Transition And Support Staff

[osirion]

[Please note, this experience has been shortened so it is not a 1000 page book.]
So I hear all good things about HostGator and how good they are so, being unhappy with my current supplier, I move over to HostGator.

I first signed up on Friday (3/12/2004) loving the fact that I am moving onto greener pastures and that there is always someone available on that heavenly Live Help facility. Everything was going to be better now (or so I thought).

I had been trying to restore my sites since Friday, however - with no luck. On Saturday, I spoke to LiveChat support staff who said I should e-Mail support@hostgator.com.

After e-Mailing back and forth and LiveChatting to death, I was told that my accounts could be restored for me, I just needed to put all the backup files in each account. I do so and I was told the process would take 24 Hours. I check as soon as I could the next day only to find out that, no, they cant do it anymore. So obviously I am a bit disappointed at the fact that i was TOLD that something would be done for me, and it wasnt. So I move on with my life and attempt to do the restorations myself through the presribed (http://www.hostgator.com/backup.shtml) method. (God save my soul when it comes to the large accounts). In any case, My restore facility does not work.

Upon trying to get support for this, every single reply I get seems to be "We do not transfer accounts for clients" - even though 5 e-Mail later, I am still trying to get through to the support that I KNOW that they dont do transfers, but could they PLEASE try and see what is going on with my restore facility.
Furthermore, this staff member still tries to lecture me on how a backup file only consists the web site. This is funny as even I know that is not true, and it is even stated on HostGators site that it contains the site, mailboxes, etc. Yet the person tells me I have to upload the site manually and re-create all the e-Mail addresses - etc (Quite pointless for there to even be a backup function then if you have to create everything manually isnt it? Especially when your clients have their own cPanels and its not like you have access to their mailbox passwords etc - exactly why Im sure they made it part of the backup/restore procedure.)

So they finally understand and tell me to email sales@hostgator.com - upon querying them on that, they corrected themselves and said to email support@hostgator.com with an email to the attention of Lyron:

I am getting very frustrated with HostGator. First - before
you discard this e-Mail SUPPORT told me to eMail sales and
now you.

Basic Problem: cPanel Restore Function Is Not Working

Scenario:
I first speak to support consultants and explain that I am
from South Africa and I needed them to restore backups of
sites for me because our lines are too slow. I transfered
the backup files from the old server straight onto the new
one (HostGator).
After a day, they managed to tell me that it was their
mistake, they cant do it. (So I wasted a day on an already
tight time schedule).

Now upon trying to do the restorations myself - my restore
facility does not work.
Upon restoring, the file gets uploaded, I get taken to a
new page with a picture of an arrow pointing upwards with
the words "Restoring Files". Nothing happens. I check the
web site, its not there, I check the cPanel - there is no
disk usage on the statistics and there are no mailboxes
setup, etc.

I go to support with my problem, and after about 5 e-Mails
I finally get it through to them that my Restore function
isnt working - and they redirect me to sales.

Now on Sunday the top level support actually gets a hold of my problem - they cant restore my backup files because they are "full backups" and the accounts are already created. So I tell them they can by all means delete all the accounts if they have to so they can restore the backup files.

Monday Comes - so much for getting my transition done over the weekend - moving on.

Then I get a reply from a different person from the one that gave me the above reply saying that they tried to delete that account and they couldnt restore it, so I should just use the method prescribed in (http://www.hostgator.com/backup.shtml) - This made me tear out some of my hair. I had told them in almost each e-Mail I had sent them that it wasnt working. Furthermore, I put links to all the tickets - this way they could even follow my entire situation if they wanted to.
Once again I explain the situation - I even say give them my old server details so they can try and transfer just 1 account themselves ( just so that they KNOW that I am not doing anything wrong on my side ).
I give them the details of my one account - however, by the time they check it - that account is running into problems with my current provider. So after they tell me this, I give them another account which is working - 6 hours later (with re-sending the last e-Mail with the new account details 2 additional times), still nothing. After chatting to live support, they tell me to re-open a ticket.

Here I stand 4 days later with two HG reseller accounts and not 1 site live (or even uploaded/restored) to show for it.
I was really looking forward to moving to HG - but now, Ive had to keep my enraged girlfriend from insulting and flaming every HG person I spoke to. I tried to be polite, understanding and patient with every one of them without ever losing my temper. But now 4 days later - I am at the edge and will probably blow up at the next support staff that tells me to restore my sites using (http://www.hostgator.com/backup.shtml).

Isnt there anyone out there that can help me?
I am hoping to move past this so that I can actually host with HG - but if this isnt resolved soon, I'd rather stick with my old host that charges me a third of the price.

[GatorBrent]

We do not offer site transfers, so I'm not sure how you are upset with us for not transferring your sites.

Cpanel restore does work however has to be done correctly as shown on www.hostgator.com/backup.html If you follow the directions on www.hostgator.com/backup.html it will work.

[osirion]

If I was told from the beginning that you would not transfer my sites - that would have been fine. However, that was not the case - I was told that you would transfer my sites and that you required 24 hours to do so. That I got told something would be done for me, then it wasnt - and also the fact that I "lost" a day in waiting for it to be (not) done.

As for the backup procedure - I have followed it step by step and its not working. This is why I say that there is something wrong with my restore facility. I even checked the versions of cPanel that both HG and the old host is running, and they are identical.

[GatorBrent]

If you are trying to restore a backup thats 40 megs you will need 80 megs of free disk space on the account or it will fail.

Also you must make sure you aren't restoring a full backup it will not work. It's not made for that. You must restore a home directory backup.


Who told you we would move your reseller accounts over? What is the ticket number?

[osirion]

I have tried both Full Backups and Home Backups. Furthermore, I have backup files that are as small as 600kb that dont work (on a 10mb account). (I even tried restoring databases and filters/aliases - and those didnt even work).

As for the ticket number - there isnt only one - there is quite a few. They have also been trying to help me transfer my accounts over "manually". Now I just have to contact all the clients that I dont have passwords for and try and explain the situation - boy, am I going to look unprofessional.

Oh well, Im hoping that I can get past all of this and that after it all it will just be smooth sailing.

[GatorBrent]

If it doesn't work it's a problem with the host your backing it up from we don't have any problems with that on our end.

[osirion]

And Im sure they would have put the blame on you (however, I would take your word over theres any day).

I have finally completed the transition over from my old host to HostGator (with some help from Sam - thanks again Sam). Took time after his shifts to help me move some of my accounts over to HostGator and was quite helpful.

As I suspected, from the point that all the accounts were transferred - I have not had any problems - and I am suspecting that it will stay this way.

I'll post a follow up in a couple of months - but so far so good.

[GatorBrent]

Great I'm glad sam was able to help you. If you could modify your experience to a positive one that would be apreciated.