We Are Back - Please Do Not Reply To Empty Threads!

[Erwin]

Hi

I've managed to repair our database after 6 hours (to repair) + 8 hours (to optimize) = 14 hours in total. :) That's a long time.

ATTENTION: PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO ANY OF THE EMPTY THREADS - that would just cause a database error.

STAFF, please delete all empty threads.

The staff will attempt to delete all of the empty threads - they appeared when the database started to become corrupt again.

I should have fixed this (I pray). We are reaching the limits of the software limitations of mysql with over 10 million posts.

One solution is to start pruning really old posts. I am considering this at the moment.

Improving hardware will not help - this is a built-in limitation of the operating system/ software.

We shall see how we go...

[Melly Monster]

Thanks Erwin as always for being ontop of things around here. Your the greatest :hug:

[CPman2004]

Alrighty.

Thanks for all the hard work. Now like a lot of people are going to say.....

"Get some REST!" :)

[Oblivious]

Thanks for all the hard work, Erwin! :thumbsup:

There's alot of us out there that really miss this place when it's broken! :)

[Melly Monster]

Thanks for all the hard work, Erwin! :thumbsup:

There's alot of us out there that really miss this place when it's broken! :)
I totaly agree but Erwin Go to bed lol, You need your rest just like the rest of us :D

[Erwin]

Thanks for all the hard work, Erwin! :thumbsup:

There's alot of us out there that really miss this place when it's broken! :)
Well, it's finally 1 am... what a saga...

I really am not sure why the database got corrupted again... I am hoping that this was just a one-off...

I think we are reaching the absolute limits of the operating system and software. :)

[Melly Monster]

I think we are reaching the absolute limits of the operating system and software. :)
Is this a good thing or bad thing lol?

[PaladinValer]

One idea you could consider is to have the system automatically delete any post that is more than 1 month old.

[Erwin]

One idea you could consider is to have the system automatically delete any post that is more than 1 month old.
1 month old? That's a bit harsh. :)

I'm thinking of making it so that the site deletes any threads that have not had a post for 1 year. That would remove all the older redundant threads and keep the ones that are active.

[Tomk80]

One idea you could consider is to have the system automatically delete any post that is more than 1 month old.Although I would set the time period a bit longer (say 6 months or so), I agree with the above.

edited to add: Before I forget, great work Erwin!

[HappyMomof4]

Maybe delete a thread that hasn't been posted on in a long time? Or have a limit to how many pages a subforum goes back, like only 3?

[Matrona]

One solution is to start pruning really old posts. I am considering this at the moment.

Improving hardware will not help - this is a built-in limitation of the operating system/ software.

We shall see how we go...
Is there any way to put the oldest posts in some sort of archive so they can still be accessed? Like, make the oldest threads readable as text files or something? That might be a lot of trouble, but having to delete posts would stink. :(

Thanks for all your hard work, dude. (And your wife too since I think you mentioned she helped you on this.)

[BeautifulWorshipper]

erwin you rock!

[Melly Monster]

erwin you rock!
Happy Birthday Jesus Forever. :)

[Faithful83]

Great work Erwin! :)

NOW GO TO BED!!!! :P

[5solas]

One solution is to start pruning really old posts. I am considering this at the moment. http://www.smilies.cc/smilie_3312.gif (http://www.smilies.cc/)



..would it be possible to extract and store them in a place where everyone could have access instead of just deleting them? just an idea...

bye



... oh I just noticed that Matrona had the same idea before.... sorry

[GarethS]

Thanks for all your efforts Erwin, and yeah probably time to prune off a couple of million old posts.

I hope you don't have work tomorrow, call in a sickie :)

Thanks again Erwin you're the best.

[CPman2004]

Perhapes just anounce a week ahead if you are planing to delete old and dead threads. So that people have a chance to print or download the threads they want to keep.

[Victrixa]

Thank you Erwin! :hug:

[BradC314]

If we run across an empty thread, would it help you or the staff to report it in some way, say like a PM with a link to the thread?

Brad

[no_worries]

Thanks a ton Erwin! I know I would go nuts if I had to spend the 14 hours it took to get it fixed! :)

[MQTA]

Wow. The cost of success, huh? CF has pushed vbulletin to the limits, eh?

[PaladinGirl]

Wow! I'd say that deleting posts that haven't been replied to in over a year would probably be a good idea! Thanks Erwin! :thumbsup:

[BradC314]

Erwin: I'm not sure if you've heard of him or not, but you might want to talk to Dave Bott over at tivocommunity.com. He runs a huge vBulletin community, and has been down this road before. He might be of some use to you, if you're looking for that sort of thing.

For comparison, tivocommunity's vBulletin stats:

Threads: 194,431 Posts: 2,232,829
Registered Members: 71,202

[crossrunner]

Thanks Erwin for all of your hard work. This is such a fantastic ministry and God will surely bless you for all you have done.

cr

[Nancaroo]

Thank you Erwin. Great job

[SandyLou]

would it help free up things to delete member names & profiles who have not been active in . . . say, 2 years? And threads that have not been accessed in 6 months or a year?

[skysthelimit]

I have to agree with sandy and her idea. 6 months seem good because nobody's going to post in something that old, and deleting profile info and stuff from inactive accounts will help as well. I run a message board and anyone that hasn't made ONE post in a year I delete, so I free up a lot of the clutter. Just some suggestions Erwin. :thumbsup:

And of course, great job fixing the forums! :clap:

[joyshirley]

for all your hard work. :cool: And many thanks to your wife too, for her help and patience when you have to spend hours on keeping CF going along smoothly.

