Administrators/Moderators/"The Orgs" people!

[Wellington]

Guys,

Since "The Org" moved it's forums to ikonboard a couple of months ago I've had really abominable access to these forums.

This was never the case on the previous boards but I'm now experiencing 2 minute response times (not always - but increasingly more often) just to access a thread.

This is NOT my ISP I can access other busy web sites with no problem. It just appears that ikonboard at times totally 'locks up' and their TCP/IP server goes overboard in attempting to satisfy all requests by sending 1 or 2k every 30 seconds or so. Obviously this kills any attempt to access a site such as the The Org with so many images contained in both the forums and threads.

I've also observed that I can no longer download from The Org as every download attempt is immediately terminated with a "TeleFragged 404" message.

Whilst I can upload (providing the access is available) I've found it impossible to test the results of any upload as I just can't download my own uploads

Has anybody else experienced such problems or is it just me?

Any chance of improvements in the foreseeable future or is this the state of things to come.

Welly

[Elmo]

Response has been good for me lately from work and home. I have downloaded files as well, but I think they are on the 3D site now.

[jayrock]

i get that from time to time, although i suspect it comes a peak times for my dsl provider.. jack asses over sold the band width, and didnt upgrade the hardware to handle the new users.. grrrr..

been told they'll fix this may, my neighborhood is first, apparantly i'm the loudest bitcher..lol.i call them twice a week and prob 3 emails a week.

[Wellington]

Quote[/b] (jayrock @ Feb. 15 2003,15:45)].. apparantly i'm the loudest bitcher...
Good for you Jayrock

Keep bitching mate - sometimes it's the only way to make progress http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[TosaInu]

I haven't noticed forum slow downs, but I'm using 768/128 DSL.

You could try the LiteSkin or disable signature pictures in Your Control Panel? Does that speed it up Wellington?

I'm curious whether more people have problems.

The downloads are moved to the file server (host policy). The 404 message might mean that Barocca has to fix a link.

[Wellington]

Quote[/b] (TosaInu @ Feb. 17 2003,14:07)]I haven't noticed forum slow downs, but I'm using 768/128 DSL.

You could try the LiteSkin or disable signature pictures in Your Control Panel? Does that speed it up Wellington?

I'm curious whether more people have problems.

The downloads are moved to the file server (host policy). The 404 message might mean that Barocca has to fix a link.
I'm sure thee are only 'teething problems'. Always the case when hardware/software/network changes take place.

When I have access problems I aslways try disablingthe cookie, logging inas a guest and testing all access. Never works http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/frown.gif always the same access problems.

Today it's great - no prob's whatsoever but I don't know what the state of the downloads are now. After 2 weeks of "Telefragged 404" I don't download anything from The Org anymore.

Sad, but true. 2 weeks of 'download shit' - whereby I hav'nt had one successful download is really too much. I'll wait till next month and see what the state of play is then.

If it's still the same then The Org's download area will become nigh on unusable - with all of the implicit consideration for new patrons. I really hope this is sorted out quickly - we've had a couple of threads regarding the unreliablity of this now.

Still, let's wait and see. All changes have teething problems - par for the course.

Welly

[TosaInu]

There's a topic in The WatchTower regarding forumspeed. Experiences go from a bit slower to a bit faster.

The host had some problems with the MySQL database, causing major slowdowns every now and then. Even causing the forum to be totally down. They did some tweaks on their end and that problem seems solved.

3D downloads was using a different system in the past. I could almost never download anything from it last year. Not a problem, since all files were at the main server, the host doesn't allow that anymore. 3D is changed now, and does 'always' work for me. I don't know what's causing the problems for some other people (pop-up stoppers?). Posting a sequence of screendumps may help solving the problem.

You know the direct browsing? http://www.3ddownloads.com/?directory=/strategy-gaming/totalwar/

[Knight_Yellow]

well i suggest cable blueyonder no problems here

but my uncle has aol and boy is that realy a rip off for a start he can only go on at certian times of the day and he can only be on for 150 hours a month.

im glad aol is loosing billions every month ha ha ha ha ha

i keep telling him to get cable but does he listen?

