It would be both helpful and courteous for Motifator to post an update on the status of the XS forum.

I agree, the least they could do is advise us that there is a problem and they are looking into it. Silence is ominous

We last heard from them over a week ago, but the XS forum hasn’t reappeared. The site uses MySQL and as a MySQL admin in a former life, I think this means it either wasn’t backed up -or- it wasn’t backed up correctly (i.e. not all the tables were backed up.)

lastfermata - 21 April 2014 10:46 AM

We last heard from them over a week ago, but the XS forum hasn’t reappeared. The site uses MySQL and as a MySQL admin in a former life, I think this means it either wasn’t backed up -or- it wasn’t backed up correctly (i.e. not all the tables were backed up.)

Site was probably not backed up correctly (as much of the site was restored), e.g. all backups were on the same server and the server crashed or Motif XS-related files got corrupted and the automatic 24hr backup kicked in before recovery process was started and minimum host backup services or no rolling weekly/monthly backup in place or ...

Highlights how important it is to understand a host’s backup and recovery strategy.  Pretty good overview of site backup best practices at this link.

IMO, Keyfax ought to create a new XS forum. If the old XS forum eventually is recovered, it should be possible to merge the new and old data.

5pinDIN - 21 April 2014 11:31 AM

IMO, Keyfax ought to create a new XS forum. If the old XS forum eventually is recovered, it should be possible to merge the new and old data.

Agreed.  At worst, archive the recoverable Motif XS files.

There’s so much information of value to me in the XF Forum (including the answers to many questions I asked) that I’m starting to think I might want to write some Python code to “scrape” and download the XF forum, just so I don’t lose everything.

I’m hoping that the loss of the XS Forum was enough of a warning to Keyfax that they will now be doing their backups were competently. Fingers crossed…

Michael Trigoboff - 21 April 2014 09:38 PM

There’s so much information of value to me in the XF Forum (including the answers to many questions I asked) that I’m starting to think I might want to write some Python code to “scrape” and download the XF forum, just so I don’t lose everything.

Until January of this year, I had saved as .mht archive (unless a PDF was available) all support articles and threads I found valuable - and there were many.

Unfortunately, I began to just add links to a list, so have lost a few threads.

Back to downloading as .mht archives…

Just a “heads up"…

XS content in the Google cache is being updated as time goes by. That’s unfortunate, because Google is now caching the non-existent “content” in some cases. If you want to download any XS forum threads, grab them now, if it isn’t already too late.

Regardless of missing file outcome, would it be that difficult to insert a new XS folder back into the forum?  At least XS owners will feel a sense of belonging (hahaha).  I mean, where do they post questions now? (XF forum?)

when this first happened I posted in the Mo Lounge that they “SURELY” had made an “ALL” backup file as we are constantly reminded to do everytime we do ANY programming on the XS!  I thought it was funny........but now it seems it isn’t.... and it apparently wasn’t done!

BeeRad - 24 April 2014 04:14 PM

when this first happened I posted in the Mo Lounge that they “SURELY” had made an “ALL” backup file as we are constantly reminded to do everytime we do ANY programming on the XS!  I thought it was funny........but now it seems it isn’t.... and it apparently wasn’t done!

I presume you’re referring to this…
http://www.motifator.com/index.php/forum/viewthread/472079/

See my earlier thread…
http://www.motifator.com/index.php/forum/viewthread/472037/

It’s proving to be more pathetic than humorous.

5pinDIN - 24 April 2014 08:47 AM

Just a “heads up"…

XS content in the Google cache is being updated as time goes by. That’s unfortunate, because Google is now caching the non-existent “content” in some cases. If you want to download any XS forum threads, grab them now, if it isn’t already too late.

Thanks for the heads-up, 5PinDin; going through my 2014 links and seeing if I can get a cached download.  You the man ;)

Hello All,

We’re hopeful that Motif XS forum can be restored and its disappearance continues to be a puzzle. Essentially, after a d/base crash and reboot this forum did not reboot. The team we hire (and have hired for the past decade) to maintain Motifator.com has not been able to retrieve Motif XS by anything other means than a solution which they are ‘reasonably hopeful’ will work but that will take more time and people-power than has currently been available. Not an ideal solution by any means, but one we don’t seem to have an alternative for right now. As has been mentioned, we could open a new or temporary Motif XS forum but we don’t want to do this if a fix is reasonably close at hand.  If we don’t get this fixed by the beginning of the month that’s what we will do. Meantime I’m sure any Motif XS posts posted in Motif XF forum will be handled perfectly well.

Everyone’s understanding during this extremely irksome situation is greatly appreciated.

MM

Thanks for update MM