Server 5.5: Mac to PC issues?

[Bob476]

I've got Server 5.5 running on an OS9 server currently, but would like to move it to a PC environment.

Is it as simple as installing Server 5.5 on the PC and moving the files? What should I prepare for?

[Vaughan]

"Is it as simple as installing Server 5.5 on the PC and moving the files?"

Pretty much, yes. Just make sure all the file, guest cache, etc preferences are set up the same.

"What should I prepare for?"

All guests have to using TCP/IP for their network protocol. AppleTalk is not supported on FMS Win.

[MorFologist]

Mmmmm, except on OS9, as I recollect, FM Server is a typical in-your-face happy Mac application.

On OSX, and PC, it is a running process, which I find is best administrated from FMP via the Admin Plugin. There are still some all OS9 Mac shops out there, so just in case:

I thought I'd share how it went for me the first time I set that up a few years ago:

At the time, being neither a PC nor even a regular OSX user, it was not all that fun.

At a client who opted for PC serving: The PC only IT staff found administering FM Server perplexing,

so me, the lowly Mac OS9 geek, had to figure it out.

Issues we ran in to:

The log in user who installs server, must remain the active user. This is probably because the cheapos refused to use a real server, and it was set up on a workstation Windows OS. (Another, newer FM server installed on a real PC server, didn't seem to have this problem, but then again, there aren't multiple user accounts on it).

You have to set up the admin password in the FM server control panel, it is not the sharing password.

IT support seemed to have trouble keeping the directory that the backup is sent to writable. Again, a multiple user issue as I recollect.

You can't restart* the PC to "launch" a newly added file. It has to be "activated", hence the need to have a workstation with the FileMaker Pro Admin Plugin, and a the admin password set for the FM server. You can do it at the server, but it's not as easy (I could never walk IT through it via phone anyway).

Thank Al Gore for VPN!!! ( assume since he takes credit for inventing the internet, I must thank him for that too).

*and boy, do the users get mad when the cache is flushed unnecessarily!!!

If you are developing for PC users on Mac/OS9 by any chance, pull the Appletalk plugin for FileMaker so it is forced to make connections via TCP/IP (IP address shows in scripts).