My Real-Life Documented Experience with Sharkspace (Sharkspace Hosting Review)
So I moved from my webhost of 2+ years to Sharkspace.com since they have been good serving a site I just acquired from a friend that holds lots of videos streaming online. Never went down so I thought, they are good.
First, I got one reseller account from them. And the chain of casualties started.
MY FIRST SHARKSPACE RESELLER ACCOUNT
[June 13, 2011] Sharkspace was so kind enough to move all my files from my old webhost. And they did it FAST! Then they deleted the files from my old webhost since they already moved them to my brand new Sharkspace reseller account.
As usual, they gave me my WHM access and password.
First issue: WHM access not working.
So I contacted their Help desk.
Alex K. responded: “I have reset your WHM password. The login details are bellow.”
******
(Disclaimer: bellow was not from me, that’s exactly his word.)
Second issue: I can’t find my files inside the WHM.
Alex K. responded: “The issue has been fixed now. Please check it.”
Third issue: “New problem, the new user/pass you gave is no longer working…”
Jacob R. responded: “Please go through the following link for resetting the password. https://www.sharkspace.com/sharkcenter/knowledgebase.php?action=displayarticle&id=37 Please reset the cpanel password for ‘Username: fireball’ and this will rest the password for WHM too.”
Password Change Failed!
I tried twice, keeps on failing.
Chris T. responded:
I am able to see that the provided logins are not working. In order to login to WHM, you need to reset the password. To reset your Cpanel/WHM password (used to reset a lost password or to set a new password for you account)
Go to the SharkCenter http://www.sharkspace.com/sharkcenter
Click “Client Area” and login.
Click “My Products & Services” from the top menu that appears once you are logged in.
Click view details image next to the account you want to change the password for.
Scroll down to “Change Password” and enter your new password and click update.
You now will be able to login to Cpanel with that password. (if you have a reseller account it will reset your WHM password also)
I said: “I followed the steps, it’s an easy instruction. BUT is says: “Password Change Failed!” I tried many times, keeps on failing. Try it your self please and see… I followed the instructions, Chris. But the system doesn’t allow me to change passwords…”
Then Chris T. replied: “I have now reset your cPanel/WHM logins. You can use the following details for login to cPanel/WHM/”
Whoa! You can do it anyway, why not do it on the first time the problem occured?
I logged in again but… Login Attempt Failed! — for both cPanel and WHM…
Jacob R. responded: “This has been fixed. Please do check now.”
Why does it keep on happening? Working for a while then will fail…
Anyway, we proceeded with our own lives.
MY SECOND SHARKSPACE RESELLER ACCOUNT
[July 18, 2011] Since the problem on my first reseller account is just a minor one, I needed MORE web hosting so I bought another one. And TWO MORE the next day. Until…
WARNING: The following is a technical conversation.
Chat Content:
Jim: [11:55:36 PM] Welcome to our real-time support chat. How can I help you today?
Ian del Carmen: [11:55:36 PM] Internal Server Error at http://****.com/test/videos/
Jim: [11:55:41 PM] Hello,
Ian del Carmen: [11:56:07 PM] Hi Jim! Please help, maybe some configuration settings on the server. http://****.com/test/videos/
Jim: [11:56:13 PM] Please hold on
Ian del Carmen: [11:58:09 PM] also here btw http://****.com/test/view/1/test-video-embed.html
Jim: [12:01:17 AM] On checking this I could no found directory names “view” and “videos”
[12:01:30 AM] named*
Ian del Carmen: [12:02:35 AM] it’s created by the script at http://****.com/test/ it should be fixed thru .htaccess can you fix?
Jim: [12:05:46 AM] Please check now
Ian del Carmen: [12:13:25 AM] it goes to 404 error
[12:14:45 AM] The script requires:
[12:14:46 AM] Requires a PHP5 Apache server
MySQL database
HTACCESS support with mod_rewrite
LibCurl
Ability to add cron jobs
IonCube loaders (supplied with script)
Your host to enable ioncube on your server
Jim: [12:15:32 AM] Could you please post a support ticket including exact steps to recreate the issue.
Ian del Carmen: [12:15:46 AM] It should work the same as this demo, pls check http://demos.****.com/***-video-script/
Jim: [12:17:28 AM] the requested files are no available in the server find . -iname test-video-embed.html
root@s3k9 [/home/****/public_html]#
Ian del Carmen: [12:18:17 AM] isn’t it a .htaccess issue?
[12:18:31 AM] or file permissions issue?
Jim: [12:18:47 AM] The Error 404 “Page not found” is the error page displayed whenever someone asks for a page that’s simply not available on your site.
Ian del Carmen: [12:19:54 AM] it should be available as created by the script, see demo: http://demos.****.com/***-video-script/ running correctly
[12:20:24 AM] for sure it’s either .htaccess or permissions problem, can you check?
Jim: [12:21:59 AM] It is not a permission issue
Ian del Carmen: [12:22:23 AM] what could be the problem?
Is mod_rewrite enabled here?
Jim Matthew: “Yes, mod_rewrite enabled. on checking this I could not found the file test-video-embed.html. Please note that the Error 404 “Page not found” is the error page displayed whenever someone asks for a page that’s simply not available your site . So you should upload the file test-video-embed.html under the direcoty /home/****/public_html/test/view/1/.”
Jim, are you familiar with scripts that auto-generate files and show them on the browser based on .htaccess and file permissions?
Jacob R. responded: “Sorry, but we are not much familiar with such scripts that auto generate files and show them on the browser based on .htaccess and file permissions. If you want to redirect to any other location, you need to upload the required contents otherwise it will show the error 404 only.”
AARGH! How can a web hosting service’s TECHNICAL support team not be technical?
Another problem happened.
These sites got CRITICAL ERRORS: http://yourpaymentlink.com/**/ & http://yourpaymentlink.com/**/
Pls don’t tell me the database dropped again as before, this site is critical because this holds our company’s shopping carts and THIS can NOT be down even for just a sec…
So far, what has been done are below…
Chat Content:
Jim: [12:10:54 AM] Welcome to our real-time support chat. How can I help you today?
Ian del Carmen: [12:10:54 AM] Site http://yourpaymentlink.com/**/ showing /Index again
[12:11:35 AM] Can you see?
[12:13:04 AM] hello?
[12:16:09 AM] Anybody home?
Jim: [12:16:43 AM] Hello Ian
Ian del Carmen: [12:16:58 AM] Site http://yourpaymentlink.com/**/ showing /Index again
Jim: [12:17:14 AM] It seems the index file missing.
Ian del Carmen: [12:17:41 AM] pls don’t tell me the database dropped again as before, this site is critical because this holds our company’s shopping carts and THIS can NOT be down even for just a sec…
[12:18:02 AM] Yes that’s why I’m contacting you.
Jim: [12:18:03 AM] Please give me the database name
Ian del Carmen: [12:18:28 AM] Jim, pls coordinate with Jacob etc, they are the ones who moved that site from our old webhost
Jim: [12:18:57 AM] ok
Ian del Carmen: [12:19:05 AM] Are they there right now?
[12:19:18 AM] because this is VERY CRITICAL and VERY URGENT
Jim: [12:22:17 AM] Please hold on
Ian del Carmen: [12:22:43 AM] yes please. thanks
Jim: [12:26:45 AM] Ian, there isn’t any index file on the folder fireball.
[12:26:57 AM] Can you give me the database associated with it
Ian del Carmen: [12:27:41 AM] As I said, Jacob is the one who moved the site from our old server. There are lots of databases on that account. I dunno which one.
Jim: [12:28:28 AM] Ian, there are only 3 databases associated with the account on the server.
[12:28:42 AM] yourpay_*** , yourpay_*** ,
[12:28:49 AM] yourpay_***
[12:29:00 AM] Jacob is not availale currently.
Ian del Carmen: [12:29:09 AM] please check their backup from old server, they just moved it just a few days ago
Jim: [12:29:42 AM] Pleasespecify which database you need and we shall restore it.
Ian del Carmen: [12:30:04 AM] this happened with http://yourpaymentlink.com/**/ which had yourpay_*** but that’s a different installation, all working now. But not http://yourpaymentlink.com/**/ which has the error currently
[12:30:54 AM] Can you see the backup from the old server? It should be there. It’s Sunday and I have no one to help me. Just the two of us man.
Jim: [12:36:37 AM] Let me check Ian
Ian del Carmen: [12:42:22 AM] there you go: database=yourpay_***
Jim: [12:44:00 AM] Yes
[12:44:10 AM] I got the error on link now
[12:44:33 AM] I am checking the backup
Ian del Carmen: [12:51:35 AM] yeah thanks
[12:51:47 AM] btw, this one here has 500 Internal server error http://yourpaymentlink.com/**/
Jim: [1:00:55 AM] The 500 error should be gone now
Ian del Carmen: [1:02:20 AM] Yeah, but same errors for both now http://yourpaymentlink.com/**/ & http://yourpaymentlink.com/**/
Jim: [1:03:07 AM] The issue is that both dbs are missing fromthe server
[1:04:40 AM] Ian, can create both databases from the cpanel and post a ticket,we shall restore the dbs from our r1soft backup.
Ian del Carmen: [1:07:22 AM] I’ll post this conversation as a ticket. Thanks!
Gino S. responded on the ticket: “I am restoring the databases from the old server. Shall update you once completed.”
