Patch 5.4 patch notes
Virtual Realms feature revealed
The Proving Grounds are coming
The latest patch 5.4 newsServers back down: Mailboxes empty [Updated x2]
by Adam Holisky 
Nov 11th 2008 at 2:20PM
The realms were briefly up this afternoon. Anyone who logged into them was greeted with everything working smoothly – except for their mailbox.Many people found that they did not have the mail that was previously stored in their mailbox prior to the reset.
This is, of course, a big deal for bank alts and others who send tens of thousands of gold through the system. Blizzard has shut down the realms again, and is aware of the problem.
Update at 3:35pm: Syndri tells us that they are actively looking for a fix, and that as of yet none has been found. See our realm status post for more information about the extended downtime.
Update at 10:34pm: Mail will be reimbursed. More information.
We here at WoW Insider would like to encourage Blizzard to just fix it!
Stay tuned for more updates.
Updated 2:32pm: Syndri commented: ""...we are able to view many of the missing mail articles within players' inventories. Though this is promising, we've still neither ETA nor confirmed resolution available."
Updated 3:11pm: Syndri now comments: "This issue remains a priority for our technicians, database administrators, and in-game staff at this time. We've no ETA available, though work is hard underway. As a result of these efforts, we are continuing maintenance on all realms. Though we are loathe to limit your available game time, we also want to ensure that this issue is addressed to the fullest extent possible. Thank you all for your continued feedback and responses. As more information becomes available, I will provide it herein."
Are you ready for the challenges that await you in Northrend? WoW Insider has you covered with our 8-day guide to Preparing for Wrath. Also, check out our feature on AddOns new, old and outdated and Essential AddOns for Wrath written especially with the expansion in mind.Filed under: Bugs, Realm Status
Reader Comments (Page 5 of 10)
imsobuzzed Nov 11th 2008 7:23PM
ROFLcopter and LOLerscates
Hacked by Chinese!!!
hold up Nov 11th 2008 2:54PM
Hey Blizz,
Let me know if you need a QA Team Manager. I wouldn't mind helping out. I always thought California was nice. Relocation is paid for, right?
imsobuzzed Nov 11th 2008 7:33PM
Ha. I work rite next door to the Blizzard campus here in Irvine doing QA testing on equity trading software. Database intensive and requiring lots of testing and verification before anything is moved out the door to production. I should apply for a QA job there cause someone's head should be rolling after the last couple of weeks of blunders. Maybe their QA should do testing and not playing.
Coolaliveguy Nov 11th 2008 2:56PM
The only explanation I have is the M.O.L.E-E transportable mailboxes that engineers can make...that could be the problem they are trying to fix atm.
"THE KID IS BACK ON THE ESCALATOR AGAIN"
Speedmonkay Nov 11th 2008 2:57PM
Step 1 : Identify the problem
Step 2 : FIX IT !
Adorable1 Nov 11th 2008 3:16PM
Identify another problem.
FIX IT!
Repeat as necessary.
Deadly. Off. Topic. Nov 11th 2008 3:49PM
Rolling restarts!
Hornwood Nov 11th 2008 2:58PM
Website back up but servers still down.....
Alynisa Nov 11th 2008 3:01PM
The game has millions of players with probably hundreds of millions of items in many of the players mail. You people talk about how the mail system has always worked perfectly, it hasn't trust me (I'm a day one player). You also shouldn't complain about the website and servers being down, they have millions of people refreshing the website, realm status page, and logging in and out of the game. Use your heads people they can't fix things like that instantly and the best thing you can do is find something else to do, take a break, and come back in a couple hours. Quit complaining if you think they are not doing everything they can, or do not appreciate your being a customer you should probably quit the game.
Dan Nov 11th 2008 3:19PM
Glad to see someone other than me who isn't overracting.
I can't even start to imagine the work involved in keeping all the realms up as well as Blizz does 99.999% of the time. Seriously, in all the hours of playtime you guys have spent in the game on various toons, really, have you faced that much downtime?
Reality check:
/played
Keep up the good work Blizz, I won't die if I have to wait a few hours on my day off, or if it doesn't get resolved until thursday, for that matter. Hell, I might go outside and face that bright thing in the sky rather than keep farming gold for the DK I can't wait to roll.
blazewan Nov 11th 2008 3:38PM
How long ago was day one?
Turtlehead Nov 11th 2008 6:05PM
"keeping all the realms up as well as Blizz does 99.999% of the time."
Agreed. I'm not worried. Got to knock several nines off that number to match their actual uptime though.
I realize you weren't being literal, and non-IT workers may think it's a trivial point, but once you start adding more nines each one costs an ENORMOUS additional amount of money. That fifth nine = ~20 seconds of downtime a month for all reasons combined. Patching, BRK doing a fund raiser, buildings catching on fire, drunk monkey running through Blizzard HQ with panties on its head, you name it.
Supermayne Nov 11th 2008 3:01PM
come on blizzard, joo can do it!
atp Nov 11th 2008 3:04PM
they need to clamp it down and FIX IT!!!
Caaras Nov 11th 2008 3:04PM
Dammit, I've still got a few dozen of each of the brewfest drinks/foods sitting in the mail. Bought like a hundred of them and been selling the achievements for 100g each. Hope they fix this or I've got a couple buyers gonna be pissed if they can't get their loot from me.
Gath Nov 11th 2008 3:49PM
Nothing new, ALways it's someting else that continually keeps us chompin' at the bit to logon, the year and a half I've been playing, I can only recall half'a dozen times when you could actually logon at exactly the ETA that was predicted.
I wonder what their excuse will be when there are 10,000 DeathKnights runnin' around tryin' to pull up their britches and grab their weapons on the way out the door to battle. ...speaking of britches, it is in my own opinion that WOW is way too big for their OWN britches, for blizzard to keep up with and they are winging it every single day with big-ass smiles on their faces as the upper echelon runs to the bank to deposit the millions they make off fools like us who cannot seem to get enough of the game, yeah I'm bitter, all I needed in my life was one more frackin' addiction! ...kill horde
Rapi Nov 11th 2008 6:00PM
Oh please, I don't think I can think of a SINGLE video game company that puts as much efforts into quality and customer support as Blizzard. You are expecting way too much considering the amounts of servers and work there is to be done to maintain such a huge game with such a huge population. Problems are bound to happen sometimes.
Stop whining jesus.
Shadown Nov 11th 2008 3:09PM
Sorry but that "Fix it" BS is terrible.
I got about to the part with "they always be hatin' on Armadillos", then I had to close the window to escape from too many of my brain cells dying off at once and turning me into a drooling idiot.
Monne Nov 11th 2008 3:08PM
I don't think this would be a big deal if WotLK wasn't coming out in two days. Doesn't exactly give me the warm fuzzies that it will be a smooth launch.
Alikins Nov 11th 2008 3:09PM
Hmmm... after all most 4 years they still have the same issues and things never seem to go off without a hitch. If I didn't love WoW so much I would have quit playing by now... maybe I should get a new addiction... *looks at the WoW icon on her desk top* I have to go... it's calling me again.