"Temporary server problem" / "Failed to load content" message

Occasionally users will experience access issues when using the Catapult LMS. This article addresses how to resolve the following (or similar) error messages (most will reference a "500" error code).

This almost always means there is a caching problem on the end user's internet browser. The user’s internet browser of choice has temporarily saved a bad or outdated version of the page and is trying to load that version instead of requesting a new one.

There are two ways to solve this issue;

1) Temporarily use a different internet browser

If your regular internet browser has cached a bad page, it will be purged eventually, after which you can go back to using it. In the meantime, you should be able to access the system using your username and password on a different internet browser.

Note that the Catapult LMS supports all modern internet browsers, although we recommend that you use Google Chrome and/or Firefox if possible. Note that Internet Explorer specifically should not be used.

2) Clear your internet browser’s cache

You can manually clear your internet browser’s cache, which will force-delete the saved version of the page. Once this has been done, you should be able to reopen the page which was previously displaying the “failed to load content” page.

The method of clearing your browser’s saved data will vary slightly based on which browser you are using and what operating system your device is running. Most notably, proprietary smartphone browsers might have a different process. That said, below are a couple of different examples.

Clearing the cache in Google Chrome

First, you need to access Google Chrome’s Settings page. The easiest way to do this is to open up the main menu bar and select the Settings option from the drop-down menu.

Next, search for the word “cache”, and click the Clear browsing data option.

On the pop-up, ensure that you are clearing as much data as possible - otherwise the cached version of the page might not be deleted. Click the Clear data button to proceed, after which you should try to use the Catapult LMS again.

Clearing the cache in Firefox

First, you need to access Firefox’s Security page. The easiest way to do this is to open up the main menu bar and select the Security option from the drop-down menu.

Next, search for the word “cache”, and click the Clear Data… option.

On the following pop-up, ensure that all of the boxes are ticked on and then click the Clear button. Once the browser has finished deleting all saved data, you should try to use the Catapult LMS again.

Still experiencing an issue?

If you have cleared your internet browsers’ caches and are still experiencing an access issue, we recommend trying on an entirely different device and network if at all possible (such as your home/work computer or your smartphone when not connected to WiFi). This is because there could be a problem with the device that you are actually using.

Another option is to send an email to support@catapult-elearning.com to request assistance. When doing so, please be sure to include the following information;

• Your full name and what organisation you are working/studying with.
• Details of the browser you are using, such as name and version number.
• Details of the device you are using (e.g. “Windows desktop”, “Apple laptop”, “Samsung smartphone”, etc) including version numbers.
• A full-screen screenshot of any error pages including the full web address bar and your device’s clock displayed.