MSFN.org state
I haven't been able to go into MSFN since Saturday (Friday?).
A few folks must have had lucky timing with their logins, because I've received some e-mail notifications of new posts in threads I subscribe to. But in recent days I've tried going in about twenty times at all different hours of the day, in six browsers on three different computers -- all to no avail.
This is really bad -- we're now into the fourth day of cybercoma. The forum got new software just a couple of years ago, and it was only this winter that problems with e-mail notifications got conclusively sorted out for me. Now they're diving into yet another software revamp?
A few folks must have had lucky timing with their logins, because I've received some e-mail notifications of new posts in threads I subscribe to. But in recent days I've tried going in about twenty times at all different hours of the day, in six browsers on three different computers -- all to no avail.
This is really bad -- we're now into the fourth day of cybercoma. The forum got new software just a couple of years ago, and it was only this winter that problems with e-mail notifications got conclusively sorted out for me. Now they're diving into yet another software revamp?

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Well your account still exists. Can you give examples of your issue? Does it say your password is incorrect? Have you tried to reset your password?JorgeA wrote:I haven't been able to go into MSFN since Saturday (Friday?).
A few folks must have had lucky timing with their logins, because I've received some e-mail notifications of new posts in threads I subscribe to. But in recent days I've tried going in about twenty times at all different hours of the day, in six browsers on three different computers -- all to no avail.
This is really bad -- we're now into the fourth day of cybercoma. The forum got new software just a couple of years ago, and it was only this winter that problems with e-mail notifications got conclusively sorted out for me. Now they're diving into yet another software revamp?
Thanks, guys!
I keep getting a server timeout error, as if MSFN were down. So I'm not even getting as far as a login page -- just a generic error page from the browser.
On IE it's the familiar "Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage" error; on Pale Moon, it's "The connection has timed out. The server at www.msfn.org is taking too long to respond."
It's not my ISP or the router because I can send/receive e-mail just fine, and have no problems visiting any other websites.
UPDATE: I turned off the router, turned it back on, and now I can get back in!
I keep getting a server timeout error, as if MSFN were down. So I'm not even getting as far as a login page -- just a generic error page from the browser.
On IE it's the familiar "Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage" error; on Pale Moon, it's "The connection has timed out. The server at www.msfn.org is taking too long to respond."
It's not my ISP or the router because I can send/receive e-mail just fine, and have no problems visiting any other websites.
UPDATE: I turned off the router, turned it back on, and now I can get back in!

Last edited by JorgeA on Tue Mar 15, 2016 11:49 am, edited 1 time in total.
JorgeA, so it seems that you can't get to MSFN, while I and many, many others can. And even though you can't get to MSFN, you can do email and get many, many other places with no problem. That implies something specific between you and MSFN. It's unlikely that MSFN has blocked you or your ISP and I think you would get a different message back if that was the case, though I'm sure Trip will have xper verify that, and you have tried a couple of differnt browsers, so that leaves an issue with your DNS or Hosts file as the likely source of the problem.
If you can't see any issues in either place, then try either someone else's computer, preferably in another location, or even a smart phone while you're at Starbucks or some other place that has free WiFi to see if you can get to MSFN at all.
I don't know if it would be useful, but you might want to pass Trip your IP and account details, via PM here, of course, just to make sure that the information that MSFN has matches what you are using.
That's all I can think of at this point. Good luck!
EDIT: So I'm guessing that your router handles your DNS? Anyway, welcome back!
Cheers and Regards
If you can't see any issues in either place, then try either someone else's computer, preferably in another location, or even a smart phone while you're at Starbucks or some other place that has free WiFi to see if you can get to MSFN at all.
I don't know if it would be useful, but you might want to pass Trip your IP and account details, via PM here, of course, just to make sure that the information that MSFN has matches what you are using.
That's all I can think of at this point. Good luck!
EDIT: So I'm guessing that your router handles your DNS? Anyway, welcome back!
Cheers and Regards
Thanks bphlpt!
Whoops -- I edited my previous post without refreshing the page, and our messages crossed. It looks like the router's cache (?) was stuck on the bad MSFN.org address from over the weekend, and cycling it off and on took care of the issue. Tried entering MSFN on two PCs, and they both worked!
Whoops -- I edited my previous post without refreshing the page, and our messages crossed. It looks like the router's cache (?) was stuck on the bad MSFN.org address from over the weekend, and cycling it off and on took care of the issue. Tried entering MSFN on two PCs, and they both worked!
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- Location: Buffalo
It's not just you. Couldn't access the site five hours ago.
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- Posts: 34
- Joined: Thu Sep 12, 2013 9:54 am
- Location: Buffalo
Re: MSFN.org state
An error occurred (500 Error)
We're sorry, but a temporary technical error has occurred which means we cannot display this site right now.
You can try again by clicking the button below, or try again later.
I cannot access MSFN
We're sorry, but a temporary technical error has occurred which means we cannot display this site right now.
You can try again by clicking the button below, or try again later.
I cannot access MSFN
Re: MSFN.org state
Neither does anybody else. It's down! 