[ToranagaSama]

Quote[/b] (TosaInu @ Feb. 18 2003,07:35)]I don't know what's causing the problems for some other people (pop-up stoppers?). Posting a sequence of screendumps may help solving the problem.
Yes It is the Pop-Up Filters. I tried to d/l the Gnome Editor about 10 times last night and nothing would happen after clicking Download.

After reading the above comments, I turned off my pop-up filter and whalla The Pop-Up Window opens with the "Ad" and the Download "link".

Perhaps, a "note" alerting people to turn-off their filter and/or that the "Download" link will appear in a Pop-Up window would be a good idea.

I'm probably not alone in never having experienced a d/l page to operate through a Pop-Up window; in addition, most experienced internet users utilize a Pop-up filter of some kind.

[PanthaPower]

What is very annoying with the 3D download section is that after you get the "countdown" screen where you can see your queue, it almost always stops responding after a few minutes and goes into an error. I have these troubles on 3 pc's including the one I use at work and only managed to download 2 files from 3D downloads once when it was quiet and hardly anybody was in the queue. I use cable at work and cable at home so that can't be the problem I guess. The page does work because I can see the decrease in waiting time and people in the queue. But after a few minutes, the page goes into an error and sometimes it goes automatically into another 3D download page which stops the queing...
Because of these problems I have given up on downloading from 3D downloads. It doesn't work for me somehow. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/frown.gif

[Wellington]

Well,

I can't download again. Same old "3D Downloads black hole shit".

The new guy Hendon's also having problems trying to download LK's new units - LK he wants you to E-mail your stuff to him http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif

Jeez .. if this continues we might as well ignore 'The Orgs' downloads area, just E-mail things to each other and hence save a bit of Bandwidth for any other poor sod who attempts to use 3D to download game stuff.

[jayrock]

i dont know welly, i never have problems over at 3d downloads, of coarse i go in through the front door, never followed the link from here, and they always seemed to work..

[TosaInu]

Could you specify the problem please Wellington?

[Wellington]

Quote[/b] (TosaInu @ Feb. 19 2003,07:00)]Could you specify the problem please Wellington?
Hi TosaInu,

Unfortunately it's very difficult to explain the problem due the "Black Hole syndrome" that appears to permeate the 3ddownloads site.

Basically I can get to this point -

http://www.3ddownloads.com/strategy-gaming/totalwar/Z_Beta_Files/MTWbeta/TEST_LukMapMaker_GUI_OCX.zip#

- via navigating through "The Orgs" panels

I then have to wait until my 'turn' in the queue arrives (which is pathetic as TCP/IP was designed to avoid queueing - the only reason 3ddownloads incorporate 'queues' is so people can spend more time being bored silly by the endless stream of uninteresting adverts).

Having waited for xx minutes this site the informs me "Download Ready - you can now begin downnloading blah blah blah). Great I hit the download button (for a file that is 21K in size and should take 3 seconds).

NOTHING

No further message, nothing happens. I wait 1 minute. Hit the "Download" button again.

NOTHING AGAIN.

I wait another minute then just forget it.


Note: if I navigate via the actual site directly it's exactly the same results - sweet FA. Hence, it's NOT an Org problem - well ... IT IS insomuch as The Org have now forced us all to use this crappy download (whoops ... none-download) site

I think I'll start a poll in some forums to ascertain whether or not people find this new download method usable. I suspect many will not.

Welly

(ignore the rhetoric - I always feel better after a good whinge http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif )

[TosaInu]

How's the forum doing Wellington?

It was not the orgs decision to place the files at 3D. It's the host who told us to do so. We don't have a say about the banners, the system or the queue limits.

Those things are likely not going to change. Maybe we could when all active org members are going to pay >$10 monthly to affort a dedicated server.

There must be a problem though, in order to fix it we must know the cause. Browser version/type, pop-up stoppers, cookies?

I'm an ordinairy user when downloading something from 3D, it failed once because I continued browsing while waiting in the queue (not sure what went wrong, pushed wrong button perhaps), it's not something I can reproduce.

I know other people who managed to get files from 3D. If we know what prevents the others to download files, we could contact the host about it and request a fix.

Which browser are you using Wellington? Download managers? Pop-up stoppers? OS? I remember dl problems from various sites a while ago, a system reboot (and finally system reinstall) fixed the problems.

