Why do I keep getting locked out of the forum?

dannygcp
dannygcp Posts: 151
Since Bikeradar was launched there have been three separate occasions when my username and password have not been recognised.

Fortunately the C+ forum was still operational the first time, so I was able to log a request for assistance via the old forum, and did receive a prompt response from Matthew Hart. But since then I have been locked out on two further occasions, and have had to go back to Matthew each time to get the problem sorted out.

This prompts a number of questions:
1. Why does this keep happening?
2. If it is affecting me it is presumably affecting other users, and how are they supposed to get back in if they don't have Matthew's direct email address?

:idea: Perhaps you could put up a prominent notice telling people what to do if they have problems logging in.

PS I assume this is not a plot to keep out stroppy C+ forum members

Comments

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    Hi Danny,

    I'll pass on this query to the tech team...
  • Gavin Weeks
    Gavin Weeks Posts: 321
    Ok, a couple of questions for you, to help me determine the problem.

    Firstly : What username are you trying to login as?

    Secondly : What process are you using to login, i.e. What login links are you using, which page are forwarded to login.

    Its the case with the database merger that some usernames were slightly changed if 2 matched from diifferent forums, if this was the case and the email addresses didnt match then they were renamed to include the abbreviation of the users home forum, i.e. usernamecp or usernamembuk.

    Let me know and ill personally look into this
  • mc
    mc Posts: 70
    Its the case with the database merger that some usernames were slightly changed if 2 matched from diifferent forums, if this was the case and the email addresses didnt match then they were renamed to include the abbreviation of the users home forum, i.e. usernamecp or usernamembuk.

    Care to point me to any mbuk users with mbuk added to thier usernames?
    I'm pretty sure having looked through the memberlist, and going by who's posted on the forum, that the mbuk users got merged into the database first, followed by wmb, then cp.

    And in case you're wondering why I'm so interested in this, I lost my original username to some non-poster on mbuk. And since a certain admin didn't have the decency to reply to the email I sent him regarding the subject, I'm somewhat annoyed.
  • Gavin Weeks
    Gavin Weeks Posts: 321
    mtb-rules wrote:
    Its the case with the database merger that some usernames were slightly changed if 2 matched from diifferent forums, if this was the case and the email addresses didnt match then they were renamed to include the abbreviation of the users home forum, i.e. usernamecp or usernamembuk.

    Care to point me to any mbuk users with mbuk added to thier usernames?
    I'm pretty sure having looked through the memberlist, and going by who's posted on the forum, that the mbuk users got merged into the database first, followed by wmb, then cp.

    And in case you're wondering why I'm so interested in this, I lost my original username to some non-poster on mbuk. And since a certain admin didn't have the decency to reply to the email I sent him regarding the subject, I'm somewhat annoyed.

    I must say it was hard to tell you were annoyed - But to the point you raised, I was explaining the general process for our user database merger. Which order it happened is irrelevant.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    I'm pretty sure having looked through the memberlist, and going by who's posted on the forum, that the mbuk users got merged into the database first, followed by wmb, then cp.
    Whichever way we did it, people would have complained.
    And since a certain admin didn't have the decency to reply to the email I sent him regarding the subject, I'm somewhat annoyed.
    Was that me? If so, apologies. I was probably swamped with flags/unruly forum users etc.

    Is the purpose of your post to resolve the issue of your lost username, or to spam the Bikeradar.com forum to promote another?

    Thanks
    Matthew
  • mc
    mc Posts: 70
    My main gripe is all the false promises made about where there were duplicate usernames issues, that concerned users would be contacted and an amicable solution reached.
    Instead, it's been a case of happening to be a member of mbuk to guarantee your username, or risking having it altered. That's if you didn't happen to have an account on the forums before you with the same email. What was that about choice over what username you kept, that was mentioned on one of threads leading up to the merger?

    So I ended up with my username from mbuk which I didn't like, because I just so happened to use the same email as my wmb account. And despite asking nicely to get my old wmb one back, I couldn't because some non-poster on mbuk already had it.
    So obviously some non-poster (who's most likely never used their account for quite some time), is more deserving than somebody who's contributed several thousand posts over several years.
    Now can you understand why I'm just that little bit annoyed?
    If I had lost my username to somebody who had actually posted in the time they'd been registered, I'd be happy to accept an alternative, but since they havn't, well, the sig line says it all really.

    And yes Matt, it was you that I emailed, although since then I've discovered that the cp lot got treated worse than the wmb lot.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    since then I've discovered that the cp lot got treated worse than the wmb lot.
    In your opinion maybe. The difference is that i've seen posts/received emails from C+ members who have, in my opinion, been dealt with as best possible under the circumstances.

    If you would like to contact me via pm or my email address, i'm sure i'd be able to help you too.

    Thanks
  • Gavin Weeks
    Gavin Weeks Posts: 321
    You have to realise that with over 100000 members it would be next to impossible to contact everyone and come up with a solution. The way in which we have done the user database merger is the quickest and easiest way to perform the said task. Now due to the ability to change usernames in the admin it is easier again for us to do 1 on 1 user editing.
  • dannygcp
    dannygcp Posts: 151
    Ok, a couple of questions for you, to help me determine the problem.

    Firstly : What username are you trying to login as?

    Secondly : What process are you using to login, i.e. What login links are you using, which page are forwarded to login.

    Its the case with the database merger that some usernames were slightly changed if 2 matched from diifferent forums, if this was the case and the email addresses didnt match then they were renamed to include the abbreviation of the users home forum, i.e. usernamecp or usernamembuk.

    Let me know and ill personally look into this

    I have been using the name dannygcp. I think this has mostly occured when I have been looking through threads and then want to post a reply and am prompted to enter my user name and password. But I have then tried going to the main login boxes for the forum and cannot get in that way either.

    My other point is that if it is happening to me it is likely to be happening to others, and as far as I can see if you are locked out there is no way of contacting an administrator to get help. So there may be lots of members who have just given up.
  • mc
    mc Posts: 70
    You have to realise that with over 100000 members it would be next to impossible to contact everyone and come up with a solution. The way in which we have done the user database merger is the quickest and easiest way to perform the said task. Now due to the ability to change usernames in the admin it is easier again for us to do 1 on 1 user editing.

    I've PM'd Matt, and won't be saying anymore, provided I get a satisfactory reply.
  • Gavin Weeks
    Gavin Weeks Posts: 321
    I will make sure Mr Cole lives up to your expectations. He's never let me down to date!
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    :oops:

    mc, you're sorted.
  • mc
    mc Posts: 70
    Thank You! :mrgreen:

    Hope Gavin gave you good seeing to :lol:
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    :shock: don't start that ^

    he must have written that after a Friday lunchtime shandy...
  • Gavin Weeks
    Gavin Weeks Posts: 321
    Nope no pub trip today, making sure all is spot on for the site (and forums) update we are doing at some point!

    Besides pub lunch makes me fall asleep at my desk, if that were to happen who would argue with the lovely forum users? exactly NO-ONE! :D
  • mc
    mc Posts: 70
    Nope no pub trip today, making sure all is spot on for the site (and forums) update we are doing at some point!

    Besides pub lunch makes me fall asleep at my desk, if that were to happen who would argue with the lovely forum users? exactly NO-ONE! :D

    Give it time. We're quite capable of arguing amongst ourselves :roll:
  • Gavin Weeks
    Gavin Weeks Posts: 321
    But its fun! everyone likes a good arguement!
  • But its fun! everyone likes a good argument!

    Is this just five minutes or the full half hour?
    John Stevenson