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What is happening to Virmach?
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What is happening to Virmach?

I have a few cheap VPS with Virmach, literally all of them sourced from offers here. As with all my VPS, I usually install the OS from ISO and encrypt the disk - because I do not know what happens to the disks when they are decommissioned - which requires me to have VNC access to unlock them.
2 months ago after rebooting the VPS I have in their node in the Netherlands I was unable to access VNC which led me to open a support ticket. 2 months later the issue has not been resolved.
It took them 2 weeks (!!!) to answer the initial ticket and when they do come back to me, they tell me the problem is that my server was hijacked by a hacker that encrypted my filesystem (!!!) I point out that I was the one encrypting the filesystem, and glad I did so if they be looking at my VM filesystem to solve the VNC problems in their infrastructure.
It took them 2 more weeks (!!!) to offer any substantial answer back and to tell me that this is a strange issue they had never seen before (!!??) and that "everything I have read on LUKS + Qemu/KVM, points to it being the cause of the issue" (??!!) I've never had any issue with the dozens of providers I've used over the years while always encrypting the filesystem when installing from ISO. I never had this issue happening in any other VPS I have with them at other locations. How can an encrypted file system cause issues with their VNC (never mind that it worked fine for months in that same VPS during periodic reboots and unlocking the disk through VNC).
They eventually suggested uploading my disk image to a location of my choice and rebuild the image. When I gave them the sftp details to upload the disk image they tell me they could try to rebuild the VM on another node to see if it solves the issue (why wasn't I offered this solution 2 months ago ???). I've accepted and asked them to also upload the disk image so I could close access to the server I was using for that end. They tell me they are "rebuilding the server now" and will also upload the disk image - that was 2 days ago!
This has been an unreal ordeal for 2 months, no access to the server or my data and just a staggering level of incompetence all around, from taking 2 weeks to answer critical emails, to them looking into the VM filesystem to solve a VNC issue, to telling me a hacker encrypted my filesystem, etc, etc.... Needless to say I've now lost all trust and hope in this provider, hence this post.
So, what the hell has happened to Virmach? Is this a way to push out their low-end user? I've seen others complain about VNC here, some saying it was resolved for them. It's just been an unreal experience for me.

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Comments

  • All that text and you forgot to tag @VirMach.

    It's also time to call @consumer_justice !

    Thanked by 3Devas raindog308 Edmond
  • don't be too confident that you typed a long one. wait for the reply.

    Thanked by 1kkrajk
  • First sentence is your problem source. Does anyone has expensive services with them and any problems?

  • When you said you was unable ton use VNC, did it was only the html5 console or you did try with external VNC software with provided information ?

  • I'm not sure why you're surprised. It's virmach what do you expect? Customer service? Never heard of that. Imagine thinking it's okay to sell basic customer service as a premium, fucking hilarious.

    Run while you can, that's my only advice.

  • @LTniger said:
    First sentence is your problem source. Does anyone has expensive services with them and any problems?

    The issue is that regardless of price, they should still make sure that everything is functional on their end, which in this case seems not.

  • @ben47955 said:
    When you said you was unable ton use VNC, did it was only the html5 console or you did try with external VNC software with provided information ?

    Both HTML5 and through an external VNC software. Before and after changing VNC password (as suggested in the FAQ about the issue).

  • @miroc said:

    @LTniger said:
    First sentence is your problem source. Does anyone has expensive services with them and any problems?

    The issue is that regardless of price, they should still make sure that everything is functional on their end, which in this case seems not.

    Exactly. I do not expect much support from them considering what I pay, and in fact I never needed much support from them. But access to the VNC to unlock the disk seems to me to be a basic requirement and a critical issue when not working. Independently of what I pay (never negotiated any offers, all of them were posted by them at the price they choose, I should have access to the service and my data hosted there.

    Thanked by 1kkrajk
  • Cheap service. You said it. Cheap and budget ain't the same.

  • 24 paragraphs this time may be??

  • A shitton of paragraphs incoming!!!!!

  • @SCAM_DONT_BUY said:
    All that text and you forgot to tag VirMach.

    It's also time to call consumer_justice !

    You forget to tag dustin. He might give op a free VPS for condolences.

  • What'd you say in your support ticket? It sounds like they're trying to solve why your instance in encrypted not why VNC doesn't work.

    Thanked by 1TimboJones
  • DevasDevas Member
    edited February 2021

    @skorous said:
    What'd you say in your support ticket? It sounds like they're trying to solve why your instance in encrypted not why VNC doesn't work.

    Original Ticket:

    Hi,
    I am unable to connect to my server through VNC, both through the CP and external VNC program (using SSL/VNC Viewer in Linux). I have changed the VNC password and rebooted the server as advised. I have confirmed my firewall isn't blocking any outgoing ports.
    Can you kindly assist?
    Thanks

    Their first meaningful reply after 2 weeks:

    Hi, unfortunately upon further inspection of your server's filesystem, it looks like your server has been hacked and all of it's files have been encrypted which is why you have been unable to access it. The only recource here is to reinstall your server and to strengthen the security of your server to ensure it does not get hacked again. \

    Do let us know if you need our assistance with anything else.

    Thanks,

    Thanked by 3JabJab skorous pbx
  • Weird ... they totally missed the "through VNC" part. Maybe use the word "console"? Everything they said is correct from the view point of the OS isn't booted but they're missing the part where that's exactly what you're trying to fix.

  • deankdeank Member, Troll

    They have been going downhill for one simple reason.

    Took too many orders during 2020 BF and Christmas holiday.

    Thanked by 2webcraft bruh21
  • brueggusbrueggus Member, IPv6 Advocate

    Does VNC work for you if you switch to SolusVM and run it from there?