[Wellington]

Quote[/b] (TosaInu @ Feb. 20 2003,08:40)]There must be a problem though, in order to fix it we must know the cause. Browser version/type, pop-up stoppers, cookies?

I'm an ordinairy user when downloading something from 3D, it failed once because I continued browsing while waiting in the queue (not sure what went wrong, pushed wrong button perhaps), it's not something I can reproduce.

I know other people who managed to get files from 3D. If we know what prevents the others to download files, we could contact the host about it and request a fix.

Which browser are you using Wellington? Download managers? Pop-up stoppers? OS? I remember dl problems from various sites a while ago, a system reboot (and finally system reinstall) fixed the problems.

Quote[/b] ]How's the forum doing Wellington?


Forums appear fine now - touchwood. No probs for a few days.


Quote[/b] ]It was not the orgs decision to place the files at 3D. It's the host who told us to do so. We don't have a say about the banners, the system or the queue limits.

Those things are likely not going to change. Maybe we could when all active org members are going to pay >$10 monthly to affort a dedicated server.


I understand that, of course. Unfortunately there is no point in having a downloads area if the majority no longer use it, and considering what I've seen and the replies to those polls I started, it appears it already has a 'bad reputation'.

People E-mail me now asking for things 'cos they can't use the Orgs Downloads


Quote[/b] ]Browser version/type, pop-up stoppers, cookies?
Which browser are you using Wellington? Download managers? Pop-up stoppers? OS?

XP Home, IE6. Bog standard vanilla flavours - no pop-up stoppers, no download managers.

I 've tried with and without cookies - no difference.

I'll try putting a TCP/IP trace on it (if my tracer works with XP - never tries it since upgrading to XP) and what I'm getting back after I hit the "Download" button.



Quote[/b] ]I remember dl problems from various sites a while ago, a system reboot (and finally system reinstall) fixed the problems.

Reboots I can live with - but a reinstall http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif

I''ll try a couple of things and keep you posted. Maybe an idea to check the post's in those Poll's - may tell us something in terms of what problems people are experiencing.

One things for sure. This is NOT a couple of people with problems. It appears to be much bigger than that.

Welly

[TosaInu]

Hello Wellington. I've been toying with the downloads a bit. I did get the problems mentioned, some at least.

I've downloaded a 28 mb zip file. I was waiting in the queue and gazing at the window, when real life dragged me away. When I returned, the queue window told me to start downloading. Starting it, brought up the windows 98 save as box, but it didn't save. Trying again gave the 403 error.

I also had an e-mail and messenger app running. Was I idle for too long or did the other stuff interfere?

Reboot the system.
Downloaded the same file, no other apps running at this time and replied within a few seconds when the download now in the queue window showed up. Dl started at 20 KB/s and went quickly to 30 KB/s. It 'finished' at 45 KB/s. Best my connection can handle in a single thread (observed) is 75 KB/s. The mpg worked.

I tried another file and saw another reported problem: the queue window was refreshed with the contents of the main window.

New reboot.
I did get the error message when cancelling the save as and trying to save it again.

->the queue can be disturbed and will likely corrupt the browsing session.

(contains large screendumps)
This shows what should happen: http://www.totalwar.org/tosa/TF.html

This shows what can go wrong (other problems?): http://www.totalwar.org/tosa/3d.html

Causes so far are:
-pop up stoppers preventing the queue window to load (annoying, but pop up stoppers can temporarily turned off).
-(?)other activities/too late responding messing the download queue (something for the host to improve).
-Queue window wrongly refreshed (something for the host to improve).

A reboot/restarting of the browser is required to fix the latter two.

Even one person having trouble with it is nasty. I hope we can find out what exactely is causing this and fix it.

I'm using win 98se and IE 5.00. Are there people using XP who are able to download anything from 3D?

Wellington. Could you try to focus on the download? No other apps running, no browsing, and start the download as soon as it comes available?

[Wellington]

Quote[/b] ] Wellington. Could you try to focus on the download? No other apps running, no browsing, and start the download as soon as it comes available?


No probs. I'll do as much testing as I can (obviously it's in my interests also&#33http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif.

Never had the 403 error. My specific problem is the "Black Hole Syndrome" whereby my turn for download arrives, I'm informed as such, given a new panel, hit the download button and then .... absolutely nothing.

