Log file download failure

[John R]

Beginning with version 3.9.0.1 - and having changed NONE of my webmaster permissions - I have been experiencing an increasing number of errors when attempting to view or download log files on my website. Whether I right click view/edit, double-click to download, or attempt to drag and drop a log file from the webhost server to my local drive, I get this message:

Status: Starting download of /log/access_log.2014-08-18
Command: PASV
Response: 227 Entering Passive Mode (206,188,192,89,185,179)
Command: RETR access_log.2014-08-18
Response: 550 Failed to open file.
Error: Critical file transfer error

I marked this ticket "high" because there error has now become persistent. I am unable to download/view ANY log files.

There is no problem uploading files (drag and drop), renaming files on the host server, or moving files between folders on the host.

[Bruno Ramos]

Which version of FileZilla are you using?

The latest version is 3.9.0.3.

[John R]

Replying to brunoramos:

Which version of FileZilla are you using?

The latest version is 3.9.0.3.

@brunoramos - Here is the "About" information on the client I am using:

FileZilla Client

---

Version: 3.9.0.3

Build information:

Compiled for: i686-w64-mingw32
Compiled on: x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu
Build date: 2014-08-13
Compiled with: i686-w64-mingw32-gcc (GCC) 4.9.1
Compiler flags: -g -O2 -Wall -g -fexceptions -std=gnu++11

Linked against:

wxWidgets: 3.0.2
GnuTLS: 3.2.16
SQLite: 3.8.4.3

Operating system:

Name: Windows 8.1 (build 9600), 64-bit edition
Version: 6.3
Platform: 64 bit system

[Bruno Ramos]

Could you please provide the logs?

If possible for a session where some transfers work correctly and some do not.

[John R]

With version 3.9.0.5, I have been experiencing fewer failures.

Here is the log with some successes, then failures. Once failures begin, the only way to recover is to clear the history, close the application, and re-launch.
========================================================
Status: Resolving address of vbatech.com
Status: Connecting to 206.188.192.89:21...
Status: Connection established, waiting for welcome message...
Response: 220 (vsFTPd 2.3.4)
Command: USER jrremoteftp
Response: 331 Please specify the password.
Command: PASS *
Response: 230 Login successful.
Command: SYST
Response: 215 UNIX Type: L8
Command: FEAT
Response: 211-Features:
Response: EPRT
Response: EPSV
Response: MDTM
Response: PASV
Response: REST STREAM
Response: SIZE
Response: TVFS
Response: UTF8
Response: 211 End
Command: OPTS UTF8 ON
Response: 200 Always in UTF8 mode.
Status: Connected
Status: Retrieving directory listing...
Command: PWD
Response: 257 "/"
Command: TYPE I
Response: 200 Switching to Binary mode.
Command: PASV
Response: 227 Entering Passive Mode (206,188,192,89,129,145)
Command: LIST
Response: 150 Here comes the directory listing.
Response: 226 Directory send OK.
Status: Calculating timezone offset of server...
Command: MDTM .htaccess
Response: 213 20140615022245
Status: Timezone offsets: Server: 0 seconds. Local: -25200 seconds. Difference: -25200 seconds.
Status: Directory listing successful
Status: Retrieving directory listing...
Command: TYPE I
Response: 200 Switching to Binary mode.
Command: PASV
Response: 227 Entering Passive Mode (206,188,192,89,137,181)
Command: LIST
Response: 150 Here comes the directory listing.
Response: 226 Directory send OK.
Status: Directory listing successful
Status: Retrieving directory listing...
Command: CWD log
Response: 250 Directory successfully changed.
Command: PWD
Response: 257 "/log"
Command: TYPE I
Response: 200 Switching to Binary mode.
Command: PASV
Response: 227 Entering Passive Mode (206,188,192,89,146,75)
Command: LIST
Response: 150 Here comes the directory listing.
Response: 226 Directory send OK.
Status: Directory listing successful
Status: Starting download of /log/access_log.2014-09-26
Command: CWD /log
Response: 250 Directory successfully changed.
Command: PWD
Response: 257 "/log"
Command: PASV
Response: 227 Entering Passive Mode (206,188,192,89,152,255)
Command: RETR access_log.2014-09-26
Response: 150 Opening BINARY mode data connection for access_log.2014-09-26 (121885 bytes).
Response: 226 Transfer complete.
Status: File transfer successful, transferred 121,885 bytes in 1 second
Status: Disconnected from server
Status: Resolving address of vbatech.com
Status: Connecting to 206.188.192.89:21...
Status: Connection established, waiting for welcome message...
Response: 220 (vsFTPd 2.3.4)
Command: USER jrremoteftp
Response: 331 Please specify the password.
Command: PASS *
Response: 230 Login successful.
Command: OPTS UTF8 ON
Response: 200 Always in UTF8 mode.
Status: Connected
Status: Starting download of /log/access_log.2014-09-27
Command: CWD /log
Response: 250 Directory successfully changed.
Command: TYPE I
Response: 200 Switching to Binary mode.
Command: PASV
Response: 227 Entering Passive Mode (206,188,192,89,179,243)
Command: RETR access_log.2014-09-27
Response: 150 Opening BINARY mode data connection for access_log.2014-09-27 (120421 bytes).
Response: 226 Transfer complete.
Status: File transfer successful, transferred 120,421 bytes in 1 second
Status: Starting download of /log/access_log.2014-09-28
Command: PASV
Response: 227 Entering Passive Mode (206,188,192,89,200,10)
Command: RETR access_log.2014-09-28
Response: 150 Opening BINARY mode data connection for access_log.2014-09-28 (121517 bytes).
Response: 226 Transfer complete.
Status: File transfer successful, transferred 121,517 bytes in 1 second
Status: Disconnected from server
Status: Resolving address of vbatech.com
Status: Connecting to 206.188.192.89:21...
Status: Connection established, waiting for welcome message...
Response: 220 (vsFTPd 2.3.4)
Command: USER jrremoteftp
Response: 331 Please specify the password.
Command: PASS *
Response: 230 Login successful.
Command: OPTS UTF8 ON
Response: 200 Always in UTF8 mode.
Status: Connected
Status: Starting download of /log/access_log.2014-09-29
Command: CWD /log
Response: 250 Directory successfully changed.
Command: TYPE I
Response: 200 Switching to Binary mode.
Command: PASV
Response: 227 Entering Passive Mode (206,188,192,89,227,121)
Command: RETR access_log.2014-09-29
Response: 550 Failed to open file.
Error: Critical file transfer error
Status: Starting download of /log/access_log.2014-09-30
Command: PASV
Response: 227 Entering Passive Mode (206,188,192,89,230,125)
Command: RETR access_log.2014-09-30
Response: 550 Failed to open file.
Error: Critical file transfer error

[Alexander Schuch]

Do you have the same problem using *other* FTP clients? It is the FTP server which returns that error code/message. Right now it seems to me that FileZilla Client cannot do much about it.

[John R]

FileZilla is the only FTP client I have used since launching my website in 2007. It worked beautifully until the 3.0+ versions, when apparently, a security patch was added that disconnects from the server after every download action. My guess is that prior to 3.0, a connection was maintained throughout the session.

I recently started testing WinSCP, and am not experiencing any of the problems that are plaguing FileZilla. My hosting service still recommends FileZilla, so I guess I need to let them know about the problems.