I agree with the above posters re removing members inactive for a year, and also threads that have been ignored for, say, 6 months. An announcement that the thread's being deleted in a week, as someone else suggested, would be helpful too.

Thanks again, Erwin. I just applaud your capabilities in keeping CF going the way you do. God bless you and your wife. :)

[G4m]

1 month old? That's a bit harsh. :)

I'm thinking of making it so that the site deletes any threads that have not had a post for 1 year. That would remove all the older redundant threads and keep the ones that are active.Or you could have a separate database that is an archive, where the 1 year+ posts are archived to.

[Erwin]

The users are not the problem - that's a relatively small table in the database.

It's the posts. :) Archiving them will not work since they will still take up room.

I'm going to see how we go over the next 2 days... we are reaching the file system maximum size for older versions of Linux - I use the latest version, so that shouldn't be an issue... but it could be related.

[Jacob4Jesus]

All I can say is, if everyone put as much dedication into their lives and work as you do with Christian Forums, we'd be living in a Utopia. Three cheers for Erwin... Hip Hip Hooray!

[Rising Tree]

Is there any way to put the oldest posts in some sort of archive so they can still be accessed? Like, make the oldest threads readable as text files or something? That might be a lot of trouble, but having to delete posts would stink. :(

Thanks for all your hard work, dude. (And your wife too since I think you mentioned she helped you on this.)This is a good idea. Erwin, you think you could do automate this process?

[The Smiling One]

If you want to save the old posts in an archive, could you put them in a separate web site of their own, then have a link to the site somewhere here?????????

[Katty]

Yah, I was wondering if there's any way to access old posts from like last year. I was looking for some of my old ones and didn't know if there's an actual way to get to the archives at all....

BTW--- Erwin, much thanks :) You do an awesome job.

~Katty

[freespirit2001]

:wave: I'm glad things are back and up and running on Christian Forums again!!!:thumbsup: :clap:
Hopes and prayers and HUGS:prayer: for ERWIN!!!!that he can get some rest about all this...:groupray:




I have a later suggestion...Just a suggestion. Before any strategies for deleting year old posts and threads becomes a plan, maybe SOMEONE might consider having a post published of ours here. Its called FAVORITE QUOTES in the Friendship Forum started by tulc. The quotes on this forum are some of the best I've ever read in my life. I've seen books on favorite quotes in bookstores, but if someone---anyone???...If anyone could envision having that post called "FAVORITE QUOTES" published for Christian Forums.....There are some of the best christian quotes I've ever heard in my life compiled in that thread...PLEASE...I KNOW I WILL DOWNLOAD THAT POST...
BUT IFANYONE HAS THE ACCESS OR CAPABILITIES OF HAVING A BOOK PUBLISHED OF SOME OF OUR WORK ON THAT QUOTE FORUM....
XOXLOL!!! I know it may not sound like the time to mention it....but I would PAY for a book published by and for Christian Forums....especially one that was members started...and about quotes about christian wisdom and favorite christian quotes....????:confused:

Affectionately in Christ!:hug:

[freak_of_today]

Many thanks, Erwin!!!

The time and effort and money you put into this site is just incredible.

BTW, getting rid of posts 1yr old sounds like the way to go.

[xenia]

God bless you Erwin! You're the best!

[no_worries]

hmm.. I think that deleting posts that are over a year old might be a good way to save some space, but it might be nice to save them if there was a way.. would saving them as text only (like no tags) help any? or removing them from the normal CF search and forums?

[Radagast]

You could vary the expiry date with different subforums -- for some of the smaller theology subforums people might want to look back quite some time, while for the "chattier" subforums going back a long way might not be necessary.

-- Radagast

[* kittie *]

wow thank you for all your hard work.
yes...i think deleting old posts will be good.

[kingzjewel]

yay erwin

[loribee59]

Question: what of threads that are saved in the "favorites" folder? if that thread is removed from the main forum, what happens to the one saved? Just curious....

And I agree with several people....create a seperate archive site for people to access it, purge the oldest threads (when it's 2 years old) to allow room for more recently archived threads.

[Bevlina]

I just want to say that it takes a person with an enormous heart to begin, and upkeep this forum in such a dedicated manner. Good work Erwin ! And - thankyou.

[Radagast]

I just want to say that it takes a person with an enormous heart to begin, and upkeep this forum in such a dedicated manner. Good work Erwin ! And - thankyou.
:amen:

-- Radagast

[ExOrienteLux]

If you want to save the old posts in an archive, could you put them in a separate web site of their own, then have a link to the site somewhere here?????????
Could this possibly work?

And God bless you for all the work you're doing on this site, Erwin! May He grant you (and CF) many, many, many years!

+IC XC NIKA+
Josh.

[krstlros]

Thanks Erwin for all your hard work. Without you, where would all of us be?

You rock, Dude! :thumbsup:

[ChrisLockhart]

As far as deleting/pruning old posts.. I have a suggestion, if I may be so bold.
Unfortunately, it probably requires the addition of a date/time field to the thread table.
note that I am making assumptions about the database structure here
Every time a thread is viewed, updated the LastViewed field.. and then prune based on how long it's been since the thread was viewed, rather than the last time it received a post.
This results in less threads being deleted, which is sort of the opposite of what we're looking for.. but would result in less threads that people reference being deleted.

Just an idea and suggestion.

Obvious downsides : filling in default values for that many threads would be time-consuming, and would end up in increasing the size of the table.. since it's a new field, it wouldn't do much good in the short-term, because all threads would have to be given some default value (or the last post-time, whichever is more recent) no threads would be deleted by this method any time soon.