Site Problems

[Patsy]

Using the contact forms I have sent two messages before the weekend, one hasn't been responded to and the other was such a silly answer I don't think my email was read properly.
This morning I have tried again to send messages using the contact form and I'm told that the site is unavailable, I have resorted to using the email address offered when unable to use usual sources.

Is anyone else having problems or am I just unlucky.

This is gist of the message I sent the first time and following is the reply.

First message
When I go to my Previous Search
List and click on a person that I have paid a credit for and I have decided
that I may want to download the image, on some names I cannot do this.
Basically I cannot get into the page to see if it's the correct ancester. I
click on view and I'm told that the site is unavailable and I may have to
log in again.

This is the reply I got

Good day,
>
> We have started to notice that users of Microsoft Internet Explorer have
> been recently having problems viewing images on our website by using our
> ActiveX control. After updating windows on a test machine we noticed that
we
> had to reinstall our ActiveX control before we could view images with
> Internet Explorer. We have made no change to the site which would cause
this
> to happen and can only suggest this may be due to a Microsoft Update.
>
> Automatically re-installing the ActiveX control may not be possible on
> machines with certain security settings in Internet Explorer. If you are
> trying to view our images by ActiveX and you only see a small square or
> repeatedly have problems then I would advise you try viewing our images
> using Java. To do this, login to the site, click 'My Details', change
> 'ActiveX' to 'Java Applet' and click 'Update Details'. You may need to
first
> make sure Java is installed for your browser. You can do this by visiting
> www.java.com and following the prompts.
>
> Just to be sure, I have checked the problem images in your account and
they
> open fine. They will be available from your 'Viewed Images' section for no
> extra cost.

WHAT PROBLEM IMAGES !!!!!! I haven't downloaded them yet. Is that a silly answer or am I not explaining myself correctly.

There are eleven names I cannot access on my previous search list, no rhyme or reason to them that I can see. I had no trouble downloading other images that I accessed no problem.

Any advice would be appreciated because I'm starting to doubt myself here.

Patsy

[StewL]

In response to Patsy's message, and the one she got from SP.

After I fried my HDD I had to of course start again.

The other day when I went to SP to download the lost images I had for my lot. I got the same wee box and had to download the activex programme. However, this still didnt work too well, and I downloaded it again (I think from MS this time??) and all is fine now.
Although it is a bit difficult to say exactly that this solved the problem, as at the time I was also downloading the updates from MS, as I needed them to use another programme.

I realise this may not be of much use, but it is just a thought on what the problem may be caused by.

[Patsy]

In response to Patsy's message, and the one she got from SP.

After I fried my HDD I had to of course start again.

The other day when I went to SP to download the lost images I had for my lot. I got the same wee box and had to download the activex programme. However, this still didnt work too well, and I downloaded it again (I think from MS this time??) and all is fine now.
Although it is a bit difficult to say exactly that this solved the problem, as at the time I was also downloading the updates from MS, as I needed them to use another programme.

I realise this may not be of much use, but it is just a thought on what the problem may be caused by.

Thanks for your reply Stewie but I don't believe that it is Activex that is the problem.
I went to other names on my previous search list and was able to view and then pay the five credits to d/l them. If it is the problem it would be easy enough to fix it but nowhere do I get a box to tell me that I need to d/l Activex, I get a page that tells me the site is unavailable and that I may need to log in again.
A click back gives me the previous search list page again, I can then go to another name click on view and see the name and if I choose, go on to pay my five credits and d/l the image with no problems at all.

I do appreciate any ideas 'cos I'm baffled
Patsy

[DavidWW]

In response to Patsy's message, and the one she got from SP.

After I fried my HDD I had to of course start again.

The other day when I went to SP to download the lost images I had for my lot. I got the same wee box and had to download the activex programme. However, this still didnt work too well, and I downloaded it again (I think from MS this time??) and all is fine now.
Although it is a bit difficult to say exactly that this solved the problem, as at the time I was also downloading the updates from MS, as I needed them to use another programme.

I realise this may not be of much use, but it is just a thought on what the problem may be caused by.

Thanks for your reply Stewie but I don't believe that it is Activex that is the problem.
I went to other names on my previous search list and was able to view and then pay the five credits to d/l them. If it is the problem it would be easy enough to fix it but nowhere do I get a box to tell me that I need to d/l Activex, I get a page that tells me the site is unavailable and that I may need to log in again.
A click back gives me the previous search list page again, I can then go to another name click on view and see the name and if I choose, go on to pay my five credits and d/l the image with no problems at all.

I do appreciate any ideas 'cos I'm baffled
Patsy

Patsy

Have you tried deleting all cookies in your web browser, and also deleting the cached history in the browser?

Secondly, are you using any programmes to block "pop-up" adverts?, - these can sometimes interpret SP "do you realise that this will cost you X credits" windows as pop-ups to be blocked.........