  • @brueggus said:
    Does VNC work for you if you switch to SolusVM and run it from there?

    I mostly use the SolusVM to manage the VPS, I just go to the account page to check tickets and if something is not working on SolusVM. I've tried on both and VNC is not working in neither.

  • netomxnetomx Moderator, Veteran

    My VNC works fine with them

  • Typical case of one user having issues and he think that represent the whole thing. Of course, they may have fail in this particular case. I'm not denying that.

  • @netomx said: My VNC works fine with them

    Encrypt your whole VPS disk and try again.

    Thanked by 1webcraft
  • @LTniger said: Encrypt your whole VPS disk and try again.

    Why? OP has several machines and only one has this problem which would means it's not systemic.

    Thanked by 1drunkendog
  • @Devas admittedly this is out of date, however, you can use this as a reference and do a little more searching on the updated method -- http://blog.neutrino.es/2011/unlocking-a-luks-encrypted-root-partition-remotely-via-ssh/

    To avoid the issue you are currently having you should set it up so you are unable to unlock luks encryption remotely. It is a bit cumbersome to figure out the first time, but once you do you can pretty easily script it. I have one made but it is as outdated as that page so probably wouldn't help you much in the end.

    However, if you go through the trouble of setting that up, you won't have to worry about VNC being accessible to get your servers online.

    My 2 cents.

    Cheers!

  • @deank said:
    They have been going downhill for one simple reason.

    Took too many orders during 2020 BF and Christmas holiday.

    No. It's because they used to have an outsourced support team and they dropped them without replacing them. This was before BF and delayed support problems were increasing by then.

    Thanked by 2yoursunny pbx
  • @op Virmach mentioned a few times they have fucked VNC on some servers. Based on previous responses, you should be able to file an urgent ticket to say service is inoperational and VNC access is still not working and needs to be escalated.

  • @TheLinuxBug said:
    @Devas admittedly this is out of date, however, you can use this as a reference and do a little more searching on the updated method -- http://blog.neutrino.es/2011/unlocking-a-luks-encrypted-root-partition-remotely-via-ssh/

    To avoid the issue you are currently having you should set it up so you are unable to unlock luks encryption remotely. It is a bit cumbersome to figure out the first time, but once you do you can pretty easily script it. I have one made but it is as outdated as that page so probably wouldn't help you much in the end.

    However, if you go through the trouble of setting that up, you won't have to worry about VNC being accessible to get your servers online.

    My 2 cents.

    Cheers!

    Thanks, I have set up my kimsufi servers with encryption and unlocking through ssh. But that is not the point and wouldn't solve anything now. My post was about the incompetence shown in dealing with the situation, the complete disregard for assistance on a critical issue, the delay in answering tickets and the 2 months without access to a contracted service due to a fault in their infrastructure. I do not understand their attitude, I'm sure their VNC wasn't broke due to me encrypting the VPS, I can't understand why they ask me to provide sftp details to upload a disk image, telling me they are rebuilding the server at that moment and then go silent for days. So I am trying to understand what is happening to virmach: are they just incompetent? Has the provider gone through some staff changes? Are they actively getting rid of low-end users? In the end, I'm just tired of the all situation and wanted to share my experience out of pure frustration.

  • @TimboJones said:
    @op Virmach mentioned a few times they have fucked VNC on some servers. Based on previous responses, you should be able to file an urgent ticket to say service is inoperational and VNC access is still not working and needs to be escalated.

    Unfortunately there is no way to file an urgent ticket with them. I even opened a new ticket one month into the ordeal looking for the urgent option (there was none) and they just ended up merging both tickets. They even kind of admit that there was an issue with the VNC saying that "this is in a special queue to fix the VNC. I apologize for the wait but it's actually a complicated issue that we're looking into" - that was a month and half ago and just before their message saying that "everything I have read on LUKS + Qemu/KVM, points to it being the cause of the issue."

  • TheLinuxBugTheLinuxBug Member
    edited February 2021

    @Devas said:
    Thanks, I have set up my kimsufi servers with encryption and unlocking through ssh. But that is not the point and wouldn't solve anything now. My post was about the incompetence shown in dealing with the situation, the complete disregard for assistance on a critical issue, the delay in answering tickets and the 2 months without access to a contracted service due to a fault in their infrastructure. I do not understand their attitude, I'm sure their VNC wasn't broke due to me encrypting the VPS, I can't understand why they ask me to provide sftp details to upload a disk image, telling me they are rebuilding the server at that moment and then go silent for days. So I am trying to understand what is happening to virmach: are they just incompetent? Has the provider gone through some staff changes? Are they actively getting rid of low-end users? In the end, I'm just tired of the all situation and wanted to share my experience out of pure frustration.

    The problem is you haven't yet realized you are beating a dead horse and that what you are stating is already obvious to the members here -- we all know Virmach is crap -- so I was simply trying to offer you a solution for the future. If I were you, I would stop wasting your energy on dealing with them and move on. The phrase "Pay for peanuts, get monkeys," is just all the more true in this situation -- you act like your are expecting a Porche when you bought a Chevy Spark, so the issue here is your expectations and why you would expect anything different from such a dirt cheap product.

    my 2 cents.

    Cheers!

    Thanked by 1bulbasaur
  • @TheLinuxBug said: @Devas admittedly this is out of date, however, you can use this as a reference and do a little more searching on the updated method -- http://blog.neutrino.es/2011/unlocking-a-luks-encrypted-root-partition-remotely-via-ssh/

    Why go this route vs using clevis/tang?

  • @LTniger said: Does anyone has expensive services with them and any problems?

    I have had a $30 dedi since 2017 and never had one single issue

    Thanked by 1Levi
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