500 Error Frequently on Dreamhost Forum?

Hi,

I'm new to Dreamhost and I'm not sure where else to post this, but I'm frequently getting Internal Server Errors on the forum pages including the main forum index. Am I the only one having this happen or does it happen a lot to other people, too?

I think the control and options with Dreamhost are great, but this forum really needs to be improved upon. The wiki looks great, so it's too bad how the forum performs in comparison...unless it's just me but no other sites keep returning 500 errors on hitting them like this forum does.

Thanks for clearing up whatever might be the issue.

Miraenda,

You are not alone! This forum has been "borked" for several days now, and the Internal Server Errors you are seeing *are* being experienced others.

I submitted a support ticket on it already but, so far, nothing has been done to fix it. *Normally*, the wwwthreads software (written in perl) running this forum has worked well enough (sometimes a little sluggish), but ever since the latest round of server/filer issues that has been dogging Dreamhost, it has been *almost* unusable.

There are several threads referencing this on the forum (assuming you can hold out on your refresh/reload button patiently enough to read them!).

My guess is that they have not gotten around to "fixing" it yet, as they are still busy wrestling with problematic customer sites.

It is really a shame because, while the tech support queue is jammed with users with site related problems, this forum *could* be helping a lot of users with problems that do not require tech support's attention....if the flippin' thing would work!

--rlparker

Hi rlparker,

Thanks a lot for your quick and detailed response. I'll keep my fingers crossed the forum is fixed soon then. Glad to hear it isn't just me having it happen ;D

Have a Blessed Day

No, you are certainly not the only one, Miraenda. It had taken me 13 screen reloads to get to this thread, then another 32 to write a reply--before an error forced me to start over. Now a further 24 clicks later, I am going for the send button.
Here's to better times, cheers -
marsbar

Edited by marsbar on 07/23/06 04:58 AM (server time).

In reply to:
I submitted a support ticket on it already but, so far, nothing has been done to fix it.

In my opinion, this has been going on for far too long. I do understand that the DreamHost guys have had quite a bit to do lately, but surely some time can be found to rectify the problems with the forum.

I would guess that the current problems with the forum are costing DreamHost some sales. The constant server errors here would hardly inspire confidence.

In reply to:
It is really a shame because, while the tech support queue is jammed with users with site related problems

I agree. A little time invested in fixing the forum could be time very well spent.

Mark

This thread at least gives me hope the page actually loaded, when I see 500... in the tab title. :-)

problems with the forum are costing DreamHost some sales. The constant server errors here would hardly inspire confidence.

Not as much as seeing the following last night and this morning for Dreamhost's home page, forum, and wiki:

In reply to:
Index of /

mode links bytes last-changed name
dr-x 3 4096 Jul 6 12:02 ./
dr-x 3 4096 Jul 6 12:02 ../
dr-x 2 4096 Feb 21 10:59 users/

This post should go right through now, since the following was posted at dreamhoststatus:

In reply to:
All Services Back Up
July 23, 2006 at 3:21 am PST by Dallas

At this time it looks like we’ve gotten everything back up. All websites, email and all other services should be up and running. If you are still experiencing problems with one of your services, contact our support team right away.

tor.eff.org

Well, I just got another 500 error on the forum for around 5 refreshes, so even if the forum isn't fixed, we can hope at least it will be worked on soon now with the other issues resolved. :)

In reply to:
we can hope at least it will be worked on soon now with the other issues resolved. :)

Well, it's 10:30PM and the server errors are still present. Although, they do appear a little less frequent than they have been, or perhaps that is just wishful thinking on my part. :)

Mark

I'm almost afraid to post this...I *do not* want to "jinx" things up, but I'm almost 15 minutes into a session working on this forum, have viewed dozens of posts, and have not had a *single* 500 ISV error...could it be (finally!) fixed?

-rlparker

In reply to:
could it be (finally!) fixed?

I think it may be. The number of posts is up and I haven't seen the dreaded message for a while now, so things are looking good :)

Mark

Glad to see the forums back up again, albeit sluggish.
- marsbar

About time they sorted out the forums, I had given up trying for the last 4 or 5 days, I couldn't bear clicking reply then back, time and time again.

Lets hope it holds. smile

Sorry all - this should be fixed now. Gremlines, mixed in with some DNS goofiness.

- Jeff @ DreamHost
- DH Discussion Forum Admin

Oh No! I was just three ISE's short of reaching level 97 so I could find the magic golf-ball and cracked cup! frown

--
Norm

Opinions are my own views, not DreamHosts'.
I am NOT a DreamHost employee OK!! mad

You act on my advice at your own risk!

In reply to:
Sorry all - this should be fixed now. Gremlines, mixed in with some DNS goofiness.

Thanks Jeff, it seems to be working well now.

