Problems with the forum?

[Hawk]

Hey folks,
I need your help!
If anyone is having any problems getting into the forums or accessing the web site, PLEASE-let me know.
I can't address the problem if I don't know about the problem.
If you are experiencing problems please state the time frame of the problem. IE: AM, PM, early morning, Mid-morning, etc.

Thank you----

[Wolverine@MSU]

The only "problem" I have encontered is that recently (within the last week or so) it sometimes takes a little longer to connect than it used to. Most of the time I get to the login sceen (via a bookmark) within a few seconds, but sometimes it can take up to 20 or 30 seconds to connect. Can't give you info on exact times/days when this happens, but I just started noticing it recently.

[Tester-Hawk]

I just received word this morning that they've moved my site-again-to a different server. Hopefully this will fixed the lag in access time.
I did notice it working a lot better this morning, which is usually when the problem arises.

[JSS]

Just over the last couple of days the post indicator symbols which used to be round are now oval. There also were minor slowdowns and one case of being unable to access the site but that seems to be fine now.

[Tester-Hawk]

The oval post indicators are from me doing a little image updating. I just haven't finished them all yet.
I changed the size of them to allow for the new images which makes the original images oval shaped.
The way the code is written for this forum software makes it necessary to make one change for all at the thread location which affects the images until I can get the new ones finished and added.
The images at the bottom of the page can all be size changed individually though. That's why they look fine while the others are warped.

[thegrindre]

HOLY SMOKE!!!!!!! I got instant access this time. WOW!!! Not one second delay. Great...

Also the posts and replies are instant, too. This is how it's supposed to work.

I've noticed we have all lost our avatars. Are you foolin' with them, too?

[Tester-Hawk]

Yep! Works great for me too.
Unfortunately there could be a downside to this. I was talking to the owner of the hosting service this morning and he informed me that due to my bandwidth usage (I exceeded my limit of 150 GB last month by 64 GB and the month before by 124 GB) I may have to start paying for a dedicated server.
Currently I'm paying $24.95 a month for service. A dedicated server would run between $200.00 and $300.00 a month.
I told him there was no way I could afford that so he told me he'd see what he could do. He said if it came to that he would give me plenty of notice to allow me the opportunity of finding another hosting service.

Edit 1: No I didn't notice the loss of avatars. I'll look into that. Probably got lost in the transfer. Shouldn't be that hard to fix, I hope.

Edit 2: It would seem it was just your avatar Rick. I don't know why though. It still shows in your profile. I'll see if I can get it fixed.

Edit 3: Turns out it's not just yours. It affects a couple of others too. I'm working on it.

Edit 4: OK! I found the problem. It's fixed now. It was my fault. I changed a setting in the Admin control panel that blocked a folder with some folks avatars in it.

[besterik]

Yep! Works great for me too.
Unfortunately there could be a downside to this. I was talking to the owner of the hosting service this morning and he informed me that due to my bandwidth usage (I exceeded my limit of 150 GB last month by 64 GB and the month before by 124 GB) I may have to start paying for a dedicated server.
Currently I'm paying $24.95 a month for service. A dedicated server would run between $200.00 and $300.00 a month.
I told him there was no way I could afford that so he told me he'd see what he could do. He said if it came to that he would give me plenty of notice to allow me the opportunity of finding another hosting service.

Would it maybe be possible to have the forum at a separate site, and the archive at another site, and maybe get under the limit with two sites instead of one???

[Hawk]

That's a good idea but it wouldn't work. The forum uses so little bandwidth that it really has no affect on my monthly allotment.
The major contributor to the bandwidth usage is all the downloads I have available.
I have talked with them about splitting up the download files, which may be an option.
We'll see.

[AZ Rail Rat]

You may have to take off some MSTS routes like Sea View that are available at other locations. Just a few of those could kill your quota.

[Hawk]

Actually the MSTS route that's downloaded the most is The Tunnel. It has over 7000 downloads. After that comes RRT3 stuff. Then Rich's movies. I used to have the wmv files available to view but had to do away with that and just let them download zips of the movies. Folks actually viewing the movies was really killing me. I hit 300 GB one month because of them.

[thegrindre]

I was guilty of that. I enjoy watching videos for a change sometimes.

Hey, everything's fixed. COOOOOOL. :D

Oh, boy, what are 'we' gonna do about jumping from $25 to $300 a month...

[Hawk]

What you mean we Kemosabe?

If it comes down to it I'll just have to find another hosting service. I've been looking around and there's a couple of possibilities. I just hate the idea of moving because I won't find another hosting service as good as this one. I could find one cheaper but you know the saying, Ya' get what'cha pay for.
The biggest problem is weeding out the oversellers. Those that promise the sun and moon and after you sign up you get a cardboard box and a 6 foot deep hole.

[Bonneville455]

Hi Hawk,

I just wanted to ask you about a couple of forum issues that, from my recollection, seemed to appear after the recent server change you told us about.

The first is that I am no longer getting e-mail notifications for new posts on threads where I've posted and made that request.

The second is harder to describe and quite strange. When I go to the forum site and navigate from page to page, the first screen I get is usually (but not always) gray and a jumbled mess where lines overlap each other and are impossible to read. If I then refresh the page, I clears up and I get a normally arranged screen with the light brown color. That happens almost every time I switch pages - I first get a mess, then refersh, then the proper screen appears. Again, I don't think I remember this happening until after the server change. Oh - and when I'm logged on, I often have to refresh a second time in order to see the "quote" buttons on posts.

I'm using Windows 2000 with IE6 (IE7 won't run on W2K). I'm wondering if, as time marches on, IE6 has issues with new software being used. But that's just a shot in the dark. Any ideas?

Thanks

P.S. Problem number 3 - I just attemped several times to send you this as a PM and it wouldn't let me. Kept saying no recipient defined when I clearly had your name in the field.

[Hawk]

Well, I can see what I'm going to be doing the rest of the day.

Thanks for the heads up Bonne. I'll check 'em out.

If anyone else is experiencing this, or anything - please let me know.

Edit 1: I checked the PM issue and it seems I forgot to check a box in the configuration settings. Let me know if you can send a PM now. I'll try and test it myself too.

I check the site on my wife's 98 SE machine running IE 6, at 1024 X 768 resolution and I didn't have any problems.

I'm still looking into the email issue.

Edit 2: I just found out something interesting.
If you go to the PM menu, and click on 'New PM', then use the 'find a member' link and select from the pop-up list, it seems like it will add the name in the box, but you have to click 'Add' to get it to add it. Otherwise you get the Recipient error.
If you click on a members name it automatically adds it and you shouldn't have that problem.

[Hawk]

Bonne - you have a PM about the email issue.

[thegrindre]

I'm still not getting notified that I've gotten a PM via e-mail.

[Hawk]

You have a couple of PM's Rick.

Are you getting emails about thread replies?

[thegrindre]

No, I'm not getting anything but your direct e-mails, Ed. And, on second thought, that's fine. I visit the forums more often then I check my e-mails anyway.

[Hawk]

Well, it appears to be affecting others as well.

I'm still investigating the problem.