Anyone having problems loading FR main pages?

self | 6-29-02 | justshe

[justshe]

For the last week I have had problems with how slow FR main pages (News/General/etc) are loading, and loading with NO side-bar.

Additionally, when I use the refresh feature with any of the main pages, over 50% of the time the software freezes and I have to close the site using Control/Alt/Delete function as it is unresponsive to normal exiting.

I have Windows 98SE, IE v.6.0.26. My system is defragged, Temp files deleted, and cookies deleted. I have uninstalled Pop-Ad Stopper recently installed (thinking that might be the problem) but am still using a recent installation of Ad-Aware.

Has anyone else been having these types of problems? Or can anyone give me some suggestions for correcting?

Thanks!

[damnlimey]

Sounds like an explorer issue,try uninstalling and re-installing IE
(I'm assuming this happens at other sites besides FR)

[justshe]

Sorry, I should have added that information. This is only happening at FR. Additionally, I have Norton and download updates daily. So I am assuming it is not a virus issue.

[OldFriend]

I think the Pop Up Stopper messed up my surfing too.....so I disabled it. Now I just have slow loading of the News Activism page.......Home page is right there but then it takes a long time to get to the various topics.......

[Tony in Hawaii]

I've been using Mozilla 1.0, and I haven't had any problems. It also stops pop-ups on its own.

http://www.mozilla.org

[sigSEGV]

Also make sure you run Ad-aware. Lots of spyware will install without your consent.

http://www.lavasoftusa.com/

[sigSEGV]

Doh. My dumb self should read things more closely.

[WillaJohns]

What exactly is the URL that you are going to?

This is the URL I use to access FR: http://www.freerepublic.com/fo cus/news/browse

Is this the same one you are trying to access? If not, try this one and see. If this doesn't help, let's flag John Robinson and ask him.

[WillaJohns]

This may be a dumb question, but it has to be asked: have you cleared your cache lately?

[justshe]

Yes, that is the url I use...as my homepage, in fact. I think John has been busy so I didn't want to bother him.

Also, yes, I have cleared my cache.

[WillaJohns]

Shoot. Okay, next question. You say your main page is slow loading. Can you get into articles and read them okay?

And here's one more question: Can you use a neighbor's computer for a few minutes, someone hopefully who is on the same type of cable modem (are you on a cable modem?) and see if they have any problem getting into FR? I'm wondering if it's maybe your cable company, if, indeed, you are on a cable modem.

[justshe]

Once I open a thread, it opens fine. And I can refresh with no problem. I have a local dial-up ISP. And if this was a consistent problem, I would suspect my ISP connection. But it isn't consistent. For example, this morning I have about a 50% failure rate of opening my main page...or the main page of other topics, and having a sidebar. Refreshing has frozen at about that same rate. All this with the same connection. It seems VERY hit and miss.

A mystery, no?

[justshe]

Oh......and I took your advice and asked John, over on the TEST thread ( http://shangri-la.robinson-defehr.com/focus/news/browse ) if he could look at this thread when he has a chance.

[John Robinson]

Your sidebar probably isn't loading because the page does not completely load. The sidebar is actually nearly the last piece of data transmitted to your browser.

Try going to My Preferences and adjust down the number of results when browsing. 20 results per page should always have your pages loading. Oh, and ensure that your sidebar is actually turned on. In My Preferences, it will either be called "Topic Bar" or "Subscription Bar" (the former being the current name, later being the new more appropriate name--it will hold more than topics.) [Heck, I might even revert to calling it "Sidebar", now that there is again just one sidebar.]

[WillaJohns]

John replied here (THANK YOU JOHN) and wow does he have some good suggestions.

Please let me know if it works. I love a good mystery and figuring out computer problems is like solving a mystery don't you think?

[justshe]

Thanks, John. And you did remind me that I had recently added subscriptions and adjusted the number of posts to display per subscription on my sidebar.

I will lower the number and see what happens.

And yes, I do have my sidebar activated.

I'll holler if this doesn't work.

Thanks!

[justshe]

Lowering the number of posts per page.........AND lowering the number of threads per subscription in my side bar, did the trick! When I added subscriptions about a week ago, it must have been just enough to make my sidebar squirrely.

No problems for over 3 hours. YAY!

Thanks John! And you too, WillaJohns for your work on my 'mystery'.

P.S. Sidebar is SUCH a descriptive word, I recommend adoption. :-)