Re: MSFN.org state
Thanks My friend for infodencorso wrote:Neither does anybody else. It's down!
Merry Christmas and Happy New year
Re: MSFN.org state
It's back up now, at least for awhile. 
Cheers and Regards

Cheers and Regards
Re: MSFN.org state
http://www.msfn.org/board/
msfn went down may be for forever
msfn went down may be for forever
- LoneCrusader
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2017 3:02 am
Re: MSFN.org state
I was in the middle of trying to archive things and of course it goes down ahead of schedule.
One of my MSFN friends here please send me a PM if it comes back online so I will get an email about it and can continue my efforts...
I was running HTTrack on one machine and manually saving pages by hand on another. My HTTrack results are basically worthless, it saved the first page of many threads but did not get the subsequent pages or anything else.

One of my MSFN friends here please send me a PM if it comes back online so I will get an email about it and can continue my efforts...
I was running HTTrack on one machine and manually saving pages by hand on another. My HTTrack results are basically worthless, it saved the first page of many threads but did not get the subsequent pages or anything else.

Author of FIX95CPU - Run Windows 95 on >2.1GHz Processors!
Author of XUSBSUPP - "NUSB for Windows 95!"
Re: MSFN.org state
MSFN is not closing . XPER updated forum software to latest IP Board it is awesome now
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Re: MSFN.org state
IDK, IP Board hasn't been "awesome" since version 2.3 

Re: MSFN.org state
You got that right, Trip. LOL
IPB has really turned to crap in the last couple of years. I don't know why MSFN, WinCert and others continue to use it.
Anyway, I'm very glad that MSFN will continue to be around for at least a little while. The suggestion of the new owner of WinCert to turn MSFN into a sub-forum of WinCert might not be too bad an idea. I don't think he's willing/able to pay xper anything for it, but if xper was just going to trash it and let it die ...
Cheers and Regards

Anyway, I'm very glad that MSFN will continue to be around for at least a little while. The suggestion of the new owner of WinCert to turn MSFN into a sub-forum of WinCert might not be too bad an idea. I don't think he's willing/able to pay xper anything for it, but if xper was just going to trash it and let it die ...
Cheers and Regards
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Re: MSFN.org state
The newest update has made the previously small and light gray fonts a little bit bigger and darker though which is a very welcome change, at least for myself who often struggles to read all those fancy thin fonts that are so common nowadays on many sites

Re: MSFN.org state
Regardless of the font used, my biggest gripe with IPB is that they removed the ability to edit a post in BBCode mode. WYSIWYG mode is fine, IF it works perfectly, and it never works perfectly all the time on any board that uses the newer IPB that I've ever seen. Admittedly, most people will never have a problem since they'll just make relatively simple posts, but with complicated posts with multiple quotes, code blocks, lists, etc, you are asking for trouble, especially if you have to edit the post. Sometimes you really need the fine control you can have using BBCode mode, and at least then you can see exactly where and how it was messing up and then fix it.
Also, I have had lousy experience with the IPB folks you complain to when things don't work correctly. They refuse to even consider that their code could possibly be doing anything incorrectly until they get multiple complaints. preferably with attached video that shows the problem, and are given specific steps that they can do that replicates the problem on their machines. Ordinarily I'd say that was a reasonable requirement, BUT, then they just say that behavior is "by design" and they refuse to do anything about it. Very much like MS's attitude re Win10. They're doing it for the user's best interest and for their protection. It doesn't matter the the old way worked perfectly well for years with no complaints and no harm was done to any user. I've never once had a satisfactory experience when I complained about any issue to the IPB folks.
[/rant]
Cheers and Regards
Also, I have had lousy experience with the IPB folks you complain to when things don't work correctly. They refuse to even consider that their code could possibly be doing anything incorrectly until they get multiple complaints. preferably with attached video that shows the problem, and are given specific steps that they can do that replicates the problem on their machines. Ordinarily I'd say that was a reasonable requirement, BUT, then they just say that behavior is "by design" and they refuse to do anything about it. Very much like MS's attitude re Win10. They're doing it for the user's best interest and for their protection. It doesn't matter the the old way worked perfectly well for years with no complaints and no harm was done to any user. I've never once had a satisfactory experience when I complained about any issue to the IPB folks.
[/rant]
Cheers and Regards
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Re: MSFN.org state
It is not about the size. It is usually about the font colour (lack of contrast) and sometimes about the font type itself (too thin / too blurry). Nevertheless, the current reiteration is still much better than before thanks to bigger, darker and thicker fonts.
As for the Editor, I only use it for very basic postings with no advanced formatting. It is simply too slow and buggy for anything else.
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Re: MSFN.org state
Size index and forum show 404 to me this morning. 