After more than an hour… “The links are working fine now. Please do check.”
I responded: “How can we be sure this will NOT happen next time? We can’t always restore from the backup from the old server as the database is being added to every single day. Not unless you are using your own daily backup.”
Jim Matthew responded: “Please make your account secure by changing the cpanel password. This doesn’t seem to be a server side issue. Please make sure all your passwords are secure.”
Huh? How can it be NOT a server-side issue? The databases keep on dropping!
MY THIRD AND FOURTH SHARKSPACE RESELLER ACCOUNT
[July 19, 2011] I asked them to move the sites from my old web host to this one…
Order Number is: 6679577197 Domain: fireballx.com
This is a new reseller account. I need your help to move some accounts from my old webhost.Here is the whm access:
http://****.com/whm/
User: ****
Pass: ****Please move this site/databases to main reseller acct fireballx.com:
http://FireballX.comPlease move these sites/databases as new accounts on my reseller acct:
(in order of priority)http://MembershipWholesaler.com
http://MembersArea.us
http://1MembersArea.com <– NOTE THIS SITE! You’ll know why in the future…
http://VIPAccess2.com
http://TheMembershipCode.com
http://MembershipMarketers.com
http://MembershipScam.com
http://MembershipSiteBlueprint.com
http://MemberWish.comhttp://HotMarketingVideos.com
http://HotMarketingVideos.net
http://TurboMembershipPlus.com
http://TurboWholesaler.com
http://ContentWholesaler.com
http://NicheWholesaler.com
http://TemplatesWholesaler.com
http://AppWholesaler.com
http://AudioVideoWholesaler.com
http://BlogWholesaler.com
http://BonusWholesaler.com
http://EzineWholesaler.com
http://GiveawayWholesaler.com
http://OTOWholesaler.com
http://ReviewWholesaler.com
http://RightsWholesaler.com
http://TurboContinuityProgram.com
http://InstantNicheHeaders.net
http://StealTheseArticles.net
http://TurboTrafficClub.net
http://TurboJVM.com
http://TurboJVGiveaway.com
http://LizTomeyCoaching.com
http://OriginalEproducts.com
http://Tradingology2.com
http://AmazingAutomation.com/
http://scssp.com/Thanks!
Gino S. replied: “If you are using the Cpanel control panel at your current host we can help restore your accounts on SharkSpace servers. All you will need to do is access the Cpanel accounts you want transferred then click Backups –> Download or Generate a Full Web Site Backup –> Select Remote FTP Server –> Enter your SharkSpace account details (example below):
Remote Server: use the temp IP from your welcome email for the host
Remote User: your SharkSpace Cpanel account username
Remote Password: your SharkSpace Cpanel account password)
Port: 21
Remote Dir: /
Click Generate Backup this will automatically backup and transfer your accounts to your SharkSpace reseller account.
http://www.sharkspace.com/hosting-glossary.html#“
I said: “Hi! I gave you the full whm access. You can access everything from there…”
I gave you full access to my WHM so you can move all the sites I want to move to Sharkspace. Thanks!
Sharkspace boasts of this and they do it, in all fairness to them…
Free Account Transfer
Whoever said changing web hosts was difficult? With SharkSpace its easy. If your old host uses the Cpanel control panel and allows the creation of “Full Backups” SharkSpace can transfer your website right after you order. All you need to do is open a support ticket and include your old host’s IP address (or your domain name if you haven’t changed your name servers), username and password. After your account is restored all you will need to do is change your domain name servers to the ones provided by SharkSpace in the welcome email and your site will be working off SharkSpace servers.
Jacob R. says: “Could you please get back to us with the username of the accounts which you want to transfer, then we will transfer the accounts to here?”
I replied: “Username of each cPanel? Is the WHM access not enough? Thanks!”
They started moving all the files. Including…
Yes, 1MembersArea.com was there. Fully restored. Follow this story and you’ll see how this exact site was compromised.
There we some issues here and there like: “When I go to http://NicheWholesaler.com my computer wants to download a file named “application/x-httpd-php” which they resolved: “The error has been resolved. The entry in .htaccess should be ” AddHandler application/x-httpd-php .html .htm” but keep in mind that all sites were working on my old web host.
[August 8, 2011] Do you know what could be the problem why it shows 404 still at http://****.com/shop/ when you click any of the links?
Jacob R. replied: “I have checked this and could see that the required files are missing while accessing the links. Please see the logs below:
=====
[Mon Aug 08 04:31:43 2011] [error] [client 122.166.65.174] File does not exist: /home/****/public_html/shop/categories, referer: http://www.****.com/shop/?s=p
[Mon Aug 08 04:31:43 2011] [error] [client 122.166.65.174] File does not exist: /home/****/public_html/404.shtml, referer: http://www.****.com/shop/?s=p
=====
Please check and verify if all the required files are there in the required paths. You can upload the contents using your cpanel>file manager or using ftp.”
Chat Content:
Jacob: [3:19:06 AM] Welcome to our real-time support chat. How can I help you today?
Ian del Carmen: [3:19:06 AM] http://****.com/ not redirecting properly
[3:19:32 AM] It says: No input file specified.
[3:20:02 AM] What PHP version do we have? It should redirect properly when using this as index.php
[3:20:16 AM] <?php
header( ‘Location: http://www.****.com/shop/’; ) ;
?>
Jacob: [3:27:41 AM] Please hold on Ian
[3:30:06 AM] This seems to be issue with the script ian
[3:30:12 AM] you will have to check the codes
Ian del Carmen: [3:30:27 AM] ha? It’s standard php redirect script man
[3:31:02 AM] see this: http://php.about.com/od/learnphp/ht/phpredirection.htm
[3:32:36 AM] see this file http://****.com/index.php
[3:33:10 AM] I honestly think there’s something wrong with your server as even my other sites give 404 for some pages. See http://****.com/shop/ and click any link
Jacob: [3:33:54 AM] http://www.****.com/shop/?s=r seems fine
[3:34:03 AM] can you give me the exact link which causes issue
Ian del Carmen: [3:34:10 AM] click other links on that page
Jacob: [3:34:15 AM] ok
[3:34:18 AM] let me check
Ian del Carmen: [3:34:43 AM] FIRST, http://****.com doesn’t redirect using the php code (which always works on our other servers, not Sharkspace)
Jacob: [3:34:57 AM] ok
Ian del Carmen: [3:34:59 AM] SECOND, see the links at http://****.com/shop/
Jacob: [3:48:29 AM] Ian, i see you have opened the ticket
[3:48:37 AM] I shall update you via the ticket.
Jacob R. replied: “From the logs, it is clear that the folder “categories” is not there under the directory “shop” for this domain.
====
[Mon Aug 08 05:30:01 2011] [error] [client 115.119.58.210] File does not exist: /home/aperstoc/public_html/shop/categories, referer: http://****.com/shop/
[Mon Aug 08 05:30:01 2011] [error] [client 115.119.58.210] File does not exist: /home/aperstoc/public_html/404.shtml, referer: http://****.com/shop/
====
I replied: “I hope there’s a programmer in your team so you all understand that it’s NOT required to have that folder on your server to run something on the site. That is why they work as SCRIPTS so they run exactly as they are supposed to. Please ask the top guy in your team to explain this to everyone in your technical team.”
Jacob R.: “Sorry, but the support to coding is limited from our desk. That is why I suggest you to contact your developer to see if there are any settings to be change on the server in order for this to work so that we will make the change for you.”
Ian del Carmen: “It should be the same setting from the old webhost. When moving sites from server to server, it’s your responsibility to see that the settings are the same. Sites and scripts should not be moved incompletely. Please ask your immediate supervisors to email me asap to discuss this. Thank you.”
[August 9, 2011] The calvary continued.
Please ask someone more knowledgable from your team to help me. Thanks!
Reference:
Gino: [4:06:34 AM] Welcome to our real-time support chat. How can I help you today?
Ian del Carmen: [4:06:34 AM] Internal server errors
Gino: [4:06:39 AM] Hello
Ian del Carmen: [4:06:54 AM] Internal server errors: http://my.***.com/browse/videos/z/0/1/RecentlyAdded
Gino: [4:07:07 AM] Let me check
[4:12:01 AM] I have checked and could not see a file name browse under your public_html directory
Ian del Carmen: [4:12:14 AM] FYI, here’s the installation page: http://my.***.com/backoffice/Installation.html
[4:12:33 AM] I told you a million times you don’t need to see that folder to make the script work!
[4:14:08 AM] Let me show you something, Gino: http://my.***.com/videos/6/current-size.html now look for those files/folders on the server. You will not see them BUT there’s a page here: http://my.***.com/videos/6/current-size.html
[4:14:14 AM] Basic programming man…
[4:14:41 AM] now pls solve my Internal server error issues or give the problem to another staff in your company…
Gino: [4:15:59 AM] Please hold on
[4:21:22 AM] The problem seems to be with script issue.
[4:21:40 AM] Could you please check this with your programmers.
Ian del Carmen: [4:23:26 AM] it’s called: Internal server error <–
[4:23:51 AM] let’s try to see the words again: Internal SERVER error…
[4:24:06 AM] you know what that means Gino?
Gino: [4:25:20 AM] I have checked this and could see the error log as below:
[4:25:23 AM] Request exceeded the limit of 10 internal redirects due to probable configuration error. Use ‘LimitInternalRecursion’ to increase the limit if necessary. Use ‘LogLevel debug’ to get a backtrace.
[4:25:51 AM] Request exceeded the limit of 10 internal redirects due to probable configuration error. Use ‘LimitInternalRecursion’ to increase the limit if necessary. Use ‘LogLevel debug’ to get a backtrace., referer: http://my.***.com/rotator.swf
Ian del Carmen: [4:28:03 AM] Please ask someone more knowledgable from your team to help me. Thanks!
Gino S. replied to the ticket, yes still him from the chat: “This should be fixed now. Please check this from your end.”
“Can you tell us what you did? The error pages only redirects to the homepage at this time…” I asked.
He replied: “I have changed the name index.html to index.php inside your .htaccess file. Could you please check now.”
I said: “Not right.”
He asked: “Could you please confirm me whether this account have been migrated from remote server and it is working fine in that server. If yes please let me know the remote server logins so that we can try to restore it again.”
MY FINAL DECISION (best I did so far) — “It was working. No problem, we’re moving this site to another web hosting provider. Thank you.”
FIRST REFUND AND CANCELLATION
“This will not work. Please View Ticket #947781. Please cancel and refund this account. ****.com Atlantic Reseller account.”
And they said: “You have signed up for this account on “06/13/2011″. Refunds are available for the first 30 days only as per the money back guarantee. Please confirm if you still want to cancel it.”
Fine, no refunds. I just asked for it to be cancelled so no more future billings…
Important note: If you have an active Paypal subscription please remember to cancel it at Paypal.com
Now, I still have 3 reseller accounts at Sharkspace.com …
I contacted them again: “Some files are missing at http://****.com/mobile/ - kindly restore your latest backup file for http://****.com/mobile/”
Gino S. assisted: “I have restored the directory as per your request. Please check now and let us know if you need further assistance.”
Still the same.
Check http://****.com/mobile/
I told you earlier that its missing a file and after restoring did you check if it still have the same result? guess what its still the same
Now all of the following directory have the same missing files again
Can your server can really handle our sites?
Here is the list:
Still Missing Files. A shopping cart is installed here
http://****.com/mobile/
Again with the Internal Server Error. Shopping carts are installed here
http://****.com/fbooks/
http://****.com/fsoft/
http://****.com/fmulti/
http://****.com/bavi/
http://****.com/imme/
Gino S. replied: “I am forwarding this to our senior admin and he will get back to you asap.”
ACCOUNTS SUSPENDED!
[August 30, 2011] I contacted their help desk again…
“Can you explain why all our accounts are suspended?”
Can you check all of our whm accounts and sites?
[Content protected for registered subscribers only. Register here or login here.]
Aaron K. replied: “I see that the account is already active as you have completed the payment. You were sent multiple emails regarding the pending invoices. You see see the proof of those emails in your SharkCenter Client Area under the “My Emails” tab.”
Me: “Aaron, I never received notifications via email. You should email to our email and not here. Do you expect your customers to check this Client Area daily? I was so hot headed and that’s the only thing you’ll say? Are you serious??”
Aaron K.: “The emails that you see in the Client Area were sent to your email address. So it is a copy of the email sent to your email address that you see in the Client Area for reference.”
“Aaron, are you one of those incompetent staff here at Sharkspace? Do you even know how to turn mad customers to be happy customers again???”
Aaron K.: “We will update you in Ticket ID: #471069″
MOVING ON…
My up-coming new web host as recommended by my good friend Frank Bauer gave me an advise so we can proceed with all the moves…
Hi! This goes for my fireballonline.com, fireballinternet.com, and fireballx.com accounts.
I need a repository of cPanel backups. Maybe you can make a folder for me that we can access. Right now, copying accounts using the “FTP backup” feature doesn’t work, and we cannot do cPanel to cPanel restore.
So we’re in kind of a pickle here.
We can usually cPanel to cPanel transfer. But it doesn’t work for some reason. A malconfiguration on your end perhaps? Or security?
We can then usually fallback on an FTP Backup method, but, it isn’t generating the backups to our other server. This is probably because you block outbound traffic on port 21 (FTP).
I want you to copy all my account backups to a folder that I can retrieve. I am interested in a person off site backup solution and want to send these there.
Chris T. replied: “Could you please confirm the accounts for which you need the backups, so that we can copy the backup and provide you with the link to download the backup.”
I said: “All the accounts on my 3 services: fireballonline.com, fireballinternet.com, and fireballx.com”
Chris T. said: “You can make use of the cPanel option, cPanel >>Files >>Backups to create full backup of all the accounts under your reseller. So please login to your reseller cPanel and click the dropbox, ‘Switch Account’ on the top of the cPanel to select the account for which you need to generate the full backup. Please check it out and let us know if you need any further assistance.”
As told my up-coming web host, I said: “Chris, the load on the server makes this process extremely difficult. A 37MB account took over 1.5 hours to get generated. Having access to the ALREADY MADE backups YOU have in retention would make my life easier. As your client, it’s what I’d like to have access to. The server has daily, weekly, monthly backups. Pre-configured in WHM, at the root level. You could create a folder called ian, put my account backups – that already exist – in there, and link them to one of my sites, for download.”
Chris T. replied: “There is no ‘already taken’ backups for your accounts as we are not using cPanel local backups on daily, weekly or monthly – the backup existing for your server is the remote backup of r1Soft – that is not a cPanel backup, instead its the image of the disk that is backing up. For us to provide the cPanel full backup of these accounts, we will have to create the backup and copy somewhere in your account. It may take many days to complete it and will be a very slow process. That is why I suggested for taking backups from cPanel itself.”
I asked: “If I give you access to a remote server, can you move all those sites instead?”
And they replied: “Sorry we do not support this. You can contact your remote server admins regarding this.”
WARNING TO SHARKSPACE’S FUTURE CLIENTS AHEAD…
“So you can’t do anything for us to move our sites to our new server? You are fast at moving these sites from our old server, give a crappy service, and now we can’t get our sites to leave Sharkspace?”
Chris T. replied: “Please note that this is something we do not support. The transfer of accounts from our server should be done from your server. You can give your WHM login details to the remote server admins and they will transfer the accounts for you.”
I said: “The load on the server makes this process extremely difficult. A 37MB account took over 1.5 hours to get generated. Now what can you do about that?”
Jacob R. replied: “Cpanel backup processes are low priority and will take longer to complete. They are designed this way to help prevent load spikes during backups. The server load is normal for 4 CPU.”
And I said: “Guys, for the last time, I have to ask you to run all my backups and make them available. Any good and ethical webhost would do it for its users. Please send me the links to all the backups of these accounts now.”
We had no other way than do this next step…
MY FIRST VIRTUAL PRIVATE SERVER AT SHARKSPACE
[September 2, 2011] Yes, I still gave money to Sharkspace and bought a Virtual Private Server (VPS) …
Why? Read on but first…
DOUBLE INVOICE FOR THE VPS!
I contacted them: “You guys are just kidding right? :p https://www.sharkspace.com/sharkcenter/viewinvoice.php?id=124592 is ALREADY PAID. Now you still bill me this?? https://www.sharkspace.com/sharkcenter/viewinvoice.php?id=124604″
Aaron K. from Sales Dept replied: “i have cancelled the invoice now.”
Now that I got my new VPS so they can be the one to move the files from my reseller accounts to this new VPS…
I sent them this message: “Hi! Please move all our sites on the following reseller sites to our new VPS:
fireballinternet.com
fireballx.com
Please also move these 2 sites from the fireballonline.com Reseller Account:
fireballbooks.com
fireballsoftware.com
Let us know how this goes.
Thank you so much.”
Gino S. updates at 09/03/2011 02:52: “Since the accounts are of bigger size, it takes time for migration. We are in the process of migration. Shall update you once it is completed.”
09/03/2011 10:52 – “The restoration of all accounts under the reseller “firebal2″ is going on your vps. Also we are taking the backups of all accounts under the reseller “firebal1″ is going on the old server.”
Jim Matthew updates at 09/03/2011 23:33: “Restoration of the account fireballbooks.com (fbooks) is going on now.”
James S. updates at 09/04/2011 09:07: “Restoration of all accounts under your reseller accounts “firebal2″ and “firebal1″ completed on your vps. Now the restoration of account fireballbooks.com is going on. We will update you once completed.”
Some discrepancies occurred. I contacted them at 09/05/2011 01:47: “In our fireballinternet.com reseller account, there are 77 sites. And in fireballx.com there are 39. BUT we only see 115 sites in the VPS moved. You are missing one site. Please fix asap. Thanks!”
Issues weren’t fixed.
I messaged them again on 09/05/2011 04:18: “Did you find the missing site from the 2 resellers? Ref: In our fireballinternet.com reseller account, there are 77 sites. And in fireballx.com there are 39.
BUT we only see 115 sites in the VPS moved. You are missing one site. Please fix asap. Thanks!”
Jacob R. replied on 09/05/2011 07:03: “I have found out the missed domain which is wpshoutbox.com and I restored it to your vps. You can generate backup of your 2 domains fireballbooks.com and fireballsoftware.com from the cPanel itself through cPanel >> Files >> Backups. Please check this from your end.”
1MEMBERSAREA.COM IS LOST!
[09/14/2011 02:08] Sharkspace transfered all my accounts to my VPS, terminated my reseller accounts and I can’t find 1MembersArea.com… one of the main sites managing all my members and membership site resellers… my technical supervisor contacted them.
Chat Content:
Jacob: [2:10:15 AM] Welcome to our real-time support chat. How can I help you today?
Eruel Remulta: [2:10:15 AM] You transfered all our accounts to our VPS, terminated our reseller and we can’t find 1membersarea.com…
[2:10:27 AM] hi Jacob
[2:10:33 AM] You transfered all our accounts to our VPS, terminated our resellers and we can’t find 1membersarea.com…
Jacob: [2:10:39 AM] Hello Eruel
Eruel Remulta: [2:11:04 AM] you are using R1Soft right? where can I download that backup of 1membersarea.com?
Jacob: [2:13:08 AM] Eruel, can you give me the server on which your account was previously hosted so that i can check whther the backup is present
Eruel Remulta: [2:13:40 AM] it should be on Virtual Private Servers – WhaleShark VPS
[2:14:01 AM] http://174.136.55.171:2086
[2:15:11 AM] it was also on the old http://FireballX.com Reseller
[2:18:15 AM] The IP it was on: 174.136.35.100
The username that’s missing: members1
[2:20:23 AM] it was on server “s3k9.welcomesearchers.com”
Jacob: [2:20:36 AM] ok
[2:20:45 AM] Please hod on
Eruel Remulta: [2:20:46 AM] did you find it?
Jacob: [2:35:14 AM] Yes
[2:35:22 AM] The backup is present on the server
Eruel Remulta: [2:35:37 AM] Thanks, what is the link so we can download?
Jacob: [2:36:39 AM] Eruel, i see you have opend a ticket regarding this
[2:36:44 AM] i shall update you via ticket
Eruel Remulta: [2:37:00 AM] ok, pls post the link there. thank you
[2:38:14 AM] would also be great if you can restore it at http://174.136.55.171:2086/ but pls also post the backup link so we can download and secure the files
Jacob R. sent us an update via help desk on 09/14/2011 05:16: “regarding 1membersarea.com, the domain is removed from the server. But we do have the backup of the files for that domain. What we can do is to provide the files and databases for that domain. You need to create the domain under your WHM and need to place the files.”
We replied: “1membersarea.com now added at WHM URL: http://174.136.55.171:2086“
Jacob R. updated us on 09/14/2011 06:08: “I am working on this now. Please hold on.”
And on 09/14/2011 09:08: “The restore process is still in progress. Once it is completed we will create a zip file for the files and will give you the download URL.”
And on 09/15/2011 03:43: “The folder is being zipped, shall provide you with the backup soon.”
And on 09/16/2011 00:34, my technical supervisor contacted them again…
Chat Content:
Jacob: [7:55:58 AM] Welcome to our real-time support chat. How can I help you today?
Eruel Remulta: [7:55:58 AM] for Jacob, any update on 1membersarea.com?
[7:56:12 AM] hi jacob!
Jacob: [7:56:17 AM] Hello,
Eruel Remulta: [7:56:20 AM] what’s going on now?
Jacob: [7:56:47 AM] How can I help you today?
Eruel Remulta: [7:56:57 AM] any update on 1membersarea.com?
Jacob: [7:57:42 AM] Could you please elaborate your query please
Eruel Remulta: [7:58:58 AM] Jacob, you are working on the restore and backup right?
[7:59:24 AM] View Ticket #952019
[7:59:40 AM] you said yesterday it was already restoring, until now it’s not there
Jacob: [7:59:45 AM] Okay. I will update you through the ticket
Eruel Remulta: [7:59:58 AM] what’s the current update?
Jacob: [8:00:17 AM] We are currently zipping the file
Eruel Remulta: [8:00:23 AM] you said it was already restored and you’ll just zip it
[8:00:35 AM] I logged on and the site is still not restored
Jacob: [8:01:01 AM] yes Yesterday the zipping process was failed
Eruel Remulta: [8:01:38 AM] ohh
[8:01:49 AM] but it is still not on the VPS?
Jacob: [8:01:53 AM] folder is being now. Once it completed I will update you
Eruel Remulta: [8:01:56 AM] not yet restored?
[8:02:12 AM] already 3 days now jacob…
Jacob: [8:03:30 AM] For some reasons the zip process failed. Now we are regenerating the zip file
Eruel Remulta: [8:03:50 AM] ok that’s for the zip for us to download
[8:03:57 AM] but what about the move to the VPS?
Jacob: [8:04:56 AM] Once the Zip process completed we will transfer it to your VPS.
Eruel Remulta: [8:05:32 AM] no estimated time to finish?
