# Off Topic > Suggestions for Improvement >  > Issue - Connecting to the Forum

## Kevin#

Of late, I have been experiencing a lot of technical difficulties gaining access to the forum, moving from page to page within the forum, posting etc. About 70% of the time everything is fine, response time is fine etc. But at other times:

-I cannot get into the forum for ages - when I try to verify if the site is up, I always get the response that site is up, and that it must be me or my ISP - yet all I get if I try to access the forum is a screen that screams "Database Error"
-When I post I often get the message saying that the post did not happen and that I should try again in 30 seconds - I've complied only to find that there are now 2 identical posts. So now I check to see. Usually the post is there. So why the message?
-On one thread, I got the same message and went to check and found that the post was indeed there, but that the attachment was not. So I re-posted with the attachment. checked again. still no attachment. posted again with attachment. this time no message - looked above (this time the thread is visible) only to find the atachment is now there on all 3 posts!

I have tried with Internet Explorer, Firefox and Chrome and the problems seem to occur with all of them. I have deleted all history, all cookies etc. Everything zapped. I have re-booted. The same applies to Safari on my iPad. I have also switched off and reset the router. All to no avail.

Is it just me or is everyone having the same level of difficulties?
If it is just me, what can I change to sort it? 
Are there any settings to tweak in my browsers?

I have no difficulties with any other sites, have a powerful PC, and am running Windows7

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## AliGW

You are not alone: it happens to me intermittently. There is one other forum I use (not a vBulletin one) where it happens occasionally, too: I have learnt to live with it.

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## TMS

Sadly, what you are experiencing is nothing new and has been reported time after time after time.  Current performance is good compared to what it has been, although I hit the Database Error earlier today.  As Ali says, you have to learn to live with it if you want to play here.

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## Pete_UK

It happened quite a bit to me on Monday and Tuesday (Database error). If I can't get onto the site, I just do something else (like a spot of gardening), and then try again later on.

Pete

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## Kevin#

I thank you all for your answers.
I too have learned to "live with it". It's just that this week it has been particularly bad and I was hoping that I could do something to alleviate some of the pain!
Kevin

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## EFmanagement

Hi Kevin,





> -I cannot get into the forum for ages - when I try to verify..



As you might know, Excel Forum family has around a million members and at times a lot of these members are accessing the forum at the same time. And due to traffic overload the network sometimes may act up, resulting in access delay and slower response time.





> - yet all I get if I try to access the forum is a screen that screams "Database Error"



Yes, we agree with you as it happens some time because of some connectivity issues between Sucuri server and Excel Forum server which gets automatically resolved in 5-10 minutes of window. 





> -When I post I often get the message saying that the post did not happen and that I should try...



Security firewall settings within the user’s network sometime, doesn’t allow some sites to pass through the security barrier and for that we would suggest you to switch to some other network and if the problem still exists, please let us know so that we can take required actions. 

The 30 second window while posting messages is enabled in the forum just for the purpose of avoiding spam and that’s why the users are advised by the forum to wait for a while before posting again. 





> -On one thread, I got the same message and went to check and found that the post was in...



It happens because sometime when user try to post more than 1 post within 30 seconds of frame intentionally or unintentionally, he/she gets a message asking to wait for 30 seconds to make the second post live and meanwhile system sends the first post in queue to go live. However, there are chance that the first post may miss the attachment in case OP tried to attach the file. Or you may experience loss of content.

For such instances, we always suggest you to wait for 30 seconds and then refresh the page once to confirm whether your first post went live or not. In case yes, please check if it is fine and have all the details you have included. 


P.S: The paper clip option to attach file is currently not operational so we would suggest you to use the "Manage Attachment" option to attach files with your queries/responses.

We hope these suggestions will be able to help you. Still we have reported these issues to our tech team and we would get back to you as soon as we get an update from our techies about your problems.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Best regards,
Team Excel Forum

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## Kevin#

Thanks @EFmanagement

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## Pepe Le Mokko

> As you might know, Excel Forum family has around a million members and at times a lot of these members are accessing the forum at the same time. And due to traffic overload the network sometimes may act up, resulting in access delay and slower response time.



If 860000 (of which about 600000 never posted a single word) is "around a million", it is a very interesting way of looking at things ( something like the ROUNDUP function)

For the moment there are some 580 people browsing of which the great majority are guests ( about 500 out of the 580 which is " about" 86%)

Say that when the US members get active there will be 20 times more people connected ( which I doubt). That makes 10000. Is that so much to handle?

AT the moment there are 3000 people connected at MrE and all works flawlessly.





> Yes, we agree with you as it happens some time because of some connectivity issues between Sucuri server and Excel Forum server which gets automatically resolved in 5-10 minutes of window



Doesn't seem very efficient to me


No comment on the other answers, they are more " vague excuses" then anything else.

I'll be around again in a month or so to see if things have improved, which I seriously doubt

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## Tony Valko

The last couple of days I've had trouble connecting to the site.

When I try to directly connect I get this:





> Warning: require_once(./packages/vbattach/index_.php): failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /home/eforum/public_html/forum.php on line 104
> 
> Fatal error: require_once(): Failed opening required './packages/vbattach/index_.php' (include_path='.:/usr/lib/php:/usr/local/lib/php') in /home/eforum/public_html/forum.php on line 104



I emailed the site admin and got the canned reply: "We got your email message. We'll get back to you".

While waiting for a response I visited another Excel forum and saw a link to a thread at Excel forum.

