Xmarksthescot.com main page not working for me.... :(

**Burly Brute** · 6th June 11, 01:08 AM

For some reason when I go to www.xmarksthescot.com I get this apache server message!

I had to get here by a google link....

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/cgi-sys/defaultwebpage.cgi

**Bugbear** · 6th June 11, 01:25 AM

I never go to that part of the forum anymore, but it's working for me in Firefox 3.whatever.
It might be the shortage of IP addresses that's been going on, or something like that.

**Burly Brute** · 6th June 11, 01:26 AM

Originally Posted by Bugbear

I never go to that part of the forum anymore, but it's working for me in Firefox 3.whatever.
It might be the shortage of IP addresses that's been going on, or something like that.

I'm so confused!

lol

**Bugbear** · 6th June 11, 01:45 AM

You might look for that thread on the 404 errors; the world ran out of IP addresses, or something like that.

* Here's the thread. Not sure if it's your issue, but it might be.

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...04-help-66925/

**Spartan Tartan** · 6th June 11, 02:18 AM

I was having the same problem on Friday and Saturday. Even a couple times on Sunday. I found I was sill able o get here, like you, by using Google and going to a thread. Although, I got that same screen when I refreshed with my "new post" button too. Oh well...it seems to be working today.

**Steve Ashton** · 6th June 11, 02:48 AM

Folks,

Yes, the world is running out of IP addresses.
X Marks recently had it's IP address changed as explained in the 404 error thread.

Our new IP address is 208.43.100.35

The IP address of a website or an individual computer is like it's phone number. If you change your phone number all your friends can't call you until you give them the new number. Luckily with IP addresses and computers finding new IP addresses is what the World Wide Web does automatically.

Just as when a new website is launched, changing the IP address of an existing site requires all the Iinternet Service Providers (ISP) to find your site again. This is called propogating and can take from just a few minutes up to a few hours depending on your Internet service provider.

We have now been using the new IP address for over 48 hours so all the ISP's should have found us and should be able to direct your computer to the forum.

The issue that some people are having now is not with the forum.

The issue is with your computers.

Most browsers store the directions to sites that you visit in their cache memory. When you try to visit the site again your browser uses the stored information from the last time to make it easier for you.

That stored history is now trying to send you to the old IP address.

To fix this problem you must dump or clear your browser's stored cache history.

Most browsers like firefox, Internet Explorer, and Google Chrome have in their menus a tools option and under tools a history section. What you want to do is clear the recent history.

Due to all the different browsers I can't discribe the way to do this for each browser so my advice is to to do a search such as "How to clear browser history" and look for the directions for your particular browser.

Here is one site that explains how to clear a browser history.

http://www.wikihow.com/Clear-Your-Browser%27s-Cache

Another thing you may need to do is clear the history of your computer's operating system.
Depending on your computer's operating system such as Windows XP, Mac OS, linux etc. the way to clear the cache is different.

What this is called is "re-freshing or flushing the DNS". Another search using terms like "How to flush dns" will give you directions for whatever operating system your computer uses.

Here is one site that explains how to re-fresh or flush your dns.

http://www.wikihow.com/Refresh-DNS

Please remember to shut down and re-start your computer each time you clear a cache or flush a dns so it will take effect.

I'm sorry, I'm not a computer guy, I had no idea how to do this stuff a few years ago either. Once you do it you find it is actually easy and many people recomend clearing your browsers history cache regularly.

**Burly Brute** · 6th June 11, 02:57 AM

Gotchya, ok this all helped and my anxiety has subsided. One thing I do wonder now though, how would I contact you guys if the internet did just shut down or something? I realized that when I though Xmarks was down, I only had one member I could get in contact with!

**Steve Ashton** · 6th June 11, 04:04 AM

I have tried to let everyone know my email address. It is posted in at least five places on the site.

There is a notice in the tech questions section, the contact us section, and I have posted it quite a few times.

If the entire internet goes down I doubt contacting me will be high on everyone's list but just in case.

steve@xmarksthescot.com

**MacSaorsa** · 6th June 11, 05:08 AM

Originally Posted by Steve Ashton

If the entire internet goes down I doubt contacting me will be high on everyone's list

I think that we need to start a "what jacket/sporran/hose combination for the collapse of Western civilization" thread now, just in case.

**Pleater** · 11th June 11, 05:33 AM

Wow!!

After all this time playing silly beggers and showing daft numbers, my 'new posts' is showing the correct number - ie 1 and not it's usual whimsical multitudes.

Perhaps the change in IP address has given it a new sanity.

That is almost sad, I quite looked forward to opening up XMTS and finding I had sent 521 new messages - or 247, or 319 - it is like finding a ridiculously eccentric but charming uncle has been given ECT and become boringly normal.

Anne the Pleater :ootd: