Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : Dedicated Server : Bad Experince: FDCservers

[drzigman]

I have just had a rather disturbing experince with FDCServers on a dedicated server I recently purchased. I am going to provide all relevent documentation but the long story short is that I purchased ram at the same time I purchased my server. The ram is not being recognized by the OS and according to support it's present and recognized by the bios.

Am I wrong to expect support regarding this hardware issue despite having an unmanaged server? I am posting this EXACTLY as the conversation went (yes I've since changed the root password). The only thing I am taking out is my real name and phone number. Also I apologize, I tried to use quote but was told I couldn't because I didn't have at least 5 posts (go figure) so I'm going to break this into a series of posts.

[drzigman]

When I first noticed the missing ram I opened a support ticket:
START OF TICKET ONE

Date: 10-11-2006 2:50pm CDT
Subject: Additonal Purchased Ram Not Installed
Posted by DrZigMan

Dear Support,
First and foremost much thanks for your rapid reboot response! I really appreciate the speed at which you addressed my need.

As for the purposeof this ticket, I had ordered an additional GB of ram for my server 66.90.73.223 and this ram has not been installed...

root@biology:/var/log# free
total used free shared buffers cached
Mem: 904504 720932 183572 0 76444 422412
-/+ buffers/cache: 222076 682428
Swap: 996020 0 996020

My credit card has already been charged for this, please advice as to when this requested hardware upgrade will be available. There is no need to schedule a time frame, you may bring the server down to install the ram at anytime.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns (555) 555-5555.

Best Regards,
DrZigMan



Date: 10-11-2006 3:03pm CDT
Subject: No subject
Posted by FDCservers Support (Staff)

The order hasn't been sent to Support yet. Once we get the order, we will install the ram right away.

-FDCservers



Date: 10-11-2006 3:04pm CDT
Subject: No subject
Posted by DrZigMan

Should I contact sales regarding the matter then by emailing sales@fdcservers.net? I'm just unsure as to how to proceed considering I've already been billed.

Any information or insight you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Best Regards,
DrZigMan




Subject: No subject
Posted by FDCservers Support (Staff)

Yes contact sales.

-FDCservers

[drzigman]

A little distressing, but not a problem. I contacted sales...


Dear Sales,
I had ordered an additional GB of ram for my server 66.90.73.223 and
this ram has not been installed...

root@biology:/var/log# free
total used free shared buffers cached
Mem: 904504 720932 183572 0 76444 422412
-/+ buffers/cache: 222076 682428
Swap: 996020 0 996020

My credit card has already been charged for this, please advice as to
when you intend to install the requested hardware. I contacted support and they told me that they never received a request to install the ram. My server is constantly crashing due to the memory usage so please tell support that you have indeed charged me so that they may proceed as quickly as possible. There is no need to schedule downtime, please proceed as soon as you can confirm my having been billed.

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact me (555) 555-5555.

Best Regards,




And they responded with...
Hello,

I asked our techs to check it out ASAP

Regards





Hello,

Our techs are telling me the server has 2GB RAM. You might want to contact
the helpdesk at (the helpdesk url) if you see something else than
2GB RAM

Regards

FDCservers.net

[drzigman]

To which I opened another support ticket...
START OF TICKET TWO
Date: 10-15-2006 12:24am CDT
Subject: Ram Descrepency

Posted by DrZigMan

I was told by sales that my request to have a total of 2GB of Ram installed for my server was completed...

Hello, Our techs are telling me the server has 2GB RAM. You might want to contact the helpdesk at (helpdesk url) if you see something else than 2GB RAM Regards FDCservers.net

I believe you are mistaken...
root@biology:~# free
total used free shared buffers cached
Mem: 904504 401156 503348 0 8984 172512
-/+ buffers/cache: 219660 684844
Swap: 996020 21360 974660

Including swap there is 2 GB, but that's not what we're talking about here, I've asked to have physical memory installed. Either the Ram is bad, it is not being recogonized by the server, or it is not actually present.

Please confirm this, and correct the issue. The server's current root password is tempp4ss4fdcsupport

If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me.

Best Regards,
DrZigMan



Date: 10-15-2006 12:27am CDT
Subject: No subject

Posted by FDCservers Support (Staff)

the server has 2x 1GB sticks of ram in the server, and bios displays 2GB ram.

-FDCservers




Date: 10-15-2006 12:38am CDT
Subject: No subject
Posted by DrZigMan

Can you confirm my free report? That the operating system is not recognizing the ram? I'm sure you will agree that the extra ram is worthless if the operating system does not see it, or is unable to use it.

Please investigate and advise. I would greatly appreciate it if you would log into the box, run top and free and note the amount of available memory.

