Expired MEF Certificate

[nosaj]

i have contacted vbulletin to see if there is anything that can be done from their side,
nosaj

[nosaj]

VBulletins response

We can only provide support to the license owner I'm afraid. Additionally, to move an existing forum to vB Cloud, you would need access to backup the database and any attachments/avatars if these are stored in the current server's file system - we have no access to do this ourselves.

Best regards,


Trevor Hannant
vBulletin Support Staff



nosaj

[DrGonz78]

When you clone a website with httrack or something I am not sure if it captures and creates database files? I was going to test it out and see what it produces if anything. Aside from hacking it’s looking pretty grim. I will let you know if cloning the site is even possible.

[nosaj]

I just tried httrack and getting nada don't know if security issue is part of problem or not.
nosaj

[Tom Phillips]

I just tried httrack and getting nada don't know if security issue is part of problem or not.
nosaj

I have run across several sites that will not allow HTTrack to copy any of the site pages. I believe that experienced site owners know how to block that kind of access.

[nevetslab]

AH......with Tom's help, he sent me an email telling me how to get past this inability to directly get onto https://music-electronics-forum.com, and thank heavens it works. It does appear you have to take this path every time you want to get onto 'MEF', but until we have a painless path, this WILL work...or until my feeble memory fails me. I have an HP 6570B with Windows 10 installed and Microsoft Edge Browser. This is the first time I've managed to get onto MEF since this problem began with the Expired MEF Certificate:

Hi Steven,

I think I found a solution that you can use to access MEF with your
Microsoft Edge browser. I just tried the following with my Edge and I was
able to get on MEF even though Edge would not previously give me a path. No
security settings or any other changes are required.

1. Open edge. (My machine has the latest Win 10 and Edge, etc. updates just
pushed to me yesterday so that's what I was using for the test.

2. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner of the edge window and
choose "New Private Window" from the drop down menu.

3. When the private window opens (Dark Theme Look) enter
https://music-electronics-forum.com in the address bar.

4. You should then see the "Your connection isn't private" message with the
two button choices "Advanced" and "Go back." This is the same warning you
saw during your previous attempts using the standard Edge window. The
results as you continue in private window mode will be different.

5. Click on "Advanced" and the warning screen will expand with new choices
including "Continue to music-electronics-forum.com (unsafe)" at the very
bottom of the window.

6. Click on "Continue to music-electronics-forum.com (unsafe)" and MEF
should open for you.



THANK YOU TOM!!!!!!

[DrGonz78]

One other point is that whatever is going on with Tboy the computer is currently running. But as we all know there are times where internet or power was interrupted and the site was down. Without Steve there to fix things we might all be cut off from the site. I think this concern is well justified at this point.

I think we are mostly concerned about Steve and hope he is well.

[gui_tarzan]

I really hope he's ok but here is a little good news, I was able to grab almost 8gb of the website last night. I just did a quick look and there are a ton of forum threads & pics so I think it got a lot of it. I kept getting SSL errors with everything I tried but somehow HTTrack did its thing. The error log shows a bunch of folders with user handles so I'm assuming it was maybe a file folder? I don't know. So if things go completely sideways and we have to rebuild, I have at least a good chunk of info and would be willing to help rebuild.

[Dave H]

I too tried HTTrack and after a leisurely 36 hours it said it was done. It's a 9.7 GB file. It works fine for offline browsing and searching but there's a largish error file with forum members names. I'm guessing it's because it doesn't permit access to personal data.

[Tom Phillips]

I'm surprised that the resulting HTTrack file is only ~9GB given all the attachments that are included in the posts. I say "only" because my personal musical instrument related files, which I keep separate from my general personal file set, is ~30GB.
Anyway, I'm glad that the available capture has already been done. I'll take a download off my to be done list because, if we download too much, we may exceed a data traffic limit and bring the site down.

Perhaps we should think about making an off line email distribution list so the active members can communicate if the MEF site goes off line. Such a list would be used only for communications related to MEF status followup, where are members going if MEF goes dark etc. I'm not proposing that people use the list to start repair discussion and such via "Reply All." It was useful that Steven AKA Nevitslab had each others email when he could not get on MEF at all for a week.

[The Dude]

Since nobody has been able to get a response from Steve via phone, I sent a message on his facebook band page in hopes that maybe one of the other band members will see it and give us an update. It looks like the page has been dormant for a while, but you never know. Someone may be checking in from time to time. I will, of course, update here if I get a response.

[nosaj]

I too tried HTTrack and after a leisurely 36 hours it said it was done. It's a 9.7 GB file. It works fine for offline browsing and searching but there's a largish error file with forum members names. I'm guessing it's because it doesn't permit access to personal data.

I would like to know your settings for HTTrack as i have a higher access i may be able to grab more. Please let me know.
Thanks,
nosaj

[g1]

I'm surprised that the resulting HTTrack file is only ~9GB given all the attachments that are included in the posts. I say "only" because my personal musical instrument related files, which I keep separate from my general personal file set, is ~30GB.

I would guess that attachments may not be included. I think they are stored separately from the posts, which is why a pile of them got wiped out somewhere around 10 yrs. ago.
Than again, 9GB would be a monstrous amount of text.

[Chuck H]

At 9.7GB I have to ask... Have you reviewed the files? Would this be an actual scripting of threads or is it possible it's only a list of those threads?

And then there's the Ampage Archives.

[Chuck H]

I got a call from a family member of Steve's today. My information is limited to what was shared with a stranger who looked up a family members number on people search sites. So there's that. Here's what I know...

Steve was hospitalized for a time and is currently being cared for by a family member. We know this circumstance goes back at least a couple of months so this is a telling consideration.

That's all I know right now. I'm still working on it. I told this person that if they are in contact with Steve or anyone that is to please let him know that all of us at the forum care and are hopeful.

Not much information there. It's as "I" suspected and I'll reposrt if I learn anything else.