What happened?

[Eddy Matthews]

Oh god, where do I start?.....................

The new software I installed had a security hole big enough to drive a truck through, and sure enough someone did!! They wiped out the database, and deleted almost everything on the website! Don't ya just love these idiots (word chaged coz I can't swear on a public forum! )

So, no problem I thought, just drop back to the old setup..... And then WHAM my harddrive decided it was time to give up the ghost and go to that big computer scrapyard in the sky! Of course all the website backups were on it!!

After two days of attempting to restore the files from the knackered disk, I'm almost there, but because of the corruption on said disk, some things have just gone forever..... I'm sorry, but that's the facts

I'm still busy uploading files as I type this, so some bits that aren't there now will be by tomorrow.

I'll be honest and say that I almost got to the point where I just said "stuff it" - I have better things to do, but I'm sure I'm not the only one that would miss the website if it wasn't there, or at least I hope I'm not the only one??

99% of what has happened was totally out of my control, so I hope everyone will accept my aplogies -I'm going to crawl into a hole somewhere and leave the computer alone for a few days, I've spent up to 20hrs a day in front of it for the last four days trying to get something back online!

One pee'd off webmaster
Eddy

[waldenmodels]

Eddy, I sure am a newbie here, but I for one can say that I've checked the site 5-6 times daily while it was down, and I can't say how delighted I am that it's back! I'm sure I don't just speak for myself when I say that it would have been a very sorry thing indeed to not have this site anymore!

A big Thank You, and "atta boy" says

Oliver

[steamboatmodel]

Eddy you have done a fantastic job, you should freelance as an Information Tech. If you ever did a world tour I am sure you wouldn't have to buy a drink, even those of us who are almost Tea (Coffee) Total would stand you a Pint (or whatever they serve it in now days). I'm very glad you didn't "stuff it" as I would miss Paddleducks very much, It is the first thing I check after my emails. Again a very Well Done.
Regards,
Gerald

[djcf]

Eddy,
You sure wouldn't be the only one to miss the site,....I can't say any more than Oliver and Gerald already have, that says it all,
regards
Clark

[tonyh]

Well Eddy,

Thanks, for your efforts and time, you are right we would miss the forum!

Your thoughts of "stuff it" were my very thoughts of trying to get my (not) 'bargain buy' blockade runner through the second bath test. A miserable failure. I will detail in a separate post when i'm in a better mood!

Until then a fishing boat has been brought out of retirement for this summers fun (sailing).

A very Tony.

[Harold H. Duncan]

Eddy,
A huge thank you from wee NZ for staying with and battling thorough with the Paddle Ducks Family
Much appreciated by all
cheers
kiwi

[amdaylight]

Eddy,

I also want to Thank you for all of the effort that you have put into getting our little home on the big wide web back up and running. Again thank you,

Andre
over yonder in Portland Oregon

[Tug--Kenny]

Eddy. My heart goes out to you.

I certainly missed the small gap we had, so imagine if it were gone. Please do your best with the records and don't throw the disk away. I believe most can be recovered, as it happened to me. Mind you, my helper was a police computer expert.

He informed that even with a deleted disk, you can go back over seven deep to recover information stored on it. Everything ever stored on a disk is always there, so if other members are throwing away their old machine, then a Hammer through the disk is the only way to destroy it.      

Have a break and relax.     

Cheers

ken

[Eddy Matthews]

Many many thanks for all the positive replies guys, believe me it is appreciated!

I'm still working my way through things and sorting out everything I can, but it's a long task..... If you notice any files or images that are missing, please drop me a quick line and let me know what is missing and where - ie. Forum, Photo Gallery, Downloads, etc etc...  Cut and paste the URL if possible as it will make my job a whole lot easier!

Regards
Eddy

[derekwarner_decoy]

HI PD's.....as Tug - Kenny notes .......C drives can be recalled with $....Eddy..... if you need your C drive reclamation $ just call ....you know we will support it with [UK Pounds back to you] ....... .Derek

[Eddy Matthews]

Thanks Derek,

I have a copy of the software the UK police use to examine hard drives - That's how I'm managing to recover things, without it the drive is useless and cannot be read by normal means....

It appears that the read heads have collided with the disk platters causing physical damage that prevents some areas from being read - Much like the big hammer into the harddrive that Ken suggested!

One area I know of which I cannot recover are the users Avatars - So if you use an Avatar in your profile you will need to re-upload it.

Eddy

[scotfriend]

Hi Eddy,

thank's for your hard work to keep our website running, many thanks from me.

regards Hans

[btrippis]

Eddy, I also want to thank you for getting Paddleducks back on line. I am working on
a sternwheeler and had been reading the posts on drive systems.  In the thread
"pitman revisited" the links to the images of the variations are not working. I don't
know if these links are repairable or not.
Keep up the good work.  It is most appreciated.
Regards, Brian Tripp San Diego, CA

[btrippis]

Eddy, Sorry Pitman revisited is not the thread with the broken links. It is the one
before it called "thoughts on pitman drives for sternwheelers".
Regards, Brian

[Red_Hamish]

Hi Eddy, well done sir  a thoroughly despicable lot these hackers are. I'll not say what I'd do to them  Amnyway, sanity may eventually return Keep snmniling me old mucker.

cheers

Jim