Can't view Password Protected Pages

[HandySolo]

Originated via WordPress support forum: ​http://wordpress.org/support/topic/89553?replies=10

A Page can be password protected, but entering the password refreshes the password prompt page. There doesn't appear to be a way for the reader to ever actually see the page.

I've reproduced it on a couple of 2.0.5 installs (as have others in the referenced support thread).

As we no longer appear to put old versions at ​http://static.wordpress.org/archive/ I've not been able to test previous 2.0.x releases.

[westi]

I've just tried to reproduce this on branches/2.0 and cannot.

It works fine for both password protected posts and pages (both use the same code path)

1. Are any plugins enabled?
2. Does a hard refresh of the page once the password has been entered fix the issue?
3. Is the cookie getting set in your browser? It will be called something like wp-postpass_<<md5hash>>

[markjaquith]

Also cannot reproduce using Default theme on WP 2.0.5 and WP 2.0.6 beta 1 both with ?page_id=N URLs and /passworded-post/ URLs

Westi's questions should help steer toward the source of the problem.

[markjaquith]

Also, if you could set up a passworded page and give us the URL and password, that would help.

[HandySolo]

I've set my theme to Default:

​http://www.solo-technology.com/blog/disclaimer/
Password is foobar

[HandySolo]

Apologies, I should share more details.

Using Firefox 2.
No luck with hard refresh
wp-postpass_(buncha stuff) cookie is set, Content for it is the correct password.

[HandySolo]

And, just to keep it fun, with IE I'm not prompted for the password. Just shows the "Protected: Disclaimer" page in all of it's glory. Yes, I confirmed that I was NOT logged in before accessing the page.

[HandySolo]

More testing, with a clean install, shows that this works. Must be a plugin conflict of some sort? Regardless, I'm switching my blog back to the proper theme and such.

Sorry to waste time here! Will try to compare plugins with the other folks having same issue.

[HandySolo]

Ack. I really wish I could edit here.

Final thought: I'm running wp-cache. I wonder if that's why I could get right in with IE even though I'd provided password in another brower?

[westi]

Replying to HandySolo:

Ack. I really wish I could edit here.

Final thought: I'm running wp-cache. I wonder if that's why I could get right in with IE even though I'd provided password in another brower?

Ahh. That could be it. If wp-cache is caching the protected page or the unprotected page and not clearing the cache when it changes state.

[markjaquith]

What version of WP-Cache? WP-Cache should be taking $_COOKIE into consideration when forming its cache file md5 hash. Maybe you have an old version of the plugin?

In any case, I'm closing as worksforme, since even you were unable to recreate this problem with a virgin install. I'll gladly followup with you privately, as many of my clients rely on WP-Cache for performance reasons, so I have a vested interest in keeping it maintained.

[HandySolo]

WP-Cache 2, 2.0.17 is what I'm running. To be honest, I've not checked in a long time to see if there's newer or patches...

I'll be in touch via email, Mark.