FTP Error

[toystoyou]

I have loaded Actinic Catalog V8 (upgraded now to 8.5.3) onto a new laptop running Vista Home Premium. My old laptop ran on XP. My site has been live for some time now.
I’ve followed all the instructions as per upgrade. Refreshed the site. Closed it down saved database. Restarted the machine.
I did a network test this morning and it worked perfectly.
I then tried to upload the site and the following errors occurred when trying to send Catalog Files:
Firstly, “Actinic is unable to upload to the site using the FTP protocol. Select continue to upload the site using HTTP or cancel to stop the upload”. I clicked continue as it used to do this on my old laptop occasionally. And the upload continued for a few minutes.
I then got another error which read: “The connection with the server was terminated abnormally”.
I have looked through the knowledge base and not come up with a definitive solution to this. I have spoken to my host, Easyspace, and they say the FTP settings is fine and all my settings are ok and recommended I speak to Actinic support. Although I have contacted them again tonight and am awaiting an answer.
I’ve been working with Chris from Actinic support (who has been v patient with me) to see if we can rectify this. So far, I’ve uninstalled McAfee, uninstalled and reinstalled Actinic, stopped Windows Firewall and stopped Vista’s User Account Control.
I have compacted the database and tried to refresh the website but I got the same FTP error message as before and the same termination error when it was trying to send Catalog Files. Then the refresh ended. Before I refreshed I once again did a Network test and again it was fine. Also, Chris managed to upload the site from his computer.
But still when I try to upload I get the same FTP error as above also when trying to send Catalog Files but the following error reads: “The operation timed out”. Then the upload ends.
I have also uploaded Actinic to another PC also running Vista and have the same upload problems.
Does anyone have any idea what else I can do to rectify this problem (except for throwing my Vista laptop out the window!!)? Any help would be very much appreciated. Thanks.
Julie

[leehack]

Keep the laptop, throw easyspace out the window instead. We hear far more problems than good stuff about these people IMO.

[jont]

Have you tried reinstating onto your old XP machine and uploading from there again? Strange how Chris could upload with the same settings.

If your XP laptop uploads it is something on your Vista laptop. If the XP does not upload it could be your ISP (as Chris managed a clean upload). Is the laptop running wireless or cabled to the router? May be worth trying a patch cable and hardwire the laptop to the router (there is usually one with the router). If it works cabled it could be the WiFi connection... check the speed it is using in the network configuration (it could be set very low and hence all the time outs).

[toystoyou]

Hi Jont
It uploaded fine when on my old XP laptop using the same wireless router as now and the machine was connected to it wirelessly as is my new laptop. I often got the FTP error when uploading on the old machine that I've been getting on the new one but when I clicked continue it just went ahead and uploaded using http without any timeout errors. I was still with Easyspace then as well.
I'll have a look at the router and the speed it's using and I'll also speak to Easyspace to check the bandwidth (if that's the right word) I'm getting for upload.
And yes, Leehack, I am considering getting rid of Easyspace they have caused me way too many problems! Have you got any host recommendations?
Thanks both of you.
Julie

[guccij]

Have you got any host recommendations?

1and1 (business package or above) is popular. We've used them for years and have not had any problems - which means of course that something really really bad will happen tomorrow

[toystoyou]

Thanks guccij and fingers crossed nothing really bad happens to your site tomorrow.
julie

[los_design]

Yo yo Julie...

just run a search for hosting recommendations and you will find many topics on this subject....

HTH

[TraceyHand]

Yo yo Julie...

just run a search for hosting recommendations and you will find many topics on this subject....

HTH

hmm..some recommendations better than others, it has to be said

Go for the most recent posts you can find, IMO

[los_design]

hmm..some recommendations better than others, it has to be said

Go for the most recent posts you can find, IMO

good point Tracey...

[toystoyou]

Thanks everybody I will search for hosting recomendations here.
I'm still trying desperately to solve this Vista FTP upload problem. It's not my network settings, I've done everything Actinic support have advised me to do and now all they can advise me is to get rid of Vista and put XP on my laptop.
I know I'm a bit of a stickler but I'd like to be able to fix this. I upgraded to V8.5.3 cos it said it was fully compatible with Vista but it won't work for me.
Easyspace are very confident it's not them (altho I'm going to change hosts anyway as they are not very good!).
I've read many different posts on many various sites regarding ftp upload problems on Vista even when not using Actinic.
Does anyone have any other ideas for me to try?
I'd appreciate absolutely anything.
Thanks for all your help so far.
Julie

[los_design]

Ahh, the old, I cannot fix it so bin it gag...

Lets eliminate the issue first of all (ie the laptop). Try the steps below as we will see if your laptop without Actinic can FTP:

Ensure that Port 21 is open in your Vista Firewall.
Check to see if you can connect to the server using active mode.
Open command prompt
Type ftp and press enter
type open sitename.com and press enter
Enter your name and password as prompted
Type dir and press enter. If you see the directory structure of the FTP server then you know that you can connect.
Type close and press enter
Type quit and press enter
Change settings in IE 7 (I only tested this fix with IE7)
Under the Advanced tab in IE Tools\Options
Uncheck the “Use Passive FTP (for firewall and DSL modem…) checkbox
Check the “Enable FTP folder view (outside of Internet Explorer” checkbox

Mapping FTP drives
This may be slightly non-intuitive too. You have to map a drive to the FTP server in order to preserve the settings of the server.

Open Windows Explorer
Choose Tools\Map Network Drive menu
Click the “Connect to a Web site that you can use… ” link.
Follow the instructions...

hth

[toystoyou]

Thanks los design I will try these changes and let you know how I get on.
Julie

[toystoyou]

Woo Hoo I got it working!!!!!!!!
Thank you so much los design. I followed your tips and the laptop connected to the FTP without Actinic no problem.
Then I unchecked the "Use passive FTP" checkbox in Advanced IE Tools/Internet Options and checked the "Enable FTP Folder View" checkbox.
And it uploaded first time today.
Thank you so, so, so much.
Thanks to everyone who gave me advice on this problem.
Julie

[los_design]

enough back slapping Julie...

back to work with you.

Glad to help mate.