Initial assessment

Restore test: write-back reaches its time limit

Recipe 20261112-restore-time-limit (restore-time-limit) · Latest run 2026-11-12 · First published 2026-11-13 · Updated 2026-11-13 · Restore test

Injected fault

Injected fault: the test server delays its replies to write-back steps, and the write-back time limit is set lower than in production, so the limit is reached after changes to the site start.

Source: restore test (fault injected on a WP119 test server); no forum thread.

Test setup and what we observed after the failure

Test site: WordPress 7.1, PHP 8.3. The table shows the HTTP status of the homepage and the login page after the recipe recreated the failure.

Server setupHomepageLogin pageNote
Apache + PHP-FPM200500
Apache + php-cgi (mod_cgid)500500
Apache + mod_php200200
nginx + PHP-FPM200500

Outcome of each run

Date (UTC)Server setupConnection modeRecovery feeFiles and database vs. snapshotComment added before the caseProduct versionNote
2026-11-12Apache + PHP-FPMSSHRefunded in fullMatch except file ownersPresent2.1.460
2026-11-12Apache + php-cgi (mod_cgid)SSHRefunded in fullMatch except file ownersPresent2.1.460
2026-11-12Apache + mod_phpSSHRefunded in fullMatch except file ownersPresent2.1.460
2026-11-12nginx + PHP-FPMSSHRefunded in fullMatch except file ownersPresent2.1.460

Gaps and the version that fixed them

Every run whose result is not "Matches snapshot", or where the injected fault took effect but the run ended in "Recovered", is listed here: what changed, the version it shipped in, and the re-test date and result.

FoundServer setupConnection modeWhat we changedFixed inRe-test
2026-11-12Apache + PHP-FPMSSHFound after the restore: file contents, permissions and the database matched the snapshot; the owner of the .htaccess file in the site root changed from the site account to the account PHP runs as. No change shipped yet.In progress—
2026-11-12Apache + php-cgi (mod_cgid)SSHFound after the restore: file contents, permissions and the database matched the snapshot; the owner of the .htaccess file in the site root changed from the site account to the account PHP runs as. No change shipped yet.In progress—
2026-11-12Apache + mod_phpSSHFound after the restore: file contents, permissions and the database matched the snapshot; the owner of the .htaccess file in the site root changed from the site account to the account PHP runs as. No change shipped yet.In progress—
2026-11-12nginx + PHP-FPMSSHFound after the restore: file contents, permissions and the database matched the snapshot; the owner of the .htaccess file in the site root changed from the site account to the account PHP runs as. No change shipped yet.In progress—

Notes

Runs from the acceptance testing of version 2.1.460 on 2026-11-12, on the small test site. Before each case, two problems were planted on the test site so that the case reaches write-back; the first table shows the HTTP status after that step. Payment in these runs is simulated; the recovery fee column shows the refund the system recorded for that payment.

These are records from our test servers, for a given product version on a given day. They are not a promise about the result on any site. Other hosts, PHP versions, and WordPress versions can behave differently.

Initial assessment →