Hi
www.leadbetters.co.uk/newsite
J3.2.3 Responsive template
When I try to go to checkout in Hikashop I get the following error: Fatal error: Out of memory (allocated 39583744) (tried to allocate 77 bytes) in /home/leadbett/public_html/newsite/administrator/components/com_hikashop/classes/field.php on line 440
I've talked to the host who says the server has 256M of memory for php.
I've set up a phpinfo file which gives me this result: (screenshot attached)

I've been talking to Hikashop and they just keep repeating that the error message is being generated by my server and must be correct in that it says there is around only 39M available.
I'm now stuck between a rock and a hard place with both sets of support having come to an impasse.
The odd thing is that at one point the checkout was working properly, so I can only imagine I've changed a setting somewhere, either on the server or on the site, and it's this that is causing the problem.
Can anyone help?
Thanks
Ian

Hi Ian,

Its a bit beyond the scope of the forum and also my knowledge

but we did write an article about testing to see what memory is available

docs.joomlabamboo.com/getting-started/how-to-check-php-memory-limit-for-joomla-3

A large amount of the info used for the article comes from

magazine.joomla.org/issues/issue-dec-2010/item/295-Are-you-getting-your-fair-share-of-PHP-memory

It may be worth asking the host if you can run this file in the article

That error does seem to suggest you have run out of memory like Hikashop indicate

As you add extensions to a site it uses up memory so what may have worked will stop working if you install an extension that tips the site over the limit

Cheers
Paul

Hi Paul - thanks for this. I have run the script on my server, which shows only 49M of memory are allocated. I've sent the script, and the results, to the host and I'm waiting to hear back.
I'll let you know what happens…
Thanks again for your help
Ian

Hi Ian,

You can check the global and local memory limits in the admin area in the system information php information area.

If the local limit is low then it might be the same problem you had with magic quotes where a local ini file is overriding the global one.

If you are on a virtual or dedicated server that only has 256mb of memory then that memory will be shared across all sites, so at any time, the actual memory available might be a lot lower than the top limit.

Regards,
Rob

Hi Rob - thanks for getting back to me.

I've checked in the Joomla back end, and it states php memory is 256M.
I've just done an ssh check on the server as below, and if I read it correctly there is loads of free RAM:
root@webserver [~]# free -m
total used free shared buffers cached
Mem: 2048 1972 75 0 373 962
-/+ buffers/cache: 637 1410
Swap: 1023 0 1023
I think you're right about there being another .ini which is overriding the other settings.
Trouble is, I don't know how to find it…
What are your thoughts?
Thanks again for your input,
Ian

Hi Ian,

Your free command is saying that you have a total of 256mb (2048 megabits) of ram, 246 of which are in use and about 9 are free.

So it looks like your server might be running out of memory.

Rob

unless I'm getting the units wrong?

If you have another php.ini file overriding the global one then you will have a lower local value in the admin php tab (there are 2 columns, local and global)

Hi Rob - I'm really out of my depth here, and I get totally confused by the units.
I Googled the free -m command, and it said the values to watch were
-/+ buffers/cache: 637 1410
where 637 is used, and 1410 is available
If you look back to #117186 you'll see the values in both columns are the same.
Lost, confused and frustrated - just about my normal state of play
The host has suggested I raise this issue to a higher level, which I will (I can tell by the replies they're getting fed up with this one).
Meanwhile I'd be really glad of any other thoughts you have.
I'm still feeling there's another .ini - but how to find it?
Thanks again for your help,
Ian

Hi Rob - I missed your post about the 2G of memory.
The plot sickens…
Thanks
Ian

Hi Ian,

Sorry if the confusion is down to me. I checked the memory with the same command on a few servers and the results don't make sense (one would have been 6000gb).
If you check the local value in php information in joomla admin, it will be exactly how php is set for you site.
The global value will be your whm settings.

Whatever the units, 96% of your server memory was being used at the time you checked so I still think your sever might be overloaded.

Rob

Hi Ian,

You can try and turn off pluggins in the Joomla extensionmanager as they are often a source of memory usage.
Also if you are resizing large images with Zentools on that page then it may be a contributing factor.

Otherwise it's really a question for your host and something we can't really help you with any further here.

Thanks and good luck finding the issue.

Hi Anthony - thanks for getting back to me.
The host eventually fixed this for me by commenting out the lines

#RLimitMEM 256760618
#RLimitCPU 240

in /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf file

and restarted Apache.

I looked in the etc directory and there was no httpd directory in there, so I asked again for help, and this was the reply:

root@webserver [/etc/httpd]# pwd
/etc/httpd
root@webserver [/etc/httpd]#

Which I don't understand, and the ticket is closed now. Have they done this using ssh?

Anyway, thanks to you and the team for all your help on this… At least it's fixed now
Ian

Glad you got it going, thanks for letting us know!