[8:05:45 AM] please please finish it today
Jacob: [8:05:55 AM] Sure
Eruel Remulta: [8:06:07 AM] thanks i’ll wait again thru the ticket
Jacob R. said on 09/16/2011 08:21 – “Unfortunately the zip process failed. Now we are restoring the account, once it is completed we will create a zip file for the files and will give you the download link.”
Alex K. said on 09/16/2011 19:24 – “Sorry, but the account backup restoration got failed as the backup seems corrupt. Also now the backup is not available for this account “members1″ in any of the backup dates.”
I KNOW EVERYTHING HERE IS JUST PLAIN CRAZY!
I asked for cancellations of all my reseller accounts and VPS.
09/05/2011 20:16 - We would like to request for Cancellation and Refund for these accounts.
Aaron K. replied on 09/06/2011 08:55 – “The accounts have been cancelled now.”
Yes, they cancelled all the accounts. But where are the refunds? No worries about the first payments but my last payments from some days ago, they have to refund me as these are just newly-sent payments…
$24.95 USD
$24.95 USD
$54.95 USD
$77.95 USD
I asked: “How’s my refund?”
Aaron K. messaged me on 09/06/2011 09:09: “The account “fireballonline.com” has been closed now.”
I said: “You are not telling me anything about my refunds…”
Aaron K. replied: “You have signed up for this account on “07/18/2011″. As per the 30 day money back guarantee you can request for refund within the first 30 days only. So this account is not eligible for any refund now.”
I was shocked.
“WHAT??? I just paid for these 3 invoices a couple of days ago! And if that’s the case, you should not terminate these accounts as in essence, I already paid for all these. I still have until the end of the billing period until you can terminate them! Are you guys thinking??? I’m not asking for a refund of the July payments. What I’m asking is the refunds of the LAST payments.”
Aaron K. explained: “We do not offer refunds after the first 30 days as mentioned in the Terms of Service: http://www.sharkspace.com/termsofservice.html Any refund will be honored during the first 30 days only as per the 30 day money back guarantee.”
I said: “So you should not yet terminate my accounts and let me use them until the last day I paid right? I only requested cancellation and refund so cancel that on the last freaking day!!! Go and unterminate those accounts…”
He said: “Please note that cancellation requests are processed the same day. The following is mentioned in the cancellation page: After the cancellation form is submitted, SharkSpace reserves the right to immediately terminate your account.”
SO, SEEMS LIKE SHARKSPACE IS SCAMMING ME?
I went to PayPal and filed a dispute.
Aaron K. contacted me on 09/07/2011 14:52: “Have you cancelled the PayPal dispute?”
I said: “We’ll only cancel it if we get the refund, plain and simple.”
Guess what, guys! We’re not really happy with all these stuffs at Sharkspace and yes, you just lost a possible LIFETIME customer because you didn’t take care of us and your servers suck (see all our tickets for reference) so we’re also asking for a REFUND on this VPS. Please
1. REFUND
2. CANCEL THIS ACCOUNTASAP.
SHARKSPACE CEO JON EICHLER TO THE RESCUE? … NOT!
You be the judge. It’s the CEO himself! 
Promised the refund IF I revoke the dispute.
I did.
Then he stopped communicating and just sending this guy from out of nowhere…
Well, I’m no longer interested with the refunds. It’s just money. I can earn money without scamming people unlike this company here.
WONDERING WHAT HAPPENED TO 1MEMBERSAREA.COM?
Alex K. updated on 09/16/2011 19:24 – “Sorry, but the account backup restoration got failed as the backup seems corrupt. Also now the backup is not available for this account “members1″ in any of the backup dates.”
Alex K. updated on 09/16/2011 20:08 – “I am copying the files to /home/members1 in your VPS now. I will update you once the process is completed.”
Rodney G. (yes, that “coming-from-nowhere” Rodney G.) updated on 09/16/2011 21:05 – “Closing ticket per dispute.”
I said: “Rodney, I need the files and if you hold that because of the dispute, you’re in for a legal demand. Tell Jon to answer me here, he is the one communicating with me, not you! Tell me how much would it cost for you to send me my files of 1membersarea.com WHICH you didn’t move from my reseller account (and you already deactivated) to my VPS (which you already deactivated) and I am left here without my files.”
Alex K. updated on 09/16/2011 23:15 - “I am copying the files in to the VPS. I have already update it to you. I will update this when the process is completed.”
I said: “Thank you Alex. Tell Rodney NOT to butt-in on this conversation. I’ll wait for my download link of the files. Thank you very much.”
No, thank you Sharkspace. I’m not giving you any more money.
- Ian del Carmen, CeMC
Certified eMarketing Consultant
Internet Marketing Standards Board (IMSB)
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