Thirdly, - see other threads, - something has recently happened in terms of a Windows update, or maybe a new ActiveX version, that is causing problems for a good number of members of SP ...........

David

[LesleyB]

Hi all
I have noticed recently that some images which I'd paid for were just not available any more. I always use direct download, so in my case its nothing to do with any plug-ins. I contacted SP about this a while ago (15/8/2005)

Problem: SRI Birth 01/01/1885 31/12/1889 1 DICK, JESSIE M F MIDLOTHIAN 30/04/2005 22:01:11

On three occaisions recently I have tried to view the page containing the above record, and have been presented with a "Site Currently Unavailable" page, although the rest of the site seems to be working OK.

the reply I received the same day was:

Good morning,

There has been an issue which has affected only certain criteria / labels.
We are confident of rectifying this with the next fix which we will have in
place once the test site has been fully checked.

In the meantime, to apologies for any problems this may have caused you, 30
credits have been added to your account in order to assist you further with
your research

Regards

Alison

ScotlandsPeople

Not sure if this is the same problem you are having as these are images I have paid for previously but it kinda sounds like it might be a related problem - it would appear some images are just not available at the moment and I've certainly come across a few.

Best wishes
Lesley

[Patsy]

Hi Leslie

The problem does sound similiar I still haven't heard back from SP but the fact that you also get the site unavailable page is food for thought

The problem is that although people are bringing up activex as maybe the cause, the reality is that although I cannot access some names (11) I was able to view other names and go on to d/l them. So why some names and not others which to me suggests the site has the problem not me, I'm not computer expert so I may be wrong.

Thanks for your comments.

Patsy

[Patsy]

In response to

Patsy

Have you tried deleting all cookies in your web browser, and also deleting the cached history in the browser?

Secondly, are you using any programmes to block "pop-up" adverts?, - these can sometimes interpret SP "do you realise that this will cost you X credits" windows as pop-ups to be blocked.........

Thirdly, - see other threads, - something has recently happened in terms of a Windows update, or maybe a new ActiveX version, that is causing problems for a good number of members of SP ...........

David

Hello David

I don't use programmes to block ads, I reguarly clean out my cookies and I don't believe that activex is the problem. I can access other names on my previous search list and I downloaded the images in the past 24 hours. Hopefully SP will come back to me. I'm still waiting for a reponse because of an earlier message where I d/l a census for an institution and have no idea where the place is without paying more credits

I haven't been a member long and all I've done is moan, it will all come out in the wash

Patsy

[DavidWW]

This from another thread here..........

QUOTE

Received this reply today from SP - very prompt, which did not however solve my problem but might be worth a try for those with similar symptoms:

"One of our team has been trying the following fix with some customers and so
far, it has worked in all cases.I have to point out that it is still a trial
at this stage - I have copied in the fix if you would like to try it.

- Close all Internet Explorer windows

- Open one new Internet Explorer window and go to 'www.google.com'

- Click on the 'Tools' menu then 'Internet Options'

- Click on 'Settings' under 'Temporary Internet files'

- Click on 'View Objects...'

- This should open a window titled 'Downloaded Program Files'

- There should be a file called 'ViewDirector Object'

- (if this file does not exist then skip the next 3 steps)

- Highlight this file and then press Delete on the keyboard

- You will be asked if you want to permanently delete this file

- Click on Yes

- Close the 'Downloaded Program Files' window and Internet Explorer

- Restart PC

- Open Internet Explorer and type into the address bar:

http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/Viewe ... ewdw32.ocx

- You may receive a security warning

- Choose to ignore any warnings and download the file

- Choose to save the file

- Enter the filename as 'c:\viewdw32.ocx' and click OK

- Wait for download to complete

- Click on 'Start' then 'Run' (or hold the windows key and press R)

- Type 'regsvr32 c:\viewdw32.ocx' and click OK

- You may receive a security warning (Choose to ignore the warning)

- Click 'Yes' or 'OK' at the prompt

- Restart PC

- Goto the ScotlandsPeople Website and try viewing pages by ActiveX


If you would ever like to undo the above action then you can do this by:


* - Close all Internet Explorer windows

* - Click on 'Start' then 'Run' (or hold the windows key and R)

* - Type 'regsvr32 /u viewdw32.ocx' and click OK

* - Restart PC "


Best of luck!

Thrall

ENDQUOTE

[Tracey]

Hi Patsy

I think it depends on who looks at your mail and answers re S/P one particular woman is very helpful but one member of staff is just outwrite rude in their replies. The longest i waited for a reply k ...............im still waiting !! I think as read your more likely to resolve it here.

[sporran]

Hello Tracey,


if you think that someone in SP has been rude then please let me know (e-mail if you prefer, and examples help), and the problem will be addressed. Likewise, SP will also be pleased to know of someone deserving praise.


Regards,

John