I clicked the link and was able to connect that way.

However, if I leave the forum and try again to directly connect I still get the error message above.

WTH?

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## TMS

@Tony: is this a case where clearing the cache may help? No idea, clutching at straws :Smilie:

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## Tony Valko

I clear everything at the end of each day. Cookies, history, cache.

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## TMS

Fair enough.  Like I said, clutching at straws.  Not experienced this particular problem myself.

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## EFmanagement

> I emailed the site admin and got the canned reply: "We got your email message. We'll get back to you"....



Hi Tony,

We have forwarded your query to the tech team and we will get back to you shortly. Couple of more users had reported about Fatal error however we rectified at that moment and it is working fine for them now.

As soon as we will hear from TT, we will contact you through admin mail.

Regards,
Team Excel Forum

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## Tony Valko

I was contacted by the site admin and was asked to provide additional info.

This is a weird problem!

I can not directly connect to the site but I'm able to connect through other links. I'm using this link to connect:

http://www.excelforum.com/showthread...83#post4362583

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## Kevin#

@Tony Valko  I also received that message (or one very similar to it about 2 weeks ago). 
It happened after the site crashed on me. 
I used the standard "delete all" in browser "delete history" - made no difference!  :Confused: 
I re-booted - still no success!  :Confused: 
I regularly use a utlility program that cleans up lots of things on my PC, including temporary files. So in desperation I ran that.  :Confused: 
I then tried to connect to the site and got "Database Error"!  :Mad: 
I was growling at the PC by now!  :Mad: 

The good news is that your error has not come back since.  :Smilie:

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## Tony Valko

> ...including temporary files.



I also delete those on a regular basis.

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## Tony Valko

I am now able to directly connect to the site. Let's hope it stays that way!

Thanks for your assistance!  :Cool:

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## Tony Valko

> I am now able to directly connect to the site.



Well, that didn't last long. Back to getting the error and not being able to directly connect to the site. :Frown:

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## FDibbins

Tony, I know this is late, but do you still have this problem?

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## Tony Valko

Yes

Another thread on the subject:

https://www.excelforum.com/showthread.php?t=1136092

About 99% of the time when I try to connect via this url:

http://www.excelforum.com/

I get those error messages.

I am (currently) able to connect via this url:

http://www.excelforum.com/showthread...83#post4362583

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## Tony Valko

For the last couple of days I have been able to connect to the site thru the main url:

http://www.excelforum.com/

I hope this is a permanent fix.  :Smilie:

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## FDibbins

Tony, I have been having a d/c problem now and then, but not a connect problem.  I have reported this to the TT

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## Doc.AElstein

This one I had today,  - not such a common one
ServerTooBusy.jpg
http://imgur.com/QMEoZH9
ServerTooBusy.JPG

All good Fun  :Smilie:   ?
 :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):  
 :Smilie:

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## Pete_UK

Yes, I got that one about half an hour or so ago. Still, I'm going away for a few days shortly, so hopefully it will all repaired (!!) by the time I get back.

Pete

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## Tony Valko

> The server is too busy...



Yeah, I've been getting that one for the last couple of days.

 :Mad:

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## Doc.AElstein

And Email Notifications or Replies to Threads ( For those who opt to have them ) are no longer working again  :Mad: 

The Forum Software is throwing a Paddy Today  :Confused:  :Mad:

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## Doc.AElstein

And Email Notifications or Replies to Threads ( For those who opt to have them ) are no longer working again  :Mad: 

The Forum Software is throwing a Paddy Today  :Confused:  :Mad: 

_....And Duplicate posts

_...and scurri Time out

_...  and  ...  Good move Pete !


SaysItAll.jpg   :Smilie: 
SaysItAll.JPG
 :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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## Doc.AElstein

Hi,
   Currently some people are blocked from ExcelForum by Sucuri when trying to access the site in Internet Explorer, or they cannot get access to the forum in Internet Explorer.

*Internet Explorer 9*.
Here for example,  on one of my computers I get a security warning in *Internet Explorer 9*. So I cannot access the Forum on Internet Explorer ( 9 )  on that computer

IE9SecurityWarning.JPG http://imgur.com/ireJ1ym 

I can still access Excel Forum on Google Chrome. 
I can also access Excel Forum in Internet Explorer 9 using any Proxy site. ( I expect it might be unwise to do that when logged in, as I believe the proxy site then will know your password ??? )
_...._________________________________________________

*Internet Explorer 11* 
Here for example, My IP is blocked on another computer when I attempt to access the site using Internet Explorer 11 

BlockedEFonIE11.txt  https://app.box.com/s/eqya7k45rcn7sxbu8y0zdwa6r9xyo6bw 

InternetExplorer11Blocked.JPG   http://imgur.com/047BJGo 
InternetExplorer11BlockedEFcom.JPG   http://imgur.com/8oenGbD 

This problem has also been reported in these Threads:  https://www.excelforum.com/suggestio...my-access.html 
https://www.excelforum.com/suggestio...ml#post4623407 
https://www.excelforum.com/suggestio...ml#post4623402


I can still access Excel Forum on Google Chrome. 
I can also access Excel Forum in Internet Explorer 11 using any Proxy site , ( I expect it might be unwise to do that when logged in, as I believe the proxy site then will know your password ??? )

Alan





EDIT: That last problem appears Solved  now
https://www.excelforum.com/suggestio...ml#post4623993

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