Can't make changes in back end. Administrative access for my website's backend is MIA. Need Help.

Description of Problem: I am unable to create or publish new documents/resources, whenever I click the box for publish and then save, it appears unchecked when I go back and when I preview the page on the front end I get a 404 error. When I attempt to create a new document under my home section, I get an error saying "you do not have permission to create a resource in this area". These are both things I have been able to do in the past. The person who developed the website for us is no longer hosting our site and when I asked about administrative access for the back end, he said he is no longer able to login to his user. Now I am basically stuck and cannot make changes to my website and don't know of any way of getting administrative access. I am definitely a beginner in this area so I apologize if my issue isn't properly worded. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

• MODX Version: MODX Revolution 2.2.4-pl (traditional)
• PHP Version:
• Database (MySQL, SQL Server, etc) Version:
• Additional Server Info:
• Installed MODX Add-ons:
• Error Log Contents: (attach as file if it’s too large)

It looks like you are not the root user and don't have the correct privileges, if you have access to phpmyadmin ( or something similar ) you will be able to update the user to a super user, do you have that access ?

If so try going to the modx_users table and editing your user, set the primary_group to 1 and the sudo to 1 to see if that works

Quote from: paulp at Nov 06, 2013, 02:17 PM

It looks like you are not the root user and don't have the correct privileges, if you have access to phpmyadmin ( or something similar ) you will be able to update the user to a super user, do you have that access ?

If so try going to the modx_users table and editing your user, set the primary_group to 1 and the sudo to 1 to see if that works

Thanks for the response Paulp! Unfortunately, I only have access to the User which was created by the person who set up my website so I don't have access to phpmyadmin.. The only user options I have are to edit my User profile details.

Then you will need to speak to the person that hosts the site for you and ask them for access to the database, if you can get that we can get your user updated to the full access so you can do anything.

As you stated above the person that developed the site for you no longer hosts it so I'm presuming you'll have a good relationship with the people that do ?

The person who hosts my website now does not have much experience with modx and does not have any access into the backend. Is that what you mean by access to the database? I have been in touch with the person currently hosting the website and he has said he is looking into the problem but it has been a few weeks now..

No, the database is nothing to do with MODX other that MODX uses it, if you ask your host for access to the database he should be able to give you it via a url for either plesk, cPanel or something similar.

Ok, I am going to contact him and see about getting access to the database. I found an email from him saying he had found out how to change the admin password but that there seemed to be a field missing from the database. This might explain why the previous host was no longer to login to his User? Either way, I will contact him and try to get access to the database.. Thanks for your help so far!

No Problem, drop me a PM when you have the access and I can help you sort it out if you want.

For reference you can't just update the password via the database on MODX revolution as the passwords are salted

Will do Paulp, again, thanks for the help.