I tried using my old (W98) TCP/IP tracer to ascertain what was coming back (if anything) from 3ddownloads at this point but I've had some problems using this tracer with my relatively newish XP Home opsys.

Give me some time to check a couple of things. Alternately, if you know of a TCP/IP stream tracing utility for XP please let me know - may be save some time playing with my 'old' W98 version.


Some people have mentioned turning off the pop-ups - but I don't know what they use for this. Sounds like this is a potential solution for many users/opsys configs. Personally I try to always use 'vanilla flavours' of software as this helps in eliminating potential sources of problems whenever problems occur (you'll know what I mean). I'd love to know how, or with what, people turn off these pop-ups. If so I'll give it a try.



Quote[/b] ] I've downloaded a 28 mb zip file. I was waiting in the queue and gazing at the window, when real life dragged me away. When I returned, the queue window told me to start downloading. Starting it, brought up the windows 98 save as box, but it didn't save. Trying again gave the 403 error.


I would expect this. TCP/IP is not a queueing-oriented protocol but the 3ddownloads site obviously use it in an 'amended' manner in order to maximise the time taken by downloaders to view adverts (no criticism here - I fully appreciate the realities).

Therefore, if you don't reply to the download prompt I would I suspect it kicks you to the back of the queue, or something similar, and would probably screw up if you sometime later hit the download button on the current panel whilst the 3ddownload software had effectively timed you out - NOT a TCP/IP timeout of course.


Let me check a few things - I'll post back when I'm fairly sure of what I'm receiving, or not, after I hit the download button.

Welly

[PanthaPower]

Quote[/b] (TosaInu @ Feb. 20 2003,17:05)]
TosaInu, for what it's worth, I had exactly the same problems you describe on a Windows 2000 system with NO pop-up killers. I do continue to work on my pc though without keeping the download window active.

[Wellington]

Quote[/b] (PanthaPower @ Feb. 20 2003,13:16)]

TosaInu, for what it's worth, I had exactly the same problems you describe on a Windows 2000 system with NO pop-up killers. I do continue to work on my pc though without keeping the download window active.
P.P.

What do you use for "pop-up killers"? Maybe I should give such an approach a try.

[PanthaPower]

Quote[/b] (Wellington @ Feb. 20 2003,20:18)]
Quote[/b] (PanthaPower @ Feb. 20 2003,13:16)]
Quote[/b] (TosaInu @ Feb. 20 2003,17:05)]
TosaInu, for what it's worth, I had exactly the same problems you describe on a Windows 2000 system with NO pop-up killers. I do continue to work on my pc though without keeping the download window active.
P.P.

What do you use for "pop-up killers"? Maybe I should give such an approach a try.
Wellington,

I don't use pop-up killers. In the post you reply to it says "no pop-up killers". I should have wrote "without pop-up killers" instead to make it grammatical more correct. Sorry I confused you. Forgive my crappy english.

[Wellington]

Quote[/b] (PanthaPower @ Feb. 20 2003,14:31)]I don't use pop-up killers. In the post you reply to it says "no pop-up killers". I should have wrote "without pop-up killers" instead to make it grammatical more correct. Sorry I confused you. Forgive my crappy english.

Quote[/b] ]I don't use pop-up killers. In the post you reply to it says "no pop-up killers". I should have wrote "without pop-up killers" instead to make it grammatical more correct. Sorry I confused you. Forgive my crappy english.

P.P. Your English is far from crappy - you wanna see/hear my Dutch (or rather you don't&#33http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

I presume you also take the same approach with your key PC software (browser/internet add-ons/plug-ins - just vanilla flavours with no unnecessary added 'complications&#39http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif.

Generally a 'safe' approach - but does'nt cater for the prob's were having with the new 'The Orgs' downloads area.

Welly

[TosaInu]

Three dutch having an English conversation :-)

I tried to get the 3D errors 'again'. No luck yet. :-(

Try tucows for the TCP utility Wellington?

[Wellington]

Quote[/b] (TosaInu @ Feb. 20 2003,14:55)]Three dutch having an English conversation :-)

I tried to get the 3D errors 'again'. No luck yet. :-(

Try tucows for the TCP utility Wellington?
Can you provide a full link for this "tucows" ?

[TosaInu]

http://www.tucows.com

[TosaInu]

Managed to download anything Wellington?