Re: MSFN.org state
Likewise. The parent site https://msfn.org pulls up, with nothing newer than last August, but the board https://msfn.org/board/ seems to be unavailable.
Cheers and Regards
Cheers and Regards
Re: MSFN.org state
+1 I get a blank page, not na Error 404, on any page except the News page, too.bphlpt wrote: ↑Fri Feb 16, 2018 10:36 amThe parent site https://msfn.org pulls up, with nothing newer than last August, but the board https://msfn.org/board/ seems to be unavailable.
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Re: MSFN.org state
Yes it seems to be working again.
Re: MSFN.org state
Not the forum? What I can see is Offline message.
and the content of main site is quite old?
and the content of main site is quite old?
- Jody Thornton
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- Location: Richmond Hill, Ontario
Re: MSFN.org state
Just signed up (but I should have joined ages ago)
And, yes, I cannot get on to the site either. As of last night, just the forums are down. But now the whole site is down.
And, yes, I cannot get on to the site either. As of last night, just the forums are down. But now the whole site is down.
Cheers,
Jody Thornton
(Richmond Hill, Ontario)
Jody Thornton
(Richmond Hill, Ontario)
Re: MSFN.org state
Yes, the site seems to be offline at the moment. In the past, the site has had various issues that have kept it offline from time to time. Things have been better lately, and I don't know what the current problem is. I'm sure that if it is anything major, that someone will explain it here, if the situation is known.
Cheers and Regards
Cheers and Regards
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Re: MSFN.org state
The front page content was old because no one wanted to post news articles. We tried to encourage this because users were posting news articles to the forum itself but refused to put to the front page, as it would have required either extra work by the user and/or closing the megathreads.
Yesterday the forum was in maintenance mode because it was performing a software update.
It did come back at some point later, as I had gotten a couple of PMs, but I didn't get to the site to see.
This morning it is 404 again for me.
Yesterday the forum was in maintenance mode because it was performing a software update.
It did come back at some point later, as I had gotten a couple of PMs, but I didn't get to the site to see.
This morning it is 404 again for me.
Re: MSFN.org state
I do hope it's only temporary.
Surely the whole site wouldn't have deliberately taken offline without any warning?
It sounds like an issue with the software update, at least that's what I'm hoping!

Surely the whole site wouldn't have deliberately taken offline without any warning?
It sounds like an issue with the software update, at least that's what I'm hoping!

Re: MSFN.org state
I went there yesternight and it was up, all right!
Now, however, it's gone 404 for me, too!
Guess xper is still trying to fix the issue that was preventing anybody from creating new threads, since the site 1st went down, some days ago...
Now, however, it's gone 404 for me, too!

Guess xper is still trying to fix the issue that was preventing anybody from creating new threads, since the site 1st went down, some days ago...
Re: MSFN.org state
And a 404 for me now as well.
Cheers and Regards
Cheers and Regards
Re: MSFN.org state
The homepage seems to be working again now, but not the forums yet.
I'm just getting a blank page on the forums' page.
Looking hopeful though!

I'm just getting a blank page on the forums' page.
Looking hopeful though!

- Jody Thornton
- Posts: 28
- Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2018 8:34 am
- Location: Richmond Hill, Ontario
- Jody Thornton
- Posts: 28
- Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2018 8:34 am
- Location: Richmond Hill, Ontario
Re: MSFN.org state
Jump ahead to June 1st - it's offline again. Any news?


Cheers,
Jody Thornton
(Richmond Hill, Ontario)
Jody Thornton
(Richmond Hill, Ontario)
Re: MSFN.org state
I saw a post by xper in reply to Dave-H's post about too many emoticons, shortly before MSFN went offline (it was online some 12h before now). My guess is xper took the site down to give it a general tune-up, considering there were some more issues pending fixing... and I do remember those things must be done offline. So I wouldn't worry, unless more than 24h elapse without the site getting back online. Then again this is just my guess: I do not have any inside information about what actually has happened. Let's hope for the best. 

Re: MSFN.org state
I don't know if it's been 24h yet, but if not, it's getting close. Any word? If not, I'll keep checking a few times a day. 
Cheers and Regards

Cheers and Regards
Re: MSFN.org state
Msfn is down again oh god
- Jody Thornton
- Posts: 28
- Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2018 8:34 am
- Location: Richmond Hill, Ontario
Re: MSFN.org state
Actually Dibya, it's been down for quite a few days now. Does xper have an account here?
If worse comes to worse, we'll have to get word to greenhillmaniac, Roytam1, NoelC, jaclaz and a couple others to get their butts over here ...lol
If worse comes to worse, we'll have to get word to greenhillmaniac, Roytam1, NoelC, jaclaz and a couple others to get their butts over here ...lol
Cheers,
Jody Thornton
(Richmond Hill, Ontario)
Jody Thornton
(Richmond Hill, Ontario)