but let me ask the usual first round of questions. You got the activation email, and clicked the link in that?

If yes, then try clearing your cache and cookies, and then logging in again, and remember that the password is case sensitive. 

If that does not work, then please wait for an answer from one of our archive mods, they’re really much better at this than I am  But, welcome, and happy writing. 

[ShilohPell]

Thanks for replying~ Yeah, I verified my email. I cleared my cookies and cache. And I’m using a password manager so my password was entered correctly. And to double check, I did a password reset and got nothing.

[WillowDarkling]

Ah, did you use the same password again, or did you create a new one? If you used the same one, then that causes a bug (I think that still happens) and you'll need an archive mod to help with that. They are usually around in the afternoon, so please be patient and one of them will give you better answers. I'm sorry I could not be of more help.

[ShilohPell]

No, I generated a new password for the reset.

[BronxWench]

I can see your account, but you’re not logged in. Did you ever get a validation email from us? If not, check your spam or junk folder. There should have been an email, generally sent by anonymous@afforg.nexcess.net (or something like that) which contains a link. If you didn’t get it, or if it expired, you can request a new one here:

http://members.adult-fanfiction.org/rsa.php

Edited August 28, 2017 by BronxWench

[ShilohPell]

“Activation Re-send

Resending your activation could not be completed for the following reasons

• You have already activated your acount.
• You have yet to move your account to the new userpanel system.
• You have not yet registered
• there may have been a system error.”

 

I did do the activation link but just to be safe I tried the re-send activation you linked and this is the error I got.

[BronxWench]

This one is going to require more than I can do. I can only flag it for our tech admin, DemonGoddess061. She has database access, and can see what’s happening, which is something I can’t do.

[ShilohPell]

Okay. Sorry to be a pain. I’m sure I did something wrong.

[BronxWench]

No, don’t worry! We’re here to help, and it’s never a problem. I just can’t always see where the issue is, and when the standard fixes don’t work, I need to call in the smarter folks.

[DemonGoddess]

Nope, you’re activated.  I don’t know why, but sometimes, you’ll activate and get that message.  I never know WHEN it’s going to happen, as it’s not all the time.

[ShilohPell]

It’s still not letting me log in. I type in my username and password, the page blinks, and I’m right back where I started.

[BronxWench]

It’s going to sound counterintuitive, but… 

Log out, even if you think you’re not logged in. Then clear your browser cache and AFF cookies, and close your browser all the way. You might need to force a browser refresh with CTRL + F5. Then restart your browser, and try logging in to AFF.

I’ve had this work even if it’s been done before unsuccessfully.

[ShilohPell]

Sorry. No dice. I couldn’t find any link to log out since it insisted I wasn’t logged in but I closed the website, cleared my cache and cookies, closed Chrome down, made sure it didn’t have any processes running, and tried again. Same issue.

[BronxWench]

Argh… 

Just covering all bases here… the password is at least 8 letters and/or numbers and contains no special characters, right?

[ShilohPell]

12 characters long using only numbers and upper/lower case letters.

[BronxWench]

This is entirely frustrating, I’m sure. From my end, you’ve done everything correctly, and yet you can’t log in. Have you tried logging in with a different browser? Are third party cookies enabled? (I’m wracking my enfeebled brain here...)

[ShilohPell]

I’m more worried about the trouble I’m causing for you guys. I’ve tried on Chrome and Firefox. I don’t have any third party cookie blocking turned on in Chrome. I’ve tried it with and without adblock on and tried it both on and off of my VPN. And for good measure I even tried logging in through my iPhone and got nothing. Sorry about being the fly in the ointment. I really don’t know what I did to have screwed it up this badly.

[ShilohPell]

Update: I just double checked the password and successfully logged in through my phone. Still no luck logging in through my browser though.

[BronxWench]

What about firewalls? I know there are certain sites my various security products have hissies over. Malwarebytes has a huge issue with certain embedded ad services in my news feeds, and Chrome still hates the staff email server, although I can log in after I promise it’ll be all my fault when cybergremlins run rampant through my CPU. (I tried offering it my first-installed gfx card, but no luck.)

You’re not causing trouble. I’m just sorry I’m not able to offer any helpful troubleshooting advice. You’re doing all the right things, and it’s just not working.

[ShilohPell]

The only firewall I have on is Windows Defender. Switched it off just in case and got the same issue.

[Guest ProphecyGirl]

fwiw i am having exactly this same problem, followed all the listed steps, and am ready to just break down in tears or something. ive been a member of AFF for so long that im literally user #5 (back when ayla started the site) and i cant log in, and im losing my mind. username is prophecygirl, email is cemetarystars@gmail.com – keeps telling me i have no account, or i have too many accounts (i only have one!) i literally cant even login to comment as other than a guest here either. :/  definitely sure of my username (and can see my account with my stories etc on the site) and email and password. i guess im a fly in the ointment too? misery loves company yeah?  

[pippychick]

Hi, ProphecyGirl

I looked you up in the member database, and I won’t repeat what I see on here, but the email we have doesn’t match the one you quoted above, so it seems like we might still have your old one. Have you tried logging in with that?

[BronxWench]

4 hours ago, Guest ProphecyGirl said:

fwiw i am having exactly this same problem, followed all the listed steps, and am ready to just break down in tears or something. ive been a member of AFF for so long that im literally user #5 (back when ayla started the site) and i cant log in, and im losing my mind. username is prophecygirl, email is cemetarystars@gmail.com – keeps telling me i have no account, or i have too many accounts (i only have one!) i literally cant even login to comment as other than a guest here either. :/  definitely sure of my username (and can see my account with my stories etc on the site) and email and password. i guess im a fly in the ointment too? misery loves company yeah?  

If you can’t access that email account any longer, let us know, and we can refer this to DemonGoddess061, who can make the email address update in the database. We’ll get you back into your account, don’t worry!

[ShilohPell]

Just going to poke my head in and ask if there was any progress in figuring out why your login system seems to hate me in particular.