familysearch.org not working???

[amumto4boys]

Hi All

I've been trying to use the family search website for about a week, and every time I get the "page cannot be displayed" or "Cannot find server" message.

I have deleted my temp int files and cookies and type the web address in the address bar on IE6 but still it's nto working for me.

Has anyone else encountered any issues with familysearch, or is there something wrong with my web browser?

Not that family search every comes up trumps for me every time, but it's annoying not being able to get on there just for a simple search.

[Mythology]

It's very slow to respond at present, and has been most times when I've tried it since about Saturday or Sunday. I tried it again when I read your message, and it came up eventually, but I could have gone and made the tea while waiting for something other than a completely blank page to look at.

[amumto4boys]

Thanks for checking Mythology, so it isn't me then!

I was actually going to try to use a different web browser to view the site, hoping that might make it work for me. But I really am not sure whether I should add another browser type to my Laptop. (Worried about space and conflicts)

I will keep checking the site every now and then I see if it gets better.

Thanks again, Kathie.

[Ed Bradford]

After reading Mum's message and Myth's response, I too tried a lookup and got the same results. The web site pages seem to respond quickly, however the search engine is very slow to respond if at all. If my memory serves me correctly, this same thing occurred about this time last year. The situation eventually cleared up.
...............Ed

[Karen Newman]

A few weeks ago, I had a message come up when using it saying that I had made too many searches on it and had therefore been suspended. A bit odd as I have not been doing much family history lately.

I am now getting slow responses times and also various databases 'are not responding' according to the message eg IGI and/or censuses.

[Terry]

I've just tried it and it came up with "search not available due to maintenance"

[amumto4boys]

I just tried to click on the "Help" page to see if there was any news about updates or issues with the site and even that page wouldn't load for me :-(

While away I was updating all my bits and pieces, picked up the new version of Java just in case it was me. Seems not now.

Hopefully any issues the site is having will be fixed soon.

Kathie.

[MarkJ]

A few weeks ago, I had a message come up when using it saying that I had made too many searches on it and had therefore been suspended. A bit odd as I have not been doing much family history lately.

I am now getting slow responses times and also various databases 'are not responding' according to the message eg IGI and/or censuses.

Like Terry, I had the site maintainance error this afternoon.

Never heard of people being suspended from accessing the site - I know some specific sites do have such a policy - some of the whois lookup sites do that to prevent automated lookups - but never heard of familysearch doing it.
There *are* ways around it if you find yourself unable to access for any length of time (hint: proxy servers), although these methods can be slow at times.
I wonder if the suspension message is something to do with the maintainance work? Sounds to me as if perhaps they needed to add a new server, repair a server or something and so are running at very minimal capacity. Hence all the error messages and slowness. It is a very popular site and does seem to have periods of running really slowly.

Mark

[Langara]

I have also experienced the same problems. It is usually such a responsive site, although much of the info does have to be checked and double checked.
Hopefully they are simply undertaking site maintenance and update, and the difficulties will soon be resolved.

[Guy Etchells]

There is a message on the first page which states
"Web Site Maintenance In Progress
Some features may not be available while we update our system."

In light of this the problems are most likely due to the planned maintenance.
Cheers
Guy

[amumto4boys]

There is a message on the first page which states
"Web Site Maintenance In Progress
Some features may not be available while we update our system."

In light of this the problems are most likely due to the planned maintenance.
Cheers
Guy


I don't see that message, the page looks completely normal!

Obviously there will be times of maintenance and updating, but lets hope that they finish the task soon. I would like to search for my Irish 3xGrandfather's baptism and I'm itching to get started!

[susan-w]

Well, it seems very fast now, so I guess the maintenance has finished :)

Cheers
Sue

[Langara]

I am still experiencing difficulties with this site. One minute it works ike a dream and the next - like to-day - it is hopeless. Seems to have been going on too long for the problem simply to relate to site maintenance or update.
Anyone got any answers??

[Mythology]

Only one answer - patience.

It is indeed playing up again, I can't get the IGI page up at all right now, but there's nowt that you or I can do about it - the problem is at their end of the line.

[Mythology]

And (as whether you get an information notice, a slow service, a completely blank page, or nothing at all as it times out, seems to be pot luck) in case anyone has trouble with the site today or in the next few days but doesn't get this notice when they try, before you ask...

On the site at 8.25 this morning (UK time):

"Web Site Maintenance In Progress
Periodic delays and interruptions are expected.
Web site access may be limited -- particularly Friday, May 18.
Thank you for your patience."

[Mary Young]

For two days now, I have been unable to access www.familysearch.org - the message says "Problem loading Page - the Server was Reset- the site may be busy".
Just asked my son to check on his system, both sites are loading OK.
So it must be me :confused: :confused:
Disabled my Firewall and Pop-Up Blocker, tried two different browsers - still no access to these sites.
Help help help, grateful for any suggestions.

[Colin Moretti]

Hello Mary

I've just tried both links, including a search, without any problems.

Colin

[Wirral]

I've been using both for the last few days & haven't had any problems at all. Have you tried switching off your router, then starting again? I've found that works when I have had connection problems. Better than doing this|computer|

[Mythology]

It *may* have something to do with what route your ISP uses.
I just tried doing a traceroute to both, plus a few other transatlantic destinations, and anything that goes via Level3.net in New York gives me truly atrocious figures once it hits them, a lot of hops just timed out completely - and there seem to be an awfully large number of hops within the USA.
By contrast, a trace to siteuptime.com, which flitted across the pond to p64-2-1-0.r21.nycmny01.us.bb.gin.ntt.net (whoever that is), not to Level3.net, was there in 18 hops with fairly reasonable figures.

On Googling to see if there was a well-advertised problem with Level3, I came across today's "New York Times", which says...
"The broadband communications services provider Level 3 Communications said yesterday that its loss in the second quarter widened to $731 million, or $1.99 a share, from $281 million, or 77 cents, in the period last year. The company, which is based in Broomfield, Colo., said its customer roster declined by 24 percent, to 2,275, in the second quarter from 2,975 in the first. Level 3, which operates a large fiber optic network in North America and Europe, has been hurt by a drought in financing for communications companies and other companies that could lease capacity on its system. Level 3 shares dropped 23 cents, or 5.7 percent, to $3.78. Simon Romero (NYT)"
so perhaps they've switched half the system off to save money! ;)

[geoffpowers]

Hi!

The single biggest problem I am encountering with FS - apart from the delays of a few weeks ago due to site maintenance - is that it is apparently no longer possible to carry out searches using 'wildcard' entries (****). This is a real bugbear. I have used this simple mechanism ever since I became a family history researcher some 8 years ago, and it has always produced speedy and efficient searching. Now it seems one can no longer 'round up' all individuals with a particular surname in a given timeframe and locality (i.e. county) without downloading a mass of irrelevant data which needs to be trawled through manually. Likewise, it appears impossible to carry out sibling searches without knowing the names of both parents - useless for searching 17C and 18C births, where in many cases only a father's name was recorded, especially if batch numbers and film numbers are unknown..

I have taken this matter up with LDS and really got nowhere. One explanation I have is that the wildcard search facility will be restored once other work on the search engines is complete. However, another member of customer services asserts that the wild card search facility is now permanently unavailable because of abuse from other software programs (?). Quite mystifying!

Any thoughts?

Geoff