FINALLY - I found the reason for the outage. !
And no, it was not a conspiracy due to our engagement with the ACO :-)
The backup server (the old machine, which I use for backups and as serial consola access to the real server) died last week, - I asked one of the guys at the hosting-place to try resurrecting it by switching it off/on when he had time.
Unfortunately he chose to switch BOTH servers off/on ... which caused the usual database-connection problem for the forums - which I normally would fix by running a script (long story) - but since I was on the ferry to Calais when it happened, I couldn't until the evening.
HOWEVER, the reboot caused the forum software to do a complete re-login to the database, which since soem security-updates back in February requires a new way to store the password inside the DB, this login was declined.
This wasn't picked up when I upgraded the DB in February, probably because the forum software was using a persistent DB connection.
ANYWAY, we're back online - I am *VERY* sorry for the outage.
I will hand the microphone to the writers, who no doubt soon will report from this overly exiting day in the pressroom at Le Mans (nothing has continued to happen since early this morning :-) )
/Lennart
