emcat down?!

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geh926

geh926

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So I'm trying to take my last FL this morning, AAMC 11 before my test thursday but emcat won't let me. Right after I click on any of my tests, I get this popup:

A communications error has occurred. This typically occurs due to a brief interruption in local Internet service. This error requires you to restart your test. When you click OK, your test will restart to the last question you have seen and no data or time will be lost.

Click Cancel to exit the test.

I've tried clearing my cache, signing out and back in, using chrome, firefox, IE, and even went to a different place in case it was due to internet connection. Nothing seems to work? Any ideas?! 😕

To make matters worse, it's a holiday so I can't even contact tech support 🙁
 
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geh926 said:
So I'm trying to take my last FL this morning, AAMC 11 before my test thursday but emcat won't let me. Right after I click on any of my tests, I get this popup:

A communications error has occurred. This typically occurs due to a brief interruption in local Internet service. This error requires you to restart your test. When you click OK, your test will restart to the last question you have seen and no data or time will be lost.

Click Cancel to exit the test.

I've tried clearing my cache, signing out and back in, using chrome, firefox, IE, and even went to a different place in case it was due to internet connection. Nothing seems to work? Any ideas?! 😕



To make matters worse, it's a holiday so I can't even contact tech support 🙁
Click to expand...

I cant get in either
 
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Good to know it wasn't just something with my computer. This sucks though, n it happens on my last (and most important) FL.
 
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geh926 said:
So I'm trying to take my last FL this morning, AAMC 11 before my test thursday but emcat won't let me. Right after I click on any of my tests, I get this popup:

A communications error has occurred. This typically occurs due to a brief interruption in local Internet service. This error requires you to restart your test. When you click OK, your test will restart to the last question you have seen and no data or time will be lost.

Click Cancel to exit the test.

I've tried clearing my cache, signing out and back in, using chrome, firefox, IE, and even went to a different place in case it was due to internet connection. Nothing seems to work? Any ideas?! 😕

To make matters worse, it's a holiday so I can't even contact tech support 🙁
Click to expand...

yeah mine isnt working either. ive tried clicking ok over and over but no dice...
 
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i tried clicking too..worked for 2 seconds and that sign came up again. Maybe this is the AAMC's way of telling us to take the day off?😎
 
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Download the PDF! IT works! Of course now we have to grade and time it ourselves.... or save the answers and enter them when its fixed.

Good luck everyone!
​
 
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I'm just trying to review a test I took yesterday, but like someone else suggested, I pressed okay a bunch of times and it finally worked. I can get into the old test.

Edit: Just kidding, it only let me do the first page, then it crashed again. I shall resume being angry.
 
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i seriously cant believe this


i just paid 35$ this morning for a new exam hoping to take it today - school starts tomorrow 🙁
 
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areserine said:
I'm just trying to review a test I took yesterday, but like someone else suggested, I pressed okay a bunch of times and it finally worked. I can get into the old test.

Edit: Just kidding, it only let me do the first page, then it crashed again. I shall resume being angry.
Click to expand...

This made me laugh; but seriously, this sux. I guess I'll just get up really early and take it tomorrow morning before class, but it still feels like a waste. On the bright side, this is making me review my formulas and the little things I had put off...
 
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jingjing99 said:
This made me laugh; but seriously, this sux. I guess I'll just get up really early and take it tomorrow morning before class, but it still feels like a waste. On the bright side, this is making me review my formulas and the little things I had put off...
Click to expand...

Agreed. I am going over my notes, formulas and watching videos on things I don't understand now. Either way - I'll live. It is annoying though.
 
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So, e-mcat.com claims that you can only report technical issues via email, but I tracked down the actual online service provider for their tests, which is ITS - Internet Testing Systems.

I called their main number listed on their website (410-889-2200) and picked the menu option for "urgent issues" which took me to their 24 hr tech support line, where I logged a ticket asking them to page the oncall support staff.

I did make sure to tell the person answering the phone that I'm not the only one having problems, but maybe it would help escalate the issue if a few more people called in.

Really hoping this gets fixed soon! :xf: :xf: :xf:
 
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Im having the same issue. these guys are fully of surprises. one of the most important exam for many of the students and all you get is tough love.
 
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IS THERE A TIME ESTIMATE OF WHEN THIS WILL BE FIXED? IT HAS BEEN DOWN SINCE LAST NIGHT. EVERY MINUTE IS CRUCIAL! I AM SURE OTHER SEPTEMBER TEST TAKERS FEEL THE SAME WAY!!!! 😕 Guess we all just need to stay positive! lol somehow..
 
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RSum said:
IS THERE A TIME ESTIMATE OF WHEN THIS WILL BE FIXED? IT HAS BEEN DOWN SINCE LAST NIGHT. EVERY MINUTE IS CRUCIAL! I AM SURE OTHER SEPTEMBER TEST TAKERS FEEL THE SAME WAY!!!! 😕 Guess we all just need to stay positive! lol somehow..
Click to expand...
Can you call them please, at the number I described in my previous post?

Unless enough people call to report the problem, the people whose job it is to fix it are going to remain blissfully unaware, enjoying their holiday weekend.

ocellicyst said:
I wonder if it has anything to do with ISPs.
Click to expand...
Because it's affecting so many of us in different places using different providers, no, It has nothing to do with anyone's individual ISP.

The problem is on their side. Please call tech support to help "motivate" them. 🙂
 
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Called in as well. I would rather not take the practice test on paper as I do mark the questions that I felt were difficult. Hopefully they will act upon this soon... wanted to finish my last practice test today!
 
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Yeah it was a longshot...I just know comcast is notorious for sucking. As I said before, it's probably e-mcat server, but for whatever reason when I went to the library, it seemed to work. Maybe I just got lucky . . . multiple times lol
 
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brrenters said:
Called in as well. I would rather not take the practice test on paper as I do mark the questions that I felt were difficult. Hopefully they will act upon this soon... wanted to finish my last practice test today!
Click to expand...
Thank you.

It's pointless to just post on SDN complaining about it being down. We have to call the people who can do something about it.
 
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Try a different browser! emcat did not work on chrome for me but when I tried it with internet explorer, it did. So see if that works.
 
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Did you try going through multiple pages of the test? It worked for a bit for me, but began to repeatedly crash later on, and I believe that is what others have been experiencing as well.

Regardless, tried with chrome and safari - same issue.
Anywho, I encourage everyone to give them a call. When I called, the operator was not terribly concerned, so it wouldn't hurt to get more support.
 
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datanator said:
Try a different browser! emcat did not work on chrome for me but when I tried it with internet explorer, it did. So see if that works.
Click to expand...

A different browser does not work. It will probably work for like a passage, and then it gives the same message. If you keep clicking okay after that dialogue box pops up, you will get it to work eventually, but good luck getting it to stay like that. You can also try to open and close the test multiple times. Thats worked for me at least.

Honestly though, the best method would probably be to just do the PDF if you are really so pressed for time. If not, just wait until they fix the problem.
 
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brrenters said:
Did you try going through multiple pages of the test? It worked for a bit for me, but began to repeatedly crash later on, and I believe that is what others have been experiencing as well.
Click to expand...
Exactly. The problem comes and goes. By being persistent I can sometimes get from one page to the next, hitting OK repeatedly to reload. Thank goodness I'm only doing the un-timed self-assessment.

brrenters said:
Anywho, I encourage everyone to give them a call. When I called, the operator was not terribly concerned, so it wouldn't hurt to get more support.
Click to expand...
Exactly. The way it works is that there's some poor person (probably getting paid close to minimum wage) who is stuck working the **** holiday shift. Their job is to just answer the phone, get some basic info, and send it along to the person who actually has the skills to solve it.

Picture yourself as that skilled IT guy/gal sitting on a boat in the middle of the lake with a beer, enjoying a rare day off. Every now and then you wonder if you might have just heard some sort of fuzzy vibration coming from your pager buried deep in your backpack... eh, nevermind... it seems to have stopped. Oh well, if it's that important they'll call again, right? Or maybe your pager is in the car - wouldn't want to drop it in the lake now would we! :laugh:

If the telephone-answering-person gets enough phone calls, s/he'll eventually realize that, huh, for whatever reason, IT guy/gal isn't getting or isn't responding to the pages. At that point, s/he will try to call a different IT guy/gal, or escalate to their boss. Eventually someone will get motivated enough to do something to fix this.

Be polite to the poor person stuck with the **** job on the holiday, but keep calling.
 
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Dianyla said:
So, e-mcat.com claims that you can only report technical issues via email, but I tracked down the actual online service provider for their tests, which is ITS - Internet Testing Systems.

I called their main number listed on their website (410-889-2200) and picked the menu option for "urgent issues" which took me to their 24 hr tech support line, where I logged a ticket asking them to page the oncall support staff.

I did make sure to tell the person answering the phone that I'm not the only one having problems, but maybe it would help escalate the issue if a few more people called in.

Really hoping this gets fixed soon! :xf: :xf: :xf:
Click to expand...

👍👍👍👍 Right on! Pester them for our attention we must.

datanator said:
Try a different browser! emcat did not work on chrome for me but when I tried it with internet explorer, it did. So see if that works.
Click to expand...

Also brilliant, but no dice for me.

Ever more important than some of that end-of-the-stretch studying, however, is not letting this kind of thing break confidence or focus.

My%2Bjimmies%2Bremain%2Bunrustled%2B_f97b6b0acfa9e388d04fecf6abf3d37a.jpg
 
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Got a call back from what seemed like one of the technicians who the operator relayed our message to. Had no ETA for us, but said they have a team working on the issue right now and they acknowledge that it is in fact an issue with their server.
 
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Indeed - they also confirmed that it was currently their "top priority issue" - I then had a funny chat with the guy about how clearly, though understandably, neurotic and concerned we all (the callers) were/are.
 
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SrootsWwings said:
Indeed - they also confirmed that it was currently their "top priority issue" - I then had a funny chat with the guy about how clearly, though understandably, neurotic and concerned we all (the callers) were/are.
Click to expand...
Awesome! Thanks for calling, and glad to hear it's in progress!

Plz to haz fixed soons kthxbai! :meanie:
 
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ebasappa said:
where? o.0



Right?? I woke up pretty motivated today too... -___-
Click to expand...

Seriously, I even danced like an idiot before what would have been the final practice.

Now, I'm not sure what to do with this practice exam since I'm on Thursday. I feel bad that I'm still studying this close to the exam, but I only found my fire about 2-3 days ago. Hopefully, this little incident doesn't dampen our spirits. Stay strong, everyone! 👍

And tell me when its up again....:xf:
 
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