I think you saved many regulars from a nervous breakdown :)

In reply to:
Oh No! I was just three ISE's short of reaching level 97 so I could find the magic golf-ball and cracked cup!

It seems the fix came too late to save some from that breakdown :)

Mark

<Sorry all - this should be fixed now. Gremlines, mixed in with some DNS goofiness.

- Jeff @ DreamHost
- DH Discussion Forum Admin>

More "tree hugging hippy" responses to REAL business issues..that is why i quit even bothering with DH anymore and moved most of my sites over to another provider.

IAmAtMyWitsEnd

WitsEnd!

Welcome back! We have missed you! Having not heard from you since the middle of November, I was *sure* you had abandoned all things Dreamhost. I suppose you have noticed it has been a rough couple of weeks.

In reply to:
Gremlines, mixed in with some DNS goofiness

Cute characterizations aside, the above description of what "borked" the forum is a completely reasonable explantion of what occurred, and is completely understandable to "technical" people. The more technical the people, the more "adequate" the explanation - Jeff "frobnicated" some stuff and it got better. Thanks Jeff!

At any rate, I'm glad you are still around *in spite of all the problems*. It is reassurring to me that, while others *try* to use the forum to help others weather the tough times and solve problems, there will always be "business experts" that can be counted on to surface when times are bleakest to add helpful and encouraging insights to the discussion.

--rlparker
"Nuke A gay whale for Jesus while I clear-cut the rainforest!"

Edited by rlparker on 07/29/06 00:53 AM (server time).

In reply to:
Sorry all - this should be fixed now. Gremlines, mixed in with some DNS goofiness.

- Jeff @ DreamHost
- DH Discussion Forum Admin

Yes, it does appear fixed now. Thanks for taking the time to reply to this thread. I waited a few days to check it was working before posting again as I didn't want to jinx it :D

In reply to:
More "tree hugging hippy" responses to REAL business issues..that is why i quit even bothering with DH anymore and moved most of my sites over to another provider.

IAmAtMyWitsEnd

I gotta say I don't understand customers who leave a webhost and then come back to the forum to post negative comments. What's the purpose of this? You think by being rude your feedback will be more appreciated? If you insult enough people, then you will be given kudos? Really, I just wanna understand the point of biting at the heels of a place you aren't even a customer anymore, since I've seen people do this other places and can't figure out the point of it...

Oh, I'm not a hippy who hugs trees, but a geek who doesn't go outside. I commune with my computer, and I imagine many of us here fit that same criteria heh

Miraenda
A&E ~ fatLikeme ~ RatingBar.com

In reply to:
I gotta say I don't understand customers who leave a webhost and then come back to the forum to post negative comments.

I do. When people are frustrated, they like to vent; and, when they have a negative experience, they like to share their compliants with other costomers.

In reply to:
I do. When people are frustrated, they like to vent; and, when they have a negative experience, they like to share their compliants with other costomers.

Which part of calling a DH employee a "tree hugging hippy" did you mistake for sharing a hosting experience?

Sharing experience is a good thing, but if all you can do is whine non-stop, eventually it just makes you look stupid for staying with a company you can't say a single nice thing about. And "moved most of my sites over to another provider" doesn't take anything away from the fact that he's still sending his money to DH like the rest of us.

I've said before that I have accounts at other hosts as well. I've also mentioned that they've all had problems as well. It's a fact of life that no amount of whining will ever change. That might be why I don't hang out at my other hosts' forums and whine non-stop because they don't have unlimited domains like DH, or as much space, bandwidth, etc...

I'll also add--and I doubt I'm the only one that thinks this--that one of my favorite things about DH is that they act like real people, and happy ones at that. Their news letter is one of the few I actually read before deleting. I like that the honchos are part of the forum and treat customers like people. This is the first host I've had where I've thought it would be cool to meet them in person. And what makes all of these things seem even cooler is how big they are, as it wouldn't be as big of a deal if they only had 5 customers.

You just can't get that everywhere and I'd leave if that changed before I'd leave over problems like they're experiencing now... which would eventually happen at the next host anyway.

I also don't think you'll find many hosts that let people express themselves the way DH does. A lot of the stuff that gets posted here and on the blog wouldn't last 5 minutes at other places.

In reply to:
I'll also add--and I doubt I'm the only one that thinks this--that one of my favorite things about DH is that they act like real people, and happy ones at that.

You are *not* the only one who thinks like this! I know I can always spend money with "DeathStar" AT&T, or any one of a thousand other "corporate" institutions; I *choose* to spend my money with people I believe are tryihng to "go a good job" with a sense of humanity and humor. Life is hard,at times, for everyone, but I have always respected Dreamhost's candor and grace when dealing with others.

You can't find that just anywhere, adn it is worth a lot to me.
--rlparker

500 Error Frequently on Dreamhost Forum?