Having problems with the website?

Experiencing problems getting the latest images from the GOES website?

The first thing you need to know is that we update the images on the GOES website every 30 minutes. The updated pages are then sent out to the main server and the mirrors. Barring major network catastrophes and server meltdowns, everything should be in synch at all times.

So then why does it seem as thought the images are stuck and won't update? What's going on here?

Here's a brief summary. Your web browser saves (caches) a copy of every page you display so that when you return to the page (without explicitly reloading) the browser can load its copy of the page and save having to pull another copy of the page across the Internet. This means faster browsing and less time waiting for a page to load. However, sometimes browsers hang onto their local copies longer than they should, and you can end up viewing an out-of-date page. With slow-changing websites this is usually not a problem. But, with the GOES website, the images are updated every 30 minutes.

Some users set their browser preferences to check every single time they visit a web site, effectively eliminating this problem, but that slows down your session with the extra chatter necessary between your browser and the Internet, reducing the speed savings of the (normally well-behaved) cache files. Most folks just set their browser cache check to "Automatic" or "First Time Each Session" (depending on browser type and version). Savvy users reload everything anyway having learned to never trust their computers. Top-notch users periodically flush out their browser caches as a general maintenance and preventative procedure.

Then there is the misbehaving firewall/proxy server problem, which is outside of both our hands and yours, generally requiring the intervention of your ISP's technicians or your system administrators to correct the problem.

If reloading or refreshing doesn't update the homepage and you think it should, then see the following section "The Stuck Browser Cache Fix" for ways to fix that problem.

The Stuck Browser Cache Fix

1. Go to the outdated page or graphic image and click on the button in your browser's toolbar labeled "Refresh" (Internet Explorer) or "Reload" (Netscape). For Netscape users do a Shift-Reload (hold down the Shift button when you click on Reload) to do a Power-Reload.
2. If that doesn't get the latest stuff, then you need to manually clear your browser's "cache" or local stash of web pages and graphics.
   Here's how:
   
   
   • Netscape users
     Edit-->Preferences-->Advanced-->Cache-->Clear Disk Cache (and memory cache)
   • Internet Explorer users
     Tools-->Internet Options-->Temporary Internet Files-->Delete Files...
   • Now restart your browser.
   
   
3. If that still doesn't work, then you may be behind a firewall or your ISP or system administrators are using a proxy or caching server. These servers often save (cache) local copies of frequently requested web pages and graphics to reduce traffic loads. Not infrequently these servers can retain their copies long after we've changed them on our servers. In that case you need to contact your system administrators or your ISP Tech Support for assistance.
4. If you've tried all of the above, you aren't behind a firewall, you've cowed your computer into meek submission, and you are still seeing old images, then contact us and we'll see what we can do to help.