Server overload

[marathondan]

I'm still getting the problem from time to time, btw. Normally during the day, when I should, ahem, be working, as it happens.

[Sweder]

That might be your guilty subconscious ; )
Perhaps in these austere times we should go back to flinging rocks with messages wrapped around them? Better yet meet up once a month in a pub ... damn these wagoneer blues : (

[El Gordo]

Maybe you've got too many admins?

Only 2.

This is what the hosting company says (talking about yesterday):

"Unfortunately in the shared hosting environment load spikes will happen but I am not seeing any blocks in place for that account. If you have some forum module that closes the forum on high load that would be something that you would need to remove. I am seeing the load average today with a few spikes but mostly 1-3 all day which is average."

Have also had a reply from the other chap suggesting a few tweaks, but not recommending changing forum software or hosting company. I will ask him for some practical help.

[EG_testaccount]

The chap I asked for assistance from wanted to charge me too much just for checking my settings, so that's a dead end.

I've created this account as a non-admin to see if I have the same trouble. In the meantime, a Plan C will appear. I suspect.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Yay, I'm in - has been over 24 hours since I was last able to log on to the forums. Now to see if it will let me post something...

[El Gordo]

Can I politely ask anyone who has this server load trouble (say in next 24 hours) to email me with the times it happened and I will send to the hosting company, They are saying they see no overloading, so I need to give them some exact times for them to investigate. Thanks.

I've (again) been through every freakin' setting I can find (and there are a lot of them), and have also readvertised for some expert help to check the back end.

[Bierzo Baggie]

When I can't get in I try again 5 minutes later and generally it's OK. It happened again this morning about 8:25 Spanish time. What I've noticed recently is that it seems to affect particular threads. Maybe I can get on to Sweder's but not on to my own.

Anyway, I always get in but sometimes it takes me 2 or 3 attempts.

[EG_testaccount]

When I can't get in I try again 5 minutes later and generally it's OK. It happened again this morning about 8:25 Spanish time. What I've noticed recently is that it seems to affect particular threads. Maybe I can get on to Sweder's but not on to my own.

Anyway, I always get in but sometimes it takes me 2 or 3 attempts.

Thanks. I can (self-evidently) currently get in using this non-admin account, but earlier this morning (also around 08:00 Central European time) I had trouble even with the admin account.

[Sweder]

If this problem persists - I see MLCman has quit the site until service resumes - perhaps it's time to review the forum?
I'm conscious that this all falls on one, albeit broad, set of shoulders. Fine and dandy if you're retired with endless hours to fiddle and tinker, not so much fun when in full time employ and learning a language.

Perhaps a few of us will get an hour or six to chew the cud in Almeria. Perhaps those of us who are happy to hitch a ride on this hitherto generous and most reliable board might like to try surfing on our own blogs. No reason we can't all keep in touch via comment sections etc. I love the feel of the RC community and the banter it generates but it should never become a chore for any one of us. Food for thought.

[marathondan]

Perhaps a few of us will get an hour or six to chew the cud in Almeria. Perhaps those of us who are happy to hitch a ride on this hitherto generous and most reliable board might like to try surfing on our own blogs. No reason we can't all keep in touch via comment sections etc. I love the feel of the RC community and the banter it generates but it should never become a chore for any one of us. Food for thought.

I won't be there for any discussion, so I thought I'd let you know my opinion. This forum truly is a thing of beauty and wonderfulness, and it would be a huge shame to see it go. But if it comes to that, I for one have no problem with going (back) to a personal blog. Or we could of course just set up a new forum on Proboards, where all the hard work is done for you.

[El Gordo]

I have had an interesting mail from the hosting company, saying that while there is no evidence of any actual server load issues, they have investigated the back end of the board, and noticed a setting that needs changing. This I have now done. They say this should disable the error. Let's see if it does.

More generally, I won't bore you with any more martyr-like descriptions of the pursuit of a resolution to this -- that would be almost as time-consuming and tedious as the quest itself, but let me just say that it has taken up a fair chunk of time, so I am grateful for the comments.

Thanks for your patience, and be assured that there is no need to write any obituaries just yet --not for the forum anyway. I do have my fears about MLCM though, and his current state of mind. I hope he'll be back to entertain us again soon.

[Sweder]

Thanks Dan. To be clear I absolutely share your love of the forum. It may be there's a simple solution to the current woes, I just feel bad that it falls to EG to tidy up every time we trash our virtual clubhouse, however innocently that comes to pass.

[El Gordo]

I just feel bad that it falls to EG to tidy up every time we trash our virtual clubhouse, however innocently that comes to pass.

No one is "trashing the clubhouse", apart from me. I don't yet know if the latest setting change really has solved the error message problem, but I suspect it was changed from the original by me when (a few weeks ago now) there really was a server overload problem, and I was tweaking things. That might have been one I forgot to change back -- like a garage forgetting to tighten your wheel nuts after a tyre change. Nothing noticed for a while until you get on the motorway and then.....

[marathondan]

No one is "trashing the clubhouse", apart from me.

Well, and those annoying people who keep turning up, trying to sell us Spam. Don't they know that runners prefer unprocessed foods?

[El Gordo]

No one is "trashing the clubhouse", apart from me.

Well, and those annoying people who keep turning up, trying to sell us Spam. Don't they know that runners prefer unprocessed foods?

Touch wood, I think we may have seen them off. You may have noticed that the number of registered users has dropped from 3K+ to about 250 in recent times. There has been a lot weeding going on. I've also made it mandatory for new registrations to be approved by me. I've already turned away a few uninvited guests who I didn't like the look of much. "Sorry lads, you'll have to try somewhere else."

[Sweder]

Yeah, those last two looked highly suspect. Bekele and Farah. Sounded like Dickensian body snatchers to me ...

Well obviously WE're not trashing the clubhouse, but you catch my drift. There's an awful lot of clearing up to do after those uninvited guests have had their fun. It's much appreciated is what I meant to say.

[marathondan]

I trust you've been wearing a dark suit and shades while issuing these refusals.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Let's hope that is indeed the end of the server overloads *and* the spammers. Really it was ruining the forum, which was a shame, as you (RC regulars) are all family.

Crossing fingers et al.

And thanks EG, your efforts are always appreciated.