Disappointed & Frustrated [RESOLVED]

[wildbluffmedia]

We've been using HostGator since October 07 on a shared server. A few weeks ago our site had so much traffic we were capping out on our cpu limit, so after discussing options w/ HG we decided on a dedicated server.

There ends my previously happy experience with HG and now begins the unhappy phase.

First, after paying the first months "rent" I never heard anything back. Days later I finally decided to inquire and found out they had set it up days ago and I never received any login info, etc. They resent it (strange because I had never not received an email from HG before) and I got started having just lost $15 worth of rent over those waiting days.

I was transferring over a half dozen hosted domains from the shared to the dedicated. I submitted the transfer request. It was processed but only my files were transferred. My SQL db's were not. Had to resubmit the request for those. That was done very quickly, but shouldn't have required a second request in the first place.

When I tried to login to myPhPAdmin through both WHM and cpanel I couldn't because the mySQL socket had been misconfigured. That required another ticket submittal. I actually called tech support first and was told I needed to email tech support, he couldn't help me. So I updated an existing ticket, then after 3 hours submitted a new fresh ticket. Got a response back on the new one a few hours later and heard back on the updated ticket attempt 25 hours later.

So I was finally able to reconfigure DNS and import my db's. I thought I was done. I was not.

Once DNS finished propagating I noticed my new dedicated server was terribly, painfully slow. I called tech support again. "Larry" was very friendly and helpful. He made a couple of suggestions (restart mysql, restart apache, lastly graceful reboot if necessary). Did all 3 and none of them helped.

I called back again. Larry kindly put in a ticket for me (strange how he could do it and the guy the day before couldn't) as he was seeing the same terrible load times. I got a response saying I should disable certain plugins (I'm running WordPress). Despite my question of why this exact configuration was running flawlessly on a shared server and now not on a dedicated server I went ahead and tried that. No change.

I wrote back again on the ticket and was told it could be DNS and to give it a few hours. DNS was updated 36 hours ago.

I was also getting way, way too many "Internal Server Error" messages when I'd click on another internal link. When I sent that ticket in I got back "I didn't get it." No name, just "Thanks".

I finally found a website response time test. bigbrother9.net took 38 seconds to load. DNS took 0.001 secs, connecting to the server took 0.001 secs, time before the first byte downloaded took 25 seconds, time from then until last byte was download took 13 seconds.

I'm getting similar/worse times on all the other sites on this new "dedicated server". (amidolupdates.com, dwtsupdates.com, etc.)

I'm fed up. I wasted all weekend sitting around trying to get this server, which is costing me 10x more than the old shared server, to work.

How could my exact same configuration and sites run like a greased pig on the shared server now run like crap on my 10x more expensive dedicated server?

I'm disappointed in the ROI. I'm disappointed in the tech support. I'm disappointed in HostGator. My HG experience went from a 10 to a -5 in just one short week. Tomorrow I start looking for a new host if HG can't make this right.

Some of the ticket #'s:
JID-2542053
ODN-2524888
IGG-2541831
CKV-2539921
PJY-2528799
KFR-2509567

[GatorJosh]

I apologize for the issue you have seen since the recent move. Chris has replied to one of your latest tickets, JID-2542053, with some details regarding your server. I have also tried calling you so we can discuss this further and I have left further details on your voice mail. Feel free to give me a call at 866-96-GATOR if you still have any questions or concerns.

[GatorBrent]

Did Josh get everything worked out for you? Do you have any outstanding issues still? I'd love to try and help you. thanks!!

[wildbluffmedia]

Issue resolved. We're moving back to our shared server and canceling the dedicated server. We appreciate Josh taking the time to call and discuss the problems.

[wildbluffmedia]

30 days later and I'm still trying to get the promised credit. Lots of emails, several phone calls, even additional bills for the canceled server. Each time it seems to be resolved with "okay, we'll get you the credit," but it never seems to happen. Now the loop has begun again after inquiring why I still don't have the credit:

==========

Update to ticket GIQ-2621066

Hello, your currently have an invoice due for 29.85. I do not see any credits on this account. I show your only charge of 125 was for a dedicated server that was cancelled, no charges were made after the cancellation on april 4th.

Thank you for contacting the Sales Department!


Jay Weissman
Sales Team

============

Can I get some resolution HG? Thanks.

[GatorWesley]

Hello,

The last response to your ticket stated the following:

I show that you currently have a credit of $125 on the account. Your credit was added May 2, 2008. The current invoice due of $29.85 for the quarterly payment of ***** was created on May 1, 2008 which is why the credit did not apply to it, as credits only apply to invoices created after they has been added to your account. I have gone ahead and deducted the $29.85 for the invoice of 1701517 from the $125 credit. There is now a remaining credit of $95.15. This will apply to any future invoices created.

The credits are only listed from our end of the billing system.