[Wellington]

Quote[/b] (TosaInu @ Feb. 23 2003,06:06)]Managed to download anything Wellington?
Nope

Just tried a small download again from 3ddownloads. Get to this point -

"You may begin downloading DramicusBattles.zip
Size: 9.40 kb"

- hit the "Download" button and then it's the same old black hole syndrome. Not a single thing happens.

http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif

[TosaInu]

Hello Wellington,

I'm talking with the host about the problems. They're working to improve 3D.

You mentioned a 404 error Wellington. Was it like this one http://www.totalwar.org/tosa/tosa or like http://www.totalwar.org/tosa/TF.html ? How did you get it? After clicking on a link in Baroccas file listing or when actually in 3D?

[Wellington]

Quote[/b] (TosaInu @ Feb. 26 2003,09:20)]

Quote[/b] ]I'm talking with the host about the problems. They're working to improve 3D.

This sounds great TosaInu. I really appreciate your effort in this.

Then again, it's NOT in the hosts interests to have people having complete failures with their download site. Word spreads quickly on the internet and if 3ddownloads gets a bad reputation for usability or even base functionality it's in their own interests (and their advertisers) to sort it out quickly.

I think your approach in pushing 3ddownloads to sort it out is absolutely spot on. It's not "the Orgs" problem as such - but keep pushing hard. It's the only way at times in the IT industry.


Looking at the results of the polls I posted I'm not the only one to experience this "nothing happens - black hole syndrom". That's gratifying - nice to know it's not just me or my specific PC setup/config.


I tried a TCP/IP trace and it 'appears' that I get absolutely nothing back after hitting the download buttion (I say 'appears' because I'm not 100% familair with the TCP/IP trace utility I'm now using). I'll try to confirm this for certain.

I suppose it can't be too difficult for the host to test this problem using a vanilla flavour XP Home/IE 6 setup.


Quote[/b] ]You mentioned a 404 error Wellington. Was it like this one http://www.totalwar.org/tosa/tosa or like http://www.totalwar.org/tosa/TF.html (http://www.totalwar.org/tosa/TF.html) ? How did you get it?

This is the one - however, I hav'nt had it for a while. I suspect it was my fault as I did'nt refresh EVERY panel in "The Orgs" downloads menu (I was doing this whilst Barocca was setting up and changing panels for 3ddownloads so I suspect my old panels were screwing things up). I think you can ignore this one.

However, may be worth sdvising people who used th eolder Orgs download to ensure the following -

Within IE 6, in 'Tools/Internet Options .../Temporary Internet Files/General (tab)/Settings ...', then within the panel 'check for newer versions of stored pages' make sure 'Never' is NOT enabled. Use 'Every visit to the page instead'.

I was relying on cookies to sort out page updates (some do, some don't), - which probably explains the original 404 error.


Quote[/b] ] After clicking on a link in Baroccas file listing or when actually in 3D?

Correct - hence the above explanation.

[Lord Krazy]

Quote[/b] ]I was relying on cookies to sort out page updates (some do, some don't)

Can they if you set 'Never' to enabled?

I didn't know this.

I tought that was the idea of the never option
no matter how clever the cookies are.

To me "never update" means "never"

LK http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smokin.gif

[Wellington]

Quote[/b] (Lord Krazy @ Mar. 09 2003,13:24)]
Quote[/b] ]I was relying on cookies to sort out page updates (some do, some don't)

Can they if you set 'Never' to enabled?

I didn't know this.

I tought that was the idea of the never option
no matter how clever the cookies are.

To me "never update" means "never"

LK http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smokin.gif
LK,

Whenever Microsoft say "Never", or release a product with such an option, it really means "Never believe word they say"

Interesting I popped into the www.totalwar.com forums today (not often I visit that site - seldom anything of interest) and noticed a couple of posts on failures to download BifReader from 'The Org' via the 3ddownloads.

A couple of people were requesting others E-mail them a copy.

Oh, well. Nice to know 'The Orgs' download problems ar'nt just upsetting Org patrons http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

Welly

[TosaInu]

You have to accept cookies when downloading from 3D.

[Lord Krazy]

Hay I even take cookies from strangers http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

LK http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smokin.gif

btw Welly did you get my last couple of mails?