Site Update

[Kelly]

Well, my attempt to migrate this website onto a new server failed. I spent several hours transferring all the files, about 150 Mbytes of them... no problem. But when I tried to transfer over the database used for this forum, it didn't work.

Apologies to those who visited these past two days and found the forum down. I did my best. In the future I'll migrate the database before updating the DNS records so it's a smoother transition.

For the technical folks out there: the back end database here is a MySQL 4.1.x, whereas my new host was running 4.0.x, an older version. That wasn't the problem though, as I could export the database in MySQL40 compatibility format. I ended up with a 24 Mbyte database. The problem was with my new host was twofold: first, they had a 2 Mbyte limit on importing databases using Phpmyadmin, and no shell access. So I used the BigDump scripts that imports the database in segments, but this maxed out the number of SQL actions I was allowed, and I repeatedly got cut off. Seems the new host was imposing a 50,000 line limit on all SQL calls, effectively killing any chance of an import. So I wrote a PHP exec() script that runs mysqladmin in a shell and tried to manually import the database... but no dice. Repeated requests for help from tech support received no response, so now I'm back to square one.

If anyone knows of a fast, inexpensive Unix/Linux web host with PHP/MySQL and Shell (SSH) access, I'm looking for one...

I'll try to move the site again once I find a new host.

Kelly

[Kelly]

Yay, I was able to migrate this website onto a newer, faster host. It took two tries and two different web hosting companies, but it's done now and everything is working 100%.

During this process I learned a few things, namely, that it's important to really check out any potential web hosting companies and ask them the hard questions. Many hosting companies over promise and under delivery, so there are many technical things that just can't be done. Like importing an existing datbase. The one here is about 25 Mybtes, still relatively small but much larger than the 2 Mbyte that many web hosts allow.

The company I'm using is called Precision Effect, and they have fast servers and very fast technical support. I'm really impressed with them already. As for my previous host, good riddence to PowWeb and I would recommend people avoid PowWeb.

Enjoy the faster site,
kelly

[Kelly]

By the way, the website is smokin' fast now!! I'm pretty happy about the improvement.

kelly

[shy1]

Kelly,

Great move! New host is screamin fast!!

Thanks for all you do.

[Kelly]

Today I updated the "Captcha" image verification tool that is used when new people register on the forum. There have been an excessive number spammers lately, at least one per day posting graphic pornography on this forum... it seems the spammers have cracked the "simple Captcha" that vBulletin uses, but not the more advanced one that I have just enabled.

The new Captcha makes it a little more difficult to sign up, because it's harder to read the image verification letters... but seems to have stopped the spammers thus far.

If the spamming continues I will need to move to a new policy, whereby all new users' first posts are moderated before they have full reign on the forum.

Kelly

[Kelly]

Just another quick update. The spammers appear to be gone... my changes worked, and they have moved onto easier targets. Yay!
:greenblob: