Request help uploading to Blurb

[Mike Buckley]

I would appreciate any help from the hi-tech gurus among us, as I'm not one.

Beginning last night, I am in the process of unsuccessfully trying for the fourth time to upload a book to Blurb using Lightroom 5.2. The first time I uploaded a 20-page test book this summer, everything went fine. When I then uploaded a 200-page complete book, I had trouble uploading it. Blurb's customers support told me to wait and try it the next day. I did and everything worked like a charm.

Now I am trying to upload a 155-page complete book and I'm experiencing the same symptoms as when unsuccessfully trying to upload the 200-page book months ago. Customer support is now telling me to disable my security software. I did, but doing so didn't help. They also told me to disable my wifi system and connect the cable directly to my computer. I'm loathe to do that for several reasons.

If it helps to know the details, Lightroom's progress bar indicates that the pages are rendered and the cover is uploaded very quickly. Then the uploading of the pages begins and the progress bar slows to a crawl. An hour later a message is displayed that an error has occurred and gives me the opportunity to click "Retry." I do and get the same results. Canceling the process and starting over from scratch produces the same results.

So, my questions to the gurus: Considering that my computer system is configured exactly the same as when I was able to successfully upload last summer, does it really make sense to disable my wifi and connect the cable directly to my computer? If so, what are the potential pitfalls? Is there anything else you can suggest that I should try?

[pnodrog]

At this time of year with people trying to get things for Christmas it maybe that Blurb's server(s) is/are struggling with the traffic. Blurb would be the last to admit it. It may pay to try and upload when all sensible people are in bed (whenever that may be).

[Mike Buckley]

Two of my attempts were a little past midnight and very early this morning. The only other time to try would be the middle of the night. I'm going to try disabling the wifi and connecting directly to the computer. If doing that doesn't work, I can at least tell customer support that I have tried everything that they have suggested.

By the way, their customer support folks have been extremely responsive. Two different people have gotten back to me with the second person knowing everything that was communicated with the first person.

[ShaneS]

Good luck Mike! As you have said in the past "sleep is highly overrated"

[Mike Buckley]

I will be able to sleep at my normal time tonight. That's because I was able to successfully upload the book.

My wife disabled my computer's wifi setup and cabled my computer directly to the router. She tells me that we can leave it that way and still have her and my computer connected to the network. Whew!

I still have to wonder if this successful upload was just a coincidence. I have successfully uploaded a test book and a complete book previously to Blurb without disabling the wireless setup, so it's illogical for me to think that doing so this time was a requirement.

All in all, being able to produce a few copies of a 155-page book for only $40 each including shipping and a hefty 35% holiday discount is truly consumer technology at its best.

[pnodrog]

I will be able to sleep at my normal time tonight. That's because I was able to successfully upload the book.

My wife disabled my computer's wifi setup and cabled my computer directly to the router. She tells me that we can leave it that way and still have her and my computer connected to the network. Whew!

I still have to wonder if this successful upload was just a coincidence. I have successfully uploaded a test book and a complete book previously to Blurb without disabling the wireless setup, so it's illogical for me to think that doing so this time was a requirement.

All in all, being able to produce a few copies of a 155-page book for only $40 each including shipping and a hefty 35% holiday discount is truly consumer technology at its best.

It may have been a coincidence but if it works stick with it until it also stops working. I find technology is almost as fickle as my golf and fishing...

[Mike Buckley]

Neither my golf nor my fishing is fickle. My fishing has always been bad, which explains why I stopped doing it. My golfing would always be bad, which explains why I never swung a club in my life.

[pnodrog]

Neither my golf nor my fishing is fickle. My fishing has always been bad, which explains why I stopped doing it. My golfing would always be bad, which explains why I never swung a club in my life.

I am sure if you avoided using wifi it would all work.

[Mike Buckley]

I am sure if avoided using wifi it would all work.

You waited all these years to tell me that. Too late now.