Hi Max.
I am a domain name manager. I manage over 150 domain names with http://www.GoDaddy.com . They are a good company to deal with as they have excellent customer support. They also have a domain name transfer concierge that you can call if you are having trouble transfering your domain name.
When you register a domain name typically you register for one year. You can actually register for more than one year at a time. So you'll have to check how many years you have registered your domain name. You cannot cancel a domain name as far as I know. You would have to let it expire and then re-register it. This is ricky though because if your DN has any value there may be someone waiting to snatch it up.
Also, when you first register your DN there is an option to lock your DN to keep it from being transferred without your knowledge. If your DN is locked you have to log in to your account at that registrar and unlock it so you can request a transfer from another registrar.If you did not register it yourself but had a hosting company do it for you they will have to unlock it.
If you transfer your domain to GoDaddy they will charge $7.95 and add one year to your registration included in that price. It is better to manage the DN registration yourself because you have total control over the DNS settings and contact information associated with that account.

Good Luck!

Yes I know godaddy seems good, and i my old domain company there was no options to change anything! i would go with godaddy but they do NOT transfer .co.uk domain names! and thats what i need (http://www.safclan.co.uk) although, i have just canceled my contract and account with the host i bought it from (1&1 internet http://www.oneandone.co.uk).

HOW LONG will i have to wait till i can BUY it from godaddy, because although to cannot transfer co.uk domains from godaddy, you can still buy them! so this is just a more complictaed way of doing it, but i want to do it this way. (simply because 1&1 NEVER RESPOND to my emails and i would never be able to get the transfer going!)

Here is part of your problem:
Domain Name:
safclan.co.uk

Registrant:
None

You are not named as the registrant for this domain name. This is not ethical of the hosting company that registered this for you. Your name and email should be under the registrant field for this domain. If I were in you shoes I'd call the hosting company and request that they update your registration. Ask them to make sure you are listed as the registrant for this domain. This may enable you to log in yourself and manage your DNS settings.

Also:
Registrant's Agent:
Schlund + Partner AG [Tag = SCHLUND]
URL: http://registrar.schlund.info

Relevant Dates:
Registered on: 09-Apr-2004
Renewal Date: 09-Apr-2006

So your domain name is registered until 2006. If your hosting company does not respond, try disputing your rights to this name directly with the registrar. Go to their site and get some support.

Finally, here is your DNS info:
Registration Status:
Registration request being processed

Name servers listed in order:
ns13.schlund.de 195.20.224.177
ns14.schlund.de 212.227.123.11

WHOIS database last updated at 16:10:01 16-Apr-2004

This is the DNS information you change to point to the host of your choice. That is if you can get access to this registration account.

Hope this helps....

no no, you see I HAD my domain name registered (that is not my problem) my problem is that you CANNNOT change the DNS servers with that domain company, i do not know why, but they even told me themselves.

I have just cancelled my domain with them and am waiting for confirmation of cancellation, how long before i can buy it from godaddy?

- thanks

I see that your DN cancelation (? I was unaware you could do this!) request is still being processed at the current registrar. The domain name should become immediately available for purchase through godaddy once it is cancelled.
BTW the idea that you cannot change your DNS settings is totally bogus. If a registrar is legitimate and operates according to the rules they cannot deny you access change DNS settings to a DN that legally belongs to you.
I supposed the legitimate practices of GoDaddy is why it is the fastest growing registrar so far.
Again, good luck to you!

Thanks!
ok so the domain will be immediatly for purchase from godaddy, right ok.
Can i ask you something?
Help me with the registration process for godaddy, do you use SMART or CUSTOM registration, and what thing do i chooses when it says 'I will be..' the options are to host my domain with them, or to 'Host these domains elsewhere.'
or 'Using one of my FREE options
(Parked Page, For Sale Page'.

All i want is the domain nothing else, what do i choose?
- Thanks for your help

Oh and yeh! they stated that you cannot change your DNS
numbers with them if its a .co.uk domain!
click here and check them out

Hi Max

Quote:
If you have an account with GoDaddy and you want to register the DN under that account then use SMART registration. If however this is your first DN registration with them use CUSTOM so that you have the opportunity to fill in all the contact and billing info.

Quote:
If you already know where you will be hosting your site and you know the DNS server settings choose 'Host these domains elsewhere'and enter you DNS info. If you are unsure of the hosting settings leave it on 'park this domain here for free'. When you have a hosting service come back GoDaddy and set up the the DNS info.

Quote:

I don't know what earthly reason why that would be the case. But is it not possible for you to register a .com instead of .co.uk? I have friends in the uk that use only .com, .net, etc.

Good luck.

Thanks for your continuous help and support!
As soon as the domain has been cancelled i will be able
to buy it from godaddy (yah! i do have the DNS numbers!, two of them) i will enter in the DNS numbers and then continue to purchase my domain using the custom registration, right.
And then when my domain has been resolved to my host, what do i do to install xoops?

Usually a webhost provider will give you a temporary url to use for your site until the domain name has been resolved. Plus you can go into the control panel of your new account and use it to set up your databases. Use phpmyadmin to create a database named xoops. Create a database user for that database and copy down your username, password and the name of the database. Those are needed to install xoops. Upload all the XOOPS directories/files that are in the html folder of your copy of XOOPS to your public_html folder of your server.

chmod the cache and templates.c folders to 777. chmod the mainfile.php to 666. Then when your domain name has been resolved, just enter your url and it will take you through the installation steps to install XOOPS on your site. Having the database created, having your database name, user, password and the directories and mainfile.php chmoded correctly, you should have no problems installing XOOPS yourself.

There is a tutorial to the left if you click on the link called Install Guide, in the menu XOOPS Documentation.