Hi, was just wondering if anyone could give me some help.
I keep having pages on BiBy failing to load, with a message coming up with a warning about there having been a Fatal Error. I was wondering if anyone else has been having trouble with this, or if anyone has any advice on how to solve the problem?
I use Safari as a browser, so it could it just be that?
Here is a copy of the message received:
Same here! I use google and have been having some trouble for a while
Just one or two posts at the start but more now.
Yep me too. I "think" it is a setting on BIBY to slow down the usage of bandwidth?
Shorty......Canon gear
Canberra
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rawshorty/
Interesting to know that the frequency of the errors is increasing for other people as well. At first I though it was just when I opened too many pages at once, but now its even happening when occasionally when I try and access the forums with no other tabs open.
"setting on BIBY to slow down the usage of bandwidth"... Translation, please?
Are you saying that there are more people trying to use BiBy than the site has capacity to handle, and thus it is forced to cancel some of the requests made?
BIBY has paid for a set amount of bandwith (download, upload).
In June they ran out 2 days before the end of the month.
In July it was about 5 days out but they must of paid for extra as it came back on line for the rest of the month?
Hosting a site is expensive and BIBY have limited resourses. They either need to find advertisers or recieve donations to increase bandwith.
I could be wrong but i think that this is what is happening.
Shorty......Canon gear
Canberra
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rawshorty/
Makes sense, but it is a new month? Wouldn't the bandwidth have ticked over again?
Yes, but maybe they have changed some settings to slow things down? so the bandwith usage slows down?
Again i could be wrong, just what i am thinking could be the cause. I am sure Holly will let us know.
Shorty......Canon gear
Canberra
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rawshorty/
I don't know if what you state is the case or not, shorty, but it certainly makes sense.
The errors are not realted to actually getting to the page, as hitting F5 to refresh loads the page OK.
However, if I try to open a large number of pages at once I get a number of errors.
The issue seems to be about allocating memory on the server side.
There's not really anything you can do about it Lachlan, as it's a server issue, not a client issue. It's all about BiBY's setup.
Cheers
Tim
Brisbane
I have the same problem, I gave up yesterday, after I had written something and uploaded 3 photos, but when I wanted to post on BIBY, I lost the lot twice. I couldn't post anything so in the end gave up, thinking it was my fault.
It does get very annoying when you want to answer someone's question. Glad it's not my PC this time.
I also find , at the moment all the connections on BIBY are extremely slow. If I want to go from one topic, like Best Photos to General, it takes very long before it opens. At times I give up and try later.
M-L
Hi guys
The last few months we have had to increase bandwidth at the end of the month - and we are still running out! I am having that problem investigated (we have had an increase in usage but a few confusing things happening) and will also add the fatal errors query to the mix too. I have noticed the slowness as well (but am having internet problems at home too) - obviously yet something else going on!
Leave it with me :)
Holly
Don't know if it makes any difference, but does everone "Log Out" once they have finished viewing/posting on BiBy? If you have a browser which repeatedly refreshes the page, than this would slowly but surely eat into band width. If you leave your browser open, but minimised, the may still be some upload/download activity.
I am no expert, but it might be worth everyone trying to see if it makes any difference
Dale Huonville, Tasmania
I quit the browser, but it seems to remember my account when I open BiBy up again. So am I logging off, or is it just cookies remembering where I have been?
Do our browsers reload everything each time we re open a window? So, if I visit a thread with half a dozen photos 4 times, does it download the photos each time? Would opening up files containing large numbers of pictures chew through resources (both my internet and the sites)?
My understanding is very limited, the site will be remembered by or with cookies, if you close the page, that is don't leave it minimized on the task bar, then this should not cause constant "refreshing", however if the page remains on the task bar, I am not sure. Each time you load or refresh a page, there is data exchange, probably both ways, so yes if you view the same post multiple times, then this will contribute to the data being downloaded and uploaded, but these are not huge amounts. And yes it will contribute to your download/upload limit of your internet connection. This may also be caused during peak times, when many people are trying to view pages at the same time (again a bandwidth issue I think)
I choose not to view videos on my home computer, because my internet "plan" is limited.
Obviously this would accumulate for BIBY if many users are doing the same thing. Having said that, the site is provided just for that purpose, and as it continues to grow, there needs to be an increase in bandwidth purchased, or eventuallly people will be frustrated by the slowness, and possibly choose not to visit, which would resolve some problems, but defeat the purpose of the site!
As I said, I am now expert, just tossing ideas around for the improvement of the site, and benefit of it's members.
Dale Huonville, Tasmania
Oh absolutely - I will continue to pay for more bandwidth from the budget as the site grows - having the site functional is a priority. Just working out whether it is directly an increase in traffic that is causing it or something else.
Hoping we can get some answers soon.
Now, I have just noticed this:
When two people post at the same time, that is when one of the posts produces a fatal error.
I have noticed this twicw now. Example. Today shoop posted at 16.30, her post went through. But it might have taken longer to come up, as there were more than one photo.
I tried to post at the same time, my post failed at 16.31.
I think, here is your answer, I noticed it twice before, it's like a one way phone line. Two posts at the same time don't work.
Is this a good idea???
M-L
You may be right M-L, this might be a factor, but I also have been getting fatal errors, just switching between pages, viewing, not always posting. Uploading would probably test the bandwidth out, but there must still be other answers as well. Maybe all the little factors contribute to the overall problem.
Hopefully the tech people will have it sorted soon.
Dale Huonville, Tasmania
I wonder if anyone has looked into the problem? I just experienced the "fatal error" twice, once trying to connect to the forum, but when I got in, also between pages. Just like Dale says.
M-L
Still being investigated guys. Sorry I was out most of last week sick but I am back chasing it this week.
Cheers
Holly
Just replied to a thread - Ugly Ducklings etc. Gave me the fatal error message when I clicked save, but note it has saved and posted my reply! Maybe a cause of some double and occasioanl triple post, people think it jas not saved, when actually it has?
Dale Huonville, Tasmania
I thought it had cleared up, hadn't got any for 3-4 days. Then I just got an error accessing the main site...
I'm giving up for the day
, just wrote something and added 4 photos, then fatal error, and all was lost. Vry frustrating.
M-L
OK guys - we are getting to the bottom of the issue and have to make some changes to the servers we use to cope with an increase in the bandwidth we are experiencing. I am just weighing up the options available and will make a decision asap.
No fatal, only Woko errors here now, Holly.
I have just subscribed on the 12th September. I have a cable internet but am struck by the slowness in accessing the website.
Firstly, welcome gmiller6!
We are currently implimenting a few measures to try to overcome the errors we have encountered as well as the slowness of the site (there are a lot of photos, videos etc and we have had an increase in usage recently). Hopefully we will be able to solve the issues soon. Some steps unfortunately were cost prohibitive - we are a part of a NGO and the site runs on donations so we are doing the best with what we have.