Best Regards,
DrZigMan





Date: 10-15-2006 12:40am CDT
Subject: No subject

Posted by FDCservers Support (Staff)

please provide your root login information.

-FDCservers




Date: 10-15-2006 12:51am CDT
Subject: No subject
Posted by DrZigMan

As I provided in my orignal support request...

The server's current root password is tempp4ss4fdcsupport

Please note:
root@biology:~# free -m
total used free shared buffers cached
Mem: 883 181 702 0 7 27
-/+ buffers/cache: 145 737
Swap: 972 0 972


Thank you for investigating.

Best Regards,
DrZigMan




Date: 10-15-2006 1:19am CDT
Subject: No subject
Posted by FDCservers Support (Staff)

im not sure what the issue is. the bios shows 2GB ram, and there is physically 2GB of ram in the server. the onlything i can think of is somehow the OS is unable to support 2GB of ram for unknown reasons.

-FDCservers




Date: 10-15-2006 1:22am CDT
Subject: No subject
Posted by DrZigMan

How is it you know this? You didn't issue any commands, and you sat on the server idle for 2 minutes...

507 watch -n 1 w
508 history

507 was my monitoring the server status, 508 was me checking the history once support left the box.

I am sorry but your response is simply unacceptable. The installed version of Slackware...

root@biology:~# cat /etc/slackware-version
Slackware 11.0.0

11.0.0 does indeed support 2GB's of ram, the 2.4 kernel has supported it for as long as I've been a support tech, and the presumption that slackware has a memory limit is asinine.

Further, I ordered the server and the ram at the same time so this is something that should have been handled when the server was first provisioned. This is a purely hardware and server configuration based issue and fits squarely within the domain and responsibility of you and your support.

I am rapidly losing faith in your service. I need a resolution, or at least an investigation! As a Level 3 support tech myself (Google: "DrZigMan" Level 3 Support first result) I humbly request that you either resolve this issue, or escalate it to someone with the expertise required to assist me in diagnosing this problem. If you are unable or unwilling to do so please tell me now and save us both the frustration and time and I will take my business elsewhere.

I apologize for my tone, but I am growing rather frustrated. I await your response.

Best Regards,
DrZigMan






Date: 10-15-2006 1:24am CDT
Subject: No subject
Posted by DrZigMan

Actually I apologize, it appears you did check the memory status...

499 free
500 cat /proc/meminfo

I apologize for that incorrect assestment.






Subject: No subject
Posted by FDCservers Support (Staff)

i was not saying that there was an issue with slackware, i was stating that there is some sort of limitation in the installation on your server. the hardware is fine, as its being detected in bios, and as stated is physically in the server. the issue resides in the OS only. we do not provide managed servers and this falls under that category. we have done a default install for you on the correct hardware.

-FDCservers

[drzigman]

So now I stand here having to work on this RAM issue on my own and I feel that that isn't right. Please let me know if you feel that my assestment of the situation is too harsh, but I really feel this is something the datacenter should be helping with. Please keep this experince in mind when considering your next dedicated server.

Best Regards,
DrZigMan

[CChrisB]

Sorry to hear about your negative experience so far. Hopefully FDCservers will make it right for you.

BTW, How long has it been that you ordered the RAM for your server?

[drzigman]

About a week and change, but keep in mind that I orded the ram when I orded the server, it's not like I added it on later.

[coax]

Well technically speaking if it does indeed fall under an OS only situation, then you are on your own.
You could however research what might be causing this and then tell them to remove the RAM.

If I were you I would have the ram removed, and then do some research on why the ram isn't being detected in the OS, and try to fix it.
If that fails I would maybe get a server at another place where you in advance ask them if there has been any issues with ram and Slack.

[coax]

Originally Posted by drzigman

About a week and change, but keep in mind that I orded the ram when I orded the server, it's not like I added it on later.

But they say:

"we have done a default install for you on the correct hardware."

Does that mean the ram was put in after the original provisioning before you received your log in info?

[CretaForce]

Slackware default 2.4.x kernel doesn't support more than 1GB ram. You have to recompile the kernel. It's not FDC issue but a slackware issue

[coax]

And there you go

[Shock Hosts]

Still FDC's support was crap.

[GlossyHost-Mike]

FDC is horrible from my past experience...well in terms of server reliability and support anyway. I'm glad I moved to layeredtech and SM

[music]

You are inviting trouble posting your complete IP in any public forum .

[layer0]

Originally Posted by joshcrick

Still FDC's support was crap.

FDC responded very quickly to ticket replies in this case and tried their best to help out. They went beyond what an unmanaged provider should be doing already. What more do you expect from them?