Photobucket problem!

[PALADIN85020]

I just noted that all my photos here on the forum have disappeared. I logged onto Photobucket, where they are stored, and was shocked to find not one photo in my account is there anymore. I have notified them and am waiting for a response.

Has anyone using Photobucket experienced this today????

John

UPDATE! First, I got a boilerplate computer reply, and just now all my photos were miraculously restored. Nearly got a heart attack, for sure. I sent 'em an e-mail that if that ever happens again, I'll go on social media and blast them to the moon.

UPDATE NO. 2!

Now, MOST of my pictures have disappeared AGAIN! I sent another VERY strong-worded e-mail to Photobucket - and this is getting maddening!!!!

UPDATE NO. 3! Now my pictures have been restored - again. This merry-go-round is really hacking me off!

John

 

[quikdraw67]

I haven't used Photobucket since I got a smartphone. So, no idea.

 

[hittman77]

Most of us left them a few years ago when they held our pictures hostage.

Dang bad luck. Hope its just a glitch and they can recover them for you.

 

[s&wchad]

They’ve been sending out emails for months saying that they’ll delete your content if you don’t subscribe. I just checked and some of my older photos are still in threads with their watermark, but maybe they just haven’t got to my account yet.

The Photobucket executives can take a flying leap off a tall cliff for all I care! I gave up on them after they first block photos and demanded exorbitant fees to use their service. It was nothing short of extortion. That really threw a wrench into a lot blogs and boards. Fortunately, I had all my digital photos saved on my computer.

 

[Pete99004]

I'm sorry to hear you had that happen. I have always been wary of these online photo and cloud file storage places. You never know what some new management might decide is proper and what isn't for them. Or they maybe have an employee who decides to delete files for the fun of it. No control on my end so I'm always wary of them.

I use a portable drive to back up my stuff these days - have had to many things go "missing" as you described. Might look into portable hard drives for future files you want to save. Many models and capacities are available, just don't rely on USB flash drives, they are ok for moving files from work to home computer, but not good for long term file storage.

Hope you can recover your lost files.

Pete99004

 

[PALADIN85020]

Please refer to the update in the OP. Problem solved - pictures restored and are being used here as usual.

I spoke too soon - now MOST of my pictures are missing. Can't upload pictures, either.

John

 

[LVSteve]

Anybody else here recall the great vBulletin update debacle of 2008 when a software improvement deep-sixed all the pictures on a major collector forum?

 

[DWalt]

I dumped PB some time ago for the same reason everyone else did. At the time, I downloaded every picture I had posted on PB and moved them all to Imgur (which I highly recommend, and it is free), and never looked back. That is probably what anyone with their pictures stored on PB should do ASAP.

 

[GaryS]

I second Imgur as well. Easy to use, and the won't steal your pictures and hold them for ransom.

I dumped PB some time ago for the same reason everyone else did. At the time, I downloaded every picture I had posted on PB and moved them all to Imgur (which I highly recommend, and it is free), and never looked back. That is probably what anyone with their pictures stored on PB should do ASAP.

 

[PALADIN85020]

Here we go again. Most of my pictures are missing. DAMN.

John

 

[PALADIN85020]

My pictures are back again. GRRRRRRR.

John

 

[Rustyt1953]

Four years ago PB tried to hold my pics for ransom and hit me with this:



I ignored it and opened up free accounts with Postimages.org, ImgBB and imgur.. My pics are tucked in the cloud and flash drives.

 

[Wyatt Burp]

Here’s what happened to me. I have a tons of pics on PB and while they kept telling me to start paying them, I ignored the many emails they sent for a year or so. I had long ago moved on to another photo site but kept going back to retrieve pics from PB. But about 3 weeks ago they locked me out unless I paid them ransom…I mean a monthly “fee”. So, I kissed those pictures goodbye.

 

[BRL40]

...they locked me out unless I paid them ransom…I mean a monthly “fee”. So, I kissed those pictures goodbye.

I lost a lot of cool pictures because I decided to get out of that situation right away!

Fortunately, I have a pretty sharp memory and can still picture most of them in my mind.

Yea, Imgur seems good to me so far.

 

[GaryS]

PALADIN85020, download all of your pictures, set up an account on IMGUR and upload to there.

PB is going to do something to your pictures that you don't like, like delete them, and you will not be able to recover them.

 

[PALADIN85020]

PALADIN85020, download all of your pictures, set up an account on IMGUR and upload to there.

PB is going to do something to your pictures that you don't like, like delete them, and you will not be able to recover them.

With over 3,500 pictures, that would be a very monumental task. I have some of them on my computer and on the albums and pictures section here - family pictures I have stored on thumb drives as well.

John

 

[Glashaus]

I used to use the P bucket until they changed their policies a few years ago. I had quite a few pictures on my account there. I use Smugmug now, a much better service then PB. I closed my PB account and deleted all my pictures from them.

 

[Tom S.]

They’ve been sending out emails for months saying that they’ll delete your content if you don’t subscribe. I just checked and some of my older photos are still in threads with their watermark, but maybe they just haven’t got to my account yet.

The Photobucket executives can take a flying leap off a tall cliff for all I care! I gave up on them after they first block photos and demanded exorbitant fees to use their service. It was nothing short of extortion. That really threw a wrench into a lot blogs and boards. Fortunately, I had all my digital photos saved on my computer.

100% with Dave on this one! When PB tried to charge me outlandish fees to host my pics, I gave them the single finger salute and signed up with Smugmug. There are cheaper places out there, but I'm well satisfied with SM and wouldn't give PB the time of day.